Computers for Law School 2011 Forum

[TheKingintheNorth]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with an SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets here. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but there are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC. OneNote is the obvious exception here but I really think Word for Mac does a good job subbing in some features, and there are a lot of free alternatives. I happened to not be familiar with OneNote at all, so if something like Growley Notes is neccessary, it won't be any more of an issue that learning OneNote. You may or may not be in this same situation.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

[ResolutePear]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with a SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets year. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but their are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

Hm. All these reasons and still, there is nothing here that's more than personal preference.

[BackToTheOldHouse]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with a SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets year. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but their are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

Hm. All these reasons and still, there is nothing here that's more than personal preference.

Resolute pear is resolute.

I am the opposite of this poster--I have been an avid Mac person for years but have gone back to PC for lawl school. I think points 4, 5, and 6 are the most valid of the lot. 1 through 3 are either lame or just plain wrong.

[TheKingintheNorth]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with a SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets year. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but their are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

Hm. All these reasons and still, there is nothing here that's more than personal preference.

Oh i'm sorry. What absolutely objective criteria has been rigorously established?

Regardless I said I was listing a bunch of reasons why I personally decided to switch after a few months of contemplation. Some of which hopefully haven't occurred to others considering purchasing a new laptop.

[geoduck]

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

Final Cut is best in class for prosumer use. You can start some good fistfights determining whether Final Cut or AVID is better for professional use. Luckily, AVID runs on Mac as well.

[trudat15]

Hey guys have a quick question regarding parallels that hopefully some of you know the answer to.

if i want to run parallels to use one note, do i have to separately buy:
parallels
windows 7
office (to get one note)

?

Seems like a lot to buy on top of an already more expensive machine

Sure, if you feel the need to run OneNote, but there are several native options for Macs.

Circus Ponies sucks. That's all I have to say.

Whats good? Besides Word...

[BackToTheOldHouse]

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

Final Cut is best in class for prosumer use. You can start some good fistfights determining whether Final Cut or AVID is better for professional use. Luckily, AVID runs on Mac as well.

Aperture has not won the fight against Lightroom, and it never will given the Lightroom/Photoshop connectedness.

[Bill Cosby]

haus and zeth; thanks for breaking down the SSD for this techno-moron. Since I don't plan on using my school laptop for anything other than notes, papers, projects and finals it seems like the increased speed and reliability of the SSD outweigh the loss of internal storage. I appreciate the help!

Absolutely. SSD or nothing at this point. Unless you seriously need the HD space (and, really, at that point just get an external), than there's no real excuse to bypass the security and speed of the SSD. It's worth the extra $150-200 or so for the upgrade, for sure. I was surprised a few people were actually trying to dissuade the use of one saying it wasn't needed. I think it's very much needed.

It's not "needed." You may prefer it, but it's by no means a crucial component. A LS laptop just needs a core 2 duo and a 5400 hd.

I've had my fair share of HDs failing, so it's definitely a need to anyone who's went through that crap. Nothing more annoying.

You do realize SSDs have big problems with failing early, right?

[Bill Cosby]

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

If you're downloading torrents, you don't being particularly safe to start with. It's like saying cars are dangerous because somehow got their hand chopped off waving it out the window.

[geoduck]

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

If you're downloading torrents, you don't being particularly safe to start with. It's like saying cars are dangerous because somehow got their hand chopped off waving it out the window.

It's still easier to avoid on any Unix system. If he's downloading software, then he's just asking for a buttload of virus, true. If he's downloading movies/tv shows that are not commercially available in country (the closest thing to a valid use I can think of), then he'll know there's a virus attached if it asks him to enter his admin password to allow changes.

[071816]

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

If you're downloading torrents, you don't being particularly safe to start with. It's like saying cars are dangerous because somehow got their hand chopped off waving it out the window.

-"It's like going to the bathroom in front of a lot of people and not caring." -George Costanza

-"No. It's not like that at all." -Jerry Seinfeld

[TheKingintheNorth]

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

Final Cut is best in class for prosumer use. You can start some good fistfights determining whether Final Cut or AVID is better for professional use. Luckily, AVID runs on Mac as well.

