Shameless abuse of my flist.

[cherry]

If anyone could offer up some advice, that would be amazing.

I am looking at purchasing an external HD for my computer. I have an iBook G3, 30GB, which I keep filling up. Right now, I have 3.63 GB free, for example.

The thing is, I might be getting a new computer in the fall. I'm a Mac girl, though and through, so I'm not really looking at picking up a PC. I'm trying to decide between:

- A new laptop (probably a MacBook, unless I come across some crazy deal for the Pro), or
- A desktop, probably an Intel iMac, and a wireless card for my poor little G3.

- I have found a limited number of LaCie 250GB externals available for $170. Mac/PC compatible, but they are, however, USB 2.0 only.

Would the external still be a wise purchase, given that I might be picking up a new computer? Does anyone have any advice as to which path to follow?

Comments

[tellitslant]

Oh, go for the external. Even when you do get a new comp, you can segregate storage space and keep all those Doctor Who eps from slowing down your Photoshopping. *g*

[tellitslant]

Oh and also. My Mac knowledge is limited to what I pick up by osmosis, but I hear the new laptops are awesome and actually somehow better than the new desktops. Granted this knowledge comes from two people, one who has and loves a new Pro and one who tried and hated a new desktop. so. Do with it what you will. ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

They are utterly, utterly awesome. I'm just saying. ;)

The other thing with the hard drives is you can always get one of the 3.5" cases and a drive and just assemble it yourself, which might be a cheaper option to look into as well.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

The MacBooks and Pros make me almost giddy with glee. It's possible I went to the campus computer store the other day just to look at a Pro. *cough*

(Which did you end up getting?)

I've been informed as to the proceedure for making an external out of an internal, but given the luck I have with computers in general, it's possible I caved and bought the external. Also, with the amount the external was on sale, this was pretty much equal in price.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

MacBook - the bog standard bottom of the range one,. Pros were waaay too expensive, even with the student discount . I can't believe how much faster it runs photoshop, even though it's using the rosetta emulator than the old one did.

*nods* Fair enough. I'm planning on making one, beause my dad has a few cases, so it's def. cheaper for me.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Really? I hadn't heard anything of the like. My dilemna is this: MACBOOK. SHINY. OMG *WIBBLE*. But the desktops are more computing power and storage room for less, and I do have a laptop. Just one I've been having problems with.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

It is more than possible I caved. *is a bad person, but looking forward to its arrival*

So this means that my torrented files will be less jerky, right? What with the fact I'll actually have some free space on the HD?

[ex-thissuga.livejournal.com]

the external harddrive will never make you sad, even if you do get a new computer - especially if you get a new laptop, because those tend to come with only 80 gigs standard (which is a lot compared to 30? but still not that much.)

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

It's possible I broke and purchased it. Since I got it online, I had to use my Dad's credit card, and there was an amusing bit where he went off on me for getting something so completely useless. Apparently, 30GB is way more than I should ever need. Which, considering there are iPods twice as big, yeah.

*twirls happily, and waits for it to get here*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_divya_/]

Yeah, I gotta say, if you can spare the cash for the external, do it. I go through phases where I acquire a lot of media, and I back up everything on DVD, but it's nice to be able to throw it all onto a drive, too. YMMV, but I love redundant systems, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to have it all backed up twice.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

See, I can't even back things up to DVD, as I have a poor little iBook G3 which has only a CD burner. It also doesn't have a wireless card, which makes me feel very left out.

(OMG, media is awful for me. I have to go one ep of a TV show to one CDR, because they're just thismuch too big to fit on two.)

[dkphoenix.livejournal.com]

You can never have too much hard drive space.

I'm a PC girl, so no advice on which computer to get, but I don't think you'll regret buying the external HD.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I... possibly caved. Thank you for the advice!

