PC builder needs convincing

OK, Heres the deal I build PCs and a friend of mine made me an offer that i can't refuse.

to start off my computer i have now
1)Asus an8-sli Premium MB
2)4 gigs of ram
3)3 western digital 150 limited raptor that Raided
4)3 western digital 500 HD that also Raided
5)2 GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB
6)Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
7)AMD 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4800+
Thats all the important stuff

you see what i have and now the deal is the she told me to try out this macbook pro 17in, she told me to use it the way it is without bootcamp the deal is or the catch is if i like it,the laptop is mine if i don't i have to take her out to dinner every Saturday for the next 3 months and eat what she eats. ohh may i add she a Vegan, so all you meat eaters out there help convince me :biohazard <tofu> :biohazard

i like the spec's on this laptop, the graphic is unbelievable and its Fast,
when i surfed around your forum you all say Toast 7 for burning stuff and mactheripper for ripping. I'm used to using nero, and dvd shrink and dvddecrptor.
here is what i need help with
1)what program do you use to import video from a digital camcorder to edit and shrink it to dvd format?
2)how you Clean out your system like Norton CleanSweep?
3)what kinda Firewall program to use?
4)Anti-Virus yes or no?
5) any basic or profession programs i need ? always willing to try it out.

1) iMovie to import the video, iDVD to burn it to a DVD.
2) Cocktail or OnyX
3) Built-in firewall is good enough
4) No.

TRDSolara04 said:

1)what program do you use to import video from a digital camcorder to edit and shrink it to dvd format?
2)how you Clean out your system like Norton CleanSweep?
3)what kinda Firewall program to use?
4)Anti-Virus yes or no?
5) any basic or profession programs i need ? always willing to try it out.

Click to expand...

1.) Sorry. No clue.

2.) Don't know what CleanSweep cleans, but there's nothing in a Mac that needs to be "cleaned" other than through the trash, such as disused apps. Any trashed apps' associated files can be found with a system search using the app's name — if you want to be bothered. Really messy and complicated apps — Norton antivirus — usually have their own uninstallers. The commercial AppZapper allegedly finds these files, too. So does Spotlight and the Command-key-F search box.

3.) Built in, with the options turned on. Browsers pass with flying colors at every Windows security-check web site I can find.

4.) I have a free virus checker, ClamXV, that I run every once in a while through my email apps if I have to forward an email to a Widows box. Any such virus wouldn't affect the Mac, but it would still be buried in the email and lying in wait for a Windows box. I've had Macs for 16 years, and a zillion years ago with System 8 I killed my only always-running Mac anti-virus program — I think it was Norton — after a few months. None of my Macs ever had a virus.

5.) Depends what you're into. Photos? Desktop publishing? Movies? Music? Spreadsheets? Apple has them all covered.

Sounds like a win-win situation to me. If you don't like it, you may end up with a girl friend, if she is not already. Also you will be a little healther.

Who says you cant have the best of both worlds, I know I do, I have a MacBook and a PC desktop I like using both equaly, Often enjoy the MacBook more though.

i'd say, keep the laptop, mbp 17", and take her to dinner every saturday for the next three months.

1)Asus an8-sli Premium MB
2)4 gigs of ram
3)3 western digital 150 limited raptor that Raided
4)3 western digital 500 HD that also Raided
5)2 GeForce 7950 GX2 1GB
6)Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
7)AMD 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4800+


*all these are a screamer but underneath it all its still Windows. not that i dont like xp.

*looks like your bottle neck for this set up is your operating system. let me guess, windows xp?

Honestly, your PC will run circles around a MBP or any mac for that matter when it comes to graffix. You must be a gamer with that SLI rig. Here's what sold me with mac's: Now I can USE my computer instead of messing with it. Granted, I don't spend much time gaming (about 5-10%). I mean, I know it sounds simple and obvious but all I used to do with XP was mess with it, constantly. Mac's are so easy and reliable it allows you to use a computer as a tool instead of busting out tools on your computer.