Newbie with OSX questions ....

KSN


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Hello folks,

Am looking for advice on what to purchase. I've been a PC person my whole life. I've never experienced OSX. I've known of the pros and cons of both but was first introduced to Windows and stuck with it ever since.

However, I am a huge Apple fan. Own 2 iPhones, 2 iPods, 2 iTouches, an iPad and an Airport Extreme.

I've been wanting to delve into app development for a few years now. When first interested in app development, I learned that almost all, if not all app development programs only ran on OSX. So since then have been wanting a MAC in addition to my current PC setup.

I don't really want to spend too much as this is more of an experiment right now. If I fall in love with OSX, I may switch. But at the least I'll be able to experiment with app development.

I've been looking at a bunch of G5s on Craigslist ranging from $250-$500. I understand that G5s won't run Lion.

If I get a G5, will it be sufficient for what I'm trying to do?

Also, if I don't get Lion, or at the least an upgrade-able MAC, will I be missing out on all that Lion has to offer? Is there really a huge difference between Leopard and Lion?

What would you folks suggest?

I'm currently running a custom built:

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 2.4GHz
ASUS P5K3 Deluxe MB
OCZ Fatal1ty Edition 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB SATA 3.0Gbs/s 3.5" (x3) 6TB Total
Acer G235HAbd 23" LCD (x3) Triple Monitor Setup
Jaton PX309 Quad Radeon HD3450

I'm only sharing my specs with you so you can picture my setup. When I do purchase whichever MAC I get, I was planning on either setting up a 4th monitor, or somehow have both the PC and the MAC share the triple monitors.

What do you folks think?

Thanks for your help in advance.

KSN

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Raz0rEdge

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If you just wanted a taste of Mac's without spending a lot of money, then something like a G5 upgraded to Leopard is a good option to get going..however the fact that you mentioned app development changes that a little bit..

You see, to develop for iOS 5, you need a particular version of the iOS SDK (the latest), for which you need a particular version of X-Code (the latest), for which you need a recent version of OS X (Snow Leopard and/or Lion)..and to top it all off, one of the FIRST requirements for iOS app development is an Intel-based Mac..

So my recommendation (the way I started out) would be to try to scour Craigslist or E-Bay or similar sites for a Mac Mini. Since you already have the keyboard/mouse/monitor setup available, the Mac Mini is a small thing you can put aside and hook up to your existing setup with the greatest of ease.

I began my transition with a 2006 Mac Mini 1.83 Ghz, it wasn't the fastest thing around, but for $400 it was the perfect price..

The newer Mac Mini's run nice i5 processors and are just as capable as the iMac's..
 
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Do not buy a G5 or any other PowerPC computer! They are extremely limited by not being able to run current software.
Look for a lower priced Core 2 Duo.
 
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From the Apple Developers site:
Technical Requirements:
You must have an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard or later to develop and distribute iOS and Mac apps.

XCode is a pretty hefty IDE I'd suggest that you need to be looking towards a minimum of an Intel Core 2 Duo based Mac (Macbook or Mac Mini if you're wanting to integrate it into your existing monitor setup).
 
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You know what? I scrimped and saved and finally bought a new 27 "iMac.

I have not been disappointed. Honestly, the size allows more on the screen and might even eliminate one of your monitors. But it is worth the investment, especially if you want to write apps. A quad-core beats any dual core anytime and the OS Lion is not buggy or bloated like any MS OS. You will appreciate the A5's speed immediately.

If somehow you have more money than you know what to do with, you can order an iMac with dual A5 chips (or more). Get the smaller screen if you must, it is still worth the investment, apply it towards your future income from your apps. It is write off-able.
 
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chas_m

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A quad-core beats any dual core anytime and the OS Lion is not buggy or bloated like any MS OS. You will appreciate the A5's speed immediately.

If somehow you have more money than you know what to do with, you can order an iMac with dual A5 chips (or more).

Um, no.

Apple's own A4/A5 chips are used exclusively with iOS products. They do not and never have been used in desktop or notebook products. Maybe someday in the future, but not in the present.

You're confusing Apple's AX chip line with Intel's i5 and i7 (et al) line. These are the chips used in the iMac and other non-iOS products.
 
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Yes Chas, you are right, my bad! Sorry to mislead. The i5 chip is a wonderful upgrade from my PC laptop. I plan to bulk up on 4 Gig RAM chips to make it run even faster. Get it while its cheap I say.
 

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