Intel freeze

[Royce Brown]

I finally got my 17" intel machine. So far I'm not overly impressed but it's nice. Then again I'm not a Windoze person.  I played around after booting on the Windoze side.

One problem I noticed is the Windows side is only as good until I close the lid.  Normally on the Mac side this merely puts it to sleep.  On the other side it makes the machine freeze up. I have even tried putting the Windows to sleep before closing the lid but that does not help. 

Anyone have an idea on this?  Any Windows programs that are worth having that you can't already do on a Mac?

[Michael Martin]

Well .. being a Windows user by day and a Mac user by night, I'll tell you my expereinces ..

1) "windows XP on Intel Mac" -- keep in mind that this is no way, no how, supported by either Apple or Microsoft.  Apple was nice enough to release a beta release of a technology that allows for a "bootloader" to take you into either Mac OSX or Windows.  Once you've loaded the OS in the other partition (presuming windows here) you are on your own (Y-O-Y-O).

I would suspect that if someone was industrious enough, they could write the correct Windows Driver to match to the MacBook Pro's special features and a "windows sleep" would really be a "windows sleep". Until then, you got what you got ..

Running "parallels" might be a better user expereince, but not having a MBP to tinker with, I cant comment on how effective that would be.

I would suspect that by sometime in August -- when we might expect 10.5 to be released ( or demoed as close to final complete) -- we may see more of the hand from Apple on how they intend to handle mulitple OS's on the box.  Maybe in the way of "Virtualization Machines" .. kinda like how VMWare handles multiple OS's on the same intel box today .. who knows.

2) Software that you have to have Windows for -- there's only a few things I can think of:  Scientific applicaitons that were written only on PC's, MS Project (no Mac equvialent), MS Visio (OmniGraffle may substitute, but it's no Visio), and Applications that use ACTIVEX "applets" on the web (A MS only technology). 

I have yet to find something on the PC that does not have an effective Mac Substitute -- thanks mostly to the fact that we either have a great bunch of (stubborn) developers, and to the fact that MAC OSX is "unix" and a lot of the applications that were only Unix at one time have been ported to the Mac.

I think what I grumble about most at this time is that I'd sure like a ".MAC" like expereince that would sync my key info across all platforms (email, addressbooks, bookmarks, security info, etc).  I mean, in the end, it's all "Data" right?

3) In listening to podcasts, it seems to be the consensus that for specific applications (like FCP) that the Intel MBP's at 2.1Ghz actually outperform (to some degree) desktop G5 Dp 2.7 Ghz machines.  ( ) .. so dont be so quick to poo-poo your MBP 17" ..

I'm just waiting for the day when the screen is REALLY .. 1920x1081, the processors go through one more revision, and when they tame the heat monster a little better.  then I might jump.

[Royce Brown]

Thanks for the info.

The only Windows program I have found that I'd like is the Slingbox program that allows you to plug in the unit at your house with high speed internet and cable tv connected then watch it on your laptop anywhere you can get a high speed connection.  I travel a good bit for work and can never get the Braves games on their cable.  Right now it is only out on the PC. 

My brother tells me not to even think about connecting to the internet without atleast one good virus program? 

Royce

[Michael Martin]

My brother tells me not to even think about connecting to the internet without atleast one good virus program? 

Well, if you mean the windows partition on the BOOTCAMP app, then yes, definitely get a virus app.  and a firewall.  If you  are asking about Mac OSX, not so much .. you should be just fine.

Mike

[Royce Brown]

What is a Firewall?

[Michael Martin]

What is a Firewall?

A Firewall is a piece of software (or a hardware network device) that isolates and protects your TCP/IP ports from nefarious activities on the internet.  think of it as a way to keep people from accessing your computer over the internet without some degree of protection on your part.

On the Mac, it's built in (See SHARING Control panel -- which makes no sense to me why its on THAT control panel)

On the PC, you need to get one -- WIN XP SP2 I think has a built in one, ZONE LABS makes one, and there's about 2 doz more firewall apps for the PC. (which is what happens in the PC marketplace when MS dosent come out with a "free" one -- there's a lot of them out there - -some better than others).

Did that help?

[John Goodman]

I think Royce was just pulling your leg (g).

[Royce Brown]

I have heard of Firewalls but having never used a Windows machine I never had to deal with one. Kinda like Virus programs. 

I think I'll stick with my mac!