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Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Apr 18, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I have really appreciated all the great suggestions. I’ve learned of some new, interesting applications.
BTW, though I’m getting a 2007 model, it is coming with the Leopard OS… I made sure of that.
Because this is a new start for me, I really do hope to limit my CRIMPing, and keep the number of programs I’m working with to a reasonable group. So, upon further review and based upon the recommendations here, I think the leading contenders are as follows:
Composition: Scrivener
Organization: OmniOutliner
Notetaking: Circus Ponies Notebook
And, because it is cool: Curio
I will also get Opal, to support our friend David and because I’m an old fan of ACTA.
Thanks again for all the wonderful feedback… keep them coming if you have any more suggestions.
Steve Z.
Posted by Hugh
Apr 18, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Derek Cornish wrote:
>
>I’m also a bit confused about the relative merits of
>the different Mac models (let’s assume all using Leopard). What models are people
>using, and why?
>
>Derek
A mid-scale white MacBook purchased mid-2007, but now running Leopard. Sorry, I don’t have the exact specs (Core 2 Duo?) because it’s not with me at the moment, but I use it on a daily basis mostly for planning, writing and numerical analysis, for which it is perfectly suited, usually with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and an external 22-inch screen, which it drives happily.
I wouldn’t use it for gaming or video editing; for those I think a MacBook Pro or a top-end desktop would probably be required. But from the Scrivener forum I understand people have successfully run writing software such as Scrivener and similarly demanding apps on previous-generation, pre-MacBook laptops - probably more smoothly under Tiger rather than Leopard.
Posted by Derek Cornish
Apr 18, 2008 at 05:17 PM
Hugh wrote:
>A mid-scale white MacBook purchased mid-2007, but now
>running Leopard. Sorry, I don’t have the exact specs (Core 2 Duo?) because it’s not
>with me at the moment, but I use it on a daily basis mostly for planning, writing and
>numerical analysis, for which it is perfectly suited, usually with a Bluetooth
>keyboard and mouse and an external 22-inch screen, which it drives happily.
>I
>wouldn’t use it for gaming or video editing; for those I think a MacBook Pro or a top-end
>desktop would probably be required. But from the Scrivener forum I understand people
>have successfully run writing software such as Scrivener and similarly demanding
>apps on previous-generation, pre-MacBook laptops - probably more smoothly under
>Tiger rather than Leopard.
Thanks, Hugh. It is writing that I mostly have in mind. It was Scrivener - and the general abundance of outlining and notetaking/organizing software - that made me think about the possible benefits of switching to a Mac in the first place - that is, once my Thinkpad (A31) pegs out.
In the meantime, you’ve got me curious about the pre-MacBook generation laptops. This might be a relatively inexpensive way of getting my feet wet until I have to trade up from the A31. Does anyone have suggestions about which Mac models might be worth looking out for?
Derek
Posted by Franz Grieser
Apr 18, 2008 at 05:52 PM
>Derek wrote:
>In the meantime, you’ve got me
>curious about the pre-MacBook generation laptops. This might be a relatively
>inexpensive way of getting my feet wet until I have to trade up from the A31. Does anyone
>have suggestions about which Mac models might be worth looking out for?
There are 2 families of notebooks: iBooks and Powerbooks, the pre-Macbook generations have a G3 or a G4 CPU. I suggest taking a G4 notebook (I had a G3 iBook running at 800 MHz and 640 MByte RAM - Scrivener ran fine on that machine, NeoOffice was really sluggish; and some G3 models had motherboard problems).
The iBook family is cheaper but less robust than the Powerbooks; moreover, the iBooks only support 1.024x768 pixel (even on an external display). There are 12” and 14” display iBooks and 12”, 15” and 17” display Powerbooks - so it depends on you what you need and are ready to carry around.
What is important: Put as much RAM into the machine as possible, Tiger (and Leopard) and the applications will run noticeably faster.
If you have more questions: Feel free to ask.
Franz
Posted by Stephen R. Diamond
Apr 18, 2008 at 09:18 PM
Kind of surprised no one mentioned tau, which I’ve heard is the most feature-rich Mac outliner.
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
>I have really appreciated all the great suggestions. I’ve learned of some new,
>interesting applications.
>
>BTW, though I’m getting a 2007 model, it is coming with
>the Leopard OS… I made sure of that.
>
>Because this is a new start for me, I really do
>hope to limit my CRIMPing, and keep the number of programs I’m working with to a
>reasonable group. So, upon further review and based upon the recommendations here, I
>think the leading contenders are as follows:
>
>Composition:
>Scrivener
>Organization: OmniOutliner
>Notetaking: Circus Ponies Notebook
>And,
>because it is cool: Curio
>
>I will also get Opal, to support our friend David and
>because I’m an old fan of ACTA.
>
>Thanks again for all the wonderful feedback… keep
>them coming if you have any more suggestions.
>
>Steve Z.