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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:15 [#01223956]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular
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After being a staunch Mac user for years, I am now throwing in the towel.
I've had my PowerBook for around about two weeks. I purchased the AppleCare 3 year extended warranty program, which comes with a diagnostic cd which you can boot up from to run the tests called TechTool Deluxe.
As soon as I got the machine and the disc, I tried to boot up from this disc...just to run the tests and make sure that the machine was fine. I could not. Every time I tried to I got a Kernel Panic (as everyone UNIX privy knows is a bad thing - kinda like a Blue Screen Of Death on Windows, but worse). I called AppleCare and they said that I should try and run the Apple proprietary Hardware Test - if I could run that, then there may be just a problem with the TechTool cd. I ran the Apple Hardware Test and that was fine, no problems. So I thought I'd just gotten a shitty TechTool disc.
Then, I tried burning DVD-R discs in my machine. This machine has a 4x SuperDrive in it, so it's supposed to be able to burn DVD-R discs at 4x. I've tried 3 different brands, and I can only burn at 1x and 2x. I called AppleCare, they said to try creating a new user account and seeing if the problem persists. It did. They then said to reinstall OS X over the top of the current installation, which *quote/unquote* "would not harm any of my files, and my system will stay intact". I did it. The problem persisted with new problems. It messed up quite a bit of my system actually, and I had to reinstall some applications.
Now, there is another problem. For no apparent reason every time the display is moved, there is a clicking noise from the back of the display. If you place your hand on the rear of the display as you move it, you can feel something clicking.
All this from a machine that is around about 2 weeks old??
And another thing:
Remember I had an iBook before my PowerBook, which I have given to my girlfriend? It's less than a year old, and it has bad sectors on the hard disk. It's a good thing it's only j
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:17 [#01223960]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular
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...just inside warranty.
I am therefore advising you all not to buy Apple products for the reason that they seem to have gone WAY downhill with quality control.
I feel like a fool for having praised their products so highly, and now to be let down so badly.
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Raz0rBlade_uk
on 2004-06-05 11:20 [#01223965]
Points: 12540 Status: Addict | Show recordbag
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I got a mac once and I broke it within 5 minutes of using it! They're really shit compared to PCs. DOWN WITH MAC!!!!
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:22 [#01223967]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to Raz0rBlade_uk: #01223965
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looks like i'm gonna have to try and get hold of an Atari or something.
I'm gonna have Apple up by the pubic hairs if they don't sort this out. I want my PowerBook fixed, the display on it sorted out...everything. And i want my girlfriend's iBook to have a replacement hard drive pronto. I've told her to take it to the Apple Store in Birmingham as soon as she can. If they won't honor the warranty I'm gonna have someone fucking fired
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:24 [#01223972]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular
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Fuckers... mac is nice. Although I have a pc at the moment, we use mac at school... it works ok.
really, I don't think ALL MACs are FUCKED. so therefor I cannot say "Fuck mac"... It's like saying "fuck white people" cause some white people are stupid.
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:24 [#01223974]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular
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although I can understand you create this topic if you're frustrated...
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 11:25 [#01223976]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular
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Hahaha, I didn't read anything in this thread except the title. Funny.
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Tran
on 2004-06-05 11:28 [#01223984]
Points: 16 Status: Lurker
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it sounds to me like youve just had some real bad luck. i only buy apple hardware and have never had any problems. i reakon your powerbook is just generaly fucked. you should ask for a complete exchange. because none of that is meant to happen at all.....weird.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:29 [#01223986]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to Key_Secret: #01223972
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maybe you have a point there Key, but the point is I have paid a lot of money for both the Mac system's I've bought.
The PowerBook is the top of the line notebook system from Apple. I expect better. Anyone else would too.
The older Mac systems have been fine - my girlfriend has a seven year old PowerBook 3400cs which still works, runs fine and has no trouble with it. The only problem with it is that the battery doesn't work properly, but that's because it's an old battery and we need to get her a new one. So far, let's chronicle the problems I've had:
iBook Lettering on keyboard wearing away after 8 months Bad Sectors on Hard Disk
PowerBook Kernel Panics (lots of them, more than 20) Unable to burn DVD's at 4x Clicking of display whenever moved
There is no way that I have knocked or banged the machine. I take care of it like my life depended on it. It's either on my lap, on my desk, or in the Brenthaven backpack I bought for it. It's never been dropped, hit, smacked or banged...yet the display is clicking :(
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 11:31 [#01223989]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular
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It sounds like the powerbook is from a bad batch, and the two problems you mention the iBook suffers from aren't that bad. There are loads of ways of fixing bad sectors (on PCs anyway) and the letters wearing off the keyboard is hardly a disaster. Still, you should get a PC, and do a little cartwheel as well.
