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2003-06-30 - 4:46 p.m. I'm reading: desertwitch I'm listening to: Adam Ant Quote O' The Day: "Although a sin, it was unenjoyable." Steve- Used to be people generally upgraded hardware and software every 2 to 3 years. Silicon Valley is having a problem because computers are already going fast enough. And the software is doing everything and usually much more. Down the road it's all going to be 64 bit. This is processor speed which is what makes us forget what multitasking was: remember loading that Macwrite floppy then ejecting it to load the Macdraw? Seems to me that 64 bit will take advantage of multiple massive tasks like accessing your Long Beach computer from your Iceland cell phone/iPod/digital camera/whatever. Expansion bays are included in the new G5. The only complaint with my G3 iMac is that I'd like a larger display. I'm going to get a G5 because I don't expect to need to upgrade the hardware for ten years. And the software is just going to be minor if I do upgrade. Microsoft is not making IE for the Mac anymore. Safari is amazing: this is Safari 1.0 which is just outa beta. The unity of the integration of Mac software, software that is PART of the Mac OS now, the iStuff is even more congealed in the Panther OS which is out now for preview and will replace Jaguar. The immediate visual difference is that the finder looks like the iTunes window (as is becoming more often the case). The ability to group, move, and access appears to be the current agreed upon set. A former tower was LOUD and Mac noticed and supposedly the G5 is as close to silent as possible with three computer controlled fans cooling the oven hot G5 processor. The interior is pristine. If something comes along the future unknowns are built in which means lots of empty space for expansion and easy replacement. The tower series has been around long enough now that I think this is the format they will stick with, so in the future you can, say, pull, pluck, and chuck the motherboard and the down-the-road motherboard will be archetechally the same. When you went with your current G4 the hard drive capacity seemed fine and the cd burner was kinda cool but really necessary? The G5 is surround sound ready as is it's forward looking video capabilities. Get a new G4 to save $700? A $700 dollar savings as justification for going with a machine where perhaps you will encounter the usual troubles: printer, scanner, etc., and compatibility and daisy chaining it all together. If we take the 3 year upgrade as a standard, then I think for sure you would want to upgrade again in 3 years. With a G5 that would be pushed to 5 years. By the time you are 45 you will have forgotten the $700. The iPod is becoming more of a second hard drive as opposed to a second hard storage disk. Looking ahead it seems to me that the iPod will be forgotten as a mp3 player. As it stands you can take your iPod into the car and there is a RC device that throws the music form the iPod to the stereo. The same from the desktop G5 to the home stereo (Wi-Fi Media Receiver). No wires. After having your music collection a keystroke or click away it's as difficult to go back to the CD as it is to go back to vinyl. I've got about 4,500 songs on my computer. And how many months ago did I start on my quest to listen to all my songs? You have an amazing CD collection but nothing compared to your former vinyl collection. Load the CD's on the hard drive and sell: you can get somewhere close to $700 for your CD collection. My CD's get used very little. I burn mixes for my car. With an iPod I wouldn't even be doing that. When you return home the Panther OS will be out and software conflicts, if any exists to a significant degree, will be resolved. Just have Molly put the purchase on hold until your summer dig is up. Even if you do decide to get the G4, it will be a better considered purchase. The beauty of your summer job is its distance. Distance and time are useful for gaining perspective. In case you missed it: The woman who killed the guy with her car windshield was convicted. So this guy is dying in her windshield while she drives home. Then she calls a couple guys to pull him out, get rid of the body and fix the car. Where'd she find these guys? Hanging around the 'hood? Or were they on her speed dial? Or family? You're my nephew and my friend and I couldn't even get you to do a simple perjury for me if I needed one. What are her family and friends like? And the newspaper said the guy "Bled slowly to death as she drove to her home." And here I thought this story made the paper because of it's bizarre rarity. Now I find there is a median time for someone to bleed to death in a windshield. Apparently he was ahead of the usual curve (or would it be behind?). Her excuse was, "I was shitfaced." And they didn't think that was a good enough excuse! What kind of message does this send to our children? Speaking of�When GeorgeII signed the bill into law that will keep some telemarketers from calling he said something along the lines of, "People don't want to be interrupted when they are reading to their children." Use sunscreen, F. � 
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