Macopinion

The Road Warrior Mailbag - December 18, 2006

Pismo tales
The Widescreen Debate
The Case For A 12” MacBook or MacBook Pro
The Widescreen Debate
Is The MacBook's Integrated Graphics Fudge Too Much Of A Compromise?
Is The MacBook's Integrated Graphics Fudge Too Much Of A Compromise?

___

Pismo tales

From Robert Chen

Hello again Charles,

Well, I sold the Pismo I bought new years ago to finance my then new 1.0 Al 15 inch PowerBook - one that didn't run me 2 years until memory slot problems got the best of it, and after fighting Apple a few times, I decided to liquidate and as I wrote you in my last email, I decided to go Dell. I'm happy to report that my Core Duo Dell notebook has been trouble free, and delightfully nice to use these last 8 months.

In any case, last week a friend of mine gave me his Pismo G3 500, equipped very much like mine - condition wise, not as clean though. He also gave me some parts and pieces for Lombards and Pismos too - I forgot how nice Pismos are - even though I owned one since new for about 5 years.

Wondering how much you noticed a performance increase from your G3 to the G4 upgrade? Also, saw your article on your screen turning purple - if it gets really bad let me know, as I think he gave me a few extra screens, and I'd be happy to help you out should you need it.

Best,

-Bob Chen

___

Hi Bob;

I'm glad to hear that you are getting satisfactory service from the Dell. You have a higher Microsoft tolerance level than I, but different strokes .

We're on the same page on Pismos however. I still like using mine.

To answer your question, for me the G4 upgrade made the difference between now nearly three years extended useful service, and putting the machine out to pasture, so to speak. I really wasn't happy with OS X performance with the original 500 MHz processor. It's not a super-dramatic performance boost, but it has been substantial enough to keep me happy, at least in OS 10.3.9.

Thanks for your kind offer about the screen. May get back to you on that. So far it is just pink for a few minutes after startup. Actually, I think it is probably the backlight and not the display itself.

Charles

___

Re: Pismo tales

From Bob Chen

You're exactly right about the backlight going out--I have seen used ones where the neon tube has been worn like a florecent bulb; the ends of the tube become black.

I know someone was selling a backlight upgrade--I forgot who though.

Happy Holidays Charles!

Best,
Bob

___

Hi Bob;

Backlight CCFL tubes are available here:
http://www.lcdpart.com/doc/ccfl.html

EG: MS20290 CCFL Backlight For 14"-14.1" Apple M4753/G3 LCD Panel - $9.99

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Charles

***

The Widescreen Debate

From TC

For those writers that need to have notes, etc on one side and their writing on the other who cannot afford a newer widescreen laptop, maybe they should check out Z-Write.

http://www.stonetablesoftware.com/z-write/

The free method of merely resizing your windows works as well. I feel that most writers using high powered word processors probably get caught up with type setting what they write instead of actually writing. For a better explanation of this, read Robert Sawyer's article that explains the difference between the typewritten-page metaphor and the long-hand-page metaphor.

http://www.sfwriter.com/wordstar.htm

Personally, BBEdit Lite 3.5.1 (in conjunction with the Excaliber Spell checker) usually handles my writing chores and when I need to make it pretty for printing, I then copy it over to WriteNow, Nisus Compact or ClarisWorks. When all of my old Powerbooks (145, 170 and 180) Duos (250 and 280) and my compact Macs finally give up the ghost, then it might be time to check out those new-fangled PowerPC computers I've been hearing about and finally leave System 6 and 7 behind. Then again, vMac and other emulators can probably keep the old System 6 virtually alive for years to come and furthermore, System 7.5.5 or 7.6.1 works on most of the beige PowerPCs and PowerBooks up to the Kanga 3500. For those that need web access, then obviously my trailing-edge-technology approach will not suffice since most web designers ignore proper coding thereby excluding more and more older technology. Given the recent legal setback in the courts for Target because of their poorly designed website might give web designers pause in just cranking out IE Explorer specific web sites but I doubt it.

There are professional writers that use trailing edge technology and are just as productive. Dr. Isaac Asimov wasn't that much more productive when he switched from a typewriter to a computer and Mr. Wendell Berry has stated in a famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) essay in his book "What Are People For?" why he will not use a computer.

Some writers prefer the "less is more" approach. http://summitlake.com/COMPUTERS_NET/AlphaSmart_3000.html?reload_coolmenus

http://www.richardsnotes.org/archives/2005/09/22/neo-retro-writing-tool-for-nerds/

http://www.oreillynet.com/xml/blog/2005/09/on_the_joys_of_primitive_compu.html

It really is up to the individual writer to use whatever tools that are comfortable and transparent so as not to interfere with the creative process.

___

Hi TC;

As you may be aware, Z-Write is developed by my fellow MacOpinion columnist Marc Zeedar. It's a great tool for writers.

