Onboard Navigation with Macintosh vs. PC

I am contemplating a laptop purchase pretty soon. It will be both a desktop replacement and a cruising portable. I am thinking about a Mac laptop, in addition to the more familiar (to me) Dell or other manufacturer PC platform. In addition to marine navigation of course we'll need to do wireless connectivity for e-mail & browsing while cruising the wilds of Puget Sound and the lower BC area. Viewing movies and carrying music around for the boat are the other functions we'll need.

One thing that motivates me to consider a Mac (ordinarily I wouldn't) is the timing. The coming of Vista from Microsoft. Performance and security of Vista are concerns, and compatibility with software and external devices is another, due to the newness of the OS. Apple's change to the Intel chips opens up the possibility of running Windows XP either in a virtual mode or dual-boot.

I'm concerned whether the Mac is going to be much more trouble for the extra cost, in the boat, or out in the wireless world away from home. With a PC I always have a feeling I can solve a problem. With a Mac I'm less confident - I haven't supported a Macintosh since I used to do all those OS reloads of v6.0.x

Rather than list a bunch more questions, I'll turn it over you. Thanks in advance!

Laptop on board...

Some Bias admitted: I have used a succession of Macs at home, from '92 onwards. I used the WinOS at my work (no choice in the matter) until I retired in '99. When the agency used IBM's, the hardware was bomb proof, the Dell replacements, otoh, died right and left. The Windows software had no hardware preference, it crashed regularly on all machines. Trivia -- the agency first used OS2, which seemed a lot more stable -- ancient history now.

I prefer the modern Unix-based MacOS.
I stopped running virus software after moving to OSX some years ago, and, while my 5 year old desktop G4 is the last dual-boot Mac, I have not had occasion to boot into system 9.x for over a year now.

Bold Statement: In general, either OS will probably meet your needs, and Linux might be a reasonable third choice if nav. software starts showing up for it.

Hardware observation: You can run all flavors of OS in "native" form on any newer Intel-based Mac.

FWIW, our next one will be a new 24" iMac for the home. We have had a G4 14" iBook for the boat and for land trips for the last couple years.

A Slot? In choosing a laptop, you would want to consider whether a slot is advantageous for you. The "Pro" notebooks from Apple have this, and the inexpensive MacBook (it replaced my iBook model) does not.

Since the WiFi/Airport card is standard inside, along with Bluetooth, I have never missed the slot.

Our charting software is from GPSNavX, and for this year I may upgrade to their $99. version that can auto-stitch charts on the fly as you move along. My present $40. version lacks this feature.
http://www.gpsnavx.com/
I started out by buying a chart CD, but now just d/l the ones from NOAA at no cost.

The USB WAAS GPS antenna is extremely sensitive and was under $100. It works inside the boat at the nav table, homing in on a full range of satelites.

On the WinOS navigation side there are cheap apps, some freebies, and the $600.+ Nobeltec application. I know that the later has a lot of interesting bells and whistles, and the local rep even did a nice demo for a group of us at the YC. I am still taken aback by the price. Their rep, BTW, was a really nice guy and focused on his product and it's features, even after discovering that the group was 1/4 Mac users. (He got bonus points for having a sense of humor and avoiding any OS comparisons.)

We view movies, listen to music, do our word processing, and access the 'net from our YC, marinas, motels, etc. Last weekend I did a bunch of overdue system upgrades while visiting some friends with a DSL connection and WiFi in their house. The iBook took about 20 minutes to gulp down several hundred meg of files, and then (key point, here) demanded my password before installing ANY program, including stuff from Apple. I do like the security...

If you do go with Windoz, note that you could perhaps stay with XP for a long time -- MS just recently stopped supporting Win98...


Last summer at the NW rendezvous, we were aboard an E-35/3 with a laptop and a built-in HP printer (!). The teak woodwork around the printer was flawless. They were printing chartlets for each days run, lists of waypoints in case the computer quit during the day (they said that, not me), and generally really getting a lot of utility out of their computer.

