A bit of good news, to temper the bad.

But first, by way of an introduction, for those of you have no idea who I am, I’m the guy who sporadically maintains iBook Swan (Jaguar appropriate update coming soon, honest).  Been posting here for a while, more often lurking, usually just for the Appley goodness, but also because this is a nice place.  Twenty years old, Philosophy student.

So.

Spent several hours, earlier this evening, acting as referee between my mother and father as they go about sorting out their divorce.  Grand amounts of bile between the two of them, they’ve been sniping at each other for the last two months, halfway through which I moved back to London for the start of the academic year.  But, it is now reading week, and it affects my four younger siblings, so I come back home to make them work it out.  It was nice getting away from it for a while, but it was still constantly on my mind this last month…

So, anyway, I got them calmed down and I think I’ve helped them sort things out.  Of course, my mother could change her mind completely tomorrow, but right now things are looking up; they’re not getting back together, or anything as foolish as that, but they might just be working the financial and children details out amicably, rather than resorting to solicitors and court and hate.

I am king.  Woohoo.

And now for the good part; when all this is sorted, hopefully within a few months, my father says he will get me a new computer.  Which is nice, especially as, earlier this evening (just before the refereeing, in fact), iBook Swan was injured quite badly.

So…  yeah.  Yay for a new Mac.  I wasn’t planning on getting a new one for another two or three years, my first PC lasting from 1995 - 1998, my next from 1998 - 2001 (and still going strong, passed on to my sisters) and my iBook just since 2001.  But, now I can get another, I shall.  Just need to decide on what; another laptop?  Another iBook or all the way to a PowerBook?  Or maybe an iMac?  An iPod in the mix?  Or, Bob forbid, a PowerMac with 17” Studio Display?  The drool, it gathers, and I get to lust after tech instead of dwelling more on parents.  Huzzah.

Advise me, kids; if you had a few thousand Јs just begging to be spent on new Mac goodness (in, say, six months from now) what would you go for?  I can’t make up my mind…

Thanks for letting me vent,
Simon

Sorry to hear about the divorce, but it’s cool that your dad may be getting you a new Mac. 

My advice is to go with the new high-end PowerBook.  That’s a terrific machine that acts as a desktop very nicely, thank you.

needs

My advice depends on your needs.

get the 17” flat panel iMac with superdrive for 1.

do you need portability? 

also, get an ibook 800 with 12.1” screen for $1299.00

for the price of a powerbook with superdrive, you get 2 awesome machines with plenty of power.

I personally have the imac 17” with superdrive, and the Powerbook 800.  I didn’t sell my powerbook before the new releases.  Why not?  I don’t need the upgrade.  I already have a superdrive, which I RARELY use, but have burnt a few DVD’s of the kids & wouldn’t be without.  Also, the tibook800 flies.

Good luck, you will be happy with whatever you choose.  They are all great!

I love the 12” ibooks with CD R/W. I travel more than a little, and I was issued a 14” laptop. I used to have a 12” laptop, and complained about the screen. The 14” laptop is a monster to carry around. Given a choice, and depending on how much you need the mobility, I’d get the 12” screen. If you’re looking for a desktop replacement and have the bucks, go for the Powerbook. Strictly home use? PowerMacs can’t be beat for raw power, expandability and upgradability, something that notebooks are severely limited in. However if you’re going to replace it in a couple of years and have a budget cap, iMacs are off the charts in coolness factor, features for dollar, and save space in the dorm room. Max out your RAM no matter what you get. And, oh yeah, let us know what you get so we can drool.

“Hello, Dad? Megasad’s dad’s buying *him* a computer, can I get one too?”

Aloha,

Enlil