[(Anonymous)]

If you can get an external hard drive, do it, for sure. You can never have enough hard drive space and, if you do go with a new Macbook, the drive is tough to upgrade after purchase, so you'll want the external eventually. (Probably way sooner than you think you will, too. *g*)

The Macbooks seem to have fewer issues than the Pros have, so far--and I've heard rumours of a new Intel-compatible CS release, too, so the rosetta-slowness thing is going to be resolved soon (by fall, maybe). The Macbooks have superdrives (dvd and cd burning, yay) and come with the remote-plus-front-row thing (and etc, etc). The only thing they *don't* have is a pc card expansion slot - which sucks because there's this new wide-area wireless service available from certain cell phone companies that lets you get online anyplace there's cell service, and you have to install a proprietary pc card thing to use that (airport card doesn't work). Pros will let you install that card, which is the only thing that makes them worth the extra cash, imo.

The new iMacs sure are pretty, though, and you can upgrade the hd and the ram a lot, without needing expensive service. So honestly, I'm not sure which you should get. But either way, I'm jealous. *g*

- sprat, from work

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon. See, I positive that I wanted to buy it, but then when I asked my father if I could use his credit card as it was online, he went off a bit on how 30 GB should have been much more than enough. That threw me. But it's possible (and even probable) that I caved on advice and ordered it anyway.

As for the desktop vs laptop thing, it's really throwing me. Because on one hand: OMG SHINY MACBOOK *LOVE*, and it would be wonderful and portable and I've had enough trouble with my little G3.

On the other hand, I do have a laptop, and the desktops are more computer power, storage space, and display room for a lower price. But they're just not a MacBook.

[ella-bee.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear god, get the prettypretty new MacBook. First, it's pretty. Second, you won't need to get the airport card for your G3, which, from what I remember, you've had a fair bit of problems with, and with it only being a little G3 (gah! Only 30GB!?! How do you live!?!) an upgrade would be really nice. As well, I don't think you could run really complecated programs with that (my G4 chugs with MATLAB, I can't imagine what yours would do!)

Plus? BOOTCAMP!!! Being able to run AutoCAD and GeoSlope on my laptop? Priceless!

As well, if you get the MacBook before the end of September you could get a free Nano (or whatever the equivalent of Cram and Jam is this year) -- but you might want to wait until they have that overheating / firmwear issue figured out, which really shouldn't be that long now. (Unless they already have, and I just missed it.)

Get the external anyway. That price is PHENOMENAL (I know, I'm looking for an external myself -- I have less than 500MB free on my 60GB HD... and dying.) and the only way you MIGHT get a better price is to buy an internal HD with a controller box -- but I don't know much about that. I'm getting a friend to just buy one for me. Unless that deal is online, because then I just might order one.

Where did you find that HD deal?

And really, despite that I like Firewire better as well, the USB 2.0 are pretty much just as fast anyway.

So, there's my two cents... and if you get the laptop that can make a partition... I'll be VERY JEALOUS!!!

I SO need a mac icon.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I will respond in-full later because I am on my way out the door, but yes, the deal is online. You know how the first rule of tech is 'don't just buy from Future Shop?' Well, in this case it's wrong.

They have the LaCie 250GBs for $200 off (http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0665000FS10052463&catid=23795&logon=&langid=EN).

And you are not-dead, yay!

Pst, you owe me emaaaaaail.

[ella-bee.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I may have just bought it too.

I had plans for a friend to take me shopping for an external hard drive next week, but this was such a great deal! I want it now, dammit!

Really, I just want an icon that I can use at times like this! Something mac, pretty and shiny probably with lots of white. :D

I'll send you that email... soonish. My life got a little less busy starting... now, so hopefully I should have some time!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

They are shiny like gold covered in vaseline and then drenched in sunlight.

Dude, if I could run AUTOCAD or some of my bio software I would be SET. Although, I just found out there was a PHREEQC for Macs, so that makes me gleeful. And, yeah, I don't even contemplate running MATLAB on here. Word documents more than 70 or 80 pages are also a no-good. Especially the lab reports with the embedded excel files and graphics.

Honestly? My preference would be a MacBook, but it makes more sense to get a desktop and keep this as my laptop, just because I can get more in a desktop for less.

But it's not a MacBook.

