Yet another iBook vs PowerBook query

[Aptmunich]

What's your issue with the cable ports?
If you drop a laptop, there's a good chance it's going to break, regardless whether or not the ports are on the side or on the back.

 

[pitythefool]

I'm not really in a position to comment yet, as my iBook isn't arriving until the 9th September... (I thought it was coming yesterday T_T )

Anyway, I was in a *very* similar predicament to yourself - the laptop wouldn't be my main machine (I have a desktop, Windows, that I have to keep using for a lot of my work as that is what my department runs - computer science). Anyway, the laptop would mainly be used for browsing etc, with the programming if I can.

I saved myself a lot of money and went for an iBook. The 12" model too - I figured that since my eyes are pretty good, there was no need for the extra screen size when you get exactly the same resolution - for programming, it's all about real-estate.

Obviously, I would have preferred the PB, but for the money and what I'll be using it for (after all, I'm still tied into my desktop for another two years), I couldn't justify the extra for what will basically be a suped-up web browser...

So that's my two cents.

 

[VastDeathmaster]

What's your issue with the cable ports?
If you drop a laptop, there's a good chance it's going to break, regardless whether or not the ports are on the side or on the back.

I dropped my iBook twice. Both times it was from the bed to the floor.
The first time, it landed on the nic port while it was plugged in. Even with Applecare fully in place, they wouldn't fix it without charging me $850. The second time it slid off the bed, it landed on the power cable. THAT cracked, but the port was not damaged. (I think the CD drive was damaged, because it was later replaced )

In both cases, had I had a powerbook the plugs would have been in the back, the CD in the front, and I would not have had the problems I had.

I'm extra careful with the iBook now but I bought an airport card and wireless router so I could connect to the web.

 

[rman]

I dropped my iBook twice. Both times it was from the bed to the floor.
The first time, it landed on the nic port while it was plugged in. Even with Applecare fully in place, they wouldn't fix it without charging me $850. The second time it slid off the bed, it landed on the power cable. THAT cracked, but the port was not damaged. (I think the CD drive was damaged, because it was later replaced )

In both cases, had I had a powerbook the plugs would have been in the back, the CD in the front, and I would not have had the problems I had.

I'm extra careful with the iBook now but I bought an airport card and wireless router so I could connect to the web.

I believe that the powerbook would have suffered more damage than the iBook. My iBook seems to be more durable than my Ti powerbook. I believe that the iBook was designed to take more bumps than the powerbook.