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.