Well, hopefully soon...

[pcjabber]

Hello all!

I am new to the forums (but not too new to the mac community -- read on). I would like to get one thing straight before I get flamed for having this username. I got this username quite a few years back, and at the time, knew not much about macs (at that time, i was even a 'basher', I am ashamed to say). However, I still do use PCs, both of the Windows and the Linux/UN*X varieties. My customer-base is mainly Windows-based. However, I am not really fond of Windows anymore (hmm, wait, when was I ever fond of it? )

OK, now on to my real post. I am a high school freshman that has been working with Macs for quite a few years now, at least since 4th grade (using them), and 6th grade (repairing them). I am hoping to get a PowerBook G4 1.5GHz 15" SuperDrive soon. Therefore, I will be joining the Mac world very soon. I just have a few questions.

First, is there anything that anyone would recommend (accessory-wise) right off the bat? I am planning on getting the 3 year AppleCare when I purchase the 'Book.
Second, how "worth it" is .Mac? Should I really pay $69.95 intro for it? Is it worth that much?
Third, will a Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point work well with Airport Extreme? I currently run a Linux-based router/firewall (see http://www.smoothwall.org), so I really don't need a wireless router, just something with WEP and MAC address filtering.
Fourth, is MacConnection a good, reputable source? I have purchased from their sister-company before (PC Connection), and they were awesome. I was told by a guy in my Mac User Group I am a part of (NCCCMUG if you are wondering) that MacConnection will give free shipping to MUG members.
Also, does any reseller of Apple (or Apple themselves) offer a discount for high-school students?

Thanks!

Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes, I designed the avatar -- I work with Photoshop a lot (being graphics and web design =)... If you want it, let me know. I'll gladly email the PSD or the PNG to you (or both)...

 

[trpnmonkey41]

Hello all!

I am new to the forums (but not too new to the mac community -- read on). I would like to get one thing straight before I get flamed for having this username. I got this username quite a few years back, and at the time, knew not much about macs (at that time, i was even a 'basher', I am ashamed to say). However, I still do use PCs, both of the Windows and the Linux/UN*X varieties. My customer-base is mainly Windows-based. However, I am not really fond of Windows anymore (hmm, wait, when was I ever fond of it? )

OK, now on to my real post. I am a high school freshman that has been working with Macs for quite a few years now, at least since 4th grade (using them), and 6th grade (repairing them). I am hoping to get a PowerBook G4 1.5GHz 15" SuperDrive soon. Therefore, I will be joining the Mac world very soon. I just have a few questions.

First, is there anything that anyone would recommend (accessory-wise) right off the bat? I am planning on getting the 3 year AppleCare when I purchase the 'Book.
Second, how "worth it" is .Mac? Should I really pay $69.95 intro for it? Is it worth that much?
Third, will a Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point work well with Airport Extreme? I currently run a Linux-based router/firewall (see http://www.smoothwall.org), so I really don't need a wireless router, just something with WEP and MAC address filtering.
Fourth, is MacConnection a good, reputable source? I have purchased from their sister-company before (PC Connection), and they were awesome. I was told by a guy in my Mac User Group I am a part of (NCCCMUG if you are wondering) that MacConnection will give free shipping to MUG members.
Also, does any reseller of Apple (or Apple themselves) offer a discount for high-school students?

Thanks!

Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes, I designed the avatar -- I work with Photoshop a lot (being graphics and web design =)... If you want it, let me know. I'll gladly email the PSD or the PNG to you (or both)...

You don't have to worry about being flamed here that rarely occurs on this site

1. AppleCare with the powerbook is a wise move....Other than that I can't think of any true must have accessorys except maybe a keyboard cover for when you close the screen

2. Unless you want the iDisk space or .mac email address I don't really think it is worth it

3. It will work fine

4. MacConnection is listed as a reseller on apples website so you should have no trouble trusting them

If you go to the Apple.com/store on the right side you will see a green apple for educational discounts....if your school participates (most do) you can get an educational discount

 

[pcjabber]

Great! Thanks for the quick reply! In RE: to 2, I think i'll just do the trial for moving all my files over (or i could just burn a DVD of them on my PC)... and in RE to 4/5, does MacConnection offer an educational discount?

Thanks,

--PCjabber

 

[trpnmonkey41]

Re #2: I recommend you do the CD/DVD instead of iDisk just because it will most likely be quicker and the trial iDisk is only 20 mb

Re #4/5: no macconnection does not to education discounts

 

[Padawan]

Great! Thanks for the quick reply! In RE: to 2, I think i'll just do the trial for moving all my files over (or i could just burn a DVD of them on my PC)... and in RE to 4/5, does MacConnection offer an educational discount?

