Over the years, we've occasionally run an "Ask OSNews" feature, wherein a reader asks us a question and we answer it publicly. Lately I've really been enjoying Slate's Dear Prudence advice column and the ever-interesting Straight Dope, and I thought we should see if we can get more OSNews readers to submit questions, and turn Ask OSNews into a more-regular thing. If your question falls outside of our domain expertise, we'll try to track down an expert to help out. And of course, our responses will always be supplemented by further advice from OSNews readers in the comments. Questions are welcome on any topic ranging from OSes and computing to science and geek culture. Contact us with your questions. (Please include "Ask OSNews" in the subject). Today's question is from a young student in Hungary who's seduced by the faraway siren song of Apple's marketing and wonders, "should I switch?"
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Member since:2005-07-08
David has given a pretty good advice.
Unfortunately Apple products tend to cost a lot of money in Europe. In some European countries you will be very happy person, if you manage to earn more than 1000 euros per month.
So it not that easy to say that paying the difference is worth the effort.
Myself I already been two times about to buy Apple products and ended up buying PC instead, because of the ration cost/hardware that I would get.
Member since:2005-06-29
Isn't much of this due to VAT? a quick google search reveals Hungary's VAT at 20%, and it's my understanding (I could be wrong) that in Europe, the price shown includes VAT.
Whereas in the US, no taxes are shown in the price though just about every state has sales tax, in California thats 7.25% which doesn't include the local municipalities tax which I _think_ raise it to a total of 9.25%.
If this is all correct, they prices aren't really that much different. That being said, Apples are generally more expensive than the equivalent pc, but to me that doesn't matter, it's worth it.
Member since:2006-03-26
Member since:2005-07-06
However, with an entry-level unibody MB costing over $1800 US in Hungary, I'd really have to think long and hard about that. Then again, what does a PC laptop with equivalent specs and nice build quality cost? If it's still over a thousand, I'd just suck up the difference and get the MacBook.
That is the entry price for a unibody model; the question he should first ask himself is whether he needs a unibody model or whether he is happy with the classic white model which is US$999.
Member since:2007-03-04
In Europe, a low-end desktop computer bought on a comparison web site is €200. An iMac is €2000. That's a huge difference, and most of the time, a low-end computer will do the job (using a web browser, running MS Office). I don't know what the user is talking about when he says struggling with Windows. Since the XP series, Windows has proven to be stable.
Member since:2007-07-27
wtf? an imac sells for 1000 € and your low-end desktop simply doesn't compares to it.
if that are your only needs, get an old imac g3 for maybe 50€. or an imac g4 for maybe 100 € if you want some luxury and the ability to run leopard.
Edited 2009-05-26 09:26 UTC
Member since:2007-09-06
I asked my machine to reboot out of Windows last night about nine; the boot menu's default should get me out of the gaming system and leave my lovely productivity OS waiting. Instead, I wake this morning and check the machine on the pay past too the door only to find Windows sitting there with an error.
I hit the [OK] button and it powers off. Odd, I selected "restart".
I press the power button and it spins up dropping me back on a Windows desktop. WTF!
I ask it to restart again and click through two more errors before it finally rolls over to an OS produced by people who give a shit about quality.
This wouldn't be a problem if it was an anomoly but last time I had it booted over to Windows I had the same dance party shutting it down.
Seems it's time to take a few hours to check all installed software for updates. If I didn't need Windows for gaming; I'd have called in a sick day just to stay home and format the f--king code off my hardware.
(I'm still open to win7 being better still be we'll have to see how it goes.)
Member since:2008-11-17
"So in summary... Google has pulled the plug on support on a protocol they've helped popularize, after years of promising interoperability, for reasons that are dubious at best, and in a way that leaves people who don't jump to the new Hangouts app unable to talk to their contacts without any feedback that their IMs aren't getting through... And they've done that with no warning to anyone. I imagine there's a bunch of people out there wondering where some of their buddies have gone, or why their messages aren't getting responses, because this isn't documented anywhere." Google really messed this up. Such a dick move.
The Tizen Greek Community has some screenshots of a very recent build of Tizen running on a Samsung GT-i8800. It looks wholly unremarkable.Joint statement to The Next Web from Microsoft and Google: "Microsoft and YouTube are working together to update the new YouTube for Windows Phone app to enable compliance with YouTube's API terms of service, including enabling ads, in the coming weeks. Microsoft will replace the existing YouTube app in Windows Phone Store with the previous version during this time." Good to know these children stopped acting like little pricks. Can we have full Google support in Windows 8 now, please?
Yahoo is acquiring Tumblr, the microblogging and social networking website, for $1.1 billion USD. Tumblr offers little revenue but lots of eyeballs if Yahoo can monetarize them. Now Yahoo is bidding for Hulu, the streaming video service. After years of ineffective responses while Google, Facebook, and others took large chunks of the online advertising market, Yahoo is fighting back. Can Yahoo reignite the momentum it had at the turn of the century? What do you think?
"Sources have described iOS 7 as 'black, white, and flat all over'. This refers to the dropping of heavy textures and the addition of several new black and white user interface elements." I couldn't be happier.
"Ilja van Sprundel, a security researcher with IOActive, has discovered a large number of issues in the way various X client libraries handle the responses they receive from servers, and has worked with X.Org's security team to analyze, confirm, and fix these issues."
"Google is facing a new antitrust probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission into whether the company is using its leadership in the online display-advertising market to illegally curb competition, people familiar with the matter said." Sucks to be Google today, apparently."In the midst of the major press blitz surrounding its annual I/O Conference, Google dropped some unfortunate news about its instant messaging plans. In several places around the web, the company is replacing the existing 'Talk' platform with a new one called 'Hangouts' that sharply diminishes support for the open messaging protocol known as XMPP (or sometimes informally Jabber), and also removes the option to disable the archiving of all chat communications. These changes represent a switch from open protocols to proprietary ones, and a clear step backward for many users." That's why I always say: only suckers trust companies."The wave of departures is a sign of internal struggle, but amidst all the bad news, there is a glimmer of hope. According to an anonymous HTC executive cited by WSJ, the crucial HTC One is selling 'pretty good so far'. The executive revealed that HTC sold about five million One units since launch, a performance that is deemed encouraging. However, sales have been limited by the persisting supply issues that still plague the production of the HTC One." Finally some good news for HTC. Five million units amidst supply constraints is very impressive.
"Sony gave the PS4 50% more raw shader performance, plain and simple (768 SPs @ 800MHz vs. 1152 SPs & 800MHz). Unlike last generation, you don't need to be some sort of Jedi to extract the PS4's potential here. The Xbox One and PS4 architectures are quite similar, Sony just has more hardware under the hood. Weâll have to wait and see how this hardware delta gets exposed in games over time, but the gap is definitely there. The funny thing about game consoles is that itâs usually the lowest common denominator that determines the bulk of the experience across all platforms. On the plus side, the Xbox One should enjoy better power/thermal characteristics compared to the PlayStation 4. Even compared to the Xbox 360 we should see improvement in many use cases thanks to modern power management techniques." AnandTech does its usual in-depth thing.
Member since:
2005-07-06
I don't mind paying the slight premium for Apple stuff because in the long run I waste less time making stuff work, and that pays off in the end. I'm probably also prolonging my life a bit by not getting pissed off at Windows all the time. :-)
However, with an entry-level unibody MB costing over $1800 US in Hungary, I'd really have to think long and hard about that. Then again, what does a PC laptop with equivalent specs and nice build quality cost? If it's still over a thousand, I'd just suck up the difference and get the MacBook.