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I think it's quite a personal choice. I've stopped using Windows six years ago, because I'm only working on webapplications that run in the browser. I also beli

I think it's quite a personal choice. I've stopped using Windows six years ago, because I'm only working on webapplications that run in the browser. I also believe there will be a great shift from installed software to webapplications the next years. If the software is going to be in the browser, you have to look for the tools that make it as easy as possible to do so. Personally I love Apple products. Indeed, you pay a premium, but my 4 year old MacbookPro is still very fast, and makes no sounds. Second, Node.js, Eclipse, Redis, etc, have great support for MacOS, and I've the feeling Windows is not that much supported. It is true Apple does not always uses the very best hardware components. For half the price of a MacBook Pro, you can buy an ASUS with the same hardware configuration. But what is important for me: how does the system perform with the hardware it has? So my prefered choice is a MacBook Pro indeed. But if you don't want to spent the premium, you can also buy a less expensive notebook and install whatever Linux distribution you like. If you want to buy a new MacBook Pro, I'd wait if I were you, the current model is almost at the end of the life cycle, and I'm waiting for the new release... If you can wait a couple of months more, I'd wait.

jboggan 14y ago
On the other hand, the current MacBook Pro line is quite mature which translates to stability and lack of grievous hardware or firmware issues. I'm still wary of buying a first generation Mac product after my experience purchasing a newly-unveiled Macbook (white body) in June 2006. Between the dirty-looking discoloration of the plastic and the random auto-shutdown firmware bug that bricked my new laptop in the middle of the firmware update to remedy aforementioned bug I was very unhappy with my early experience. It turned out to be a great computer after the bugs were ironed out, but I'd still rather avoid repeating the experience. Is there any innovation expected in the MacBook Pro line that will be that much of a leapfrog over the current incarnations? I'm wanting to buy a new development laptop in the next two months as well and I can't see anything other than a better form factor coming out of the next generation.
- warmwaffles 14y ago
  Yes the next generation of MBP will not have a cd drive and is supposed to be like a MBA but a little bigger.
  - glogla 14y ago
    Where did you get that information?
    - steventruong 14y ago
      He's referring to the usual suspect... rumors.
danintherockies 14y ago
I have not heard mention of a couple of things that are why I will always stay with Mac after starting from an XT PC all the way through Windows 7 on a Dell. To me, one of the most amazing features of the MBP is the track pad. I never connect a mouse to my PC, and I do Visio and something called Netformx DesignXpert, which require very precise positioning. If you get a MBP or the TrackPad accessory for any other Mac, and you force yourself to learn it for a few days (like a Blackberry user going to iPhone), I believe you too will be sold. Even if I spend 80% of my day in a VM Windows 7 instance, the built-in MBP track pad is better than any mouse or trackpad I have ever used. Secondly, I believe people are full of it when they say you spend a premium on a MBP. HP had a PC laptop similar in construction of a MBP (solid metal casing, not sure if aluminum), and it cost more than the MBP. If you compare Apples to Apples HW-wise from the enclosure, to the screen, to the keyboard touch, to the trackpad rather than just the GHz rating on the CPU, I believe you will find that the MBP price is very competitive for what you are getting. If you just want the fastest thing you can get and you do not care if it is made from cheap plastic and is fragile as all get out, and has poor screen resolution, you probably do not want to bother with Apple.
- danintherockies 14y ago
  On the price value thing, I decided to do some checking to be sure I did not lie. I went to a leading computer maker who makes a computer similar enough to the 13" MB-Air, though still not quite the quality in my opinion. I configured it as such (these are the items that exactly match the MBA): Windows 7 Pro (closest to Lion), 4 GB RAM (which is the max), 128 GB SSD (max), 3 yr support (vs. 3 yr AppleCare), WebCam (do some PCs not have this??). Now the differences: 1) PC is 3.3 lbs vs. the 2.96 MBA 2) PC CPU is 1.6 GHz vs. 1.7 MBA (same 2nd gen Core i5) 3) 13" screen is 1366x768 vs. 1440x900 MBA (this is more important than you might think, I have the 1366x768 13" MBP for home, and I always want more height when surfing the web) 4) PC track pad not even close to what you get on the MBA 5) PC 3 yrs of virus software ($79). MBA does not need this. Price: PC - $1,345.48 MBA - $1,548 Something with similar quality is still $200 less than a MBA, so I guess I accidentally stretched the truth, but that is debatable. Over the course of 2-3 years using the machine which is faster in CPU and the OS itself is faster, higher resolution and better quality display, the build quality is better, the trackpad runs circles around the one on the PC (hey, you don't have to buy a mouse either), and about a third of a pound lighter, I think I go MBA, personally. To me it is close enough it is a no brainer. If you are a college student on a budget, and $200 is between Top Ramen and Hormel Chili for 2 months, you may opt for the PC and the Hormel Chili ;-) Though after you reinstall windows for the fourth time, you might re-think what your time is worth.

