hsapiens - I'm getting a laptop!

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18 June 2007 @ 10:50 am

I'm getting a laptop!

I should have have my (new to me) laptop later this week! It's a Titanium G4 Mac that I'm taking off of

la_directora's hands and it's coming with all of its separately sold accessories. I can barely contain my glee. I hate hate hate going on vacation and being disconnected from the internet. Last year, I lost a bunch of photos because the portable photo hard drive/card reader I have failed to copy the contents of a 2 GB card. If I'd had a laptop, I would have been able to SEE that the photos weren't in the file. I've wanted a laptop for years but I couldn't convince myself to spend $2.5K for what is, essentially, a vacation toy.

I thought my laptop purchase would have to wait until about the time I get my new home computer but I forgot that we get bonuses here at work in June. (In my defense, the bonuses are not guaranteed and they're not so huge as to leave a lasting impression.) This year I'm being frivolous and getting myself a toy with part of the bonus.

Best part is that I'll also have a way to burn DVDs of photos immediately for those who want photos during my vacations. (There's more of a demand than one might think since one of my yearly trips is to a con.) I can hardly wait to get it and to start playing with it. I'm given to understand that Photoshop is even better on a Mac and I am looking forward to finding out. What better way to trial run my planned purchase of an iMac before I replace my home computer which, sadly, is 7 years old. It has been an amazing computer but it's starting to show its age in that newer apps demand more resources than it has.

Current Mood:

ecstatic

28 comments | Leave a comment

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superl99.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 03:56 pm (UTC)
Ewww

I hate Macs. Hate hate hate.

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:18 pm (UTC)
Re: Ewww

I promise not to make you use it. ;)

I suppose everyone's entitled to her own opinion. Well, that is until I'm declared Benevolent Dictator for Life and then I'll tell you what to like and you'll just be grateful for my boundless generosity and wise decisions. *nods*

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mrkamikaze.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:31 pm (UTC)
Re: Ewww

These days the only reason to HATE macs is if you just can't see yourself joining the ranks of the Mac faithful and are resisting being assimilated.

With the Intel chip set and the ability to run Windows or OS X there's no longer a functionality issue that would make a PC a better choice in 98% of all computer scenarios.

And if you fall into the 2% then HATE is not likely the attitude one would take as it's a choice made based upon cost, need and function.

And I am saying this as a PC user.

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:45 pm (UTC)
Re: Ewww

She's mostly enjoying pulling my tail. ;)

The brother unit has already promised to hit me upside the head if I start acting like one of THOSE Mac users. I've made so many changes over the years: No OS, DOS, Apple, Win 95, Win 98, Win XP, and now Mac. I can't say that I'm wedded to one system. I love the way I could configure my Win box precisely to my needs (inexpensive upgrades and a wealth of freeware) but I also like the way Apple/Mac had sufficient functionality that it didn't require that I do that. It's a draw as far as I'm concerned.

However, I'm getting more and more into Photoshop and photography and that is traditionally a strong suit for Macs. When I replace my aging home machine, I'm planning to do so with an Intel chip Mac running Parallels Desktop.

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superl99.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 10:05 pm (UTC)
Re: Ewww

She's mostly enjoying pulling my tail. ;)

Moi? *deceptively cute innocent look*

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Mish: Brian -- And Baby Gus! CUTE OVERLOAD

hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 10:40 am (UTC)
Re: Ewww

Sí, usted.

I see your cute baby pic and raise you with a cute baby AND a gorgeous guy.

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evil-moopie.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:25 pm (UTC)

Yay you!

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:49 pm (UTC)

Bwah! LOVE that icon. :) You can squarely blame yourself for my seriously considering Mac as an option.

katiedammit,

la_directora,

immlass, and

mcroft were also instrumental in making me see that Mac was a better choice for my purposes.

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jalabert.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 05:19 pm (UTC)

...Not to mention your envy over my acquisition. ;)

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 05:27 pm (UTC)

But of course! (I know, CJ doesn't have any geek cred but he's sooooo pretty to look at.)

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jalabert.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 05:30 pm (UTC)

Well, with your spiffy new laptop you'll be able to photoshop a computer printout into his--nah, why mess with perfection?

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 06:22 pm (UTC)

No kidding -- no need. He's more than fine "as is." :)

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selmak.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 04:45 pm (UTC)

Have fun with your laptop. :) I use Macs for work, and they're fun. :)

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 05:01 pm (UTC)

I can FINALLY return the favor of sharing all my pics (should you be so insane as to want them)! I'm really looking forward to playing with Photoshop on it to see what improvements I notice.