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:31 [#01223991]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01223986
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yeah I understand your frustration. Paying for technique that doesn't work SUCKs.
I was commenting something else... I wasn't saying "you're wrong " or anything.
I hope everything clears up; I mean if you have warranty and everything.
And just to say something shitty about PC: I bought a new harddrive last autumn and it got fucked after three mounths! Though I have a 3-year warranty so I should get it replaced (I just need to find somewhere to dump all shit ;)...
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:32 [#01223993]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to Tran: #01223984
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i know that none of it is meant to happen.
I checked the Apple support forums, and it seems that I'm not the only one with problems.
The kernel panics seem to be a problem with the logic board, from what people have been saying. The SuperDrive problem hasn't been pinpointed yet, but no-one else seems to have the same problem as me regarding the clicking display.
Even still, the best thing that will happen is they'll replace the logic board in my machine, and possibly fix the clicking display. But I've read about people who have taken their machine in for repair, only to get it back with a noisier CPU fan. Also, when I took the iBook back for replacement keyboard I got it back with scratches.
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Raz0rBlade_uk
on 2004-06-05 11:32 [#01223996]
Points: 12540 Status: Addict | Show recordbag
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hold up.. maybe we're looking a little too deep into this, mac are shit
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:33 [#01223997]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular
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btw the macs my father has (he has 9 of 'em or something, though none of them are newere than 2000) works fine - eventhough they are really old. Even the powerbooks. Just he battery that doesn't work anymore.
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Doomed Puppy
from on and off and on and off and on 2004-06-05 11:33 [#01223998]
Points: 1818 Status: Addict
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McShit. Yes
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:36 [#01224002]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular
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horsefactory
I don't mean to sound condescending, but you can't fix bad sectors on hard drives. All you can do is mark them as bad, so that the OS won't use them. Therefore you lose hard drive space. Once you have bad sectors, that's it. You've got bad sectors. I have even known bad sectors to spread too....I had two hard drives for my PC that did exactly that. And the keyboard thing IS a big deal, because I have NEVER ever come across a keyboard that has wearing of the lettering.
I won't get a PC because there's still lots of problems that I can't live with on that system. As said, it looks like I'm gonna have to get an Atari.
Key Secret
i know you wasn't trying to say i was wrong or anything :) From what i've seen you're a very observant poster, and you always try to offer kind words of help or condolence. I appreciate your words, thank you. I hope that your hard drive problem is remedied quickly
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:38 [#01224006]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular
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my post on the Apple forums
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 11:41 [#01224009]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224002
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You think getting an Atari will be more beneficial than a PC? You should just get over yourself and realise that they aren't nearly as bad as you make them out to be. And you can do a low level format to fix bad sectors, there is also a nice little program called HDD Regenerator which can fix them, I think the way it actually works is by sending a certain electrical current into the drive that does something to the head, in my experience it has actually fixed physical damage on a drive before.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:44 [#01224014]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to horsefactory: #01224009
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I'm not trying to sound like an arsehole or anything, but PC's do have their problems, and in my eyes I'd rather have an Atari than a PC. PC's are too prone to viruses and hackers and BSODs.
Are you sure that it totally got rid of the bad sectors? You didn't even lose a single cluster?
Its a shame that the company who makes that program don't do a version for PowerPC architecture machines :(
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Anus_Presley
on 2004-06-05 11:45 [#01224016]
Points: 23472 Status: Lurker
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ohh, shitty do.
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:48 [#01224022]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224002
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thank you :) yes the HD-problem will be fixed when I find a place to dump my stuff... thanks again :) peace tonight
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 11:49 [#01224025]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular
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Yes.. it fixed the errors completely, and the drive was beyond fucked before I used it. Aftewards, I managed to copy all of the data (about 70gb of mp3s) onto a new drive, I did a low-level format on the original one and now use it as my system drive without a worry.
