MAC VS PC

Q::Dear Leo Laporte My name is Sachit Ramjee and I am 13 years. In September I will be going to high school and will be faced with a dilemma. I recently enrolled at Gordon Graydon in the IBT program (international business and technology). I enrolled at this school because I have a passion for computers and like web design and programming. This year I have to get a computer for school, I am interested in getting a Mac book but my dad isn’t convinced that it is the better choice. I think that since now the new Macs can run windows I will be able to use windows if needed but also enjoy the comforts and accessibility of os x. Can you please help me with my dilemma and suggest which computer will be more beneficial to me? (And hopefully help me convince my dad that a Mac is the better choice) Sincerely Sachit

Sachit
Mississauga, ON

While your dad is right that Windows is the operating system you’ll use most in International Business and Technology, you have an excellent point. Buying a Mac gives you both Windows and OS X, plus access to UNIX, which is an even more common operating system in larger business environments. Getting one machine that can run all three simultaneously seems the best way to maximize your potential.

Sean’s note: The new Intel-based Macs do definitely provide you with the best of both worlds, giving you the ability to run both Windows and Mac OS X as needed. The downside, of course, is that you have to spend more money when you go with the Mac — the Mac hardware already comes with a bit of a price premium (less than it used to be, but it’s still there last time I checked) but then there’s the cost of paying for a Windows license on top of that, and the cost of Parallels too, if you choose to run Windows in virutalization mode instead of running it natively using BootCamp. Plus, you have to top up your RAM to at least 1 GB—preferably 2 GB—in order to make Parallels run smoothly, as well as bumping up to a larger hard drive in order to have enough space to comfortably install the virtual hard drive file that stores your Windows install (5 to 9 gigabytes for a basic install of Windows!).

Ultimately, if all the work you need to do is going to be on Windows, the extra money you have to spend to get your Mac running Windows legally can be a bit much if you’re on a student’s budget (or have to convince your parents), especially as entry-level Windows machines are so inexpensive.

One way to pitch it, especially if you’re interested in web design, is that the Macbook would allow you to preview how your design will look on all browsers on the three major platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux), without having to buy three separate machines!

SECURITY FOR LINUX

Q::Hi I’m a long time Windows user, but I have recently started using Ubuntu and I just love it. My question is should I be concerned about viruses and spy wares like I do with Windows and if the answer is YES, what should I do? Thank you.

Harold
Montreal, QC

Linux really discourages malware right off the bat, so you probably don’t NEED to use Linux, especially if you keep your machine updated and don’t run as the root user. If you really want to install an anti-virus program, you can try out ClamAV (www.clamav.net). There aren’t that many updates for it, because there aren’t that many security threats for Linux.

Sean’s note: The bottom line is that you should always be concerned about security, no matter what operating system you’re using, but it’s a lot easier to stay safe if you’re using Linux than it is if you’re using Windows XP. You should use best practices no matter what computer/OS you’re using: don’t open attachments you weren’t expecting, don’t click on links in email, and use general common sense when adding new software to your system (like only installing software retrieved from trusted vendors, rather than installing anything you come across online).

The good news is that you probably don’t need to install any specific anti-virus software for your Ubuntu installation, at least at this point in time. That doesn’t mean Linux is invulnerable, though, so make sure you update the operating system regularly to make sure that any security holes in the operating system are patched up. You can also turn on the built-in firewall for extra security, if you don’t want to simply rely on the NAT firewall found on a broadband router.

SATELLITE TV ON PC SOFTWARE

Q::I am unable to get my tech info, since I live in SoCal and not Canada or Australia. So I started looking at TV on PC software. Most all of them say that if I install their program, I will be able to watch satellite tv , for free, from different countries, (LIKE CANADA), on my laptop, anywhere I happen to be. I would love to get the Lab, I would even buy the program, but IF it really did what it says. Can you check it out and let the world know? And if you do, let me know by email since I still can’t get your new show! Come to the USA soon! We miss you! KFI isn’t enough! Thanks!

Steve
Calimesa, CA

You won’t be able to get the Lab on these systems, nor anything that’s not broadcast in the clear. Check the program listings for these services. For the most part you get non-premium international programming - the kind of stuff you can already get on the Internet free anyway. We’re working very hard to get The Lab on TV in the US, never fear.

CONNECTING EXTRA COMPUTER

Q::I currently am running one computer ( ACER ESPIRE ) 120GB and am sharing with my wife . She has since purchased a new computer another acer (desktop) mine is running on XP professional I think new one will be on Vista and want to transfer all her side of my computer to new one. Do I need router for start. and how do I send all her files to new computer. Also I have purchased a external hardrive for my computer as I work In DVD production it is a Artek speed 3500 400GB I have connectected it to my computer but seems to do nothing. I am Learning slowly and am avid watcher of all your shows Call for help since U.S. etc. Hope youecan help . Regs Alan. (p.s also wanted help on my new website but amber no longer with you oh well ) I do have Handycam Which I think I can hook up for webcam ?

Alan
Rosebud, VIC

You will probably want a router to share the Internet connection between the two computers. Hooking the two to the router will also, with a little fiddling, give you the ability to copy files from your computer to hers. A faster method would be to copy the files to the external hard drive then to hers.