I admit that I keep coveting that compact little Cannon $249. inkjet printer... Hmmmm.... It would fit so nicely on our nav table...


BTW, some folks that I know are putting Mini Macs on board, then putting an inexpensive LCD screen up and either using a wired keyboard and mouse or using Bluetooth for input devices.

For on-board power we use a small inverter and plug the computer power brick into it. Probably some efficiency loss in this 12vDC-to-110vAC-to-laptop brick dc converter, but it works fine.

Next I must come up a hold-down device for the iBook on the nav table. A friend with large Win laptop made some thin brass brackets, kind of straight-Z shaped, about 2" long. Thin enough to hold from each side of the case and still allow the lid to close and latch. I have sort of rulled out velcro... once you stick down a rigid item, like the bottom of the computer case, how would you "peel" it off? Yikes.

Do you already have a plan or a way to have 'net access when you are out on the water? My nav. program can d/l and use GRIB files, but once away from the marina WiFi source for a few days... no more 'net.

AIS: I have seen this working on a Mac, and it seems quite cool, but you have to add the AIS receiver black box (same for WinOS). It would be helpful to see the location and speed of the ferry approaching a narrow pass from around a rocky island, that cannot be seen yet on your radar..

Interesting topic for a cold rainy winter day. Responces should be fun. And, to think, we buy sailboats to be away from "too much technology." HA!


Happy Thanksgiving,

Loren in PDX

I have an HP windows XP laptop for the boat. I run B&G's Deckman tactical software on it. I have wireless internet on it so I can tap in when I'm in port. The tactical software has navigation features and I have both Maptech charts for local waters and C-Map charts for our Mexico race. Both were extremely easy to download and incorporate into the program. I don't worry about security because it is seldom that I'm tapped into the net. I use net access to download weather GRIB files, which also incorporate into the program. Both Deckman and Maptech have windows and Mac versions, so I presume it is a question of preference.
With the HP, however, I have all my instruments, including wind, depth, speed, compass, radar and GPS wired into a universal interface, which is then connected via USB port to the computer. I can then use the Deckman software for tactics and routing and then click to a different screen where I have all the instrument data displayed below decks. It eliminates the need for repeater displays.

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32 Hull #134
Redondo Beach, CA

Data, must have more data...

Jim,
Is your universal interface an optical converter of some kind?
I have seen such for sale for this purpose. It would be fun to have the instruments repeat on the computer screen.

And next we could get the engine data...

There's no end, it there?


Loren

Loren,

Optical repeater? errrrrrr ... I don't think so. What I did was I purchased the B&G H-1000 system, which came with one digital multifunction display and the speed, depth and wind sensors and a fluxgate compass. It also came with three interface boxes. The "fastnet" cables are just plug and play-type connectors and you can link any of your input sensors anywhere in the chain leading up to the universal interface. I added a tri-function display and an analog wind display into the set up. My electrician guy wired a buss bar into the universal interface, to which he added the GPS, radar and autopilot.
When we got the Deckman software, I downloaded a schematic for a serial lead out of the universal interface and into the serial port on the laptop. It took some work, because of the whole nine-pin connector for a serial lead and the four active wires that need to lead into the interface, but we got it up and running. Then the serial port on the computer crapped out, so I purchase a serial-to-USB adaptor, which works perfectly.
Unique to the Deckman is the ability to not only receive, but also send data to the instruments, as I have the ability, through the computer, to fine-tune the calibration of the instruments. It is through the program that I have configured a screen to a large format display of wind, speed and position data on one side and a active chart with GRIB markings on the other side of the screen.

I know its a bit too much information, but I used a different program to calculate the polars for our boat, since you can't find polars anywhere for an ancient E-32. Then I input the polar data into Deckman. Now, when I plug in a course into the routing aspect of the program, it integrates with the GRIB weather data and calculates the optimal route to follow based on the boat's theoretical performance.

The above description is what it is supposed to do. It is very complicated to work in practice and I'm still learning the program, but it is supposed to get easier with the introduction of Deckman 8.0. I'm hoping to get the update and some marginal measure of competence with the program before we start the Puerto Vallarta race.

