cheap Macs?

[cellio]

Dear LJ brain trust,

I'd like to get an inexpensive laptop. It won't be my main machine; it's for travel and other situations where portability is useful. So it doesn't need to be studly; it just needs to be reliable and support basic tools like Firefox, emacs, SSH, FTP, and that sort of thing.

This would be a prime opportunity to explore the Macintosh, which some of my friends rave about, except for one little thing: I can get a (new) Dell laptop for around $400, but Macs start at $1100. Is there some less-expensive option I'm missing?

Comments

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Is there some less-expensive option I'm missing?

Used.

Not ideal, but if you know someone who's upgrading their iBook (as opposed to replacing it because it's died the death), my experience has been that people are glad to get anything for an old machine. The down side is that you probably won't be able to get warranty coverage (which is delightful and irreplaceable when it's necessary).

If what you really want is an occasional travel machine and you're currently a Windows user, I'd stick with the Dell, since the handling will be familiar. Apples are very friendly for new users, but unless you're going to be using it fairly regularly, there's still a learning curve you can trip over, and you don't want to be tripping when you're ... tripping, as it were. Now, I'm a major Mac proselytizer, but it doesn't sound like your situation is ideal for making a joyous conversion. :)

[murphstein.livejournal.com]

Since you're a Mac proselytizer, would you tell me if there's a Mac version of right-click?

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

Replace the mouse :-) (We have a Logitech mouse with a split mouse button, and right-click works just fine....)

[geekosaur]

Control-click, with single-button mice.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

What shalmestere said. If right clicking is thoroughly ingrained, you can get a two-button (or more) mouse and it'll work just find. A few right-click functions can be accessed by click-hold-down, but mostly you just learn the non-shortcut commands. I use Windows machines exclusively at work and Macs exclusively at home, and mostly I've just learned to be bilingual.

[siderea]

my experience has been that people are glad to get anything for an old machine

Not, in my experience, in the Mac world. Macs are built like trucks and retain their forward utility much longer than PCs, so they amortize much, much, much more slowly than PCs do.

Case in point: Currently, on eBay, G3 laptops are going for over $400. Those are, like, four year old machines. And those are not particularly refurbished.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, I was extrapolating from my more general hardware experiences. While I've had two Macs leave my hands, one was to a burglar and one via a venti mocha, so I don't have direct experience of Mac resale value.

[siderea]

one via a venti mocha

Ah, did it keep going to sleep on you? ;)

[hakamadare.livejournal.com]

as it so happens, cellio, i have a 12” iBook G4/800 (http://www.apple-history.com/body.php?page=gallery&model=ibook_g4&performa=off&sort=family&order=ASC) that i’m looking to sell, and i’d sell it to you for less than $400. it was my main workstation for several years and still works (i’ve simply upgraded).

drop me an email if you’re interested.

-steve

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

Ummm, *I'd* be interested if she isn't--but I don't have your e-mail address :-) (I could Ping you on the Carolingia list, I guess....)

[hakamadare.livejournal.com]

my @livejournal.com address works as well. :)

-steve

[cellio]

I'll be in touch. :-)