JackClark

Power Over Ethernet. You can send 48v down ethernet cable to power a device on the end of it. A common use would be CCTV. I use it for wireless access points. The speed of the cable goes down to 100mb.

ChrisB

802.3af (ie POE) supports Gigabit.

jonc

So you've told them to spend a huge premium on a Mac when instead they could just upgrade to Win 7 or Linux. When you consider that most people will only be using it to browse the web, emails, watch a few movies, etc, for me a Mac is a huge rip off and I don't fall for their marketing campaign. The hardware looks nice and that is about it. OS sided I've used Snow Leopard, Windows7 and Linux and I find Windows7 easier to use than SL for nearly everything, but 90% of the time I run Linux Ubuntu because its quicker and more secure than either and of course it's free!

SJ_Skyline

I didn't need to read beyond that - this was your first mistake. Learn from it and don't make it again.

Over the years I've given such a level of disinterest, punctuated with rtfm answers that I don't get much bother these days. If I were a dentist, would you ask me around to do a little bit of root canal work? Of course not. Contact the people who sold it to you or who support it and have them fix it as I haven't got a bloody clue what you're talking about.

windyboy

People think that since you work with computer's and install / fix them it means that you can fix video's(remember them ), tv's, dvd player's, cooker's, dishwashers etc and recently I have been asked to take a look at 2 digital camera's to see why they are not working as they should.

windyboy

EddScott

After finding myself at home one evening surrounded by other peoples laptops - mostly my bosses kids - I made a decision that I will never touch a non-work PC again other than my own. My boss and his kids seem to destroy a fresh useable XP/W7 build in around 3 months.

I'm currerntly on my father in laws PC and it runs like a bag of **** and I went to start fiddling around but thought if I do, I'm responsible.

He has a "lad who knows all about computers" so I must remember to keep a wide berth - the same lad who couldn't install a CD ROM drive properly and confidently claims to be able to disable everybody's PC access to the internet on the estate - his l33t PC skillz are da shizzle.

I even have folk asking me for help regarding anything electrical. At a recent party I was handed a camera and told it doesn't work. "Why are you giving it to me?" I asked and the reply "You go to work in a suit"

As if that was all the explanation that was required

JackClark

What a load of drivel, same tripe trolled out again, marketing, hardware looks nice. It all boils down to you being cheap and not seeing the total cost of ownership.

Some were using Windows 7 and suggesting Linux to anyone other than a geek is terrible advice, can you imagine the amount of help you'd need to provide. With OSX everything they need is provided, including a shop where they can get free lessons on everything Mac related.

Even your premium argument is out of the window, manufacturers can't produce a competitor for the Macbook Air for the same money. Fact.

JackClark

Nice! Thanks Chris.

bigsinky

pftttt.....call yourself a Linux user!!! what's the matter can't quite wean yourself of Winblows?

SJ_Skyline

"You go to work in a suit"

ChefDude

This is a valid point.

Some people wouldn't realize their system is not only capable of running Win7, it might actually run more smoothly on Win7 than, say, the slowing Vista install it has presently.

JackClark

It's hardly valid when they were already running Windows 7.

CREWJ

Why would he suggest upgrading to Win7 from Win7?

That makes no sense.

JackClark

I wouldn't I told them to buy a Mac and now they're obviously over the moon. That other bloke called me out for it. Not sure what he's on about.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I think the problem for most is that a laptop is about £400 for something usable and a Mac is more than double that for an entry level one and other than the Apple logo and the os its fairly standard commodity pc components, Windows Vista was a Turkey but Win 7 works very nicely.

Agree that for most linux is probably a step too far but my home laptop is a very old Dell D610 scrounged from the recycling pile and that runs Ubuntu with a some extra ram and it runs pretty well, the last, quite expensive HP got knocked off the setee and broke the power connector so just use the cheapies for web brosing and its perfect, tried the work Ipad and its lovely but it doesnt stand up on its own and the dog dragging the power lead the kids knocking it over its not worth having a posh one, it breaks I switch the HD into another, effectively bangernomics of the computer world, could buy a Mac but sinking a grand into a computer, no thanks.