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32 Hull #134
Redondo Beach, CA

Thanks Loren and Jim. Food for thought, and I should have an interesting boat show in January. As I've poked around a bit on the websites a few questions popped up that I need to research.

Have you heard of any of the big name marine nav/radar systems that allow you to use free charts and updates, downloaded to the PC, and then upload them to the boat systems? It would be nice to be able to use the boat system by itself and update charts for free. I am not sure yet whether I want to use the PC as primary for enroute, or mostly for planning.

I like the ability to record routes traveled. Make for a cool trip log if all that was time-coded. I'm bad at logs.

Thanks,

Craig,
Maybe I am not understanding your question, but when I use the laptop it is in fact the "boat system." So all the free NOAA downloads are always ready for use.
We are, additionaly and FWIW, installing a separate Garmin 3005 series charting screen at the wheel. ( As soon as I can work out how to intrgrate this into the pulpit guard. )

If, OTOH, you mean the dedicated radar and charting screens/cpu's sold for boating by Raymarine, Furuno, Garmin, et al, then I am not sure...
From my research, none of these guys intend to play nicely with each other, ever. True story: the local marine electronics dealer, as of two years ago, was advising Nobeltec customers to stay with Win98 as long as possible due to problems with XP. I would doubt that the proprietary software from Raymarine, etc would be much different... but I could be wrong.

That was one reason we decided to use the iBook as a separate system, kept at the nav table. Along with paper charts and a sharp pencil, redundancy in "where we is" is a good thing, according to my old coastal nav class teacher. He admits that all the bells and whistles on GPS are fun-and-helpful, but nothing is really important except a sure idea of "where you is."

Best,
Loren in PDX

Sorry for the confusion

The question on my last post was one that occurred to me while I was taking a look at Deckhand and the GPSNavX websites. Today I use paper charts almost exclusively, and use the Raytheon chartplotter w/GPS to check for legalities like clearance from shipping lanes without taking hand bearings. Also, my old C-MAP chart cartridge doesn't include depth information.

The reason I ask at this time is because my desktop PC is getting old and it's time to upgrade. I use a company issued laptop as my only PC for work, so I was thinking about applying that to my personal needs. Due to a variety of factors, a Macintosh purchase is a possibility.

As of now, I have not decided whether to make my new laptop the primary chartplotter function on my boat. You and others have made good cases for that type of use, though. The boatshow reference means I am going to use this year's show to do some more research. I hope to make the laptop purchase in the next week or two.

Thanks,

PC vs Apple

My bias is towards the Windows PC for cruising mainly because I supported IBM/Windows PCs since the 80's and that's what I'm comfortable with ... "when the the only tool you own is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

But here is an issue you may not have considered.

While I'm quite comfortable supporting my own PC, sometimes a fellow cruiser needs help. If he's got a PC, maybe I can help; if he's got a Mac, no way. For example, last year in Georgetown, Exuma, a cruiser came on the net a asked for help with his Canon I-80. I just happen to have that printer and I had the install disk with me so I was able to help.

Just like in the real world, folks out there cruising are more likely to have PCs than Macs and therefore, help, parts, software, etc are more likely to be available wherever you go ... I should think especially in the Pacific Northwest.

Just for thought.

Perils of computing...

One note about support -- Software problems are something that a friend *might* be able to help you with, but only if he/she is one of the miniscule % of computer owners who has ever done any low-level trouble shooting. Next, one would have to have a working knowledge of resoving conflicts with different versions of the OS at hand and knowing which upgrades (MS calls often calls them "service packs") are in place, and knowing whether that makes the problem easier.. or harder to fix. Application conflicts are another intesting arena for fun and games (try finding X number of your friends running exactly the same rev. of MS Word, for instance. Good luck with that.)

Then come conflicts with drivers and other bits of buried files that, if they suffer slightly from "bit rot" will cause random problems with printing, launching, saving, etc. Next, you have to be sure that the version and rev. of the application itself is stable. Some are less so than others.