Thanks,

--PCjabber

I don't think they offer the discount, but you could always call and ask. Is there a reason you'd prefer ordering from them rather than from the Apple web store itself (or even a local Apple store if you have one)?

 

[pcjabber]

No local Apple Store, but like I said,

I was told by a guy in my Mac User Group I am a part of (NCCCMUG if you are wondering) that MacConnection will give free shipping to MUG members.

. However, I am not 'heck-bent' with MacConnection. The only real perk is that the new PB is $2494 from them (plus you get free 512MB RAM upgrade to 1GB) -- but then again, from Apple Education, it is $2299 (minus the free RAM)


Forgot to mention, I am going to Denver in July for FBLA National Leadership Conference (http://www.fbla-pbl.org/), and they have an Apple Store 3.5 mi from our hotel. The only problem? I probably won't have enough $$ by that time....
--PCjabber

 

[trpnmonkey41]

Apple currently has free shipping as well

 

[pcjabber]

Sweet! Strange, my Apple rep (over the phone) told me that I wasn't eligible for a discount, yet the Apple site says I am -- she said K-12 students arent eligible for the discount, only K-12 faculty/staff and college students or faculty/staff.

--PCjabber

 

[witeshark]

And just to put the cherry on top, Mac OS X is so far advanced over the older Macs you mentioned. Being Unix BSD based, that's not surprising. My switch was over Christmas, and if yours is anything like mine it's a joy about like getting a new car

 

[Padawan]

No local Apple Store, but like I said, . However, I am not 'in bed' with MacConnection. The only real perk is that the new PB is $2494 from them (plus you get free 512MB RAM upgrade to 1GB) -- but then again, from Apple Education, it is $2299 (minus the free RAM)


Forgot to mention, I am going to Denver in July for FBLA National Leadership Conference (http://www.fbla-pbl.org/), and they have an Apple Store 3.5 mi from our hotel. The only problem? I probably won't have enough $$ by that time....
--PCjabber

Sorry, I missed the part of your original post where you mentioned the MUG free shipping, but yes, Apple offers free shipping as well. I double-checked, and the rep is right about the discount - technically only K-12 employees (not students) would be eligible.

 

[pcjabber]

Sorry, I missed the part of your original post where you mentioned the MUG free shipping, but yes, Apple offers free shipping as well. I double-checked, and the rep is right about the discount - technically only K-12 employees (not students) would be eligible.

Ouch. Do they check? =) I was really looking forward to that $200 discount on my PowerBook...

 

[trpnmonkey41]

I bought my powerbook with the discount and it worked fine for me....just bought an emac for my dad a few weeks ago under my sisters name and it worked

 

[pcjabber]

And just to put the cherry on top, Mac OS X is so far advanced over the older Macs you mentioned. Being Unix BSD based, that's not surprising. My switch was over Christmas, and if yours is anything like mine it's a joy about like getting a new car

Yeah, gotta love BSD UNIX. I run FreeBSD 4.9 as a server here (Mac OS X uses Darwin, which is a port of FreeBSD 5.1), so I am very familiar with the commands =). I also help develop a software project called MythTV, providing similar (and better) features than a TiVo, and runs on Linux. Check it out at http://www.mythtv.org. Anyway, I may port the frontend for this to OS X =)

--PCjabber

 

[pcjabber]

I bought my powerbook with the discount and it worked fine for me....just bought an emac for my dad a few weeks ago under my sisters name and it worked

so are you saying they dont check? I can't tell if you are a student or not =)

 

[trpnmonkey41]

im a senior in high school

 

[pcjabber]

im a senior in high school

Sweet =), So they don't check =). It'd probably be way too tedious to check....imagine all the orders coming in like that!

 

[Murlyn]

Taxes baby!

 

[pcjabber]

Heh, what taxes? I'm 14 =)


or, were you talking about the fact that the Apple Store charges outrageous amounts of tax for their products?

 

[Murlyn]

No matter what state you are in Apple charges taxes, while a lot of other companies do not have their company in the state so you don't have to pay taxes.. and when you are paying $3k for a computer you can save $225 if you are in California.. that's half a 40 gig iPod!

 

[pcjabber]

No matter what state you are in Apple charges taxes, while a lot of other companies do not have their company in the state so you don't have to pay taxes.. and when you are paying $3k for a computer you can save $225 if you are in California.. that's half a 40 gig iPod!

So should I purchase it from the Apple store with a edu discount and tax or from MacConnection, with no edu discount and no tax?

--PCjabber