new iMac for <$500

[samuraisam]

it would also remove one key benifit to apples. apple enjoy's not being targeted by virus often because of their small user base, it dosn't make sense for virus makers to target such a small base. if they started to sell these cheap machines than they're user base would increase, 'n they'd be open to all the crap we on PC's are exposed to, and the rich people who do have apples would be mad because right now they don't have to worry about viruses, 'n they don't have to worry much about spyware, but than they would have to.

Maybe you're missing some things about Mac OS X?

It's based on Darwin, a variant of FreeBSD. What does that say for the non-OS savey person? It's secure. Very secure. There has been one security hole in the past 10 years on FreeBSD and it was fixed within a matter of days. That's not to say that people will not target Apple, they will just have to be very talented programmers to do so.

Maybe you're missing some logic?

Though, even though they may offer a $500 computer, it doesn't mean they're going to saturate the market like ms has done with Windows. They're not even going to be able to compete for market share. They won't be able to gain more than 5% by this--much less in fact. If they gain one percent, I'd be supprised. Currently they have about 2.8 percent market share. Do you really think that 3.8 percent is going to make hackers/coders extremely motiveated to attack this platform? Also, if longhorn is a hit, ms will have some mac users come over to windows as well.

I'll certenly get one when they come out. I don't have the money for a "real" mac, but I've always wanted to update that 'ole 400mhz G4 with the "astonishing" 256 megs of ram and a 10 gig hard drive.

-Sam

 

[MadSkillzMan]

holy crap only 2.8 percent?

wonder how many percent SGI IRIX machines are lol

 

[samuraisam]

IRIX are teh pwners o teh comeys in teh worldzor.

-Sam

 

[XWRed1]

There has been one security hole in the past 10 years on FreeBSD

This is incorrect.

http://www.freebsd.org/security/index.html#adv

There's alot more than 1, and that's only going back to 4.3

 

[XWRed1]

I'm tempted:

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

 

[MadSkillzMan]

holy friggen crap thats small

i agree with stumpjumper5200...i am a multimedia person..i have a dually, yes i love it..but a dual 870mhz G4 would smoke it in a render any day...for me, if i had the money itd be dual G5, and keep my built dually around for 3Dsmax and N64..i am not a gamer, and sometimes im tired of tinkering, i just want it to work.

now my choice in an experiment would be an IRIX machine, one of the newer ones....so i can run all those discreet apps that ppc and x86 cant.

 

[zip22]

it looks so sweet...

 

[MLMIB]

I'll def. be picking one up when I see a good deal on it(sale, does apple do these strange things?)

and a KVM switch to boot ^_~

heck, throw some extra ram in it, with a gb of ram 'n a network drive to throw my crap to(a shuttle I'll be getting when we see some actual improvements on the x86 side) it'd be rather nice for multimedia

*edit*

after pokin around a bit, imagine the 500 base one, throw a 512(or gb stick in if u can find one cheap) get the wireless 'n bluetooth upgrade 'n grab a bluetooth keyboard/mouse setup. all that would be wired is the unit to power 'n the display

of course I'm still waiting for dell to do 23" widescreen, than it's time for mike to burn a new hole in his pocekts

 

[zip22]

they have a student discount. thats about the only official "sale" i think. i would tell you how much the student price is, but the apple site isnt responding very well

 

[MLMIB]

it's def. in the midst of the /. effect

 

[clash]

it would also remove one key benifit to apples. apple enjoy's not being targeted by virus often because of their small user base, it dosn't make sense for virus makers to target such a small base. if they started to sell these cheap machines than they're user base would increase, 'n they'd be open to all the crap we on PC's are exposed to, and the rich people who do have apples would be mad because right now they don't have to worry about viruses, 'n they don't have to worry much about spyware, but than they would have to.

That is by far, the dumbest thing i have read in awhile.... Thanks

 

[MLMIB]

how? think about it, linux dosn't have nearly the amount of security holes because it dosn't have the user base, therefore for each security hole a hacker finds he dosn't get the same net gain as if it was a windows security hole. it makes perfect sense

 

[CrashOveride]

It's so tiny!

Really amazing it is...