Given that most of us will keep our on-board computer more "stripped down" regarding software extras, I would suspect that hardware problems will be the bigger threat. Some things are within the purview of a thoughtful lay person, like reseating ram or perhaps a card in its slot.
I would honestly guess that most computing problems, regardless of brand, will end up needing professional help.

All the more reason to never leave home without paper charts, a sharp pencil, and a notebook.

Addionally, we might as well resist framing arguements about OS's with hardware names, like "pc" or "Apple" or "IBM" or "Motorola" or .... even (whodathunkit?) "Intel."

All the Macs are nowadays Intel-based, and all these computing devices are just "personal computers" , i.e. PC's. (Actually, any basic Palm Pilot probably has more computing power than most desktop computers of a decade ago or so.)


I confess that I have no statistics about numbers of computer owners that open their cases and probe around, with any knowledge, into the innards... but I have been a member of a computer user group for way over a decade and do know a lot of techies, many who work on all platforms.

Periferals: Now *there's* fertile ground for glitches! My five year old desktop Mac has never had a kernal panic in its life and never had a virus, but my Epson scanner has been through several driver upgrade hassles... and "who knows what evil lurks..." if I ever stop doing those reccommended software driver replacements off the 'net for my HP multifunction printer?

Canon i80 printer you say? Hmmm. That looks like the compact model on display in the store. I see that the 'net price is about $200. -- only $49. cheaper than off the shelf. Darn.
But what a "boat sized" item!

The perils of technology:
"Hurry out to the cockpit and watch the sun set with me," she said, huskily, clad only in a Hibiscus and a smile... ice cubes clinking softly in a small glass of dark rum...
Without looking up, he replied: "Not now, hon, I've just locked onto a strong Wifi signal and gotta get these downloads finished!"

"Paradise Lost" Indeed! :dunce:

________
Cheers!
Loren the Luddite, in Portland

ps: Linux guys -- are you lurking? Can you hear me now?

The Northwest - not an Intel/Microsoft enclave after all

There were a lot of folks for whom resistance was futile, but they resisted anyway.

Ron, thanks for chiming in. Supportability, especially the remote kind, hasn't been discussed here. If a PC is your preferred or only charting tool, then more help is available for the Intel/MS platform. Another thing to add to the self-sufficiency list, or be prepared to do without at times. If I do get a Mac I will have an opportunity to collect a bottle of rum or a live chicken from a slightly larger population.

And, if you're referring to Intel's Oregon HQ and Bill Gates' influence over NW computing? Despite a probable personality cult inside Microsoft, the NW has had a healthy representation in the Apple/Mac dream, even inside the 'corporation.' The corporation eventually gave way to economics in most circumstances. But, we had many debates about Mac vs. PC and the Mac won quite a few. Another story though.

Loren wrote:

The perils of technology:
"Hurry out to the cockpit and watch the sun set with me," she said, huskily, clad only in a Hibiscus and a smile... ice cubes clinking softly in a small glass of dark rum...
Without looking up, he replied: "Not now, hon, I've just locked onto a strong Wifi signal and gotta get these downloads finished!"

"Paradise Lost" Indeed!

Click to expand...

And yet the myth that men are not complex beings still persists. :nerd:

Mac

I keep seeing a lot of discussion about "supportability." That comes from the PC mentality. Mac users don't even think in those terms.

I've had Macs continuously since 1984 but used PC's (Dos, Windows, Windows 95 98, 2000 and XP because I was forced to at work. The PC's were always needing support, while my Macs have not.

When MacOS X was released, Macs became absolutely bullet proof. I have one iMac in the house that has not been shut off in three years, and it's only been rebooted when required for installing software. There are 6 accounts on that Mac, and four of them are for small kids who constantly play games, work on Photoshop, listen to music, etc., simultaneously. If anyone can crash a computer, it's a 10-year-old. This computer has never crashed.

