Cheapest way to get feet wet with MacOS

I'm a long time x86 user... "long-time" meaning back to the 8088 days running MS-DOS and PC-DOS, through Windows 1.0 all the way to today. I've hit a roadblock called Vista, and after dealing with more headaches with Vista than in the previous 20 years of computing combined (spanning DOS, Windows including NT, Server, etc., Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, about half a dozen Linux distributions, BSD, even OS/400) I need to start considering alternatives.

I was very comfortable with Macs waaay back in the 90s with the IIfx and IIcx and all but honestly I couldn't tell you what version of the OS they used. (I think it was called System 6 or System 7 or something.) But I haven't used them much at all since. I want to get a Mac running a relatively recent version of OSX so that I can do my own evaluation and see how I feel, just doing basic computing tasks like web browsing, office apps, file/file system management, networking. I don't want to dump a lot of money into this since it's just a test for me so buying a brand new Apple laptop is out of the question. But I don't want to handicap MacOS by getting a 10 year old iMac or something.

What would you all recommend that I look for (used market, probably) as a reasonable way to get one's feet wet with OSX? I don't need super high performance video editing or gaming or anything of the sort. I'm hoping it's possible for a windows hack such as myself to get a "taste" of MacOS for maybe $250 or so on some used hardware, but I don't know. Will a G4 system suffice? Do I need to look for an Intel platform?

I hope this is an OK question to ask here. Not looking for commentary on whether MacOS is better or worse than Vista (that's a call I want to make for myself), instead looking for more models/specs that I should look for. Laptop vs. Desktop doesn't matter too much either, whatever is cheaper.

 

G4 is OK but a dead end, technology wise. You can get a decent Intel Mac Mini for dirt cheap, that's where I would begin. If you already have a monitor this may be the way to go.

Greg.

 

You should be able to find a cheap, used iBook G4 for around $250, and that should give you a (somewhat slow) taste of OSX.

 

look for a mac mini (new or used) and with that you'll be able to try it. And it has more than enough power for all those tasks.

 

The cheapest way would be to hang out in your local Apple store and use their computers.

The next cheapest way is considered somewhat illegal and goes against Apple's EULA.

After that, you can buy a used Mac to see how you like it. As others have suggested, a Mac Mini is probably your best bet.

 

mac mini is cheap

 

I'm kinda wondering, whats that next cheapest way u're talking about?

 

Something involving pirated software, I would assume. Which is illegal and a violation of the EULA.

 

So used, bottom-end 1st gen Mac Mini, or an iBook G4?

 

I deleted some posts. Discussion related to installing OS X on non-Apple hardware is not allowed here.

Thank you.

 

Thank you! :/

 

I agree with Khris - there's nothing cheaper than testing out a product free at the store. Even if you have to spend an hour or two on it, at least then its just time wasted (if you determine not to like OS X), and not $250 or so

 

Removed by mod-read Apple's OSX EULA.


Or yes, go to an apple store and mess around on one of the Macs on display. Even talk to the useless "geniuses" there, although they by no means live up to their titles, they do have at least a basic fundamental knowledge of what they sell on virtue they provide minimal amounts of training to the people who buy macs there.

Or, buy a Mac Mini. They are Ultra Cheap, and are good for the basic rudamentary things you can do on a Mac.

 

I do not want to try installing some hacked OSX.

I already have been to the Apple store but that's only good for first impressions. I want something I can use for a few weeks to see how I'd do many common day to day tasks in the new environment.

In those terms, is the mac mini G4 (older model I think) sufficient?

 

Good job on not wanting to hack OS X!


Definitely check out a G4 mac mini. My best friend has one and it does just fine for daily use. He uses it as his only computer, as a college student that can get pretty demanding so don't think it's a slow poke just because it's discontinued hardware.

 

I'm gonna agree with a mac mini.

 

if you go to school or uni ask the computer labs supervisor to bring a mac unite. if you insist and show them good reasons why you need a mac (project, learning, whatever u can make up) there is a good chance that they would bring one. they dont have to pay for it, they could simply request a demo that would stay with them for couple of months. which u could use as u like of course

 

Check out http://www.psystar.com/ they sell cheap Macs.

 

Btw I'm kinda wondering, does it state in the EULA that it is not allowed to install Apple's OSX on a PC?

Or is it about altering the OS itself to make it install on a PC?

If someone claims its possible to install OSX on any machine not manufactured by Apple, and without altering the original OS. Is that considered illegal by the EULA?

And finally, if some kind of drivers are required to make a machine communicate with the installation program in such away that it will not trick the installation software but actually update the machine to match the OS requirements... is that considered illegal and against the EULA? Is it mentioned in the EULA?

I'm really curious!

Thanks in advance

 

EULA's are technically not legally binding contracts, however, discussing eula-breaking activities can put NBR in a legal bind, not to mention ruin it's reputation, so it's totally understandable and I'm glad, that rule is strictly enforced.

 

oh sorry, any idea where i can find the EULA? I'll read it my self. is it on the disc of the os? can i view it without having to start the installing process?