ChefDude

apple do make their margins, of course, but the components in my mac pro look pretty slick - just look at the case !

for those better components, you still pay for them + apple's margin.

JackClark

And don't forget that with OSX you get lots and lots of very good software. Photo and Video editing is a good example, you'd pay a good chunk of the price difference just for those two products.

Go to Computer Related and look at all the questions from Windows users on how to do tasks that the Mac just does. Most of the advice is to steal the software rather than buy it, if that's your bag then crack on.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

But for Scoobynet and ****, Ubuntu is fine.

Interest point about the software though.

JackClark

Built in usable backup is another chunk of cash, and lets not forget that the latest upgrade to the operating system was £21, that's a whole lot less than Windows upgrade costs. Antivirus is free as well.

But yes, for Scoobynet and **** Ubuntu will do, although for a posh **** you can't beat an iPad.

Miniman

iTrader: (2)

This, plus also what with the kids and ever busy life, I genuinely give answer like "I can come round next week". Most friends now require the PC 24x7 (not so 5 years ago) and they usually end up ringing an ad at the back of the local rag. Added to that the fact that the response they get from these local service people is great, that they've rarely bothered me again.

austinwrx

my favourite response to this is:

"web design"

"what are you, a f@@king spider ?"

jonc

No it boils down to not paying for marketing hype and most importantly what I want to use a computer for. I have a 5 year old Thinkpad T60 and is perfectly adequate for what I want it to do, so total cost of ownership isn't an issue and far lower than had I bought a macbook at the the time. I recently upgraded it with a 160GB solid state disk and it flies!! Plus it has a 4:3 screen, which for the life of me cannot find a new laptop with this aspect ratio screen!! Plus iTunes is mega slow and the Macs are crap at supporting anything other than an iPod for MP3 players. I also have a PC with Windows 7 for games and education stuff for the kids and as a media centre and runs Security Essentials, Microsoft's free AV.

Linux is not what it used to be. Real easy to setup and use and is fast and responsive and has everything you need too and for free, even new applications. I setup a PC for my grand parents to use for emails, web browsing, skype, word processing. That was nearly 2 years ago and not had one issue with it and absolutely no worries about viruses and security. Have you even tried it? No?

How so? in what way? Everywhere I look PC and laptops have much better specification; better processors (both use Intel processors and chipsets, the faster one is in the PC!), more RAM, larger disks, bigger and better screens, more powerful graphics chip, etc. Granted some of the low end laptops feel cheap and nasty, but even the premium PC laptops that are just as well built are significantly cheaper than the equivalent spec macbook. The premium you pay for an apple product goes on the marketing and those trendy looking stores where you get those "free" lessons, of which I don't need. So for the extra premium, what does the Mac and OSX have to offer that it does better than what I already have using Windows7 or Linux?

Ant

How did this turn into a apple vs the world thread?

CREWJ

Jack posted

JackClark

It's true. I posted this "I used to suffer as you do, now my only advice to friends and family is "get a Mac" and I'm no longer needed." and the fanboi's started to attack.

JackClark

Read the original post and my original response.

jonc

Yeah, I did, and I particularly liked the "youngster" bit of your response to my post.

JackClark

You reminded me of my teenage nephew. But you've shown your age now by moaning that you can't get a 1980's shaped screen

jonc

And you won't have to worry about spillage on your keyboard with an iPad!!

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

We set laptop & projectors at work all the time for people and the best call I had was.. its not working. so to prevent me going to the woman on the 5th floor we try to advise over the phone. Normally 100% ganrenteed to work but no nothing.. I get there and the bitch didn't put the plug in !!!
OH MY GOD RETARD !