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  1.  
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      CommentAuthorstilton
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 1
    I nearly killed my primary desktop (5 year old Dell Dimension), so I did some math and realized I might as well buy another Mac and picked up the cheapest new Mini.

    Immediately, I find myself wishing I'd gone with a new MacBook, but that's neither here nor there and I already have 2 laptops, if you count the Dell Mini 9.

    Anyway... I'd really like to be able to run FL Studio on this thing.

    Any recommendations for getting Windows up and running? I know about BootCamp, VMWare, and Parallels. Which do you recommend?

    Bonus points for recommending none of the above, but instead a Mac equivalent for FL Studio.


    P.S. I bought my last Mac (a white G3 iBook) a full decade ago, so I'm hardly a fan boy, but I am enjoying the break from Windows, even though I'm that rare person who prefers Vista to XP.
    •  
      CommentAuthorWookiee
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 2
    everyone I know uses bootcamp
    I just use a separate windows machine
    •  
      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 3
    Bootcamp is only necessary if you need to play WoW (or some other game that requires full access to the video card).

    VMware Fusion 3 just came out and VMware is better than Parallels. There's also Virtualbox, which is free and can give you an idea of whether the thing you want to do will work well in a virtual machine.

    I'm with you on the Vista over XP thing (although it's now 7 and not Vista) - I can't stand XP and die a little bit inside every time I have to use it for something.
  4.  # 4
    Posted By: DorI can't stand XP and die a little bit inside every time I have to use it for something.


    You mean sysadmin things, right?

    For common usage, XP's pretty much the same as Vista. Turn off Aero, and the two are almost indistinguishable. Except for a few explorer things, which' "improvements" are really annoying to the keyboard user (me).

    7 has that new thing, though. Haven't used it.
    •  
      CommentAuthorWookiee
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 5
    Posted By: batterpunts
    For common usage, XP's pretty much the same as Vista. Turn off Aero, and the two are almost indistinguishable.

    ..and turn off all user security "features"
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      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 6
    Posted By: batterpuntsYou mean sysadmin things, right?

    No, the UI. I can't stand looking at it. I spend enough time staring at computer screens that I want to see new UIs every couple of years.

    The other thing that I miss when I use XP is the ability to hit the Windows key on the keyboard and launch applications by typing their name. I realize there are 3rd party apps that'll do this on XP, but I'm used to having the feature in Vista/7.
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      CommentAuthorWookiee
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009 edited
     # 7
    Probably easier to add hotkey to a desktop shortcut. Then you could ctrl-alt-letter instead of windows-bunchaletters-enter.
  8.  # 8
    Posted By: DorNo, the UI. I can't stand looking at it.


    Heh. I reverted Vista back to classic look because I couldn't stand all the distracting fades, mouseovers and colours anymore. They fail where OSX succeeds.
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      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 9
    Posted By: batterpunts
    Posted By: DorNo, the UI. I can't stand looking at it.


    Heh. I reverted Vista back to classic look because I couldn't stand all the distracting fades, mouseovers and colours anymore. They fail where OSX succeeds.

    There's a fundamental difference between us, then. I get UI-fatigure.
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      CommentAuthorstilton
    • CommentTimeOct 28th 2009
     # 10
    OK... I got a few things installed. What other Mac apps do I need? What's fun? What's useful?


    Anyone here use Aperture? Does it get anywhere near justifying it's price tag? I'm unimpressed with this demo. Am I missing something?
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      CommentAuthorhessie
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 11
    i'll need a new PC in the next six months. i'm debating going all mac by buying a mini. it's not like i ever tinker with my computer anymore, but the whole "black box"ness of them kind of makes me nervous.
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      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 12
    There's no reason to tinker with a computer anymore unless you have a neckbeard and live in a server closet. They're commodity items and are very nearly disposable.

    Mac minis are nice little computers - I've owned 2 of them and am thinking about picking up another one. I read something about the new minis that said you could actually stuff 8 GB of RAM in them, which makes them even more compelling.
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      CommentAuthorscot
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 13
    Posted By: DorThere's no reason to tinker with a computer anymore unless you have a neckbeard and live in a server closet. They're commodity items and are very nearly disposable.


    I want to agree with this because it's worded so well... it's like I am at some kind of precipice looking down at serpents and locusts but they are all singing my favorite Dokken song perfectly.
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      CommentAuthorGeorge
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 14
    Posted By: scotI want to agree with this because it's worded so well... it's like I am at some kind of precipice looking down at serpents and locusts but they are all singing my favorite Dokken song perfectly.
    That's it. Nothing will top this today or, in fact, for all eternity.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 15
    Posted By: GeorgeNothing will top this today or, in fact, for all eternity.

    Transcension is complete!
    •  
      CommentAuthorSpecialK
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 16
    Damnit, where's my archived copies of the punk rock llama?!

    Oh well.

    RIDE!
    •  
      CommentAuthorstilton
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 17
    That's it.