I always associated professional use with Adobe products and Sony Vegas. You sound like you know so I guess i'll defer.

I want to say one more thing: A Macbook Pro absolutely exceeds any possible requirements for law school use. A PC wins hands down if youre looking to spend the least amount of money and get by swimmingly. You should only think about getting one if you will do significantly more than take notes and use the internet. I'm talking about stuff like music/photo/video editing, games (yes, yes I know), DJing, graphic design, project to an external monitor with a higher resolution, or use a fairly sophisticated wireless network with an external hard drive attached to a router (the new Macbook Pros have insanely good wireless data transfer rates).

[TheKingintheNorth]

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

If you're downloading torrents, you don't being particularly safe to start with. It's like saying cars are dangerous because somehow got their hand chopped off waving it out the window.

I download HBO shows (not anymore thanks to HBO GO), leaked albulms and very occasionally games just to see if they run well on my computer (edit: and I buy them if they do) because recommend specs are usually wrong. I have questionable morals and ethics and belong nowhere near the legal profession, but here I am.

[ResolutePear]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with a SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets year. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but their are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

Hm. All these reasons and still, there is nothing here that's more than personal preference.

Oh i'm sorry. What absolutely objective criteria has been rigorously established?

Regardless I said I was listing a bunch of reasons why I personally decided to switch after a few months of contemplation. Some of which hopefully haven't occurred to others considering purchasing a new laptop.

I'd rather not break it down, but FCP is not an industry standard for professional use, word templates are word templates for mac and windows. Doesn't matter what OS you use them on. Oh, and iTunes for Linux? Seriously?

[geoduck]

I'd rather not break it down, but FCP is not an industry standard, word templates are word templates for mac and windows. Doesn't matter what OS you use them on. Oh, and iTunes for Linux? Seriously?

FCP is not an industry standard? Maybe not in the cooking industry. It's pretty damn pervasive in the film/tv industry though. Pretty much anything you watch was cut on either AVID or FCP, and the ratio has been getting more FCP heavy for years.

[TheKingintheNorth]

I just picked up a high-end 15" Macbook Pro with a SSD and Anti-Glare. I can't wait till it gets year. This is strange because I've been an avid PC user for my entire life (initially due to gaming I assume, but Macs weren't so great a decade ago I remember).


I know better than anyone it was overpriced by about 700-800 dollars even with the student discount, so i'll list the reasons why I got it anyway. Keep in mind this is not a typical Mac v. PC OS battle, but the actual laptops.

1. Bootcamp is relatively easy to use, especially when coupled with a SSD drive (90 extra dollars, but youll need an external if you don't have one). If you plan on using it, make sure to get a 64bit edition of Windows 7. Bootcamp pretty much negates any reason not to get a Mac other than the inflated price (which is still a very good reason, mind you).

2. The Microsoft Office suite for Mac is significantly better than it is for Windows. A lot of this is Mac OSX's general GUI, but their are certain student orientated outline and notetaking templates for Word that blew me away. I couldn't find them for PC.

3. iTunes, for better or worse, is a fairly ubiquitous media player. It runs faster, especially with its Quicktime coupling, on Mac OSX (or linux OSes in general). There's also a number of cool addons available only for Mac for iTunes. More importantly, Aperture and Final Cut are best in their class programs that are Mac-only.

4. SELF-SUPPORT! I don't give a shit about the genius bar and their geniuses, but I love googling my computer problems. This is the most important thing by far if you want to keep a laptop running in good shape 3 years. Laptop PCs ive purchased, where usually I just get the best possible raw power at the best price, rarely ran well after a year and a half. They use cheaper manufactures and blah blah. It is invaluable to have a huge community based around a laptop for hardware issues you run into.

5. As good as I am avoiding viruses, I always manage to sloppily catch one through a torrent or something. Recently I had all of my documents wiped (luckily right around graduation I keep a lot of stuff in my Gmail, but I did lose some cool stuff). That's not (at least not as big) a problem if you get a Macbook.

6. Style. The thing is fucking sexy, and every PC looks ugly as hell next to it. I know everyone has their own tastes, but come on.


