By:Stephen Howson
So the lure of buying a Mac has finally overcome you and you're
going to take the plunge. The only problem is that when you
start to look at machines there are to many to choose from. Do
you pick new or used / refurbished, Power Mac, iMac, eMac, Mini,
G3, G4, G5... argghhh.. Hopefully this article will help you
through that decision.
As with all machines, Mac or Intel based. whoops.. non-Mac Intel
based, you should get what you need, not what's "cool" at the
time. Think about what you want to do with the machine, weather
you're going to want to upgrade in the future and how much you
want to spend. Just because it might be tempting to get dual
processor 2.7Ghz PowerMac G5, doesn't mean you need it.
Here's the deal, there are basically three processors you're
going to be dealing with; G3, G4 and G5. All of them will run
versions of OSX up to 10.4.1, which is the most current at the
time of this article.
A bit about the processors:
In the interest of compatibility I would recommend going with a
G4 or G5 as the G3 is getting aged. However, if you're just
using the machine for email and browsing the web, a G3 iMac is a
good machine.
The G4 is a 32 bit processor and will allow you speeds up to
1.42Ghz - These machines are more than sufficient for the
average user. The G5 is a 64 bit processor and will allow you
speeds up to 2.7Ghz - These are more for gamers, advanced to
power users and developers. This may be overkill if you just
want an internet machine, email, word processing, etc.
A little about the machines:
Mini - Most inexpensive Entry level G4 based machine. Very small
and compact and does not come with a keyboard or mouse.
eMac - Most inexpensive All-in-one entry level. This resembles
the G3 style iMacs. They resemble a CRT monitor, but contain the
display and machine 'All-in-One'.
iMacs - These machine are available in G4 or G5 (or G3 listed
above). These are mid-priced all-in-one, mid-level machines. The
G4 have half circle base and an 'arm' with a flat screen monitor
attached. The G5 iMac basically looks like a flat screen, but is
the entire machine. These machines are excellent machines for
the average user that is not going to want to add internal
drives, upgrade the video card, etc. External drives can be
added via the USB2 or Firewire ports.
PowerMac - As with the iMac, these are available in G3, G4 or
G5. These machines are higher priced and are for the pro user,
developers and gamers. These are in a tower case that allows you
to add extra PCI-X cards as well as extra drives and memory. If
you're looking long term and don't want to have to buy another
computer for many years, this may be the way to go.
Processor upgrade path:
History has shown that PowerMacs definitely have the most
processor upgrades available for them. Of course you can't
upgrade the bus speed, this is basically how fast the data moves
around the machine, but you can increase the processor speed
with some of these upgrades. Some of the G3 PowerMacs can be
upgraded to G4. Some of the G4 PowerMacs can be upgraded to
faster G4 PowerMacs.
Recommendations in a nutshell:
Mac Mini - Average user that has a USB keyboard and mouse and an
existing monitor and does not mind limited upgrade options
eMac - Average user that wants an all-in-one machine for
day-to-day computing and does not mind limited upgrade path
iMac - Above average user that wants a little more computing
power in a sleek, compact design. Still limited upgrade, but
with the G4 model you probably won't have to worry about
upgrades for a while and with the G5 model you'll be able to
hang on to that machine for a few years.
PowerMac - Power user, developers and gamers. This is the
kingpin as far as expandability, upgradeability and longevity.
Conclusion:
Get what you need. Don't get sucked into buying the latest and
greatest, you may be wasting your money. Really take the time to
think about what you want to do with the machine and make your
decision based on that. No matter which machine you decide on
they're all excellent and you won't be disappointed with any of
them.
Alternatives to new machines:
Used machines - These machines are available throughout the net
at forum sites and auction sites like Bid4Mac.com.
Refurbished - These machines are available through Apple and
carry the same warranty as the new machines. This is a great way
to save some money while still having the warranty of a new
machine. I've ordered several refurbished items from Apple and
have never had a problem with them.
About the author:
Administrator at Bid4Mac.com mac auction where you can sell and
buy Apple computer gear of all types. www.bid4mac.com
Monday, July 04, 2005
Friday, July 01, 2005
How To Stop Unwanted Email Spam
By: Gary Gresham
You can stop unwanted email spam, you can choose to reduce spam
email or you can do nothing and continue to be annoyed. Those
are your only choices because spam email is not likely to go
away. Every single one of us would love to stop unwanted emails
but only a very small percentage of people do anything except
complain about spam. You might remember a couple of years ago
they passed a new federal spam law that was supposed to
eliminate spam email. So why is spam still around and why is it
so difficult to get rid of it? Email spammers buy lists of email
addresses from list brokers, who compile their lists by
harvesting email addresses from the Internet. Then they send
millions of unwanted email messages to these email addresses
with one click of a mouse. Email spammers make huge amounts of
money from these lists and that's why they do it. These email
spammers are breaking the federal spam law, The CAN-SPAM Act of
2003, in every way possible. This federal spam law, which became
effective January 1, 2004, is next to impossible to enforce.
