Prius Owners and Mac Users

Mac & You

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee\";p=\"90326)</div>

You are only 22! What is way back in the day for you? I started using Apple products in 1978 and the Mac in 1984. Suffered with a Dell for a graduate program and finally was able to donate it to charity.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(exhuman\";p=\"90379)</div>

Yes, there is a way to view those pictures on the Mac. Your friend has the preference enabled that says to copy pictures when a CD is put in. Have him disable this feature. This feature is used mainly when you attach a digital camera so that it will download them to iPhoto.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(craigcush\";p=\"90469)</div>

I have a Magellan GPS - It has software called Mapsend that will not work on a MAC. No matter what software you come up with to substitute, it will not work. These maps are proprietary, are created in Mapsend and then loaded to the GPS unit. They are the maps used on the GPS. I believe the same goes for Garmin, though I have not used one just shopped for one.

The video edit card I use is very inexpensive compared to the ones used by the movie industry to create effects and render. At $899 my card in very good, but not movie industry level.

So fire up your mouse and play some half life!

 

I like fjef's response to the PC/Mac comparison. I have only had my Powerbook G4 for a little over a year now and I have not experienced any kind of problem at all. It is good to know that over time these Macs do not slow down. I did the switch from PC when I purchased the Powerbook. The first few weeks were a learning experience. However, once you make the switch, you will never go back to a PC. I loathe the PC I am using here at work currently. Luckily, after work I can go surf on my Mac and be worry free! I am actually looking to buy an iMac now because the Powerbook is my "only" computer. I really need a desktop one as well.

 

Not trying to throw any fuel on the fire, (just sharing my experience), but after decades of high end computer use since the sixties (MSCS, PhD) I find that most people that hate Macintosh have been poorly trained/indoctrinated to the OS.

As much as we say that computer OSes can be intuitive, they are only intuitive to those that naturally understand the paradigm. Unfortunately this is not the majority of the population. In training Windows users to use Macs in critical commercial environments, I found that I spent more time undoing misconceptions than teaching any new concepts. Once that veil (more like a heavy curtain) was lifted, the users were able to easily use the Macs and even excel at them faster than with their own PCs.

Now that the Mac Mini offers an extremely low priced platform, I am getting more callls from former PC snobs that are connecting Mac Minis to a KVM switch so they can use both platforms at the same time.

As for the interesting relationship between Mac and Prius ownership, this is not a surprise to me at all. As a Mac user, I have noticed this anomaly in many groups where forward thinking was predominant (I was trying to find a PC way of saying this without hurting anyone's feelings, so please don't take it personally). I also think that it would be really great if someone could ask a simple question like, how many Mac users are on this board without having to hear that there are two or three persons out there that don't like Macs, being a Prius owner puts you on the other side of the fence, so now you know how we feel.

 

Well, I think the local Prius club has a higher than average percentage of members of the local Public Television station.

That may not be an indicator so much of forward thinking technology as perhaps the enviromental aspect of the Prius.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScubaX\";p=\"90544)</div>

Just Google Magellan and/or Garmin and OS X - there are lots of options available to connect these to a Mac. Mapsend is windows software so it will only run on a Mac running Virtual PC - but there are lots of OS X solutions that will work.

 

I use VersionTracker to find stuff. I just did a search for gps and they list 67.

OSX actually defrags every time it starts up. That's the spinning wheel before you get to the log in or desktop screen.

If you don't keep your machine on 24/7 it's a took idea to periodically do your own housekeeping.

Repair permissions using the disk utility. Always a good idea.

I also use MacJanitor (from Versiontracker) and run the everything clean up every few weeks.

CacheOut X is also a handy program.

OSX is so far above the older OS systems (7.5 and 8.6) there's no way to really describe it.

Whenever one of my teachers asked me what to buy, I would always aske them what they want to do. I always recommend to buy the system that will do what you need to do and/or is compatible with what you use at work (or home). In the olden days I used to say that PC users were more inamoured of the process and Apple users were more focused on getting a product, but that isn't the case so much anymore. I still think the Mac is more elegant, but in the end its what you're comfortable with, can afford and is right for you.

That said....my old Performa outlasted 2-3 Dells, Compacts and other PCs. My Father went through two HPs during the life of my Performa. The Performa never actually died. The harddive went after 6 years, I replaced it and gave it to a friend. By that time I needed something bigger and faster in order to edit video. I've had my current laptop three years. I've replaced the optical drive once (notoriously fragile due to necessary slimness) and will probably replace the harddrive with a bigger one as this is only 60 gig. But it still runs plenty fast for me. I'll probably consider replacing my Titanium when they come out with a G5 laptop.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva\";p=\"90701)</div>

Did you read any of those 67 hits? The only thing that can be done on the Magellan is backing up of waypoints and that is a maybe. NMEA using the Magellan can't be done because the Magellan uses a serial port. While I can put on an adapter for USB, that adapter does not work on MAC OS X it might work with OS 9, but that is a big maybe. With Garmin there has been some reported LUCK using OS 9 but not OS X for loading maps. This is still a maybe and is done by jumping a lot of hoops. Maps to the Magellan still can not be uploaded to the GPSr under a MAC of any OS.

