Macbook for Accounting Student

cwa107 · Jun 2, 2009

warren3224 said:
What kind of macbook does she have?

And this probably makes me look really dumb, but what exactly is vmware?

And what were some of the issues that she was having?

In plain English, VMWare allows you to run Windows within a window on your Mac desktop (you can also have it go full screen, or even make the Windows desktop disappear entirely and make it appear as though your Windows applications are running directly on your Mac desktop).

The main limitation is that VMWare Fusion (and a competing product called "Parallels Desktop") can't really run 3D-accelerated applications, like games. Anything else that runs in Windows should run at near-native speeds, without the need for any kind of emulation.

In this way, you sort of get the best of both world by buying a Mac.

Dysfunction · Jun 2, 2009

she has a whitebook.. well.. it's a white blackbook

warren3224 · Jun 2, 2009

Ok I see. So for things like projects I have with different applications that work mainly with PC's I can use it and it will pretty much look like I am using a PC? I don't plan on doing much with games so that will not be a problem. How much does it cost to get vmware on a macbook? Can Apple do it or would it be best to take it to a third party provider?

Lifeisabeach · Jun 2, 2009

warren3224 said:
What upgrade on the white macbook would I have to go to with RAM to have it equal the RAM on the aluminum one?

You can't. The difference is in the motherboards that each uses.

Lifeisabeach · Jun 2, 2009

warren3224 said:
Ok I see. So for things like projects I have with different applications that work mainly with PC's I can use it and it will pretty much look like I am using a PC? I don't plan on doing much with games so that will not be a problem. How much does it cost to get vmware on a macbook? Can Apple do it or would it be best to take it to a third party provider?

Apple doesn't provide the virtualization software. You'd have to get either VMWare or Parallels, and a licensed copy of Windows XP with SP2.

cwa107 · Jun 2, 2009

warren3224 said:
Ok I see. So for things like projects I have with different applications that work mainly with PC's I can use it and it will pretty much look like I am using a PC? I don't plan on doing much with games so that will not be a problem. How much does it cost to get vmware on a macbook? Can Apple do it or would it be best to take it to a third party provider?

Well, just to be clear, the Mac as it is today *is* a PC. The hardware really doesn't differ significantly. So the differentiating factor is the Operating System. Since the hardware is the same, you have your choice of running Windows, Mac OS X or even Linux. You can do that through a virtualization product like VMWare or by installing it natively using Boot Camp. The reason I'm making this point is your use of the phrase "So for things like projects I have with different applications that work mainly with PC's I can use it and it will pretty much look like I am using a PC?".

It's not that it will "look like" you're using a PC, for all intents and purposes, regardless of how you're running Windows, it will be running on Windows, compatibility really isn't a problem. And of course, if you need to run games, installing Windows via Boot Camp will allow you to run anything just as though it were running on any other PC.

VMWare Fusion can be purchased for as little as $20, depending on where you get it. The full retail price is $79, same for Parallels. And of course, you have to buy a copy of Windows as well.

Dysfunction · Jun 2, 2009

Yes, you absolutely need copies of both. What my wife ran into were incompatibility issues with the Office versions on OS X and Windows. Mostly due to MS's removal of VBA support from Office 08 (the Mac version), which will (I understand) disappear from the Windows next release too.. but her profs were already using all sorts of macros.

warren3224 · Jun 2, 2009

Sorry I used the wrong words to describe what I was trying to say. I do understand it is about the operating systems being used.

lifeisabeach: So the motherboard being used on the aluminum macbook is I'm assuming alot better then on the white macbook?

What are the best places to purchase vmware and windows? What should I expect to pay for both of these? Will this slow down my laptop alot by adding these? And I can switch right back to Mac OS X as soon as I am done working with whatever I need to in windows?

Since I will be running windows, will the laptop have an increased chance of getting viruses like say a regular dell laptop would that runs windows, because that is one of the main reason I am going to be buying a Mac, no viruses.

Oneironaut · Jun 2, 2009

You can find VMWare Fusion, Parallels and Windows on Amazon.com or ebay for cheap, or at any computer store. You can download Fusion from VMware Fusion: Run Windows on Mac, for Mac Desktop Virtualization

As mentioned, retail price for virtualization software is around 80 bucks, but I got a copy on Amazon.com for like 30.