Also, in undergrad about 80-90% of all laptops were Macs--so I wouldn't be worried about compatibility issues with any test taking software or, at the very worst, being alone with that problem.

Hm. All these reasons and still, there is nothing here that's more than personal preference.

Oh i'm sorry. What absolutely objective criteria has been rigorously established?

Regardless I said I was listing a bunch of reasons why I personally decided to switch after a few months of contemplation. Some of which hopefully haven't occurred to others considering purchasing a new laptop.

I'd rather not break it down, but FCP is not an industry standard, word templates are word templates for mac and windows. Doesn't matter what OS you use them on. Oh, and iTunes for Linux? Seriously?

Final Cut is used by all the pros and prosumers I know. Please don't call me out for using personal anecdotes .

The templates are different from what I saw. Go search for any decent notebook template for Word for Windows. The one i'm thinking of may be stock for the Word for Mac version, but it's still not available for Windows.

edit: Word for Mac 2011 to be specific

[geoduck]

Final Cut is used by all the pros and prosumers I know. Please don't call me out for using personal anecdotes .

Final Cut dominates for prosumers. In school, we only worked on Final Cut. Professionally, I've worked on Final Cut and Avid. My station is Avid-heavy with only one FCP machine because we haven't really changed much in our editing workflow since the late 90s. The commercial stations in town tend to be mixed FCP and Avid houses. Our child station in the desert uses FCP exclusive. Wee anecdotes.

[albanach]

You do realize SSDs have big problems with failing early, right?

Do you have any evidence for this statement?

Modern drives and recent firmware should make these drives last well beyond three years of school. Furthermore, when a mechanical drive fails, it usually fails badly. When a modern SSD fails, it switches to a read only mode, leaving your data accessible. You can then do a warranty replacement on the drive and be back up and running exactly where you left off.

[Dany]

Ugh I need a new computer soon. Haven't had my own laptop in ~6 months. Does anyone know when/if Apple's back-to-school promotion is happening this year? Google wasn't very helpful.

[geoduck]

You do realize SSDs have big problems with failing early, right?

Do you have any evidence for this statement?

Modern drives and recent firmware should make these drives last well beyond three years of school. Furthermore, when a mechanical drive fails, it usually fails badly. When a modern SSD fails, it switches to a read only mode, leaving your data accessible. You can then do a warranty replacement on the drive and be back up and running exactly where you left off.

Really? That's awesome. I didn't realize that SSDs died friendly. Makes me like them even more now.

[geoduck]

Ugh I need a new computer soon. Haven't had my own laptop in ~6 months. Does anyone know when/if Apple's back-to-school promotion is happening this year? Google wasn't very helpful.

It will happen. Not sure of when. I think it usually starts just a bit after WWDC, which starts on Monday.

[Gemini]

I'd like a 13" MBP. I'm just worrying right now about whether to buy the Microsoft Office Package or just get iWork. And also which note-taking programs are good for Mac. I wish OneNote for Macs was out already.

Anyway, I'm tagging this thread for future reference. Thanks!

[Dany]

Thanks geo!

[trudat15]

Ugh I need a new computer soon. Haven't had my own laptop in ~6 months. Does anyone know when/if Apple's back-to-school promotion is happening this year? Google wasn't very helpful.

It will happen. Not sure of when. I think it usually starts just a bit after WWDC, which starts on Monday.

+1. Mac ppl are speculating Monday - and also ppl seem to think that maybe instead of a free ipod touch, you can put that towards an ipad and pay the difference.

[geoduck]

Ugh I need a new computer soon. Haven't had my own laptop in ~6 months. Does anyone know when/if Apple's back-to-school promotion is happening this year? Google wasn't very helpful.

It will happen. Not sure of when. I think it usually starts just a bit after WWDC, which starts on Monday.

+1. Mac ppl are speculating Monday - and also ppl seem to think that maybe instead of a free ipod touch, you can put that towards an ipad and pay the difference.

You've always been able to buy up to a better iPod... I wouldn't be massively surprised if they let you buy up to an iPad.