(Also, it's possible I broke and got the external. If I go with a MacBook, they're standard 60 and 80 optional, so I might still end up wanting some more room.)

Was there any particular sort of Mac icon you were wanting? I know this girl who knows a girl, you see... *pets photoshop*

GET A MACBOOK!

[acjohns.livejournal.com]

Hey there Cherry,

GET A MACBOOK! I just did, and it's WONDERFUL! Seriously, the best investment ever. I did a whole lot of comparison shopping before I bought it and really there is no comparison.

JUST DO IT! It will run Windows if you insist on installing it, although you would have to buy that separately. Which is a huge waste anyway because they're coming out with Vista in the fall.

GET MACBOOK. :-P

AJ

Re: GET A MACBOOK!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

May I ask which MacBook you bought? The fact that my iBook KERPLODED has made things rather critical.

I'm trying to figure out if I should try to talk my way into the pimped out black one, or pimp out on of the 1.83GHz ones with 1GB SDRAM and 100 GB of storage, because they're about the same price.

Re: GET A MACBOOK!

[(Anonymous)]

I went with the 2 GHz Intel Core Duo in white, upgraded to 1 GB of ram (you'll want that minimum I hear) with the SuperDrive and 80GB hard drive.

I would suggest that 80Gb might be enough for you if you're not planning on doing a lot of video editing, especially with your external drive that you just bought, although if you can eat the cost, go for it.

Mine is about equivalent to the black one, although be forewarned there is about a $150 price difference due to nothing apparent but colour. Yes, for some strange reason, the matte black finish costs $150 more than the classic shiny white.

Mike's buying the same comp. as me but in black.

Are you looking to buy this summer or waiting until the fall? If you are, we'll be back right at the beginning of the school year if you wanna check it out in person. But that may not be soon enough. :-)

Oh, and they're also have deals where you get a free 2GB nano (or upgrade) with your purchase, and Microsoft Office for Mac is goin' for $229 with a $50 mail in rebate, but you get 3 licenses, so maybe you might be able to share with someone else. Have fun and email me if you want more info!

AJ

Re: GET A MACBOOK!

[acjohns.livejournal.com]

I went with the 2 GHz Intel Core Duo in white, upgraded to 1 GB of ram (you'll want that minimum I hear) with the SuperDrive and 80GB hard drive.

I would suggest that 80Gb might be enough for you if you're not planning on doing a lot of video editing, especially with your external drive that you just bought, although if you can eat the cost, go for it.

Mine is about equivalent to the black one, although be forewarned there is about a $150 price difference due to nothing apparent but colour. Yes, for some strange reason, the matte black finish costs $150 more than the classic shiny white.

Mike's buying the same comp. as me but in black.

Are you looking to buy this summer or waiting until the fall? If you are, we'll be back right at the beginning of the school year if you wanna check it out in person. But that may not be soon enough. :-)

Oh, and they're also have deals where you get a free 2GB nano (or upgrade) with your purchase, and Microsoft Office for Mac is goin' for $229 with a $50 mail in rebate, but you get 3 licenses, so maybe you might be able to share with someone else. Have fun and email me if you want more info!

AJ

Re: GET A MACBOOK!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I think this is possibly more of 'I am doing this as soon as humanly possible' thing, but thanks for the offer!

I was going to go with the 1.83GHz, but then I discovered that you can only get the DVD burner in the 2.0GHz. It looks like we're going to have perfectly matching computers! I've upgraded my own RAM before, but that sort of led to my first total computer crash -- the stuff we bought was bad, and killed my computer.

It seems to me that you are incredibly happy with yours -- are there any modifications you'd make, though?

(Personally, I prefer the white to the black anyway.)

Re: GET A MACBOOK!

[acjohns.livejournal.com]

I am supremely happy with my computer. I don't think I'd go with any less than what I got, and I'm not missing the extra memory (yet anyway). I hear the DVD burning capability thing, it was a bit of a must. That's also why I didn't bother with the additional space because I figured if I needed to make room, I'd just burn a data DVD!

It works well, so yeah, no complaints whatsoever.