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superbadgirl on June 18th, 2007 05:34 pm (UTC)

*is jealous*

I've been thinking I could use a laptop, because the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is sit around at the computer...and yet I want to get writing in and whatnot. If I could do that while lounging on the sofa, I'd be in heaven!

Have fun with your new toy!

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 06:30 pm (UTC)

You might want to consider finding a reputable dealer of used laptops. I'm going with a model that is relatively old in terms of computer age 2002? 2003?) because it isn't my main computer and it's more than up to my on-the-road tasks.

The fact that I'll be able to keep Joe company in the living room now while he's watching another war movie or whatever is a great bonus, too! :)

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shadownyc.livejournal.com on June 18th, 2007 09:34 pm (UTC)

Congratulations on your new laptop! Enjoy all the fun you'll have with it. I love my laptop -- we're very attached. :D

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 12:57 am (UTC)

Thank you! I am psyched to have my very own laptop. :)

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mcroft.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 12:11 am (UTC)

so, I've got a beta of my mass LJ (and GJ) icon uploader, keyworder, and commenter done. It's missing some features I want to put in, but the core functionality (pick a folder of images, go through them one at a time, giving them comments and keywords, and uploading them as new userpics) works.

It's yours for the asking.

As is any help you need.

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 01:00 am (UTC)

You've anticipated me!

I planned to beg you for a copy this weekend after I have the laptop in my hands. :) I can hardly wait to use your program to upload icons to GJ because, well, 2K icons is a lot.

Thank you for the offer of help. I'm a little intimidated simply because I haven't played with a Mac for real in 12 or 13 years. :| I figure, though, it's a Mac so it should be reasonably intuitive, no?

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 22nd, 2007 08:07 pm (UTC)

There's been a snag in sending me the laptop so it looks as if I'll be begging for a copy of the icon uploader NEXT weekend.

Hope all is well with you and that you have a lovely weekend.

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riverfox.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 04:53 am (UTC)

Hee! Glad for ya. Can't wait till I can finally have one. In fact, I've never used one. Well, I *typed* an entry once with one but I don't think that counts. :-p Everyone who owns one seems to be very protective. I wonder why. ;)

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 10:55 am (UTC)

Thank you! :) I am excited, to be sure. I've never owned one before, either. I've typed a couple of comments on one when I stayed with

immlass and

mcroft after the Stargate con. They had an extra laptop and let me borrow it while at their place. I'd never bought a laptop because all of the parts are slower and smaller and way, way more expensive -- but that taste was so very addictive. Laptops seem to go out of date a lot faster, too, if you're the sort addicted to cutting edge, "best of the best" electronics. A used one, though, brings the price down considerably so I'm splurging.

Last year's bonus covered part of my expenses from many last minute trips to Ft. Lauderdale to see my dying father. This year, I wanted to do something entirely frivolous and irresponsible. :)

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riverfox.livejournal.com on June 19th, 2007 02:03 pm (UTC)

Heh. Well you go, girlfriend. I did a few things like that after I'd spent a long time caring for my parents. It was *such* a relief. And laptops. Hey. What I'd give to have one with a decent battery supply so I could take it to a park and type up some fiction. :) And then... another cool thing. Having it whenever the power goes out. *blinks* While UPS' are good for that on reg PCs, the longer running ones cost more than some used laptops. Yeesh. *g*

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 20th, 2007 02:01 pm (UTC)

Those are tough times, aren't they? *hugs*

UPSes are good for saving work and shutting down and that's about it. You have a good point about using a laptop in emergencies. After seeing the government response to Katrina, I find myself thinking in more apocalyptic terms of near-term disaster survival. Houston had a less deadly but devastating flood in June 2001 with tropical storm Allison. It's a very real threat here that we might be on our own in the event of a repeat.

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riverfox.livejournal.com on June 21st, 2007 01:15 am (UTC)

That's a really good point. :) And pardon my ignorance, but do laptops have the ability to link up with sat feeds or other wireless sources far away? That way, people with laptops can communicate without having to worry about finding a land line away from the storm zone. Providing they can even get out.

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hsapiens.livejournal.com on June 21st, 2007 04:27 pm (UTC)

I'm fairly ignorant myself. I know that with a wireless card you can access open wireless networks. With a data plan on your cell phone, you can send and receive data. So, yes it is possible, but those systems have to be working, whether it's a powered wireless network or an ability to access satellites. That latter is probably not possible during a hurricane but afterwards it should be.

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riverfox.livejournal.com on June 21st, 2007 11:35 pm (UTC)

*cringes* They really have to devise a comm system that is not land-based(cell towers). *sighs*

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