PCs certainly aren't without problems, but as you have realised neither are macs. And when you're talking about Ataris, the lack of support and general outdatedness of those machines greatly outweighs the fact that PCs are prone to virii and hacking, which can be stopped easily anyway. I haven't had a single BSOD in XP since I started using it a year or so ago.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:50 [#01224026]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to Key_Secret: #01224022
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it isn't by any chance a Western Digital hard drive is it?
My dad had major problems with their drives, and had to return 5 hard drives back to Staples before he finally gave up on that brand.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:55 [#01224037]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to horsefactory: #01224025
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that's good about your fixed drive :) Wish my problems could be fixed that easily!
I do find it hard to believe that you have not had a BSOD on your machine ever, but if that's what you say, that's what you say. My experiences with Windows are somewhat different.
I have so far used the following Microsoft operating systems:
MS-DOS 6.2 MS-DOS 6.22 with Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (because technically Windows 3.11 isn't an OS)
Windows 95 Windows 95 with USB support Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4 Windows 98 Windows CE v.2 Windows 98 SE Windows Me Windows 2000 Professional Windows XP Professional Windows XP Home
Of all the above systems I have had Blue Screens of Death, General Protection Faults, corrupt installations.
But yes, quite rightly, i have discovered that the new line of Macintosh computers have their problems. I am VERY disappointed in Apple
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KainiIndustries
from over the roof floats billy on 2004-06-05 11:56 [#01224040]
Points: 1253 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224026
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I can also vouch for the shittiness of Western Digital HDs. I've had a couple die on me.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:56 [#01224045]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224037
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correction: i have not had BSODs or GPFs with MS-DOS 6.2
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 11:57 [#01224046]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to KainiIndustries: #01224040
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yeah, my dad went apeshit by the time he'd gotten through his 4th drive.
what the hell is that in your av? is it a cat or something?
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 11:58 [#01224051]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224026
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no Samsung... I ordered it back in autumn cause my motherboard only supported 80 GIG HDs and... it was a silent drive (and it really was - that was a good thing).
however it fucked up after three mounths. generally I think that new technique is poorer manufactured than e.g. in the 80s...
Anyway I am not sure what to think about samsung. their DVD-rom fuckup was like mayor (it was a regular hardware-fault)... anyway the HD I have three years of warranty which feels good :)
I never buy technique without warranty - because if I did and things would fuck up - I'd be feeling EXTREMELY irritated.
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KainiIndustries
from over the roof floats billy on 2004-06-05 11:58 [#01224052]
Points: 1253 Status: Regular
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It's a bear knocking over a trashcan.
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 12:00 [#01224058]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular | Followup to oscillik: #01224037
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I used to get bluescreens when I used 98... but seriously in XP it's been smooth. I dunno why I am wasting my time trying to convince you to get a PC over an Atari when the concept is laughable anyway and you have constructed such a poorly founded bias against PCs in your mind. Get an Atari if you want.
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Key_Secret
from Sverige (Sweden) on 2004-06-05 12:01 [#01224059]
Points: 9325 Status: Regular | Followup to horsefactory: #01224058
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I hate XP! I use win2k... cause win2k is less evil than xp. I also only have 1 ghz (although I will upgrade soon).
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:04 [#01224065]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to Key_Secret: #01224051
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ah right. I've not had much experience with Samsung, so I can't really say much about them, although I would have thought they'd be a good brand to invest your cash in. The only hard drives I can say are good are Quantam ones. I've had many Quantam drives, and they've lasted years and years.
I definitely agree with you about technology today. The workmanship and quality seems to have gone right through the floor. My friend still has an original IBM XT, the first PC. It still works. All the internals are original (as in, have never been upgraded or fiddled with). Yet my brand spanking new PowerBook is falling on its face :(
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horsefactory
from 💠 (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 12:05 [#01224068]
Points: 14867 Status: Regular | Followup to Key_Secret: #01224059
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Yeah I used to be like that, but once you take away all the "hey wow this is our first family computer" shit in XP and get it looking like 2000 it's no different interactively anyway.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:05 [#01224070]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to horsefactory: #01224058
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i do agree with you that XP (or 2k) are more stable than earlier versions, but I have still come across crashes and such on those systems.
anyways, this isn't a PC bashing thread.
it's a Mac bashing thread
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pantalaimon
from Winterfell (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 12:20 [#01224076]
Points: 7090 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag
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i've been using macs for years and never had a problem, i've used an G4Tower, Powerbook, ibook and now an Imac. Its very, very rare for a mac using OSX to crash and its the nicest operating system to use. I guess you just had a little bad luck but I think its a little immature to come on here and tell people not to buy them. There are lots of artists in various fields that hold mac's with the highest regard.
