MacBook Pro vs MacBook

So I want a new computer! Go figure.

It is time, I have had my latest computer (Dell 600M) for over 2 years, that is a long time for me. I also have one of the original MacBook Pro Titanium's. Both nice computers, but a real pain if you need to carry both operating systems.

The only reason I keep the Dell around is for development purposes. Macromedia Flex only runs (currently) on Windows.

Since the new MacBook Pro is Intell based, and with the announcement from Apple of BootCamp, I now have the ability to run one computer. So now the deliema, MacBook or MacBook Pro? When looking at the website, I noticed a few minor issues.

1. MacBook has a smaller screen, not a big deal since I usually hook up to an external monitor
2. MacBook is less expensive (that would be a plus)
3. Same Processors available
4. Same Hard-disks
5. Same Memory

But with a $500 price difference for a similarly configured machine, I had to ask the experts at the local Apple Store what the real differences where. The answer, the video card. The MacBook is lacking one, see MacBook Specs here. The MacBook Pro comes with an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600, see MacBook Pro specs here.

So why would one care? The answer is, you won't, unless you are playing video games that are video instensive or more complex gaphics manipulation. Most people will be fine with a MacBook, I on the other hand will not. I want to be able to edit video's and digital pictures and play video games like WarCraft.

But note this, most applications built for Mac will run slower until they are rewritten for the new processor, such as Adobe products. However, you can run most of those products under Windows running on the Mac ~ which is what I plan on doing until the tools I need are written to take advantage of the Intel on the Mac.

Mackenzie

So this is kinda cool. I took a picture of my daugther Mackenzie when we were at Dana Point.

I uploaded the picture to www.costcophotocenter.com. From there you can edit the pictures, I put this nice border and coloring effect on it. I then ordered a print from my local Costco, and the picture was ready in about an hour.

They do enlargements as well. Pretty cool.

Going back to school

So, I have decided to got school - college. Hopefully this time I will actually stick with it, should be much easier now that I am not travelling as much as I used to. Major you ask? Marine Biology - after looking into what it takes to get a marine biology degree, I must have bumped my head. Don't get me wrong I LOVE the ocean. The last time I went to Spain I studied dolphins with Ana Canadas and crew aboard the Toftevaag, I had a great experience. One might say life changing experience.

So now I am going to get a degree in Marine Biology. Should only take me about 10 years to complete, seems as though every class is 5 units and requires a lab. I have to take a ton of Math as well, I thought I could get away with college statistics - nope, calculus.


What am I going to do with this degree I am pursuing? Probably nothing, but I figure if I am going to go through the process of getting a degree I may as well get it in a subject I enjoy. I have been a computer programmer for the last ... almost 20 years! Holy Crap! Good money! But I am soooo over it.

Flex 2.0 is way cool

So I really like Flex 2.0, I mean I REALLY LIKE Flex 2.0. Even though the product is in beta, the new features are awesome. The ability to develop applications that use Hibernate as a data source is key for Java developers. Flex also supports JMS integration, allowing true push capabilities of your applications. So from a Java Deveopers perspective, this is really cool. We now have a real competitor for AJAX.

Flex can do many things that AJAX can not do, check out this sample application from Adobe. I admit, I am no AJAX expert, I am not even a novice. But from the samples that I have seen of AJAX applications, I really do not see AJAX doing the transitions and true Rich Internet Application features that you find with Flex.

The major PRO AJAX statements are interactivity and portablity. However one of the major CONS to AJAX is the fact that Javascript must be enabled, there by defeating the the whole portablity discussion.

Flex 2.0on the other hand does not require Javascript to run in the browser. The oxymoron to this is that the scripting language of Flex 2.0 is ActionScript which is now fully ECMAScript Compliant. Flex 2.0 applications run in the Flash Player. The Flash Player is supported on all major Operating Systems with all the major browsers on those OS's, including IE, Mozilla, FireFox, Safari, Opera, and AOL. Flash is no longer a tool for creating splash screens or building movie or game information sites. With Flex 2.0,

...more to come on this topic, I am sure.