Need a MAC...BUt cant afford it

[Kimosabe]

HEy there ppl.

Kimosabe from South Africa. I've been looking at Macs for a while now, spend a good part of my time drooling over them.
However Buying one in South Africa is never going to happen. WHy i hear you ask. Well for the sheer fact that to buy MacBook PRo 17 inch costs you $3,397.047 thats R24,455.00 in Rands.
Check for your self. www.zastore.co.za

So I have been looking at buying a second hand one via Ebay. Should I?
So here i sit on my PC very board with it, and just over what i doesnt do for me.

What should I do MAC users, i really want a MAC i would sell my first born, but that would take another nine months to get that right. ANy Advice?

 

[mac57]

eBay would seem a sensible option, assuming they ship safely to South Africa. If your seller was in NA, it is a long trip, and the shipping and handling charges might be large.

 

[Dean786]

Hello there

Yea eBay is okay but you got to be careful..


Yea, 24 thousand rand is a lot. (Dad comes from Cape town, go there every year)

Why not try Linux? Its free and its better than windows.


Macs are awfully expensive in SA, its unfair. But Tax dosn't help either..

 

[D3v1L80Y]

Need a MAC...BUt cant afford it....

i really want a MAC i would sell my first born, but that would take another nine months to get that right. ANy Advice?

Do you want the Mac or do you need it?
Either way, what do you need your computer to do for you?
That will actually determine if a new comptuer or a Mac would suit your computing needs.

As far as the affording it part, anytime anyone wants or needs something that they do not have the funds for, I suggest that they simply save, budget, and work towards that goal. Yes, that can and many times will take a long time to attain, but there is not always a "quick fix" for large investments like a new computer purchase.

 

[dekan]

Does it have to be a MBP 17"? The MB are way cheaper and still fast machines...

 

[Alexis]

Why not try Linux? Its free and its better than windows.

Well it's not a Mac and I don't think Linux is better than Windows myself!

Get onto ebay. Why not find a G4/G3 Power Mac, iMac or eMac?

 

[IceCreamMan]

I purchased a G3 iMac 400 with OS X for about 80 all together. You could do this if you really needed a Mac... You could also just upgrade your PC instead...

 

[mikeyman]

I purchased a G3 iMac 400 with OS X for about 80 all together. You could do this if you really needed a Mac... You could also just upgrade your PC instead...

I agree with the latter idea
Just upgrade your pc, get vista or xp whatever you prefer
Purchase applications for it such as flash & photoshop
maybe that new flat 30" screen youve always been after

And install a mac visualizer theme
1: Flyakite
2: WindowBlinds
3: Aquasoft
4: WinCustomise

However you could aways try a refurb site or ebay as you sugessted earlier

Hope this is of some help ~ mikeyman

 

[fleurya]

Try checking sites in the US, or other reasonably-priced locations, and see if anyone is willing to ship it to you. Before I got my Mac, I was considering buying an LG laptop, but since they don't sell in the US, I was going to order it from an overseas carrier. I found a couple, but I eventually came to my senses and got an MBP.

 

[Kimosabe]

HEy.
I will keep looking around.
The reason i want a Mac so badly is cos, from what i see, hear and understand. They just work. They do what you want them to do, and you dont have to fight with them like a PC does.
I really am only going to use it for editing, work, and varsity. Just need something that i can take from here to there, that doesnt die on me all the time.
I also here BAt life is very good. Here in SA trying to use a laptop as a portable pc is just not done. I know no one that there laptops battery lasts for more than a hour.
ANd it cant be a Macbook, there to small. I kinda want to use it for many things. Not just portability.
So i will keep looking and pining.

 

[D3v1L80Y]

HEy.
I will keep looking around.
The reason i want a Mac so badly is cos, from what i see, hear and understand. They just work. They do what you want them to do, and you dont have to fight with them like a PC does.

I've posted this in other threads... so I will summarize it for you here:

Macs can and will crash here and there. All computers do. I would also like to point out that you may have to install drivers for some hardware and you will have to download updates.