Email spammers make so much money they can afford to outsmart
The Federal Trade Commission with sophisticated technology. Now
that you know the origin of spam email and why email spammers
are sending this junk you realize that spam is not likely to
ever go away. But that doesn't mean you can't do anything about
it. Here are a couple of ways to significantly reduce spam that
won't cost you a cent. Don't display your email address in
newsgroup postings, chat rooms or in an online service's
membership directory. Sometimes email spammers use these sources
to harvest email addresses. Another thing you can do is create
two email addresses with one for personal messages and the other
for public use, such as in newsgroups or chat rooms. You can
also create an account at a disposable or free email address
service. You can then have those emails forwarded to your
permanent email address. If the disposable address starts to
receive spam, you can turn if off without affecting the
permanent address. You should also create a unique email address
because email spammers often use dictionary attacks to sort
through possible name combinations at some Internet Service
Providers. A common name, like johndoe or thesmiths may get more
spam than a unique name like fx721OMe9. Check your email account
to see if it provides a tool to filter out potential spam or a
way to channel spam into a bulk email folder. When you're
choosing an Internet Service Provider consider what email
options they offer. If you want to end your headaches, you can
stop unwanted email spam altogether. All it takes is installing
an Internet spam filter. Most are reasonably priced between $25
and $40 depending on where you get it. Once you install an
Internet spam filter you'll wonder why it took you so long
because it takes all of the frustration away from your email. A
good Internet spam filter will completely eliminate spam email
and that lets you take back control of your Internet message
Inbox. You'll have to find something else to get annoyed about
because a good Internet spam filter will block 100% of unwanted
spam. Internet spam filters stop unwanted email forever, and
after all, isn't that the idea? Copyright © 2005 Spyware
Information.com All Rights Reserved.
About the author:
This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com
We offer you the safest, most effective and easy-to-use Internet
spam filter available, blocking 100% of unwanted spam at
http://www.spyware-information.com/anti-spam-filter.html
You can stop unwanted email spam, you can choose to reduce spam
email or you can do nothing and continue to be annoyed. Those
are your only choices because spam email is not likely to go
away. Every single one of us would love to stop unwanted emails
but only a very small percentage of people do anything except
complain about spam. You might remember a couple of years ago
they passed a new federal spam law that was supposed to
eliminate spam email. So why is spam still around and why is it
so difficult to get rid of it? Email spammers buy lists of email
addresses from list brokers, who compile their lists by
harvesting email addresses from the Internet. Then they send
millions of unwanted email messages to these email addresses
with one click of a mouse. Email spammers make huge amounts of
money from these lists and that's why they do it. These email
spammers are breaking the federal spam law, The CAN-SPAM Act of
2003, in every way possible. This federal spam law, which became
effective January 1, 2004, is next to impossible to enforce.
Email spammers make so much money they can afford to outsmart
The Federal Trade Commission with sophisticated technology. Now
that you know the origin of spam email and why email spammers
are sending this junk you realize that spam is not likely to
ever go away. But that doesn't mean you can't do anything about
it. Here are a couple of ways to significantly reduce spam that
won't cost you a cent. Don't display your email address in
newsgroup postings, chat rooms or in an online service's
membership directory. Sometimes email spammers use these sources
to harvest email addresses. Another thing you can do is create
two email addresses with one for personal messages and the other
for public use, such as in newsgroups or chat rooms. You can
also create an account at a disposable or free email address
service. You can then have those emails forwarded to your
permanent email address. If the disposable address starts to
receive spam, you can turn if off without affecting the
permanent address. You should also create a unique email address
because email spammers often use dictionary attacks to sort
through possible name combinations at some Internet Service
Providers. A common name, like johndoe or thesmiths may get more
spam than a unique name like fx721OMe9. Check your email account
to see if it provides a tool to filter out potential spam or a
way to channel spam into a bulk email folder. When you're
choosing an Internet Service Provider consider what email
options they offer. If you want to end your headaches, you can
stop unwanted email spam altogether. All it takes is installing
an Internet spam filter. Most are reasonably priced between $25
and $40 depending on where you get it. Once you install an
Internet spam filter you'll wonder why it took you so long
because it takes all of the frustration away from your email. A
good Internet spam filter will completely eliminate spam email
and that lets you take back control of your Internet message
Inbox. You'll have to find something else to get annoyed about
because a good Internet spam filter will block 100% of unwanted
spam. Internet spam filters stop unwanted email forever, and
after all, isn't that the idea? Copyright © 2005 Spyware
Information.com All Rights Reserved.
About the author:
This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com
We offer you the safest, most effective and easy-to-use Internet
spam filter available, blocking 100% of unwanted spam at
http://www.spyware-information.com/anti-spam-filter.html
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