 

Yep...

It is cleary mentions in the EULA. NBR stance on OSX on PC discussion is that if you want to use OSX, get an mac-it will save you the hassle(look at some recent closed threads in this forum)

http://www.apple.com/legal/sla/

-Forum rules

Also, this thread is not for discussing apple's EULA so any future questions should be in PMs.

Thanks.

-Kdawgca
NBR Mod

 

you can go to the labs of your local college and use macs as long as you like.
you might have to get a library card first

 

please, they are set up to help people in 15min. blocks, I guarantee you every single one of those "geniuses" know what they are doing, as they do it everyday and like doing it, not to mention dealing with wonderful happy informed people such as yourself.

unless you have everything else you need to go along with it, a Mac Mini is not really the best option, the current in store model starts at $599, the base model MacBook is $1099, the base model 20" iMac is $1199, and I can promise you that it is worth the extra cost to go for something like the iMac, mainly due to the excellent screen which really doesn't have an equal, what other computer monitors are available with an actual glass panel?

 

Kdawgca, Thanks a lot for the info

 

Even buying a new Mac Mini, keyboard, mouse and monitor, it'll still be cheaper than an MB or iMac.

 

you can get an intel mini NEW off ebay for less than 500$. Id do that.

 

Yeah, if you really wanted to go cheap, the Mac mini would be a great choice. But the iMac would be even better since it has a wonderful screen.

 

he could get a wonderful lcd display for less than 200 bucks.

 

At this point I would stay away from PowerPC. Rumors are that Leopard is the last Universal Binary OS X and that 10.6 (Snow Leopard) will be Intel only.

 

I would stay away from PPC, too. I had a Mac Mini a while back with the fastest G4 processor and really disliked it.

Slightly OT - is the upgrade to 10.6 going to be free? I would hope so, especially if it comes out in the next 9-12 months.

 

Why did you dislike it? Too slow? For learning alone, not for any critical work, is there any reason why it wouldn't do? If the experiment goes well, I probably would get the tower desktop.

 

I would reccomend looking at a ibook g4, maybe a used mini or other old g4/g5/intel box.

Obviously the cheapest method is to go to the apple store or hang out at a friend who owns it.

Check ebay, classifieds and craigslist and see if they have any old ibooks or mac minis or imacs for sale, you may be able to snatch up a powermac g4 for cheap off ebay too.

 

Too slow and not enough RAM to be able to do even basic multitasking. 2 GB is the minimum you want for OS X, and at the time, 1 GB was the maximum the Mini could support. It was disappointing since I paid nearly full price for it. At this point, though, if you can get a G4 Mini on the cheap (and I mean really cheap), it might be worthwhile if you only want to dabble in OS X. If you end up investing more in a Macbook later on, you could turn the Mini into a little server or something.

 

My Leopard G4
I have Leopard on a G4 mini. It's a bit slow but acceptable. The bad part is that I had to use putty knives to get the case open to upgrade the RAM to 1 Gig. Leopard wants a minimum of 500 Meg and my Mini only came with 256. Happily, I was able to pop in a 1 gig stick without incident. The Apple geniuses refused to do the install for me at first, even though I was still within my AppleCare. Finally, they relented and agreed to do it. By then, a 1 gig stick had arrived from Crucial and I had done it myself for 1/5 what Apple would have charged for 1 Gig even if the labor had been free under Applecare.

G4 is ok but Intel is still better
I would say a G4 Mini would do fine and if 10.6 really is Intel-only, the price on G4 hardware should take a plunge. That would be the time to get the best deal on a G4 Mac. Of course, if you can afford it, the Intel is a better option as you can use it longer. But if money is an overriding concern, go for the G4.

Is FREE cheap enough?
In fact, if money is really tight, skip OSX for now and download and burn Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop. Install it on some old POS PC hardware and give it a try. I used Linux for years before getting a Mac and almost everything I learned on Linux has come in handy on my Mac. Make no mistake, the gui on Linux is not as well thought out as OSX, but the underlying unix OS is very similar.

 

yeah r0k makes a great point.

use linux as a cheap way to get a taste of what osx is kind of like.

obviously, imagine extra polish and 0 effort getting drivers up and running.

yes, you can get a cheap g4 powerbook, test it out, and resell it when you are done. you will probably barely take a loss on it. its already depreciated however much it is going to...

or you can invest in a core 2 duo mac mini, which is still cheap and you can keep and use in the future as well.

 

Not by default, but remember, Linux actually lets you customise your UI, so exactly how good or bad it is is up to the user.

 

Although my OS X experience is fairly limited, my sense is that the popular Linux UIs such as Gnome are more like Windows XP than like OS X (menu bar in app windows, "start menu"-like thing, file browser like Explorer, Windows-like minimize/maximize/close window controls). But yeah, the underpinnings are certainly more like OS X.

And Linux font rendering is worse than both Windows and OS X, IMO (at least on my Ubuntu installation). On the other hand, Linux is more customizable than both Windows and OS X. And its "special effects" are cooler than both too, if you run Compiz.