Second in a series of articles on how to have a successful relationship with your Mac.
SWF seeks relationship with Mac. You are fast and easy, dependable, have tremendous drive, great memory, into sharing and heavy communications, and affordable. I am into graphic arts, and need versatility, performance and life-long commitment. I will spend my days and nights making you feel needed. I am a "One Mac Woman" and will stand by my Mac! Reply to Box #68040 this paper.
Don't laugh! You might have better luck with this approach than you would by going into the many electronic stores springing up all over the place. Believe me, if you don't know exactly what you want, you are at the mercy of the salesperson and their stock. Many of the phone calls I receive are from people who have already purchased their Mac and realized it wasn't at all what they wanted or needed..
The first thing you need to ask yourself is what will you be using your computer for. If you are just interested in fun and entertainment, an entry level Mac (Centris 610, Quadra 650, LC series or PowerPC 6100) will do just fine. Most retailers have preconfigured packages available - they include a monitor, keyboard, mouse, internal hard drive, CD ROM and sometimes even a laser printer. These can be a great deal if you are happy with the package as it stands, but if you'd really rather have a bigger monitor, or the laser writer is not PostScript compatible (more about PostScript another time), or the hard drive is too small, you are really much better off to buy a system tailored to suit your specific requirements. As well, it is important to understand that many entry level systems are limited in their expansion ability - i.e. you may not be able to add as many peripherals as you would like (scanner, removable hard drive etc.), the monitor may not be upgradeable to 24-bit colour, and if you get into Photoshop in a big way, you may not be able to add enough RAM to open up large colour scans..
If you are a new user, you would be wise to make sure that who you are buying from is capable of providing technical support and service - because you will need some help from time to time. Many of the electronic stores around town sell entry level computers and, unfortunately, do not provide technical support - good or bad. (Another good reason to choose the Mac - they really are much easier to set up and use - true plug and play.) Look for computer stores that specialize in Macintosh products as they usually carry a complete line and can give you lots of good advice and technical support. (Watch out though, they may be charging too much for this service!)
If you need the power to create complex graphics you will need a PowerPC 7100. Or look for a used Quadra 700, 800 or 950; still great machines and are PowerPC upgradeable..
One word of advice: go for the biggest CPU, biggest monitor, biggest hard drive, and the most RAM you can afford. Even if you don't need a scanner right now, make sure you will have the ability to add one if you plan on using one in the future. And, don't forget to shop around - I've seen as much as a 30% difference between retailers..
If you are confused and need some help, talk to your friends or a consultant, read all the computer magazines, and then make an educated purchase. Your MAC will stand by you for many years to come..
So stay tuned to this column to learn more about Mac Relationships. Watch for these insightful articles: What to do when you just can't get him up ... How to nurse a sick Mac back to health ... Care and Feeding of the Mac ... and more!.
The Mac Lady is an independent web designer located in Vancouver, BC. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated.
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