There is a better selection of navigation software for Windows, but all new Macs will boot Windows native. Therefore, you get the best of the Mac world, and you can boot Windbloze when absolutely needed for other stuff.

Somebody raised a concern about peripherals or ease of use in wifi areas. With a Mac, everythign is TRUE plug and play. I've never had a problem with any peripheral (even those whose manufacturers disclaim Mac compatibility). Wifi? I can walk anywhere with my Powerbook and automatically pick up signals with no settings or adjustments. I might need to input a password, but that's all.

In 22 years of Mac use, I had one problem: A Seagate hardrive blew up -- and that did not even come with the computer. It was one I purchased and installed and used for 4 years. That's a Seagate problem, not Apple's.

I have never taken a Mac in for service. I have never called tech support. I have never had difficulty connecting a peripheral. I have never had difficulty having my Mac network or otherwise communicate with other computers. Period.

I can't say any of that about the PC's I've used for the past 20 years.

I make my living on a Mac. For graphics Mac is the industry standard and always has been since 1989. Ever seen the bumper sticker that read, "Windows 98' is Macintosh 89'"? You are right Mark about the new OSX, it is also impervious to viruses! I have friends that know I work on a computer all the time and that I am familiar with a lot of different software. When the come to me with their PC problems I now simply tell them to get a Mac. We Mac users also like to say, "If you want to play games, get a PC, if you want to work and create, get a Mac!" Granted there are many more games for PCs than for Macs, but I have better things to do with my time than play games.

Alas, the void between PC and Mac Users is about as wide as the one between Republicans and Democrats.

Some things will never change.

IMHO

I think I'll shut up now because this is a sailing information exchange. Just couldn't help but jump in here.

The Mac/PC thing is simple in my mind - (Too many things are simple in my mind!!!). I have worked with both boxes for many years in my reprographics business and view them both as tools. I am very comfortable working on either platform. This discussion really comes down to what software is running on which platform, and thus the merits of the software are the real issue, not the hardware you run it on. Get over it!
Windows has come a long way in the 15 years I have used it in business and it approaches the Mac OS in user friendliness. But, I have to say that OSX baffles me at times! I realize that it is just Unix in a Mac sheep's clothing, and that is more than likely the problem!
Just my $ .02 CDN (approx $0.018 US)

And the great thing about the new Intel-based Macs, is that it runs everything native; MacOS X or Windows Whatever. No other box gives you that choice. Therefore, a Mac will allow you to run all software, whereas a PC will not let you run any Mac software--much of which is far superior to the PC versions.

For undecided people, or people who want to keep their options open, or people who prefer to run Mac software but sometimes need to run Windows, then a new Mac is the obvious choice.

If $$ is an issue, realize that Macs tend to have the highest quality hardware, whereas the race to squeeze margin has most PC makers turning out unreliable boxes. And has anyone dealt with Dell's non-existant or Indian-speaking customer service lately? Reliability counts--especially at sea. Pay the little extra for a Mac.

Take a deep breath... count to 10....

"The door we came in" is often used as a catch phrase in discussions to remind all the participants of the original parameters. In this situation, perhaps we all (yup, me too!) should re-read the first post in this thread again.
Note that while we have all, to some extant, elaborated on the material that was originally posted about the potential benefits of the MacOS, it might be good to do what attorneys do to save time and testimony in court and just "stipulate" to some of the material.

Personal experience: Suffice it to say, that when we were shopping for our very first home computer, the best reason for going with the "Mac" came from a very talented technition at work who made his living setting up DOS and Windows systems and networks -- I asked his advice about our purchase and he said that the most trouble-free decision we could make was expressed in three words: "get a Mac." I was amazed, since he was a respected guru on the other more-widely-used OS. He pointed out that the Mac was best for those who did not want to have to learn a lot of technical stuff and just wanted to use their computers. He was fine with either decision we might make, but was sticking to his advice.
I found that in using various flavors of Windows at work, I could get my work done easier after our home Mac purchase because so many of the WinOS commands were derived from the Mac. Others at work would later ask me to try (usually with limited success) to help them with WinOS problems, because they thought I was so "computer literate." Sheesh.