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Dannn_
from United Kingdom on 2004-06-05 12:25 [#01224084]
Points: 7877 Status: Lurker
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I'm still a staunch Mac user, but computers have flaws, it just happens. They are complex and shit goes wrong. When it comes down to it I couldn't live with Windows and I'm not clever enough for Linux.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:27 [#01224087]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to pantalaimon: #01224076
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Pantalaimon, I know that we don't know each other like mates or anything, but would I be wrong in saying that I have portrayed myself to all on this board as a Mac aficionado?
I have always been pro-Macintosh. I have praised their stuff for years, I have told pretty much everyone I know that Apple is the way to go. I have owned about 4 Macintosh systems (all of them portable systems) and until now had no problems.
I don't think I'm being immature coming on this board and telling everyone that I have been a fool, and that I was wrong about Apple. Do you know how much my current PowerBook cost me? Over £2000. Now, would I be unreasonable to expect perfection for that price? I mean, for crying out loud the PowerBook line is Apple's top-of-the-line laptop. The PowerBook name has always been synonymous with quality. In my experience, that is not the case and I am not alone. There are many threads on the Apple support forums regarding the newer PowerBooks and the problems they've had.
I agree with you that Mac OS X is very difficult to crash - ie it's not something that the user can do. If it crashes there's usually two explanations:
1) a third party application has been very shoddily coded and caused a kernel panic
2) a hardware fault is causing the panic
in my case it is obvious that it's hardware failure, as the TechTool Deluxe cd aforementioned works perfectly on my girlfriends (previously my) iBook
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pantalaimon
from Winterfell (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 12:36 [#01224100]
Points: 7090 Status: Lurker | Followup to oscillik: #01224087 | Show recordbag
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i only meant it was immature telling people not to buy there products because you had a bad experience. I'm pretty sure pc laptops aren't immune to problems either. I'm sure you'll get it sorted entually.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:38 [#01224106]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to pantalaimon: #01224100
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thanks, i hope so too. I really can't convey how utterly disappointed and angry I am about this
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pascbix
on 2004-06-05 12:38 [#01224108]
Points: 14 Status: Regular
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Damn, I have yet to have many problems with my Powerbook. It's shitty yours didn't function, they be expensive.
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uzim
on 2004-06-05 12:39 [#01224111]
Points: 17716 Status: Lurker
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my mac has a weird little bug, the sound is decreasing. i used to put the volume on 5, then after a few months i had to put it on 6 (actually, it was still ok on 5 when i started up the computer with the volume on 5, but when i would mute it or set the sound to another volume, then back to the 5, this "second" 5 wouldn't be as loud as the 5 when i started up the computer o_O).... then i had to put it on 7.... then i reformated (it was in november), and this bug was gone (i could set it to 5 again) but now it reappeared again. now i have to set it to 8. it's really weird and a bit uncomfortable, makes me feel like my computer wants me to believe that i'm going deaf.
someone gave me mac os X 10.3 on cd-rs, but it needs reformating to be installed and i can't be arsed to reformat and reinstall everything just because of that, i hate it. (my hd is partitioned but the os9 partition is smaller than the osX one and all my osX files wouldn't fit on it, not even all the mp3s)
oh, also, it's microsoft not apple but internet explorer 5.1 for mac os X sucks, it has problems with reading .pngs (can read them when they're on a page, but not alone in a window) and .bmps (can't read them at all and then a .bmp is on a page, the animated .gifs turn static) - i also have to force-quit it quite often, when it seems to take forever to load a page with the coloured turning wheel.
i have difficulty trusting people who say they never have problems with macs. or maybe they don't consider these kind of problems as problems. or maybe they're lucky, or i'm unlucky.
