Examsoft question Forum

[birD]

I am considering getting a Macbook Air for law school next year but I am confused as to if Examsoft will work on it without having to run parallels. From my understanding running parallels on a MBA is a bad idea, right?

[OGR3]

All exam software that I know of is compatible with Macs. Check with your school before purchasing a computer, they'll know what works best.

[Übermensch]

Why would you purchase a MacBook Air over a MacBook or MacBook Pro?

[haus]

Why would you purchase a MacBook Air over a MacBook or MacBook Pro?

Nice price for a SSD system, and the form factor is very nice.

I would wait at least a week or two if you can as the MacBook Pro line is likely to be updated with a new class of processors and possibly other goodies that might be enough to turn your head (or provide close out prices on the current models).

Happy hunting!

[angiej]

I'm also thinking about a Macbook Air. As to the question of why an Air over a Pro . . . books weigh a ton and the Air weighs less than the Pro. Every bit helps.

[haus]

I'm also thinking about a Macbook Air. As to the question of why an Air over a Pro . . . books weigh a ton and the Air weighs less than the Pro. Every bit helps.

This week we will likely see Pros released with more SSD options, lighter weight and maybe a larger touchpad (like those on the Air).

[angiej]

I'm also thinking about a Macbook Air. As to the question of why an Air over a Pro . . . books weigh a ton and the Air weighs less than the Pro. Every bit helps.

This week we will likely see Pros released with more SSD options, lighter weight and maybe a larger touchpad (like those on the Air).

When do the new models typically come out? I'm not absolutely needing to make a purchase until julyish. Should I hold out?

[legal_eagle]

this should help

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

[haus]

Releases for mac models vary, but many retailers are reporting short supplies of the MacBook Pro models, this in conjunction with the relative age of the existing models (and numerous reports of new product releases set for the next two weeks, with most pointing at this Thursday, Steve Jobs birthday). It would seem to be a good choice to hold off for a few days to see how the landscape changes, unless you are in absolute urgent need of a new Mac today.

[angiej]

this should help

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

Excellent! Thanks! So according to the macrumors site, the Pro should be lighter . . . I wonder by how much.

[OGR3]

this should help

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

Excellent! Thanks! So according to the macrumors site, the Pro should be lighter . . . I wonder by how much.

They're injecting each one with enough helium to make them float!

[angiej]

this should help

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

Excellent! Thanks! So according to the macrumors site, the Pro should be lighter . . . I wonder by how much.

They're injecting each one with enough helium to make them float!

Excellent news! Those heavy books I will have to lug around can double as paper-weights. Or laptop weights.

[hulahoop]

now that the new pros are out (and not as impressive as I'd hoped), anyone have more thoughts on this?

Really leaning toward an air right now.... anyone think it wouldn't get me through 3 years?

[haus]

I think that the Air stands a good chance of being a serviceable system for the duration of law school. I like the use of SSD vice the traditional hard drive for a system that is going to be drug around from place to place frequently. The downside to this is that you give up capacity at the same cost, but for the type of work being down at law school this is not likely to be a large problem.

My portable system is a 2005 PowerBook G4 12". It has been with me the entire time that I have been pursing my Masters in IT (on a very slow PT basis). I think that the form factor is great, it is small enough that I hardly need to think about packing it with me weather I am just heading off to study or traveling up to campus for a class (I live in VA, my school is in MA). The aluminum case has taken a beating of the years, but it still feels better to be then the 5 month old corporate laptop (Dell) that I have from work, the power supply for my OLD Mac is much better thought out then the unruly brick that my work machine has.

Depending on your personal preference you might desire more screen real estate when you are at home, but this can be accomplished by use of an external monitor. The newer Macs (both Air and Pro) have significantly upgraded the cases since mine was made as such I think that the odds of surviving the day in day out wear and tear may have even improved from the odds I was facing.

I think that the 'thunderbolt' port on the new Pros has the possibility of being very interesting, but I suspect that it will be a year or so before the market for devices that can take full advantage of this option hit the market and get their kinks sorted out. Not much interest now, but it might be interesting as you are in your final year of LS.

[angiej]

I'm surprised that the new pro actually has a lower expected battery life (7 hours) as opposed to 10. Anyway, I just scored myself a refurbished Pro 13" for $929. I hope I don't regret not going for the air, but I couldn't resist. The older models are going cheap today!

[haus]

Right on the tail of new product announcements is often a good time to pick up a previous model at a better price.

