As I’ve mentioned in my previous article, after unpleasant experience with my current HP notebook, I’m moving to mac. Right now, I’m at the crossroad: MacBook or MacBook Pro?
I never really liked big notebooks. For me, 14″ is a natural. However, you probably know that MacBooks don’t come in 14″ – it’s either 13″ MacBook or 15″ (and 17″) MacBook Pro. Inches (and the price) – is not the only difference between them, so I’ll put some pros and cons for your consideration.
There’s a general comparision chart for MacBooks, which points out main hardware differences. I will concentrate more on details (small details, big impact, isn’t it? 
)
…
MacBook:
Cons:
- Tight desktop – 1280×800 (can I expect more from 13.3″ ?)
- 5400 rpms hard drive (pro has one with 7200 rpms)
- Not illuminated keyboard (pro has one..)
Pros:
+ Firm touch keyboard (a really cool touch)
+ Comes in black (or white, if you prefer)
+ Is really small and cute (the finishing stroke?)
…
MacBook Pro 15″:
Pros:
+ Wide desktop – 1440×900 (14″ could reach that)
+ Illuminated keyboard (wish MacBook had this)
+ choice for 7200 rpms hard drive (better than 5400, really)
Cons:
- Ordinary touch keyboard (MacBook has a really better one)
- Comes in grey (I love pure black)
- Not as cute
If you had some experience working with both or have some solid arguments on one or another, please share. What are my needs? I’m unix sysadmin and MacBook should become my workplace. For the meantime, the winner is MacBook 13″.
I bought it a couple of years ago: dv1049cl, the beauty. Mine had 1.5GHz Intel Pentium M processor, 512M of RAM, CD/DVD RW combo drive, 3 USB ports, 6-in-1 flash card reader, Wifi (802.11g + BT), 60GB hard drive space, harman/kardon speakers (they are really cool) .. Would you expect anything more from the notebook?
Yes – reliable hardware.
It all begun after almost five months of intensive usage. USB port, the one in the most comfortable place (top-right corner of the keyboard) went West.. After a call to my supplier, I found out that this can be fixed very easily – the USB port together with TV-out is a tiny element connected to the motherboard which can be simply replaced. I have never fixed this. I never have time to leave my notebook for maintenance – I’m a SysAdmin. Never mind about that USB port, I have two more!
Next – the flash card reader. From the very beginning it seemed very suspicious: one day it works, the other – it just stops responding; it loves one card but hates the other cards; works fine after reboot, but freezes after some hours of usage. Anyways, I got all that fixed by accidentally leaving my MMC for two hours in a dock – the card (and the reader) got so hot, I could barely separate them. After this event, the card reader never worked again. I called my supplier to register the second fault and I was told that in order to fix this, my motherboard needs to be replaced. I have never replaced it – I never leave my notebook for maintenance.
What’s next? The screen. After about 700 of open-ups and 700 of close-ups (usually I open a notebook twice a day) LCD became jittery and unpredictable: first, the light – it gained some intelligence and started turning off whenever tired (in order to turn it back on, I had to reopen the screen); second – the power loss. If I accidentally move my screen, the notebook accidentally reboots (yes, the notebook is battery-backed so it’s not a supply wire problem). I did not call my supplier. What’s the point? I will not leave my notebook for maintenance. I never do.
Then – the ESD (Electro Static Discharges). It started as soon as we moved to the new carpeting coated office. I know I’m not the only one suffering from this – even desktops have ESD problems in that kind of environment. However, I was the only one in the office who’s notebook rebooted every time I stepped to it. Luckily, I found one spot where the discharge does not reboot the notebook – it’s the very bottom-right corner of the notebook (near the “harman/kardon” sign). I don’t work in a carpeting coated office anymore, but a habit to touch the “harman/kardon” first has remained.
Now, the battery and the power supply. Yes, the battery passed away (just three days ago). How did this happen? In a very strange way: a week ago the notebook became very rude – sometimes it just won’t power on, sometimes it starts for one second, for three, for a minute and sometimes (just like now) – I can use it all-day-long. Anyways, after about a hundred of hangs, I found battery charge led (and a battery icon) blinking. I plugged off the power supply chord, the battery discharged and it have never recharged again.
Notebook hangs continue, thought. Sometimes I can’t turn it on for an hour, sometimes – for a whole evening. It may hang after twenty minutes of usage, it may not. Think that’s an electricity issue? Even if it is, it must be HP related as the notebook lives together with Sony Vaio, Toshiba Satellite and a Gateway. They are all safe and sound.
Next notebook? I’ll give MacBook a shot.
Guess what French eat for breakfast? Easy – it’s baguette. Baguette with cheese, baguette with sausage, baguette with jam.. anything. As long as it’s with baguette.
Guess what they eat for their lunch? Right you are – anything, but.. with baguette. Same for dinner.
At first it seemed a bit odd. However my every morning now begins with same tasty crunchy French loaf. It’s addictive! If you think you don’t have a shop to buy baguette nearby, don’t worry – I’m sure you didn’t take a look through the window. Every other corner of the house has it’s very own boulangerie (bread shop). No problems with rye yield here in France.
Not only do French have baguetties, which seemed very strange at first, but also – a very strict eating schedule:
- 8:30 – breakfast
- 12:30 – lunch
- 19:30 – dinner
No debates, no exceptions, no excuses.
Guess what’s the best time to rob a bank here? 