jboggan 14y ago

On the other hand, the current MacBook Pro line is quite mature which translates to stability and lack of grievous hardware or firmware issues. I'm still wary of buying a first generation Mac product after my experience purchasing a newly-unveiled Macbook (white body) in June 2006. Between the dirty-looking discoloration of the plastic and the random auto-shutdown firmware bug that bricked my new laptop in the middle of the firmware update to remedy aforementioned bug I was very unhappy with my early experience. It turned out to be a great computer after the bugs were ironed out, but I'd still rather avoid repeating the experience. Is there any innovation expected in the MacBook Pro line that will be that much of a leapfrog over the current incarnations? I'm wanting to buy a new development laptop in the next two months as well and I can't see anything other than a better form factor coming out of the next generation.

warmwaffles 14y ago
Yes the next generation of MBP will not have a cd drive and is supposed to be like a MBA but a little bigger.
- glogla 14y ago
  Where did you get that information?
  - steventruong 14y ago
    He's referring to the usual suspect... rumors.

danintherockies 14y ago

I have not heard mention of a couple of things that are why I will always stay with Mac after starting from an XT PC all the way through Windows 7 on a Dell. To me, one of the most amazing features of the MBP is the track pad. I never connect a mouse to my PC, and I do Visio and something called Netformx DesignXpert, which require very precise positioning. If you get a MBP or the TrackPad accessory for any other Mac, and you force yourself to learn it for a few days (like a Blackberry user going to iPhone), I believe you too will be sold. Even if I spend 80% of my day in a VM Windows 7 instance, the built-in MBP track pad is better than any mouse or trackpad I have ever used. Secondly, I believe people are full of it when they say you spend a premium on a MBP. HP had a PC laptop similar in construction of a MBP (solid metal casing, not sure if aluminum), and it cost more than the MBP. If you compare Apples to Apples HW-wise from the enclosure, to the screen, to the keyboard touch, to the trackpad rather than just the GHz rating on the CPU, I believe you will find that the MBP price is very competitive for what you are getting. If you just want the fastest thing you can get and you do not care if it is made from cheap plastic and is fragile as all get out, and has poor screen resolution, you probably do not want to bother with Apple.

danintherockies 14y ago
On the price value thing, I decided to do some checking to be sure I did not lie. I went to a leading computer maker who makes a computer similar enough to the 13" MB-Air, though still not quite the quality in my opinion. I configured it as such (these are the items that exactly match the MBA): Windows 7 Pro (closest to Lion), 4 GB RAM (which is the max), 128 GB SSD (max), 3 yr support (vs. 3 yr AppleCare), WebCam (do some PCs not have this??). Now the differences: 1) PC is 3.3 lbs vs. the 2.96 MBA 2) PC CPU is 1.6 GHz vs. 1.7 MBA (same 2nd gen Core i5) 3) 13" screen is 1366x768 vs. 1440x900 MBA (this is more important than you might think, I have the 1366x768 13" MBP for home, and I always want more height when surfing the web) 4) PC track pad not even close to what you get on the MBA 5) PC 3 yrs of virus software ($79). MBA does not need this. Price: PC - $1,345.48 MBA - $1,548 Something with similar quality is still $200 less than a MBA, so I guess I accidentally stretched the truth, but that is debatable. Over the course of 2-3 years using the machine which is faster in CPU and the OS itself is faster, higher resolution and better quality display, the build quality is better, the trackpad runs circles around the one on the PC (hey, you don't have to buy a mouse either), and about a third of a pound lighter, I think I go MBA, personally. To me it is close enough it is a no brainer. If you are a college student on a budget, and $200 is between Top Ramen and Hormel Chili for 2 months, you may opt for the PC and the Hormel Chili ;-) Though after you reinstall windows for the fourth time, you might re-think what your time is worth.