[Physltest] [Phys-L] Re: Mac vs. PC (no flames please!)

[Richard Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

The one caveat here concerning Unix/Linnux:

If you do that other thing that people do with computers, the thing that
you (of course) don't do at work--NO not that thing (shame on you)--the
thing where you sit at the computer for hour upon hour with mouse in hand
(or maybe even with special input devices) and accomplish nothing but
reaching that next LEVEL, then if you really want the state of the art, 3D
graphics, virtual reality, photo-realistic versions---it's a Window's
World!  I still suspect that (although I've seen more reasoned
explanations) that it was the abandoning of the gaming world with the first
generation Macs that helped doom Apple to a fringe market despite having a
damn good machine.

Today's top games are the collaboration of large teams of artists,
programmers, (I suspect a physicist or two), musicians, and of course
marketing folks.  A single program can be two years in development and
today will stretch the capabilities of even top end machines.  For the
simple reason of market share, your choices are FAR wider in the Windows
world and because of the way many of these games stretch the capabilities
of machines, don't expect your emulators to work effectively (if at all).
Of course every one here is far too serious to get into such diversions!
;-)

Rick

****************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

**********************************************************
FREE:  Windows and Mac Instructional Software
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
***********************************************************


> [Original Message]
> From: John Denker <jsd@AV8N.COM>
> To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
> Date: 1/25/2005 6:37:08 PM
> Subject: Re: Mac vs. PC (no flames please!)
>
> Larry Smith wrote:
>
> > Isn't it hard to buy a PC without Windows?
>
> No.
>
> Maybe you can't buy them over-the-counter at Circuit City,
> but then again I doubt your school buys its computers from
> Circuit City.
>
> Off the top of my head: both IBM and HP are big Linux
> supporters.  My reading of the trade press gives me
> the impression that their high-end "number cruncher"
> and "server" machines come with *nix ... and msWindows
> is not even available as an option.
>
> If you want a low-end machine, you can order it from
> walmart.com, with Linux and a bunch of "office" SW
> pre-installed.  Prices start at under $200 + shipping.
> That's for a 1.5GHz machine ... which ought to be more
> than good enough for typical classroom work.
>
> The vendors mentioned here are illustrative only;  I'm
> not making recommendations pro or con.  My advice: figure
> out what you need, then shop around.
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