[carol m]

I am thinking of buying a new PC soon and am wondering if anyone has been using Vista with the software programs Reaper and Audacity? It's still possible to get XP but maybe it's OK now to think about Vista. The other thing is, is Vista Home good enough or is it better to get Vista Professional? If anyone has experience about these topics it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by carol m

...but I don't really need fancy layouts or photo stuff, or making videos etc and do need the Word type word processing most of all...

I bought the student/home edition of Microsoft Office 08 for Mac for $150 when I bought my MacBook. All the apps work almost exactly the same as the Windows version and the documents can be saved in "native" Office formats (.doc, .xls, etc.) and are usable on either Win or Mac computers.

There's also a rudimentary word processing app bundled in the Mac OS (similar to "Wordpad" in Windows) that will save in .doc format.

[carol m]

My latest update: I made an error in an earlier post, so in case anyone gets mislead, I will correct it here:

Vista has both 32bit and the newer 64bit systems. Some music software applications require 32bit and are not compatible with 64bit (I said earlier the other way around). XP is 32bit and not 64bit.

I'm getting a firewire port at no extra cost (glad I thought of it) and will stick with the PC system for now. However........I've been checking out the Macs and they do look attractive!!!!

Macs are much more expensive, and if I got one it would be a back up system and used mainly for music, so I have been looking on Ebay, but I'm having trouble working out which of the older macs have Garage Band bundled (or separate) in their software. I see you can buy GB separately for about $150 but its not clear to me which models that would be compatible with.

I see there are G4's mainly (of various sub-types), and some G5's but they don't say if GB is part of their software. There was a power mac which I think would probably have it, but the price compared with a new one was too close to consider buying a Used one.

Does anyone know which models would have GB installed/or compatible with a separately bought GB package?

[krissovo]

You may have to look for ilife as that includes GB, Iphoto etc

All new Macs come with GB & ilife so I would imagine most of the 2nd hand Mac's would have ilife installed.

G5's should be a good bang for the buck as most people would want the intel processors and these are being over looked.

[carol m]

The latest update! I'm still getting my new PC but.......I've been checking out ebay for second hand Macs! I think I'm committed! Already have a couple lined up and watching.........they are small, G4 and used, but have iLife 06 with Garage Band installed and going for about $450. I don't worry about the battery so much as I'll only use it with a power source, so.........

You have much to answer for, you guys!!!!!!!........thanks

[Stratrat]

Now it looks like you have CAS (Computer Acquisition Syndrome) to go with your GAS!

I've gotta pass on a little anecdote about my first experience with Apple's customer service...after a couple days of use, the spacebar on my Macbook was sticking and the power button would stick at strange angles if you didn't push it exactly straight down. I bought it at Best Buy, but they're not an authorized Apple service center, so I took it to the nearest Apple store (about 40 miles from home). The tech examined it and said "We could repair it, but I'd like to just give you a new laptop instead, to make sure you don't have any more problems". He asked if I had brought the original box, packing materials, etc., and I said that I hadn't because I was only expecting to get it repaired, not replaced. I explained that I lived some distance away and that it would be a lot more than a 'short run home' to retrieve all that stuff. He called a manager over and explained the situation to her, and I walked out a few minutes later with a brand-new MacBook - no hassles, no attitude, no problems. The new one works perfectly and I'm extremely pleased with their willingness to take good care of their customers. They genuinely gave the impression that they cared and stood behind their products. While I was sitting there, I watched several of the techs around me dealing with people having iPod issues which were obviously "user malfunctions" rather than product issues. Each of the techs was friendly and helpful, and took the time to explain the issue in a non-condescending manner (even though they've probably had to do the same thing about a million times!).

[dejankuki]

I read somewhere that
1. Vista is officialy marked as failure in Redmond
2. Many programmers refuse to write new programs and drivers FOR Vista


but in the meantime disciples of Billy Gates allready working on new Windows codename W2K8 for now....


Actualu... Vista SP1 have kernel from W2K8 and they "conduct experiments in vivo" just without knowledge of users!!!

He, he, they hven't money for BETA testers... hahaha!!!!

Poor them....!!! buhuhuhu

[carol m]

He He He!!!! I just bought an Apple Mac on Ebay

Its only a G4 and 1.2GHz and 60G hard disk, but it has Garage Band installed...........another toy!!! And still my 'proper' highspeed CPU to come (my techy guy was away for the weekend, but hopefully during the week)....

The ebay price was OK - others with only 30G HDD have been going for about 450 - 600, and mine with 60G and good condition was $540 so it was reasonable (but not good). However, actually winning a bid has value because now I'm not price watching all day.

Thankyou everyone for helping me take the plunge - this means that I am now the most experienced ebayer and the most adventurous computer geek in the house - Hah! Eat my dust!!

[zombiewhisperer]

I am using Vista Home now but prefer XP. I am not terribly OS savvy but I can tell you about my own experience. I have experinced both good and bad with Vista. Good: it seems less susceptible to adware and other intrusions and the interface reminds me a bit of Mac; Bad: backwards compatibility is a serious nuisance and the interface reminds me a bit of Mac (hehehe). Ultimately I have had only minor problems.

[Stratrat]

Congrats, Carol - sounds like you'll have the best of both worlds! That should be a nice, relatively inexpensive way to dabble on the Mac side of things to see how you like it.

[blackcat]

I have vista on my laptop and have to say have had no problems, in fact i think its better than xp

[carol m]

Update: yesterday we installed my new PC Today I have been tagging and sorting all the wires etc and getting the place organised. I got a new printer too. Everything installed seamlessly. I still have to download and set up all the Audacity, Reaper Tascam etc stuff but that shouldn't be a problem.

Meanwhile, I haven't got the Mac yet, the couriers never seem to be as fast as they promise. I haven't played the guitar for days, but now I feel as if I've had a complete refit!!! Yes, me personally!

Thanks for all your help everyone (I love a happy ending!)

[Stratrat]

Sounds like it's all going smoothly, Carol! Did you get Vista or XP on your PC?

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the Mac when you finally receive it. Please do post your thoughts after you've had a chance to play with it!

[carol m]

Originally Posted by Stratrat

Did you get Vista or XP on your PC?

I got XP Professional of course! Plus Office 2007. I'm a bit bewildered by all the new options they offer (and other basic stuff that is sometimes hard to locate). I was on Windows 2000 and word 2000 before, and the newer systems have a lot more 'stuff'.

The best thing so far is......I can get Youtube. I lost access to Youtube a couple of months ago, and nothing (including emailing Youtube several times) could get it back. It was after my AVG Free caught a Trojan on my system, and ever since then everything was a bit erratic - maybe only the old age of computer, but that's when things started to go wrong more often.

I should get the Mac on Monday and by then I hope to have got my PC under control. The PC has 1Terabyte of HD and 2G of Ram. That should do me for a while!

[Lcjones]

Originally Posted by carol m

.....The PC has 1Terabyte of HD and 2G of Ram. That should do me for a while!

... for a while ....




..**
/(oo)\
--^--

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by Lcjones

... for a while ....

LOL! My first PC was an 8086 running MS-DOS 3.3 at a blazing 8 MHz (in "turbo" mode), with 1 MB of RAM and a 10 MB hard drive. Once I figured out what 10 MB was, I wondered "How could I *ever* fill up a hard drive that big?!?"

....it lasted me "for a while".