    The Internet has been defeated.

    Everyone go home.

    Nothing to see here.
  18.  # 18
    What's a Dokken?
    •  
      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 19
    Posted By: batterpuntsWhat's a Dokken?

    Now you're just being difficult.
    •  
      CommentAuthorGeorge
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 20
    Posted By: DorNow you're just being difficult.
    Imagine that.
    •  
      CommentAuthorWookiee
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 21
    Isn't Dokken from his country? All those umlauters get me confused.
    •  
      CommentAuthorscot
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 22
    they are pretty american, although one dude was born in cuba. do they umlaut in cuba?
    •  
      CommentAuthorscot
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 23
    also, despite the fact that they could actually have been considered a fairly "real" metal band, the hideous swarm in the valley would be singing me one of their limpest, most commercial songs because unfortunately that is their best (FACT).
    •  
      CommentAuthorArk
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 24
    Posted By: scotdo they umlaut in cuba?

    Mëtäl ümläüts dön't cöünt.

    Is there a name for the type of headgear the singer sports in that clip? Is it Texan? (The late Stevie Ray Vaughan played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in an outfit like that when I was fifteen. I'm curious about the cultural reference. Zorro springs to mind.)
    •  
      CommentAuthorscot
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 25
    it's a "bolero" hat often worn by "cheesedicks"
    •  
      CommentAuthorArk
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009 edited
     # 26
    Thanks. Here's part of the gig. It must have been on national televison, or I wouldn't remember the hat.

    Now excuse me while I go and look up cheesedick.

    [Update: Albert King sez: Pride & Joy? Gimme some.]
    [Voodoo Chile, Little Wing, Texas Flood]
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      CommentAuthorArk
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 27
    Posted By: DorThey're commodity items and are very nearly disposable.

    Hey cheesedicks, get yourself an operating system on your commodity item that spares you the aggravation of having to deal with Microsoft.
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      CommentAuthorArk
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 28
    (Or Apple)
    •  
      CommentAuthorArk
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 29
    (for that matter)
  30.  # 30
    I need to play games, play music with foobar, and use Photoshop. Ubuntu remains a toy.

    Well actually, I should try & dick around with WINE. See what the out-of-the-box experience is.
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      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 31
    Wine is only for purists. Don't bother.

    I'm sitting in front of 3 computers, 1 running Ubuntu, 1 running Windows 7, and 1 running OSX. Get the best tool for the job, any job!
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      CommentAuthorAndrew
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 32
    At this point, I'm using Mac because most of my clients are on Macs. I don't even like being on a different version of Photoshop than they are; the thought of working from Mac CS4 to Win CS4 on a regular basis gives me a headache; the thought of taking my clients' Mac CS4 junk and trying to work it in GIMP makes me nauseous. I know it's all supposed to work, but it's the little things - leading, tracking, kerning - that never make it through.
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      CommentAuthorSpecialK
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 33
    A bunch of guys in my office are trying to install some hackintosh distro on whatever is handy. They're tinkering with compiling it on a 200mhz 64-bit UltraSPARC-based SPARCStation 20 that someone found being used as a doorstop.

    Obviously, they're bored and need more work to do.

    I use a Mac because it lets me think about computers at work, and use the internet for fun when I'm at home without having to think too deeply about it.
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      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeOct 29th 2009
     # 34
    Posted By: SpecialK200mhz 64-bit UltraSPARC-based SPARCStation 20

    Totally anachronistic.

    The SPARCstation 20 used either SuperSPARC or HyperSPARC CPUs, based on the SPARC V8 architecture. The SPARC V8 was 32-bit.
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      CommentAuthorSpecialK
    • CommentTimeNov 2nd 2009
     # 35
    Sorry. Ultra 2, I guess. It's sort of hard to tell what it is because it's in pieces on someone's desk. It's a 200? MHZ 64-bit SPARC in a pizza box workstation form factor, stripped down to the metal frame because they had to hack together a 'new' power supply for it.
    •  
      CommentAuthorDor
    • CommentTimeNov 2nd 2009
     # 36
    Posted By: SpecialKSorry.

    NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

    (j/k)
    •  
      CommentAuthorhessie
    • CommentTimeJul 4th 2010
     # 37
    well, i went ahead and bought myself a mac mini for my birthday. omg. i'm a full-time mac person now!

    so, what do i need?
    •  
      CommentAuthorstilton
    • CommentTimeJul 5th 2010
     # 38
    If you're me...

    Free:
    Chrome
    VLC
    Evernote
    Skitch
    TextWrangler
    Filezilla
    Audacity

    Costly:
    Photoshop
    Ableton Live


    I've been going more minimalist as time goes on.
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      CommentAuthorSpecialK
    • CommentTimeJul 5th 2010
     # 39
    If you're me...

    Aperture
    Colloquy
    Curio
    Acorn
    Aforementioned VLC
    CoRD
    OmniOutliner

    ... But you're probably not me.

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