Mapsend software is the mapping software that puts the maps on the GPSr unit. It can not be done with emulation. There is plenty of discussion of this on GPS websites. The most common solution is to borrow a PC. The right tool for the right job and in that case it is the PC.

Now I would still consider the Mac Mini for the car computer if NMEA data can be read off of a Magellan Meridian while using a serial to USB adapter. And the map programs available for the Mac are equal to Delorme's Street Atlas. Or it works in VP as well as it does on a PC.

There are other considerations too, such as power supply and a blue tooth GPS antenna being available. If the latter is available for MAC mapping software, I would not even have to have my GPSr hook up to the MAC. However, the hardware that has been developed to control functions such as car computer start up after engine start up are for the PC. Alternate PSU's for dc-dc power are also for the PC. I am sure with Apple having 3-5% of the market in computers, someone will eventually develope these products to use with the MAC :roll:

 

No, I didn't bother to read any of the 67 hits. I have no interest in GPS and if I did, I would be looking for something to use on in PalmOS. I don't have bluetooth in my car so it's not something I have pursued.

There is GPS software available for Mac. It is not Magellan. I did not realize Magellan is the only software out there for GPS. I thought it was just the program you preferred to use over others.

I didn't search VersionTracker to find your software. I did it to find any GPS software. And there were 67 listed. So there must be something a Mac can use. How it rates in comparison to Magellan I have no idea. But I expect comparisons are a matter of taste and opinion, which I have none since I don't use the stuff. If I did, I'd call my friend Josh and ask him what he uses since he knows the best Mac apps for anything.

If I was going to use a GPS I wouldn't bring my laptop with me anyway, I'd bring my Palm Pilot. Or I'd buy something that did that and only that specifically. To my way of thinking it is not my laptop's job to be a GPS unit.

Sorta akin to my Dad always breaking his swiss army knives, since he insists on using them as screwdrivers.

 

well as of one hour ago, i am also a mac user. just went and got a 17" powerbook. turned it on, plugged it into the network and in less than 5 mins (had to register at mac.com and will probably never get used to this keyboard otherwise it would have taken less than a minute) i am on priuschat while downloading some software updates for this thing.

show me a microsoft based pc that will do that!!

 

It is not that Magellan is the only software for GPS, but that Magellan hardware (GPSr) must use Magellan software (Mapsend) to load maps onto the GPSr. Once the maps are on the unit or SD card that goes into the GPSr, you can use any software that complies with NMEA data standards to connect the GPSr and see live tracking of your location. And it has to work with its serial port too.

For the car computer, I could just get a device that works with the MAC and MAC software. I like the size of that thing. But those other obstacles are difficult to surpass.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"90724)</div>

"show me a microsoft based pc that will do that!!"

Why would you think that is more difficult on a PC? I just built three PC's (try that with a MAC) and they all were on the network and internet in 5 minutes.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"90724)</div>

Dave welcome to the cult!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas\";p=\"90732)</div>

Dave welcome to the cult![/b][/quote]

Now I really want a Mac Mini - it comes with its own cult! :evillaugh:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScubaX\";p=\"90727)</div>

Make sure you get your service packs on first, otherwise you could be hacked. ANd make sure you've got your endless list of critical updates done. Etc.

I don't have a mac, but I'm shopping for one as we speak. The only thing that's holding me back is the PM 1.8 G5 is a ripoff compared to the iMac, but I can't stand the all in one form factor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26\";p=\"90734)</div>

Make sure you get your service packs on first, otherwise you could be hacked. ANd make sure you've got your endless list of critical updates done. Etc.

I don't have a mac, but I'm shopping for one as we speak. The only thing that's holding me back is the PM 1.8 G5 is a ripoff compared to the iMac, but I can't stand the all in one form factor.[/b][/quote]

Having updates did not stop network or internet access.

I believe he said he was updating as he was writing to this board? Mac's need updates too. PC's need those critical update because of hackers. Yes, hackers go after PC's because they are the larger (by a landslide) platform. If MAC ever gets near enough computers out there to attrack those hackers, will you regret pushing the issue of MAC is better? Maybe you should stay in your niche and away from the hackers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScubaX\";p=\"90741)</div>

I'm so glad you wrote.

The mac is a unix based OS, which means it has a proper notion of permissions and users, and not a hacked in half baked version like XP has. It's hard to attack what you can't get into.

Don't get me wrong here... I write PC software for a living. My company supports windows. I'm very familiar with the internal guts of the various Windows platforms (9x and NT based). And I know that compared to OSX (BSD) or any modern *nix based system, Windows is fair crap.

 

well im in the process of downloading 6 updates for my powerbook now. on a dialup connect, it will take a few hours. was tempted to cruise town for some known local hot spots that are listed as free but only want to work on getting to know this thing and its raining out, so home i stay

also when picking up my mac, i saw some mapping software at the store that was GPS compatible so i dont see any resaon why it wouldnt work