Tomm

I knew you were going to point that out. I posted it, re-read it, and realised you were reading the topic. But meh I suppose you're right. But OS X seems to have loads of extra little features to help you out, make things easier. I can get stuff done quicker on OS X, that I am sure of. So that's why I like it.

It's not just that at all. I find it really hard to explain. Of course I could go on about how Macs are so much more stable and how you can't get viruses but that would be bollocks since XP never crashes for me and I haven't ever had a virus with it either. I think it's just the navigation makes a lot more sense to me. Finder just seems better than Windows explorer - moving files about is easier. Quickview is cool, Spotlight is awesome. Just a load of little things that make it seem better (to me). It's just hard to see what Windows actually does for the user. It's just a base for programs to run from - it doesn't seem to "do" anything useful in and of itself.

Well yes, they could compare a Macbook to an eeePC, and comment on how the Macbook has a better spec, build quality, software package etc. But that would be stupid. The article isn't designed to answer the question of "what cheap PC should I get?" That would be like that Top Gear where JC compares the Ascari A10 to a Daihatsu Materia. At the end of the day, very few people buy a Mac because of the build quality or anything else. They buy it because they want OS X. Both OSs work differently and you'll get things done at different rates using OS X to using Windows. So comparisons of hardware are largely irrelevant anyway, the writer is merely pointing out that they're not as ridiculously-priced as people make out. Hmmm, I'm sliding dangerously close to the Apple fanboy precipice, defending Apple. The truth is that I like using both PCs and Macs, they both have their merits. I'm just trying to point out that both systems have their merits - something a lot of PC fanboys seem unable to grasp. That's not aimed at you by the way. I wouldn't expect you to ever have a Mac, it just wouldn't be right. But since it's impossible to argue for Macs without people assuming you're a Mac fanboy, I'm going to leave it there. (Safe in the knowledge that I'm right)

I don't think it was a poor article. It was an article on a PC-based tech site talking about Apple. It was bound to be subject to a lot of criticism. The point is not that you can't built a PC for cheaper - of course you can. The point was to dispel the myths that "you pay twice as much for a white plastic computer". That's simply not true, whichever way you slice it. Fair enough, the guy writing the review has chosen some 'premium' PC manufacturers for comparison but why not? Apple hardware is very well-made. Obviously the article would never convince the PC boys who read tomshardware that the premium is worth paying, but I think it goes some way to dispelling the myth. I agree. In fact I never, ever, liked the white plastic look, it's always seemed cheap to me compared to the aluminium cases.

I got it from here: http://www.docs.kr/entry/Download-Shock-4Way3D-en

To be fair, if you're into games then (at the moment, at least) there's no point buying a Mac. Similarly if you're really into hardware geekery then again there would be no point. For the other 90% of people, a Mac is a realistic alternative. I will refer you to the link I posted earlier. Although it's funny to laugh at the ridiculously high prices on the Apple website, no one actually pays for those upgrades. One colour (out of a choice of two) of one Mac (out of six different models) is white? It's been like this for at least 2-3 years. You surely must be able to see that some of your views are based on Macs from 5 years ago, and that they no longer apply? Besides, by Tuesday I don't think you'll see any white Macs

Er yes. But then so do almost every computer manufacturer. "Warranty void if removed" stickers etc etc. Actually Apple are pretty liberal with their attitude to user-upgrades. Just look how easy it is to change the hard drive on a Macbook, for example. How many other brands will allow you to change the hard drive on a laptop without voiding your warranty? Re: "Outdated" - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/apple-...vista,1985.html It is illegal to do so, at least at the moment. There are rumours that Apple will (at some point in the mid-term future) release OS X for all PC hardware. At the moment, there's not enough of an incentive. Apple make a lot of money from Hardware sales (after all, they make ~ 8% of all computers), not to mention the fact that it would a lot harder to make a stable OS for all PCs (instead of just Apple's own hardware which they know). Plus a lot of people (like you, and Dave) have pretty massive misconceptions about OS X and what it can do. If Apple are to release OS X for PCs, it would want to come at a time when they could be assured of a big jump in market share. I think OS X would be a really threat to Windows if everyone knew about the reality of it, and could potentially get > 50% of market share. But it won't at the moment. People are 'locked in' to Windows and they don't want to give anything new a chance - especially not an OS with 'only 1 mouse button'. But people know about iTunes and iPods, and interest for Apple's products is really going up on the back of this. There has actually been a rumour recently about an Apple product codenamed "the Brick" although no one knows what it is. Some people have been suggesting that "the Brick" could be something to smash Windows - I.e. OS X released on PCs. Maybe this will be announced on Tuesday. I doubt it.

Yes, it should be free. Dunno where you're getting it from?