now i'm not sure i want to turn to pc, i would probably have the same kind of shit (and i don't like windows, but that's personal taste or/and a matter of habit... well, the interface of the latest windows, xp or me or 2000 or whatever you call it, is just fucking ugly). and i can't afford a computer anyway, nor want to buy one - to anyone answering "buy a real computer!", fuck you : P
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:46 [#01224121]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to uzim: #01224111
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your problem with the sound could be to do with plugging something into the audio output. do you use anything in the audio out? I noticed on my iBook (before i gave it to my girlfriend) that if you plugged something in the audio out, it changes the system volume. it's as if it has a profile for the built in speakers and a profile for things plugged into the audio out.
I always have my volume at full, i very rarely turn it down.
as for Internet Explorer on Mac, it is a well known problem that IE for Mac cannot handle PNG files properly. I think Microsoft did a very bad job with IE for Mac, hence I never ever use it.
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pantalaimon
from Winterfell (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 12:54 [#01224138]
Points: 7090 Status: Lurker | Followup to oscillik: #01224121 | Show recordbag
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no-one uses IE for mac, its usually safari or mozilla
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 12:56 [#01224147]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to pantalaimon: #01224138
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well, uzim does ;p
yeah i know, I usually use Safari. I also have Opera, Camino and FireFox installed, but i hardly use those.
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avart
from nomo' on 2004-06-05 13:01 [#01224157]
Points: 1764 Status: Lurker
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"bad sectors" on a harddrive can be repaired, I think. I´m on 9.2.2 and I run Norton SystemWorks on my PowerBook to do a bit of repairng 3 or 4 times a year. that´s all. (though this is not recommended for mac os x, cause norton seems to fuck things up on x - I only use 9.2.2)
oscillik, I understand your current emotions, but I don´t think leaving the mac will solve it really. get real and understand that even macs don´t work like they should always...
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happy cycling
from berlin on 2004-06-05 13:04 [#01224162]
Points: 2786 Status: Regular
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i dunno, i'll admit i've never used one for a long period of time, mostly just fixing stuff for other people that come in to the helpdesk at my uni where i work and using them at school, and i kinda like 'em. besides, windows is just so ugly. it's positively vile. it may sound trivial and inconsequential, but when you spend several hrs a day on the computer an aesthetic environment makes a difference. even with litestep/etc and a macos skin installed windows stil performs window-drawing functions clumsily.. i have a 2.4ghz/512mb comp and i still ocassionally have to watch a maximized window redraw in slow motion because the cpu is busy doing something else.
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oscillik
from the fires of orc on 2004-06-05 13:06 [#01224167]
Points: 7746 Status: Regular | Followup to avart: #01224157
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i'm not going to stop using my PowerBook. I've paid nearly £3000 for a PowerBook & AirPort setup - I'm not spending that kind of money just to have it sit in the corner doing nothing. I'm just never going to recommend Apple to anyone ever again.
As I said before, when I buy Apple's latest top of the line notebook, I expect it to be perfect. Since that is what they're selling, according to all their sales spiel - the perfect notebook computer
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giginger
from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2004-06-05 13:07 [#01224172]
Points: 26325 Status: Regular | Show recordbag
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this thread = great
1) Macs are not better than PC's and vice versa. They're perfectly good computers.
2) Atari licks balls. I can't say more
3) Bad Sectors are VERY fixable
4) The BSOD doesn't exist in XP.
5) FAGGOTRY IS RIFE!!!!
6) Hahahaha!
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avart
from nomo' on 2004-06-05 13:19 [#01224195]
Points: 1764 Status: Lurker
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"Since that is what they're selling, according to all their sales spiel - the
perfect notebook computer"
omg, corporate bs will always be corporate bs. pr tells you what t h e y think, reasonable intelligent people understands that nothing is that easy, always...
what are you going to recommend instead? Hp, dell or maybe atari? :D
(acting like this will make your life very bitter, I´m afraid... "this company said it was the best, but it wasn´t....sob. I will never trust anyone ever again!!!")
giginger: you´re right! :D
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DJ Xammax
from not America on 2004-06-05 13:21 [#01224201]
Points: 11512 Status: Lurker
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Remember: Paedophiles aren't always sinister looking men in dirty macs. They're normal people like me and you.
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