Nate Knows Nada

I did it.  I ordered a new computer.  A 12″ Macintosh Powerbook. 
I have to admit that I am still unsure whether I should have this one
or the “old” 15″ model (“old”, as in there was a slightly updated one
released last Wednesday).  But the $300 difference was a
consideration.

So was portability.  I’ve had this desktop-in-a-laptop Windows
machine for a while, and I never take it anywhere because of its weight
and size.  And the lovely young woman I spoke with in the Apple
store noted that she loved her 15″(especially ’cause she has no room
for an external monitor), but that it felt a bit large at times for
lugging around.

(And just so it’s clear, I’m perfectly adept in Windows.  I have
configured drivers, I routinely search out and use funky little obscure
utilities to monitor things like process usage, and I have edited my
registry.  I play computer guy for many family and friends. 
But it seems like in the last few months, that’s been less of a hobby and
more of a task to keep the computer running.  I want to geek
around, but on my own terms.)

My thought is, if I need more screen real estate (especially when I
need to do spreadsheet work), I can get an external monitor.  For
about the same as the price difference between the two models.

I’m still dithering a bit, but if I really decide that I should have gotten a 15, I can always sell on Ebay.

Like all things in the Mac world, some people are really partisan about
the size of their computers.  Ask a group of real Mac fanatics
about the 12 v. 15, and they will go to the mat for their choice.