Enjoy your new Pro.

[angiej]

Right on the tail of new product announcements is often a good time to pick up a previous model at a better price.

Enjoy your new Pro.

Thanks! I've never had a Mac so I'm thrilled!

[haus]

Thanks! I've never had a Mac so I'm thrilled!

The adjustment takes a little getting used to, but I am sure that you will manage. I remember being surprised how clean the process of installing applications was in OS X compared to the equivalent process in Windows or Linux, at first I thought I was missing something, but it really was as simple as dragging the application package and dropping it into the application folder (some 'installers' will open a window which has a link to the application folder, so you simply drag the application to the link within the same window. Although there are some holdouts (Adobe I am looking at you), that force a more drawn out install process, they seem to be the exception, not the rule.

Happy Hunting,

[angiej]

Thanks for the heads up, Haus. That all sounds so foreign now but I will sure have fun figuring it out!

[Capitol A]

I have a question that I think is relevant to this thread...The school I will be attending says that they version of examsoft that they use can only be used on Windows7 or Vista, which means that if a student has a Mac that they will need to run Windows 7 using Boot Camp. I had been planning on getting a MacBook, but as a complete computer illiterate this sounds to me like a good reason to stick with my 1yr old Sony laptop. Anyone have an opinion? I would like to have the Mac, and I can get a small discount through my wife's employer, but I don't want to spend the money and then be frustrated with my inability to use the thing properly.
Thanks.

[PomasThynchon]

I have a question that I think is relevant to this thread...The school I will be attending says that they version of examsoft that they use can only be used on Windows7 or Vista, which means that if a student has a Mac that they will need to run Windows 7 using Boot Camp. I had been planning on getting a MacBook, but as a complete computer illiterate this sounds to me like a good reason to stick with my 1yr old Sony laptop. Anyone have an opinion? I would like to have the Mac, and I can get a small discount through my wife's employer, but I don't want to spend the money and then be frustrated with my inability to use the thing properly.
Thanks.

A Monkey can run windows with boot camp. Don't worry about it--if you really want a Mac don't let that stop you.

[Capitol A]

I have a question that I think is relevant to this thread...The school I will be attending says that they version of examsoft that they use can only be used on Windows7 or Vista, which means that if a student has a Mac that they will need to run Windows 7 using Boot Camp. I had been planning on getting a MacBook, but as a complete computer illiterate this sounds to me like a good reason to stick with my 1yr old Sony laptop. Anyone have an opinion? I would like to have the Mac, and I can get a small discount through my wife's employer, but I don't want to spend the money and then be frustrated with my inability to use the thing properly.
Thanks.

A Monkey can run windows with boot camp. Don't worry about it--if you really want a Mac don't let that stop you.

Like, one of the monkeys who goes to space and learns sign language? or like a normal monkey you would find in jungle?
Seriously though, that's cool, thanks.

[PomasThynchon]

I have a question that I think is relevant to this thread...The school I will be attending says that they version of examsoft that they use can only be used on Windows7 or Vista, which means that if a student has a Mac that they will need to run Windows 7 using Boot Camp. I had been planning on getting a MacBook, but as a complete computer illiterate this sounds to me like a good reason to stick with my 1yr old Sony laptop. Anyone have an opinion? I would like to have the Mac, and I can get a small discount through my wife's employer, but I don't want to spend the money and then be frustrated with my inability to use the thing properly.
Thanks.

A Monkey can run windows with boot camp. Don't worry about it--if you really want a Mac don't let that stop you.

Like, one of the monkeys who goes to space and learns sign language? or like a normal monkey you would find in jungle?
Seriously though, that's cool, thanks.

http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

It's not hard--I figure everyone has at least one tech savvy friend if that's not enough.

[angiej]

I'm not very computer/tech savvy either but plan to conquer the bootcamp with windows in a few days when I receive my first ever Mac. I would be happy to report my experience then.

[Capitol A]

I'm not very computer/tech savvy either but plan to conquer the bootcamp with windows in a few days when I receive my first ever Mac. I would be happy to report my experience then.

Please do. I would really like to get a Mac, but this intimidates me. I don't want to make myself sound like an idiot, but seriously, I can use the internet, type a paper and that's about it. I'm a little older, and it was not until I got to college that it became a given that everyone had computers and knew how to use them. Even then, it really wasn't necessary to be completely tech savvy to accomplish what I needed to.