@ this linux/OSX virus thing. I doubt OSX will ever be as bad as windows even if their customer base increases (unless windows gets better). First, apple has that reputation and they will strive to retain it. Second, it's linux based, I don't know exactly how similar it is to the open source version (which they actually have open source parts to OSX I think, and a stripped down open source version of some sort - I think, someone can chime in if they like...) but I doubt it has as many security flaws as Windows. That open source program they have, from what I understand they encourage development of it and they borrow heavliy in those areas, so they have some help and imagination coming in basicly free of charge too.
The first reason is most important, they have a huge head start on malicious hackers in the linux realm and since Windows has all these security problems I bet security and stability are numbers one and two on the Mac OS development 'important stuffs' list.
This is just my theory, but I bet microsoft was sloppy with their code (maybe still are) because it isn't open sourced what so ever and it isn't supposed to be leaked or anything. So it takes a real hacker to figure out how to find the flaws, and it takes them time. I bet they either didn't realize how flawed it was or didn't care because they didn't think people would figure it out.

I might be playing up some stuff, but still I highly doubt that OSX, and maybe any mac OS (in the nearish future) will become as bad as Windows is now, and maybe never as bad as it ever will be.

 

[violineb]

Wow it´s tiny and beautiful. I don´t know if I´ll be getting one but I´m almost 100% sure my Icelandic host parents will get one when I show it to them

 

[CrashOveride]

violineb... you have the weirdest apostrephes ever....

 

[clash]

think about it, linux dosn't have nearly the amount of security holes because it dosn't have the user base, therefore for each security hole a hacker finds he dosn't get the same net gain as if it was a windows security hole. it makes perfect sense

Yet another statement that shows your lack of knowledge. You should quit before ya dig yourself too deep.

 

[MLMIB]

clash, all u've done is critisize with no theory to support your statements. 'n u talk about lack of knowledge? ur the one making unsupported statements

'n it seems crashoveride has a similar view

It's so tiny!

Really amazing it is...

@ this linux/OSX virus thing. I doubt OSX will ever be as bad as windows even if their customer base increases (unless windows gets better). First, apple has that reputation and they will strive to retain it. Second, it's linux based, I don't know exactly how similar it is to the open source version (which they actually have open source parts to OSX I think, and a stripped down open source version of some sort - I think, someone can chime in if they like...) but I doubt it has as many security flaws as Windows. That open source program they have, from what I understand they encourage development of it and they borrow heavliy in those areas, so they have some help and imagination coming in basicly free of charge too.
The first reason is most important, they have a huge head start on malicious hackers in the linux realm and since Windows has all these security problems I bet security and stability are numbers one and two on the Mac OS development 'important stuffs' list.
This is just my theory, but I bet microsoft was sloppy with their code (maybe still are) because it isn't open sourced what so ever and it isn't supposed to be leaked or anything. So it takes a real hacker to figure out how to find the flaws, and it takes them time. I bet they either didn't realize how flawed it was or didn't care because they didn't think people would figure it out.

I might be playing up some stuff, but still I highly doubt that OSX, and maybe any mac OS (in the nearish future) will become as bad as Windows is now, and maybe never as bad as it ever will be.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

^^^ Why hack an O/S that will affect %5 of the world computer when you can hack an O/S that will afect %80 of the worlds computers....


Any item that becomes as large as Windows - will be exploited to no end just like windows has - end of story.

It can be made, it can be broken.

Anyways - i had heard this new $500 mac does not include a monitor mouse or keyboard,

If you already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse, you can get up and running in minutes.

Sorry but how can you claim this to be a sub $500 computer? doesnt a computer INCLUDE monitor / mouse and keyboard?

So more of Apples false miss-leading advertiainf -a dd $80 for a keyboard / mouse and @ least $150 for a monitor and this is not any $500 "computer"

 

[MLMIB]

no, you heard right, it's what we would call the tower(although it's def. no tower) 'n thats it

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

Now the ace up Apple's sleeve here is the software package they are offering. Last year Apple hired a group of developers that worked on the old Claris programs for the old Mac OSes. Now it's nearly confirmed that Apple is going to be releasing an office suite called iWork that will come BUNDLED with the new $499 imac. So not only will these $499 macs have the iLife apps all installed, they will come with iWork, and of course an OS X license out of the box. Now call me a mac fanboy (im typing this on my PC btw) but I seriously doubt you could get a PC for $499 that comes with that much QUALITY software.

Good point - the Office application should be a big move to get MS software out of Apple.

If i get $500 + shipping to spare i am tempted to get one of these for sure - heck use this as my home theater system. - as well i can get familiar with MAC OS which is always a plus in today tech market