I agree with you that for serious writing, or even the stuff I do, full-zoot word processors are overkill, and can be an unnecessary distraction.

I use Tex Edit Plus, which accesses the OS X spellchecker, and dump the text into Papyrus when I need formatted document files.

Thanks for the links.

Charles

***

The Case For A 12” MacBook or MacBook Pro

From homeuser

Here's hoping for a Duo-like ultra portable. I wouldn't mind losing the optical drive while on the go (that's what thumbdrives are for), but I will not compromise on the keyboard. Anything less than fullsize and I'll skip it, thanks.

Something like the Samsung X1 would be nice, though... I love the top-loading DVD drive. It almost looks like something Apple would have designed.

___

Hi;

The rumor mills continue to grind. It will be interesting to see what emerges.

I'm with you on keyboards, but it's tough to install software from a thumbdrive.

Charles

***

The Widescreen Debate

From airhead

I agree -- it's why I'm still keeping my "old" 12-inch PowerBook. I briefly considered getting a MacBook, but the extra size and weight stopped me. I would assume that a widescreen 12-inch would still be longer (though maybe narrower) than the PowerBook, given that the size is diagonal.

On the desktop, however, widescreen advantages over-ride those of the 4:3 form factor. Not only for movies and games, but it also allows me to have a centrespread open (and legible) in Indesign while still having room at the side for the tabs and palettes. Same with Photoshop.

___

Hi AH;

Widescreens are fine for desktops, or even for my 17" PowerBook which spends most of its life in desktop substitute mode.

However, for mobile use, I think the 4:3 ratio has more to recommend it.

Guess that means we're on the same page, so to speak.

Charles

***

Is The MacBook's Integrated Graphics Fudge Too Much Of A Compromise?

From David H Dennis

I think a comparison with the competition would give you a good idea of why Apple did what it did.

Dell still sells entry level notebooks for fairly similar prices to the MacBook. They use the same graphics chip.

This is bizarre to say the least because on the Windows side, Aero Glass is not supported by these machines. There are going to be a lot of really angry customers once people understand the difference between "Windows Vista Ready" and "Windows Vista Premium Ready", lumpy phrases that disguise the ugly truth. Just in case you don't understand this, it's pretty simple: The cool looking transparency features of Vista won't run without the "Premium Ready" graphics.

It is very difficult on Dell's web site to understand this difference and so if you're a regular purchaser and not an obsessive researcher, the odds are that you will be burned.

I predict that in a year or two, depending on Vista's popularity, Apple will be forced to upgrade the graphics on its machines, just so they can run full-throttle Vista.

Just like Apple, Dell has a more professional line that is "premium ready". Apple's MacBook Pros will be likewise. So if you want to run Vista on a Mac with the fancy features today (or, well, after January 30th), you really need the MacBook Pro.

For me this doesn't matter at all because I need the big screens of the MacBook Pros, which are their real killer advantage. But if you don't, I can understand how choosing between MacBook and Pro would be a significant issue.

If you're not going to spend much time in Windows, and if you don't need intense game performance, I'd get the MacBook. If I was really interested in intense gaming, it's worth noting that the price difference between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro would buy you any gaming system you could want, up to and including the PS3.

D

___

Hi David;

Thanks for parsing the "Vista Ready" variegations. I am now better informed.

I'm neither a gamer nor a Windows-user, so I expect that a MacBook would be plenty machine for my needs. However, the Vista support issue is valuable intel for potential 'Book buyers who plan to run it on their machines.

Charles

***

Is The MacBook's Integrated Graphics Fudge Too Much Of A Compromise?

From borgiax

This article is a screed looking for a problem.

The Macbook and Macbook Pro are not designed for the same customers.

The Macbook does work well for all of us surfing the web, sending email and using office applications. There is no doubt that it handles iPhoto, IWeb and IMovie with the graphics subsytem it has.

The only question of import with regard to the graphics on the Macbook is whether Leopard will ask more of the GMA950 than it can handle. Early indications are that Leopard will use 3d graphics effects much more than Tiger. I dont think Apple would upset two generations of Macbook users by setting the bar too high.

___

Hi;

I beg to differ somewhat. While Apple does pitch the MacBook to "consumers" and the MacBook Pro to "professionals", there is a great deal of crossover in terms of who fits those categories.

As for Leopard, it wouldn't be the first time Apple crippled owners of relatively recent laptops with a new software feature, viz: Quartz Extreme and machines with less than 16MB of video RAM, and Core Image requiring a relatively powerful graphics card.

Charles

*** cmoore@macopinion.com

Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.

Note: Letters to The Road Warrior may or may not be published in The Road Warrior Mailbag at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context.

If you would prefer that your message not appear in The Road Warrior Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published.

CM