So I'm headed off to college soon, and I'm in the market for a new notebook. Since linux functionality isn't quite full fledged in notebooks (unless some big leap forward has been made while i was looking the other way), I'll have to switch back to windows. Not to mention, I just don't think i'm cut out for using Linux.
but, I was thinking the other day. I've always hated those irritating mac vs. pc commercials and the "i own a mac, so that makes me special" users. but then i thought, maybe they are actually better... but looking at the entry-level Macbook (which is really the only one even close to my budget) it's pretty highly priced for mediocre specs.

So I wanna know, from all you technically knowledgeable people (i'm tired of the people who have no idea what they're talking about telling me they're "just better!"), is Mac really worth the extra money? Does all that flash and style (which i must admit i kinda like, even though i used to bash it) bog down the system? If so, how much streamlining does it allow you to do in order to make it more efficient? how much is compatibility with non-Airport wireless networks a problem? How about printers (i have a Canon i9100)?

Thanks in advance.

Those commericals are rather annoying. There is nothing special about the mac. It is just a glorified overpriced pc. Same internals, like any other pc, just running MacOS.

Agreed, they are overpriced, and I can build a much better system for around the same price or even less.

The only thing that makes mac 'better' is the OS. Though I still don't see the justification in buying one at those prices. If you must go back to Windows, try Dell, because you can still get an XP notebook up until this Nov. I think. I would steer clear of Vista all together. I don't know anything about Airport wireless so I can't give out any answers about that, but for printing, I don't know if Canon will even work with a Mac, as I have seen Canon to only support Windows. Be that as it may, I would recommend HP printers. Since also they seem to be even more Linux friendly if you do decide to try Linux again.

You can also buy a laptop preloaded with Linux, and already configured, and now even Dell does that too, they offer the Ubuntu distribution.

Hello,
A totally wrong idea... Linux fully supports notebooks nowadays... even majority PCMCIA cards are now supported... I don't really see a reason not to use Linux on notebook.
That's a cool idea also...

I was talking about the wireless connectivity problem.

Thing is though, since i'm probably going to be pretty busy next year, and trying to get settled in, I don't want to have to hassle with keeping my system running, I'm far from a Linux power-user so I'd need some time to learn to really use Linux and not just get by. I don't think professors will accept "I screwed up my Linux partition and I don't know how to fix it... " as a legitimate reason for late work.

**EDIT**: I hear that the Ubuntu laptops don't exactly work out of the box, and that some tweaks need to be made if it will work with all the hardware, something I might not know how to do... there also aren't linux drivers for my printer, and i really need it.

I'd get a notebook with Windows XP on it and set it up to dual-boot some GNU/Linux distribution of your choice.

You could also do the same with the Mac notebooks, but it would be more expensive.

you could get a laptop with ubuntu on it from dell

The original poster already responded to that idea:

What wireless connectivity problem?

enough, slickhare'd mention he not able to try Linux right now, and he can install it anytime when he free.
His question is he want to buy a laptop, Mac or Windows.

Thank you, I was just about to post about that. I know Linux is an option, but it's not viable for me right now.

Also, I'd prefer if I could get some advice from people who've tried both or who use Macs. Now, I could be wrong, but it seems like people are just denouncing Mac and not really offering a comparison or insight into using one.

Turboprint says they support your printer (but not scanner in "multifunction devices").
I had heard this before I bought my Dell Inspiron 1200. I have been happy with it.
My graphics and sound work, my wireless with some work, my modem with a driver from Linuxant. I even got USB to serial working.
On the other hand I could not help a lot with a relative who's 64-bit processor and ATI graphics were not well supported by Linux at the time.
So yes, I can understand if there is some reason you wish to use something besides Linux but a statement that "...linux functionality isn't quite full fledged in notebooks.." is not really correct AFAIC. Matching hardware and software is always an issue and is not a given. Notebooks often contain proprietary hardware made for Windows. Anyone wishing to use Linux instead must deal with that.
Give Mac a try if you want but you do realize that M$ is not making much of their new software any more available to Mac than Linux? And that not having their software available means you will not have access to some things every bit as much as some hardware not being available to other OSs?

I knew about that. I didn't feel like paying in order to use my printer. Sure they offer a free download, but everything you print will have their logo plastered across it.

and I know that everything CAN work in Linux, but i'm not a well versed command line guru like you all, and I don't really have the time to learn how to fix every little thing that goes wrong or make everything work. I wish I had invested more time in learning everything when I could have, but I got too frustrated as I was just picking up bits and pieces of the complete knowledge I'd need to really run Linux as I tried to get various things running. The volumes and volumes of manuals on Linux are kinda daunting.

Airport is Apple's name for 802.11b or 802.11g wireless. Airport extreme (a fancy name for 802.11g) cards are broadcom chipset based wireless. In short, "Airport" stuff works just fine with a college campus wifi network.

My only experience with macs is with older ones, and properly maintained, they work fine. A colleague of mine bought a newer ibook last summer and loves it, and she is a down to earth person, and not much of a computer freak.

What macs offer is pretty much plug and go. However, you are doing that at the price of being tied to apple stuff. If your printer works with macos, it may not be a bad way to go, seeing as windows machines can be finicky at times, especially the budget models.

At any given time there are things that do not work in Linux. Be it proprietary hardware or IE only webpages. Windows Vista did not support all hardware and software when it was released. Windows XP will not support all hardware and software as it is put on the back shelf. A Mac system will have no better luck with an IE only page than Linux even if the hardware is great. OS X is not Windows either.
There is nothing wrong with choosing the operating system and hardware platform you wish.
Do the files you need to access work on the Mac? Is the hardware you wish to use compatible with the Mac? For that matter does it all work on a new PC with Vista?

on that note, one thing i forgot to mention was that the main reason i'm considering mac, is that i don't want to switch to Vista as it becomes phased in. I don't like how much of a resource hog it is for being a mediocre OS; I've played around with it and i'm not impressed. I figure, if you're going to have a flashy OS, at least have it be functionally flashy, and have come cool features. Not to mention I hear that OSX is the choice platform for pro photographers. But I wanted some feedback from people who are more knowledgeable about computers.