Calling the Mac experts

[frogbeastegg]

Scrivener

That looks perfect. Just perfect! If it's not then several of the other mac only ones looked well worth a try.

Hardware failures are platform-agnostic, however. Your main source of insecurity in any laptop is ye olde hard drive, and no OS can change that. Backing up is essential. Fortunately, text documents are (relatively) small, so something as simple as a flash drive can back up your entire opus.

Currently I use 2 hard drives and a USB stick. The mac looks like it offers two extra backups for me. First there's the time capsule thingy; automated backup to a seperate external drive. Second there's a lot of extra safeties built into writing programs like Scrivener, things like the creation of an automatic seperate backup each time you save.

No viruses etc, good. Combine that with the fact that there would be no need to update drivers, software etc, no programs coming and going, and that in short the system would be incredibly limited in use, and nothing but a hardware failure should impact it. Right?

If the laptop is meant to be a writing pad, I wouldn't recommend going any fancier than the smallest, cheapest Macbook Pro, which is going for £900 right now. The aluminum frame adds durability, and the multi-touch pad is implemented very, very well. Keyboard is okay by me, but your mileage may vary.

That one looks fine. I can get one for £828 on amazon.uk.

The apple shop in town is offering the same for £1,000 but with a time capsule included. It's one of the old style capsules which have just been discontinued in favour of the faster, newer model. I'm not sure if that's a good deal or not; the capsules seem to be around £229 normally, however it is an older model and I do see that some people have trouble with them.

Both look to be limited offers so if I'm going to go for either I should do so ASAP. :shuffles feet: I don't know! I still don't know if it will be what I want - I don't know if I will be able to get on with the thing. I've been a PC user since the days of DOS.

This one can burn CDS or DVDs, correct? I'm having a hard time finding any information about what the super drive can do; you'd think they would make it clearer.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Our esteemed prosimian colleague covered most of the bases for you. I have been a dedicated Mac user for some years now and thus find OSX a much easier and more reliable beast.

If you can get the MacBook Pro, it's well worth the extra money. Since you are in the UK, you should keep an eye out on the Apple site for refurbished kit. You can often get a very good deal, and the bugs have been ironed out by the first user. If you want to be very mobile (if you enjoy writing in out of the way places for example) the MacBook Air is an absolute gem - especially if you get it on a refurb deal - otherwise a bit expensive.

For writing, the MacBook Pro (and Air surprisingly) keyboard is really balanced very well. It's got a lovely solid feel, and the finger gestures available on the trackpad make a mouse all but useless. I really rely on mice, but with my Air, I never miss one.

As you know, I used to write for a living, and I cannot recommend Scrivener too highly. It is everything a writer needs - a fantastic interface, awesome filing and categorisation facilities for research (web, photos, scans, documents) editing and searching features to die for, and a really clean full screen writing "tablet". As a professional scribbler, Lemur may have his own view which will be very worth considering, but I would buy a Mac just to have Scrivener. You will drool with excitement.

Superdrives are fully functional CD/DVD drives. On other points, the fact that Apple make the hardware and control software standards means that integration and reliability are very good. One can always get a lemon, but I have found the Apple stores (if you have one near) are very, very helpful - and you have a 14 day rejection period, even for refurbs. (You can get Scrivener on a 30-day trial so you could try your Mac and it together and if you hate the experience, send the computer back).

Note that you can also install Windows if you must, using Boot Camp to partition (though you need a full copy of whichever version, not an upgrade). Thus you can play games natively - though things like Civ IV have their own Mac port - and even RTW (urgh) is being ported in August.

For creative work like writing, you will never look back if you get a Mac.

Edit: Oh, I forgot. Time Capsule is one of those occasional Apple embarrassments, like Apple TV. They are enormously slow over wireless and all but useless. Get a reliable external drive like LaCie and use the Time Machine software built in to backup to it (one of Apple's truly inspirational ideas - utterly simple backup that just works - you'll never lose anything again).

[frogbeastegg]

Ok. That all helps, so thanks to both of you.

I'm leaning towards the £828 macbook pro on amazon. A £71 saving compared to the Apple bricks and mortar price is considerable. Unless there's something important which only the apple shop can offer me?

The amazon one is definitely the right one isn't it? The details all look identical as far as I can see. I'm wary of the price ...

[Banquo's Ghost]

The amazon one is definitely the right one isn't it? The details all look identical as far as I can see. I'm wary of the price ...

Yes, it's the same version. Since I'm in the UK at the moment, I looked up the Apple store and you can get a refurb of that model for only £729. Now that's a good deal (it has the usual 1-year warranty and qualifies for AppleCare too, so no risk to my mind). Bear in mind these come and go depending on availability.

Apple has the 14 day return policy, whereas I don't know if Amazon does.

[frogbeastegg]

You're certain the refurb is exactly the same? It doesn't have 'pro' in the name and the CPU speed is listed as being slower. Not that I doubt you; I like to be absolutely positive about these things before I take the plunge.

[Banquo's Ghost]

You're certain the refurb is exactly the same? It doesn't have 'pro' in the name and the CPU speed is listed as being slower. Not that I doubt you; I like to be absolutely positive about these things before I take the plunge.

No, you are dead right. It's a slightly slower processor and therefore it's the MacBook from the last generation. Apart from the processor speed, it has the same specs (and oddly, was more expensive) - still the unibody, and the same graphics processor. For writing, it's likely to do the job admirably.

Might be worth phoning the Apple store to discuss any differences. Well spotted though!

[frogbeastegg]

It looks fine spec wise. A fractionally slower CPU won't make any difference. Since the warranty etc is good I'm highly tempted and might go for it.

Do you think it will have one of those backlit keyboards?

[Lemur]

No viruses etc, good. Combine that with the fact that there would be no need to update drivers, software etc, no programs coming and going, and that in short the system would be incredibly limited in use, and nothing but a hardware failure should impact it. Right?

Even if you have programs coming and going, OS X is much more neat about it. Where a Windows application is allowed to write to the registry, the Program folder, the User folder, the Application Data folder, the Windows folder, and just about anywhere else it likes, apps in OS X are allowed to write to a maximum of three locations, all clearly labeled. (One of which cannot contain active code.) I don't know why Windows has never introduced a measure like that. Saves heaps of headaches when it's time to clean up your machine.

This one can burn CDS or DVDs, correct? I'm having a hard time finding any information about what the super drive can do; you'd think they would make it clearer.

The so-called superdrive can burn DVDs and CDs. No Blu-ray.

-edit-

Personally, I would not recommend the Macbook Air. No internal DVD drive, much higher price, and all to have a laptop that it wafer-thin. Well, maybe if I fondled one in person I'd change my tune, but I think the low-end 13" Macbook Pro is the smart buy.

-edit of the edit-

Another nice thing about the Macbook pro: LED backlighting, which means a brighter screen that won't darken over time, as most fluorescent-backed screens do.