Pretty sure I've done that exact tutorial before - right down to the red lines for the outline Here it is in fact, fresh outa 2005: Yours looks better though

It's 100% compatible. I think a lot of people are basing their opinions of Macs on facts from about 15 years ago. Windows 3.1 was pretty rubbish too... At that time, a lot of OEM PC manufacturers were using proprietary peripherals/upgrades too (Dell, IBM). The fact is that Macs are compatible with 99% of files and you can do 99% of things, and the hardware is easily upgraded with aftermarket parts. Fair enough, you can't do CAD/CAM too easily in OS X, and there's no great games market either. But on the other hand, there are many pieces of software for Mac that you just can't get a PC equivalent (Final Cut Pro, Aperture are the obvious ones, Quicksilver is my favourite). The right click thing was an annoyance to me at first, but having used a Mac for a while now, I understand 100% why they do it. 1) OS X doesn't really need right-clicks like PCs do. You can do most things with left clicks. 2) Holding control and clicking (for right click) is just one of several 'modifiers' that OS X uses. E.g. you can hold alt and click to certain things, shift click etc. Having your hands over the left hand side of the keyboard is useful for doing things in OS X quickly (Also it's there for keyboard shortcuts - of which there are loads for OS X). Photoshop uses this method too - ctrl/shift/alt all modify your cursor (depending on the tool you have selected) to allow you to do loads of complex things in a really simple way. Here's a newsflash - people wouldn't use Macs if they didn't like them. You can call Mac users idiots and vain if you like, but if you truly believe that Mac users just sit in front of their screens feeling smug about themselves, you're wrong. Also I don't think that complaining about Macs being 'too pretty' or 'too focused on visual effects' can be used as an insult. As humans we are visual creatures. We enjoy flashing lights and animations and pretty things. We go to the cinema, watch TV, enjoy paintings etc. It's in our nature to enjoy these things. Steve Jobs was just very astute in realising this and translating it to PCs. For example, it makes me smile every single time I use Exposé on my Mac. It's just little stuff like that, which makes me enjoy using my Mac. Dave, you do have a point about iTunes videos/MP3s though. I would question why you're getting so frustrated by it since you presumably don't use it, but that's besides the point. I just got over it to be honest - most of my music is on a network drive so I just use my iTunes library for my iPod and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I can see why Apple have done it like this though - because iTunes does work damn well. I have subscriptions to a load of podcasts, so every week iTunes updates my favourite (BBC) radio programs and I listen to them in the car. Plus there's clever stuff on the newer iPods like coverflow and genius playlists which just wouldn't be compatible with a drag-and-drop system. In my opinion the all-in-one system works brilliantly, but I suppose if you don't like the whole integrated system then I'd suggest you don't buy an iPod. But I think it's a bit arrogant to assume that the only people who buy iPods and Macs are idiots who are enticed by flashy lights.

This is how it goes: You install Linux for a laugh on a dual boot. You spend ages getting stuff to work like sound, network/wifi, file sharing etc. Then you spend yet more time installing Linux equivalents of Windows apps like GIMP. Then you realise that there's one program you really like on Windows that isn't available for Linux, and that the GIMP is nowhere near as good as Photoshop. You start using your Windows install again, never booting into Linux. Then you just get annoyed by the bootloader always asking you what to boot (Windows or Linux), so you delete Linux. And then you're back to where you started*, 4 days later and you've acheived nothing. * Except if the uninstall goes wrong and you end up wiping your MBR or something stupid. Which takes another 4 days to get back to normal.

Hope: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15622 Avid: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=13721 Stop posting shit. The only reason Avid adapters would be bigger would be if you were using a bigger disc. I trust you wouldn't be stupid enough to compare one for a small rotor on a Hope to a big Avid one? EDIT: Wait, do you mean caliper? Even so I don't really know what difference that would make to snapping your forks. The only reason people break forks with BB7s is because they're so grabby and powerful that you can do stupid things (E.g. drop-gaps to front wheel) with them causing your forks lots of stress.

iFish?

Do you want a fight?

I have a Mac laptop and a slightly older PC. Therefore my opinion is the only unbiased one, and everyone who disagrees is obviously wrong. I definitely prefer the mac. Macs do have a serious image problem though - everyone thinks mac users are up their own arses. I'm sure some of them are elitish c**ts, but meh. I just prefer it

Play nice, kiddies. I've just suspended those two jokers.

Yeah, the law stands at the point of sale. In a shop, that's the checkout. If you pay for the goods, they're technically yours. Online, the point of sale is as you pay for the item and click the order button. However, you will find that most shops (in the small print) will have some caveat saying that they won't send things out if there have been obvious pricing errors (and this one is most definitely an obvious pricing error, however much Jarrod protests and says he thinks it's a proper offer...). But yeah, use common sense. If Dan sold those rims at that price, to the 10 or so people that ordered them, he'd lose around £200, surely? That's a week's wages to a lot of people, and you'd have to be stupid to send them.

Do they have bigger adapters than any other disc brakes?

Yeah, I recently used a Julie and it was very nice. But I don't know whether they're all like that, so I'd just suggest sticking with the BB7. They're just brilliant, and cheap too.

Just get a normal 8/9 speed cassette and lose the top 2-3 sprockets. The cheaper ones (Deore?) are better because the sprockets are easier to separate (you can drill out the bolts). The more expensive ones like XT have an aluminium carrier for the bigger sprockets and you can't take them apart.

Hmm, yeah. Never thought of that before.

Yes, and mothers would leave pies on windowsills without fear of anyone pinching them. Passers by would enjoy the smell of freshly-baked cherry pie and doff their hats to Mrs Miggins.

Or get Shock 4Way 3D (Google it). It seems to work OK and looks like yours, except that it only has desktops on the four sides of the cube, not the top and bottom. They're not particularly useful though, at least not for me.

Good pedantry.

Could well be the hard drive. But if it's loading XP a little bit it means there's something there, so at least some may be retrievable. It would be worth making sure that your current computer has an up-to-date virus checker before plugging the old drive in, too.