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Instead of buying a dell mini and OSX to install on it, you can simply buy a used mac laptop to bring with you on vacation and business trips. Instead of paying apple $100+, just simply buy a used ibook, macbook, etc so that Apple doesn't gain a single penny from it.
Or...
Pay the $100 to apple so that they can get a few dollars for the OS.
Just curious why this type of behavior would make apple put anti-piracy software on the os?
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I'm going to reply to the subject of "dell mini musings"
I just tested mine, running ubuntu, by playing a video file over and over for an hour. The battery is now at 75%. I'm impressed with that!
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Wowzer,
If I were in the market for a computer as a secondary machine for basic tasks, I'd want that machine to cost me as little as possible. So, when it comes down to it, it's about the money.
I wouldn't spend more than a token amount of money on a powerpc based machine, i.e. $25 or so dollars. Apple is quickly moving away from supporting the PowerPC based hardware. At some point, even basic apps will require an intel chip. A used Macbook will still cost noticeably more than a Mini 9 plus the price of a retail OS X. The least expensive one I saw via a quick glance on ebay was $450.00 and the auction still had lots of time left on it.
I hope at some point Apple releases something that can compete with the Mini 9 when it comes to size, price and usability. The IPhone and the IPod Touch won't cut it. So, at this point, the least expensive way to get a Mac Os X capable notebook that's well suited for basic tasks is to buy a Dell Mini 9 and a retail copy of Mac OS X.
Robert
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Simple: a used mac laptop isn't as portable. It weighs twice as much. By comparison, it's unnecessarily large and inconvenient. It's not nearly as portable, cheap, and disposable as modern ultra-small, ultra-cheap netbooks. It's like comparing apples to raisins. A "used Mac laptop" and a Dell Mini 9 aren't in the same size-and-portability category. The musings would more likely have potential for interesting comparisons if it involved two items in roughly the same category.
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Isn't the Macbook Air more portable?
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More portable than other mac laptops, yes. But it's on the premium super-deluxe end of the price scale, as opposed to the crappy low end, where Dells are more comfortable, and many of us cheapo tightwad forum members are at home, regardless of external economic factors. Good economy, bad economy, we're cheap. Which is why it's fun to bitch at Apple for its inflexible pricing and lofty standards. If Apple won't make it, we'll happily go to a competitor and get the crappy version, and call it a victory.
That is a fairly decent price for a used Air. If I had the kind of income and lifestyle that would support an investment like that (I suspect the MB Air will improve notably in the coming years) I'd love to get one. But would prefer to wait 'till the MB Air's features are stronger, or a more affordable Apple product meets similar size and weight requirements.
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When someone sells their used mac, where do you think they put the proceeds from the sale?
Many of my used macs have ended up in the hands of first-timers who have gone on to buy more mac hardware than I've ever bought.
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I think the irony of my musings has been lost.
I posted my statement with my Dell mini...in Florida while on vacation. I think that Apple should quietly allow this type of behavior, as I bought a new OSX 10.5 to install on this dell mini. Even with that additional purchase, it was far less than what a used macbook would have cost me. The fact that I type with a smaller keyboard has its downsides...the real trouble is that I tend to swipe the mousepad with my thumb as I hit the space bar leading to spelling mistakes.
What was trying to get folks to agree with is that buying an OS for $100 is better than someone buying a used mac from Apple's perspective. I think that anyone who needs to be on the bleeding edge will always get a new computer and recouping the loss is only a by-product of some need (i.e. professional photoshopper who needs the absolutely fastest computer).
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The Dell Mini 9 is a good investment for a knock-around traveling laptop. I'm going to San Francisco next month for a week and I was hesitant to take my six month old Macbook. I recently got a Dell Mini 9 and put Leopard on it. I have no qualms about taking it with me and throwing it in my carry-on bag. Last time I travelled, I had a roll-on bag AND my laptop bag. This time - one small backpack.
By the way, the battery life is amazing for a four cell battery. I get almost four hours of wireless browsing. Tonight it had a full charge and it showed 5 hours 20 minutes when I pulled the a/c.
