Apple iBook: A Darned Decent Laptop

I did a lo of thinking before getting a Mac. I have been using Windows based machines for years, and was worried that using OSX would cause me communication problems in a predominantly "Windows world." It hasn't. I have the 800 mhz iBook with 640 SDRAM. If you buy one of these laptops, don't short yourself on ram. This configuration of iBook has no problems running several programs at once, and completes tasks on Adobe Photoshop with reasonable quickness. The screen is not ideal for photo editing- many desktops will give you a crisper, more stable image to work with than this laptop can. The programs that come with the computer- like iPhoto, are fun and simple to use. iPhoto is a basic program with very limited photo editing abilities, but it does the basic tasks very well. More fun can be had with iPhoto if you are willing to spring for a .Mac account. This iBook loads both OSX and OS9. These are very different operating systems- OSX is UNIX based and is very stable. I had an OS9 version of Adobe Photoshop and tried to use it by loading OS10 and then hitting the icon for Adobe Photoshop, which caused OS9 ("Classic") to load. Adobe Photoshop won't load and work that way- at least consistently. Now I just load both OS9 and OS10... and then start up Adobe: Photoshop loads correctly every time. I much prefer the fourteen inch iBook to the 12 inch. If you are debating which one to get, go to a store and standing in front of both of them. Put your hands on the keyboard and look at the screen. Get a feel for what the difference is. Trying to judge by just looking at both models in a catalog won't tell you what you need to know. The one drawback to the fourteen inch iBook is that once I get it in a carry bag (I have a Targus messenger bag) and sling it over my shoulder it feels pretty heavy and I don't feel like walking very far with it. If you are looking for a laptop with a definite "cuteness" factor going, the iBook is very cute. When you are using it there is a glowing Apple cutout on the back of the laptop. And the little glowing light that gets bigger and smaller when you tell your iBook to "sleep" almost makes it look like it is breathing. There are limited upgrades that can be made on the iBook. 640 Mb SDRAM is the max. You can use the new Airport Extreme with the iBook but will not see any performance enhancement over using the older version of Airport. Getting software for the iBook has not been a problem. If you go to Staples and look for Mac programs there- forget it. My local Comp USA has a shrinking corner devoted to Mac software. Apple stores have plenty of software, and lots of software can be found online. If you are looking for more than the skimpy guidebook that comes with iBook the "Missing Manual" series will likely have what you want. I have the "Missing Manual" book for OSX and it is excellent. The web pages maintained by Mac user Groups (MUGs) are also an excellent place to get tips on using Macs. If you want to impress your friends or coworkers with your new toy, take an iPhoto file and turn it into a slideshow with music for them. I did this with a file of photographs of my dog and had people drooling over my laptop and cooing over my dog. Have fun!