Confusion about iPhoto...

[bdesj]

Well, the ewe involved passed away last year, so at least it`s down to only one party who could be embarrassed by those photos resurfacing.

[freebeard]

I guess you wouldn't have appreciated the discussion of inodes and B-trees. Sorry. (I learned something)

Now that my nearly full hard drive is slowing down and choking up frequently, certain websites work only partially with my out-of-date browsers (which I can`t update with my out-of-date OS), and some websites (my bank) no longer work at all, I need to replace with SOMETHING.

That's the most we have so far. Under the Apple menu the first choice is About This Mac. In that window it gives the version of the operating system. If you're using iPhoto you likely are using Safari for a browser. Are you using Safari? You're putting your finances on Internet?!?

The more sticky reason is that I feel a large amount of shame in falling for Apple`s marketing BS. Not so much against Apple because all successful companies do the same thing, but usually I can see through it. I really bought into the "Mac and PC" ad campaign when I decided to shell out extra money for the Mini- expected I could just open the box, plug it in, and be rolling with never a worry. Not so. Now that...

Did that not happen? Could you not plug it in and have it just work? How many years has it been? Your OS could be 10.2 or later—that 2003. Did it take 12 years to get to the point it needs maintenance?
___________

You may be right, I don't like the direction Apple is moving in. Each new version of Mac OSX is a little more like IOS. And Windows has done some good things about security, or at least the appearance of security. At least until everything gets sucked up into the cloud.

So—Tom's Hardware is a very respected name online, and here is an article they did on Seven Small (But Powerful) Mini-PCs, Reviewed . It's going on two years old, but these are comparable with the Mini. The as tested prices range from $430 to $1245.65. As you can see a good quality PC will cost as much or more than Apple product. Apple only builds good quality and buys components in massive volume, so it hard to compete with them on price.

Another point. You could use a KVM switch and operate two or more computers with a single Keyboard, Video monitor and Mouse. Or put the Mini on a network and run it headless in a closet.

There's a lot you could do without spending on anything but cables and you can get them at Goodwill. I'd start by downloading a different browser like Firefox or Chrome and see if you can do your banking.

Edit: The Tom's Hardware article is 15 pages long (!) but the last page has 4 recommendations for different senarios: consumer, embedded, budget and gamer. The $430 Acer Aspire Revo makes the cut.

[bdesj]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I guess you wouldn't have appreciated the discussion of inodes and B-trees. Sorry. (I learned something)

You people graciously answered the questions I asked. If some of the conversation inspired a few side tracks that you found interresting, great. I`m not offended in the slightest.

Originally Posted by freebeard

Did that not happen? Could you not plug it in and have it just work? How many years has it been? Your OS could be 10.2 or later—that 2003. Did it take 12 years to get to the point it needs maintenance

No, it did not happen as promised. Was that a serious question or rhetorical? I guess we`ve had it for about ten years now, and it`s in need of service. Not the first time, but still the fact that it needs service again isn`t among my complaints- I`m perfectly happy with how it has held up. My chief b*tch is that I need to spend time researching something that I honestly have no interest in and/or pay money for what I could otherwise get in exchange for serving a friend or co-worker a nice dinner, or ask as a favor from my sister in the same way that I take care of her household plumbing and other maintenance as a favor. Mac doesn`t seem to be spoken much around here.

OS is 10.4, Safari and Firefox for browsers, but neither is up to the standard that my bank says I need. Fortunately, my wife`s laptop carries two browsers that are acceptable, so we still have a way to manage the bank accounts. But I do most of that, and usually in the afternoon when she and her laptop are elsewhere.

Originally Posted by freebeard

Another point. You could use a KVM switch and operate two or more computers with a single Keyboard, Video monitor and Mouse. Or put the Mini on a network and run it headless in a closet.

Okay, but still don`t get WHY I would want two in house computers.

[freebeard]

The scenario was simple data transfer. Being able to see successful transfer before letting go of the older machine, generally.

No, it did not happen as promised. [...step two...] I`m perfectly happy with how it has held up. My chief b*tch is that I need to spend time researching something that I honestly have no interest in...

What I'm hearing is that you got 10 years of service life from a machine that's reached the end of it's service life without having to know much at all, and you've decided since all your friends have had to learn all these tricks, and likely replace the machine every 18 months, you will join them instead of just getting a new Mini. But the Windows people who will be so helpful can't, so now you're looking to pay someone to put you in the place you want to be.

What this shuts out of the conversation is the migration tools Apple provides to move data from the older machine to a newer one.

Migration Assistant
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204350

Transfer Mode
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH13842?locale=en_US

I'd just get a new Mini if it were me and go with what you know, but what did you think of the Tom's Hardware article? There are iMac-like all-in-ones, and traditional boxes full of card slots, but I like the slotless headless designs.

[bdesj]

Wow, is Apple related to the Hotel California?

Originally Posted by freebeard

What I'm hearing is that you got 10 years of service life from a machine that's reached the end of it's service life without having to know much at all, and you've decided since all your friends have had to learn all these tricks, and likely replace the machine every 18 months, you will join them instead of just getting a new Mini. But the Windows people who will be so helpful can't, so now you're looking to pay someone to put you in the place you want to be.

Now you`re getting it! Aside from a little understatement of what I`ve invested into my current Mini and the life expectancy of other-than-Apple machines, I think you`ve summed up my positon pretty well.

Originally Posted by freebeard

What this shuts out of the conversation is the migration tools Apple provides to move data from the older machine to a newer one.

Unless I`m reading something wrong, those only work to move data onto another Mac. I have decided to go with Windows for the next round.

Originally Posted by freebeard

I'd just get a new Mini if it were me and go with what you know

??? Even if the new Mini isn`t Freebeard approved?

Originally Posted by freebeard

I don't like the direction Apple is moving in. Each new version of Mac OSX is a little more like IOS.

The new Minis also start at twice what I expect to pay for a computer, no longer offer iPhoto (I really like iPhoto), and no longer come with a CD/DVD drive to read the service manuals for my pickup and my motorcycle.

Originally Posted by freebeard

...but what did you think of the Tom's Hardware article?

Power consumption information was enlightening. The rest of the article seems to be about things I don`t care about. Admittedly, I just scanned it, didn`t carefully read the whole thing.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by bdesj

Okay, but still don`t get WHY I would want two in house computers.

Redundancy? Or so you can use one for your browser that has to keep your bank happy, and one for the iPhoto stuff.

I actually have 4 that I use regularly, 5 if you count the tablet. Main machine is a T61 Thinkpad, optimized for low-power operation. Does all my browsing & normal work just fine. Second one has a couple of quad-core processors and CUDA cards, for serious number-crunching. Third is set up for the rare occasions when I need to do audio/video. (I hate noisy computers, so have removed the speakers from the others.) And all sometimes get used to make a small MPI cluster...