For comparison's sake, I would liken it to our owning a Kenmore rotary-compressor refridgerator for the last 30+ years. It just works. I cannot fix it, I just put food inside and try to remember to remove it before it spoils.


Perhaps it would be good for me to have a "spoil" date on some of the archived stuff on my hard drive(s), my stack of Zip disks, and that pile of back up CD's...
The old stack of floppies is being weeded out, though. There is some hope...

As to that opening post in the thread: It would be nice to hear some specifics from the Windows and Linux crowd about how they actually use their computer on their boat, and just which apps they are using in the real world with which to navigate, and of course hardware network solutions.

Best Fishes,
Loren in chilly Portland, OR
(mid 20's tonight)

Getting serious

We stopped at the Apple Store at Southcenter mall last night after dinner and closed them down. That's "Westfield Mall at Southcenter" for recent Seattle arrivals or visitors. After our pupils contracted to pinpoints we were able to see and begin to evaluate the MacBook Pro lineup that was right inside the door. Quite impressive. We met a couple 20-something sales people and had a very nice hands on Q & A session. We were invited back for a personal, one hour uninterrupted sales appointment, and we may take them up on that.

Caution. Do not pull the network cable out of the Macs on display. That sets off an alarm. It's very loud, but not disabling. Slightly embarrassing, but I've built up an immunity to certain kinds of embarrassing situations.

Keeping in mind the multimedia use we have in our plans, I found the 17" MacBook with the 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo/2 GB memory/160 GB hard drive the most appealing. We had a couple key questions answered and I'll relate them here. We're still in the process of comparing cost between a Dell and the Apple, but we have noticed that the same processor names and speeds are being used for Intel-equipped PCs and MacBook Pros: Core 2 Duo. Processor/performance vs. cost should be a more direct comparison now, rather than the educated guess of the Motorola Mac days of the past. Same exact chips used in both?

I mention a cost comparison because, really, price is a factor. We also will have to break existing habits and adapt to new screen icons and function names. I also note that we can get training, diagnostics/tuneups and long term service contracts via ProCare and AppleCare products. Repairs must be considered, even if due to accident and abuse. I haven't determined if these are warranty extensions (against defects) or if they're similar to lifetime service on jewelry. On the jewelry, we don't pay for repairs that result from abuse or carelessness.

Key questions about peripherals.
- Printers apparently are not Mac or PC anymore. I kind of knew that. There is a rebate being offered, with a MacBook purchase, that would cover a $99 Canon or other printer. We may want to carry a printer on the boat. Our home network sports an oldish HP LaserJet 4MP with parallel and serial ports on it. I presume that Ethernet is Ethernet and that the MacBook would be able to reach the print server I've hung on the parallel port? I am a little more concerned about the home Canon PIXMA ip5000 color printer that we serve off a peer-to-peer connection through a Windows XP-equipped PC. The Canon is a USB device, so there is an "out" at least.

- Flat Panel monitors are cross compatible also, as long as they are equipped with the DVI input and cable. This doesn't lock us into buying an Apple display, which would be tempting if we get a 15" or smaller MacBook, and is necessary for a Mac Mini. It is hard for me to imagine that we would need a separate display, or would spend the additional bucks, to improve on the 17" MacBook Pro. We would go with the matte display to reduce glare.

- Windows-Mac file compatibility. I would appreciate some comments on this. We have USB keys, memory sticks, SD cards and memory card readers that connect via USB ports. Does a Mac read & write to devices like this (FAT formatted) and simplify the transfer of compatible files? We would equip the MacBook with Mac Office - Word/Excel/Powerpoint.

- USB is really universal? We would need a 4-8 port USB hub at the boat and the home to simplify hook up. No port replicator seems to be available for the MacBooks. Our Sony digital camera would also plug right in and be recognized by the MacBook? Might be a good test to take the camera and cable with us to the private showing.

- Firewire ports. Not sure what we would use these for, unless we bought an external hard drive. What do you use them for?

