Hi Rick,
I quite agree. The new Intel Duo Macs are slick platforms for both OS X and
for Microsoft. I understand that the latest version of Parallels provides an
even smoother way of running Windows as a virtual machine on a Mac.
Unfortunately, for graphics applications, the virtual machine route
(Parallels) is about half as quick in running big graphics programs. But if
you run Boot Camp (directly from Apple) then it will run Windows in native
mode, and may even be faster than an equivalent CPU in an exclusively
Windows box. The downside is the requirement that you have to completely
reboot if using Boot Camp. But for programs such as MacENC, which doesn't
really require that much power computing, Parallels should be a fine
solution. You might not even notice that you are running your Windows based
programs as Virtual Machines.

The problem that we run into with Apple is their exclusive use of
PCI-Express cards. That locks us out of using the Macs as instrument
controllers that run under Windows with our expensive regular PCI controller
cards. More the pity, as the Mac Hardware is both robust and elegant, and
the notion of then being able to run a lot of the very high end techie UNIX
imaging software would otherwise make the choice of Apple a no-brainer.

I have been toying with the notion of getting a MacMini for the boat. I then
could run Windows for controlling the SSB-VFO, our old Marine Map Nav
software from Jeppessen, and then add on MacENC for use of vector graphics
charts and AIS.
Ah, toys, toys, toys.
Harvey

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sonadora" <sonadora@sail2live.com>
To: <baba-l@ballreich.net>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 2:40 PM
Subject: RE: [Baba-L] Greetings from Luddite Corners!

> Rich, Rich, Rich, et al...
>
> Steve Jobs would love to buy you dinner.
>
> I've always been a Mac fan and for a time was deeply entrenched in Mac
> territory in my graphic arts days. The current fervor over OS transition
> reminds me a lot of the fervor over OS 9 to OS X. However, the big
> difference...HUGE difference...was that Apple made the transition for the
> betterment of the general computing community, not the detriment.
>
> Time will tell, but many things in my mind are signaling the plateau-ing
> of
> Microsoft. There is an impending retirement of their leader - figurehead
> as
> he may be - and that could foment dissent within the ranks (I love that
> phrase - thanks Matt Groening!), a major sea-change in their OS and
> underlying hardware (see ya, Intel). And a vastly more charismatic and
> 'friendly' company in the likes of Apple. Have a look at the ads in the
> Sunday Papers. Most places are now selling Apple computers. This has only
> taken place within the past 6 months or so.
>
> Apple's alliance with Intel is probably the most significant thing that
> company has done since introducing the Macintosh. Microsft is not too
> happy
> about it and all their ads now sport AMD logos.
>
> Any time a software company introduces a major shift in their product,
> they
> open themselves up for attack. Our company took advantage of that in the
> late 90s and now we're the #1 solid modeler in the world. The former #1 is
> a
> has been and just can seem to get out of their own way. At some point
> we'll
> fall, but hopefully not until I find something better to do (like removing
> spartite in French Polynesia).
>
> Applications like ours have been hugely dependent on Microsoft. With the
> introduction of Intel into the Apple line, developers are taking a long
> look
> at the Apple platform. Much of the hard-line coding is done to take
> advantage of Intel's instruction sets. When Apple was using Motorola
> chips,
> this required twice the effort so companies like SolidWorks weren't
> interested in doubling their efforts for virtually no return.
>
> In fact, with the ability to boot into a purely XP environment, Apples are
> actually usable, today, as a viable replacement. I've run our software on
> an
> iMac without any problems. We are at a point in our company where we'll be
> making new hardware purchases. We get to pick our own stuff and I'm
> seriously considering a Macbook Pro.
>
> Rick Beddoe
> s/v Soņadora, 1978 Baba 30
> Minneapolis, MN
> http://sail2live.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-baba-l@ballreich.net [mailto:owner-baba-l@ballreich.net] On
> Behalf Of Richard Cassano
> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2007 3:48 PM
> To: baba-l@ballreich.net
> Subject: Re: [Baba-L] Greetings from Luddite Corners!
>
> Yeah Rick,
>
> ....and in addition to that, I'm really tired of all the pop-ups from
> the Windows operating system telling me how vulnerable my computer is to
> all kinds of serious crimes. I spend more time clicking little boxes
> to get rid of these messages that originate from the Microsoft Security
> Center and slow down functions than I do with productive "computering".
> All these virus, pop-up, spam cops are the core problem when I'm
> cruising and trying to run Coastal Explorer using as little juice as
> possible and nowhere near the Internet.
>
> With this in mind, how many of you have jumped ship and joined the anti
> establishment, subversive Apple crowd?
>
> I'm really tempted to go out and buy a MacBook Pro or Mac-mini for
> navigation aboard Gray Eagle and abandon XP - Vista and Microsoft
> forever. Can any one out there comment on what its like navigating from
> the bridge of "The Good Ship Apple", the one flying the pirate flag?
>
> Rich Cassano
>
>
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>
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Received on Mon Feb 19 16:09:26 2007