Running Fusion shouldn't slow down your computer and you can use it WHILE you're in Leopard. Your Windows screen will appear in its own application window that you can resize and make full screen, so you can click back and forth between all your others, just like any other Mac program. You could keep it on and running in the Dock until you need it.

If you decide to just use Boot Camp without Fusion or Parallels, you can still use your Windows partition; you just have to completely reboot each time you want to switch. You can't just click back and forth.

Your Windows partition will be more vulnerable to viruses so you'll need anti-virus and anti-spyware protection software. If it does get infected, it will not affect your Mac OS. You'll just need to erase the Windows partition and create it again.

Dysfunction · Jun 2, 2009

One thing, using spaces makes any virtualization MUCH cooler.

Lifeisabeach · Jun 3, 2009

warren3224 said:
Sorry I used the wrong words to describe what I was trying to say. I do understand it is about the operating systems being used.

lifeisabeach: So the motherboard being used on the aluminum macbook is I'm assuming alot better then on the white macbook?

It's definitely a step up. If you plan on keeping it for a long time, I think the extra $300 will be money well spent for all you get for it.

Since I will be running windows, will the laptop have an increased chance of getting viruses like say a regular dell laptop would that runs windows, because that is one of the main reason I am going to be buying a Mac, no viruses.

Saying Macs don't get viruses is highly misleading. You need to separate the machine from the OS. OS X does not have any viruses. If you are running Windows, then Windows is susceptible to getting viruses. Being on a Mac doesn't make Windows less susceptible.

iPod Nano · Jun 3, 2009

Nobody's mentioned VirtualBox. It will do virtualization and it's FREE!

Dysfunction · Jun 3, 2009

iPod Nano said:
Nobody's mentioned VirtualBox. It will do virtualization and it's FREE!

I tend not to mention freeware (depending on the audience of course) as support is spotty. This is amazingly frustrating for many people, and well.. since you can pick up a fully supported virtualization software for cheap.. I just don't bother.

warren3224 · Jun 9, 2009

I figured I would keep using this thread for my questions... Ok I am sure this forum is going to be bombarded with questions about the price cuts but here is mine. I am not seeing anything about the aluminum macbooks. Pretty much its just the white macbook. But the 13 inch macbook pro is actually cheaper then the aluminum one was anyway. So what about the macbook pro one is better then the aluminum and white?

Lifeisabeach · Jun 9, 2009

The new 13" MacBook Pro vs the White MacBook will have an integrated battery that holds a much longer charge, faster RAM, faster CPU options.

warren3224 · Jun 9, 2009

Did the 13" MacBook Pro take the place of the 13" aluminum Macbook?

cwa107 · Jun 9, 2009

warren3224 said:
Did the 13" MacBook Pro take the place of the 13" aluminum Macbook?

Essentially, yes. They added an SD card slot and Firewire and renamed it with the "Pro" moniker.

Lifeisabeach · Jun 9, 2009

cwa107 said:
Essentially, yes. They added an SD card slot and Firewire and renamed it with the "Pro" moniker.

Personally I thought that was a pretty weak excuse to call it a Pro. It still has an integrated graphics card, making it unsuitable for apps that require a dedicated one like what the other Pros have.

Trolle · Jun 9, 2009

And to question the upgrade from a Macbook to a Macbook Pro for the 13" do you think they will keep the plastic model line now? Or, do you think they will do away with Macbooks and just call the laptop line Macbook Pro?

From a marketing perspective I think it would make sense to have a low-end entry to Apple laptops with a white plastic Macbook.

Lifeisabeach · Jun 9, 2009

Trolle said:
And to question the upgrade from a Macbook to a Macbook Pro for the 13" do you think they will keep the plastic model line now? Or, do you think they will do away with Macbooks and just call the laptop line Macbook Pro?

From a marketing perspective I think it would make sense to have a low-end entry to Apple laptops with a white plastic Macbook.

Either the White Macbook is here to stay... or perhaps it is a placeholder for an as yet-to-be-confirmed tablet-style Mac that has long been rumored to be in development. I'm suspecting the latter, which would explain in part the move of the 13" aluminum to the "Pro" line, even though it is hardly worthy of the designation, IMO.