More questions:
- What Mac e-mail client do you recommend?

- How much disk space does Mac OSX occupy?

- And what the heck is .Mac (dot Mac)? It appears to be similar to AOL.

- What experience do you have connecting a Mac to corporate VPNs that are dominated by Windows PCs? I realize I could load XP via Parallels or Boot Camp to solve this problem, but it would be nice to avoid that.

Thanks again for all the advice. I may start another thread to talk about locating and physically securing a laptop aboard the boat, but I think I'll search the board first.

Cheers,

Mac info

1. The printer: You will have no problems accessing the cannon on a network. Macs are extremely adept at finding things regardless of how weirdly they're networked.

2. File compatibility: Unlike Windoze applications that often can't read their own files if saved in a previous version, Macs and Mac Apps can recognize and read just about anything. All Mac apps I've encountered can read the PC version of those apps and, if no PC version existed, they can read files created by similar apps created for the PC by other vendors. You won't have a problem reading memory cards, sticks, etc.

3. USB is USB. Your camera will be recognized instantly when you plug it in.

4. I prefer firewire over USB2 for digital video capturing or connecting my scanners.

5. I have the "Mail" email client, as well as Microsoft's Entourage. I prefer Mail. You can also use any number of other clients.

6. .Mac is nothing like AOL. I use it and I like it. They provide email accounts and online hard drive space for backing up or storing files. It is great for hosting easy websites or storing frequently-used documents that you can access from home or work, regardless of what computer you're using. I use this quite a bit.

You'll probably pay a little more for the Mac than Dell, but what you get will last longer, not break, and you'll have customer service that you probably won't need to use. With Dell these days, people need the service, and don't get it. Horror stories abound.

I think you will love the new Mac Book Pro. I know I would. I'm still using a Titanium G4 Powerbook I picked up in 2002, and I've never had a problem.

Oh, I missed your question about corporate networks.

This is so funny. Go grab your IT Manager when you do this. He will be concerned about making complicated settings, etc. But when you plug the network into the Mac, you'll be up and running without needing his involvment at all. He'll be dumbfounded.

My PC friends all marvel at how easily I access their networks, wifi's, peripherals, etc. Whereas they had to locate and download drivers or flip dip switches or whatever, I just plug in and go. Macs are THAT simple, and versatile.

You can't go wrong.

No, I am not affiliated with Apple, and I don't even own Apple stock. I've just been using Macs for 26 years, and I've been scratching my head wondering why most people don't.

Periferals...

On some of the questions--
I use the Firewire port for my external LaCie model d2 hard drive. I can and do boot from that drive, and have a regular "cloned" backup of my entire internal HD on that drive. I use Carbon Copy Cloner for backups -- highly regarded shareware, BTW.

I do not own a video camera but understand that many (most?) use Firewire for data transfer. It is extremly fast.
I can read the "xd" card from my Fuji FinePix camera when I plug the chip into the slot on the front of the HP multifunction printer, or if I use the camera USB cable to plug directly into the Mac. In either situation the memory card instantly shows up as a storage device icon on my computer desktop. I can manage the images and delete them from that chip, using the Mac.

Most (all?) monitors and input devices have no OS identity, and that is why Apple sells the little Mini Mac box so inexpensively. Buyers use their existing periferals and plug 'em in. Similar for USB printers and scanners, except that they all have MacOS and WinOS drivers provided or available for d/l from the maker.

Ethernet is another widely-used standard that cares not what it is plugged into.
Cost: just last week one of the magazines did (yet another) cost comparison between identical Dell and Apple desktop upper-end systems. The Dell was about $700.+ more expensive. No misprint.
I have not seen one of these comparisons recently for laptops, but in the past the Apple was the same or a bit less expensive. The trick to always compare same features.

Chips: that last several iterations of the PowerPC chips in the Apple computers (G3, G4, and G5) were all IBM, not Motorola, as I understand things. In any case my present G4 and my previous G3 towers were IBM cpu's. More worthless trivia.

Cheers,
Loren