Macs are easy... and pretty
Oct. 20th, 2007 10:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johnpalmerRenting them, on the other hand, might not be.
See, one of the skills listed in the job description for the OSU job I applied for was use of MAC OS. So, I went to the local MAC store to see what they had. They didn't have any computers cheap enough for me to buy as a training machine, but I didn't expect that. However, they did have a rental program... which, unfortunately, no one at the store knew how to implement. So, instead, they suggested that I buy a MAC and then return it, with a 15% restocking fee.
I don't like this... the cheapest MAC is 600, so this makes a brief rental $90. However, I'd decided that it was easily worth $100 to learn how to use a MAC, so rather than renting a MAC for 2 days ($40), I ended up buying one, to be returned in two days.
Okay, it's easy. I'm sure there are lots of tricks and shortcuts that I won't learn and things that I'm doing differently (especially since I'm using a Windows keyboard and a multibutton mouse) but the basics are really easy. And damn, but some of the graphics are awfully pretty. I was also (pleasantly) surprised to learn that it's easy to get to a terminal screen, and type in standard Unix commands. I was able to set up file sharing, and VNC-controllability, as well.
But I'm now at the point where I've pretty much done everything I can think to do that isn't application specific. I suppose I should do some other stuff, like play a DVD (and get it to eject) or burn a CD. Does anyone out there know anything interesting to look at or play with?
See, one of the skills listed in the job description for the OSU job I applied for was use of MAC OS. So, I went to the local MAC store to see what they had. They didn't have any computers cheap enough for me to buy as a training machine, but I didn't expect that. However, they did have a rental program... which, unfortunately, no one at the store knew how to implement. So, instead, they suggested that I buy a MAC and then return it, with a 15% restocking fee.
I don't like this... the cheapest MAC is 600, so this makes a brief rental $90. However, I'd decided that it was easily worth $100 to learn how to use a MAC, so rather than renting a MAC for 2 days ($40), I ended up buying one, to be returned in two days.
Okay, it's easy. I'm sure there are lots of tricks and shortcuts that I won't learn and things that I'm doing differently (especially since I'm using a Windows keyboard and a multibutton mouse) but the basics are really easy. And damn, but some of the graphics are awfully pretty. I was also (pleasantly) surprised to learn that it's easy to get to a terminal screen, and type in standard Unix commands. I was able to set up file sharing, and VNC-controllability, as well.
But I'm now at the point where I've pretty much done everything I can think to do that isn't application specific. I suppose I should do some other stuff, like play a DVD (and get it to eject) or burn a CD. Does anyone out there know anything interesting to look at or play with?