Macs are not perfect machines. No computer is a perfect solution.
Many "would be" or "soon to be" Mac buyers are told that their shiny, new machines will never crash, never have a problem, "just work", they "can't get viruses", they "don't need firewalls"....etc. These are all simply flat out lies. Nobody can make such a guarantee to a person, as any and all computers are vulnerable to crashes and that no computer is perfect.

I am merely trying to give an accurate and sensible view on what to expect. I am not going to paint a rosey portrait about Macs, to dazzle new users and entice them to "join the fold" as some would like to believe, because the simple truth is, they are only computers and it all comes down to your personal choice, preference and needs.

 

[ronokenneally]

get one on the apple site refurbished

 

[yogi]

If you've been having trouble with a Windows laptop, then a Mac is a good option for you. But if you can't afford a 17" MBP, you'll probably have to settle with a MB or a 15" MBP.

I want a 24" iMac, can't afford it, that's why I have a 20" iMac. The best I can get.
That's just the way the world works, I don't see much else I or anyone can do here.

 

[fiveightandten]

I've posted this in other threads... so I will summarize it for you here:

Macs can and will crash here and there. All computers do. I would also like to point out that you may have to install drivers for some hardware and you will have to download updates.

Macs are not perfect machines. No computer is a perfect solution.
Many "would be" or "soon to be" Mac buyers are told that their shiny, new machines will never crash, never have a problem, "just work", they "can't get viruses", they "don't need firewalls"....etc. These are all simply flat out lies. Nobody can make such a guarantee to a person, as any and all computers are vulnerable to crashes and that no computer is perfect.

I am merely trying to give an accurate and sensible view on what to expect. I am not going to paint a rosey portrait about Macs, to dazzle new users and entice them to "join the fold" as some would like to believe, because the simple truth is, they are only computers and it all comes down to your personal choice, preference and needs.

Well put. But ironically, I think a lot of that sort of information comes directly from Apple, especially via their marketing campaign.

I was in our local Apple store yesterday (located in a pretty good sized shopping mall), and I couldn't believe how arrogant the sales representatives were in there. My girlfriend (who was with me) has a Mini, as do I. But the very mention of me also having a PC kicked off a 5 or 6 minute rant explaining to me how stupid I am for having one. "Macs have never, and will never get viruses...they're superior computers"..."Everything on these machines just works the way it should, they don't crash like your windows machine"..."Oh, you have a PC? Your processor is challenged? har har"...blah blah blah.

Let's face it, when Apple's entire marketing strategy is to bash windows, you're going to have a little bit of that kind of thing going on. It *is* out of hand though, IMO.

To the OP...the shipping issue may be a bit of a problem for you, but you can get a Mac machine running the current OS for very resonable prices these days. Buy used or refurbished, and buy online. I picked up my Mini for $350US. It's a G4, but it's a 1.42, 80GB HD, Airport/Bluetooth, Superdrive, ect. It's more than capable of performing day to day tasks.

Hope that helps, good luck in your search.

EDIT:
Regarding purchases on eBay, I suggest you email the seller of a particular item before bidding and explain to him that you're trustworthy and willing to pay the shipping charges required (provided you're not taken advantage of!). I think most people will not have a problem shipping overseas.

-Nick

 

[iknowjack]

Well it's not a Mac and I don't think Linux is better than Windows myself!

Get onto ebay. Why not find a G4/G3 Power Mac, iMac or eMac?

What? Linux ain't better than windows? have you ever used linux?

Linux is far better to work in than windows in my experience, much faster, more stable, I've never had a virus since using Linux nor had a sniff of one in 4 years, unless on windows.

If you can't afford a Mac, I suggest you try a linux alternative. Don't forget Linux uses a unix foundation just like a Mac so to say linux isn't better than windows is like saying 'windows is like a Mac'

My suggestion? Try a nice debian based linux alternative and when you can afford to buy a Mac, you might not want one anymore :dive: