Apple iBook for student/developer

Hi, I'm a computer science student that is looking for a small light laptop that is both powerful, easy on the eyes, and supports at least UNIX and Windows programming. Obviously as OS X is based on BSD, the UNIX part shouldn't be a problem with GCC, perl, python, vi, etc... But I am a bit concerned with Windows programming(I know you mac guys are probably against the whole PC thing, but bear with me, it's a requirement). I have seen this Virtual PC emulator thing, but was looking for anyone with specific experience in developing under VC++ 6 and/or Visual Studio .Net with the virtual PC. I also would like to make sure that serial communications under these will work as well(via USB and/or serial converter)... If anyone has any experience in doing developing with the iBook series I'd love to hear from you. Specifically I'm looking at the 12" G4 1GHz iBook. Thanks.

 

I don't have one personally, but my friend who is also a cs major with me does. Virtual PC works fine for most things. It just runs slower than it would on a regular computer, due to the extra overhead. The only problem you would probably have is slightly slower compile times. I have also used Virtual PC on a PC in order to simulate mutiple OS for testing purposes under different states of installment (i.e. fresh, old, some standard apps installed...), and it worked for the most part as long as you don't try to use anything that requires super heavy equipment. Such as games and video editing, but just compiling will work fine without any loss except compile time.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 21,862

 

I hated the fact that while a CS student I had to use UNIX machines and be in the labs to do projects, I would telnet in or use a program called XWin to access the servers from home, broadband was a necessity. I would never have considered buying an Apple as a CS major while in school, but that was before Jaguar was out and now with the UNIX core I suppose it would be more intriguing to buy. Still, there's the stigma that Apple is for designers, educators and life sciences and "real programmers" would be using a thin client to get to a UNIX server or a Windows based laptop to do hardcore programming. The thing is, when 97% of the consumer and business market is running Windows then once you're out of school it's kind of nice to be able to have done some development in such an environment so you can sell your skills or write your own software to sell.

 

Ah, that's good to hear. For the most part most of my work is done on the desktop where there is plenty of power and room to work on things. And as I got into Linux years ago I've luckily never had to be one of those that stayed in the UNIX labs until the wee hours of the morning. In fact for the most part I abandoned windows a few years ago and use Gentoo Linux as my main OS, but keep a windows install around when I need to do windows programming. What really got me interested in the mac was actually its price. Neither IBM nor Dell have anything as nice in a 12" model at this price(education discount). I have to admit though, I've never been a big fan of the Macs as years ago they had terrible operating systems and bad case designs(from a utility perspective), and while their desktop cases are still funky(haven't opened a new one, maybe they are better to work on now), the biggest improvement they have made is in their OS. I have to congratulate them on going with BSD as I'm sure it was a somewhat risky move to try to create a mac feel in a traditionally command line server OS. While I'm still not all that big on the Mac feel(I prefer my Blackbox WM), having the BSD command line and common UNIX development tools easily accessible satisfied a big portion of my requirements. And if Virtual PC really will satisfy the Windows requirement, and it sounds like it will, then I am really sold. I still can't say I'm big on their desktops, though that dual G5 would make one hell of a number cruncher/server, but their laptops seem very will fitted to my requirements. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

The reason they went with BSD is that its an OS that was developed by Steve Jobs Company and never really did anything, so when apple brought him back he bought out his company from himself for around 400,000,000.00 and now you have OS X.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 21,862

 

You're refering to NeXT's OpenStep, right? BSD has a longer history then just NeXT... Anyways... I really should have gone to bussiness school or something... 400 million, christ...

 

Yes I am, which is how BSD came to apple. Yes, BSD exisited before, but they didnt' use it until NeXT and their big purchase of the company.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 21,862