Mac mini opinions?

[Buffy]

Inspired by the thread 22968, I've got another problem in search of a solution where the mac mini might be the answer: my ancient G4 is on its last legs, and I need to replace it. I really don't use it for much other than platform testing for browsers for my company's software. At $600, it's the cheapest thing that fills the bill: heck I see people trying to sell late-model used mac books for more than that. It will be living behind a KVM switch as my G4 is now, so I don't give a hoot about monitors, mice, etc.

 

So, any opinions?

 

Creative things have to sell to get acknowledged as such, :Exclamati

Buffy

[freeztar]

If it is just used for testing your software in browsers, why would you want to spend the extra money to get a mac? :shrug:

 

Safari can run on PC.

[Buffy]

If it is just used for testing your software in browsers, why would you want to spend the extra money to get a mac? :shrug:

 

Safari can run on PC.

h,ha, huh-huh, ha ah, haahahahahahahaha! Hahahaha, kaff, koff, a-haha...okay, better now!

 

I got a bridge in Manhattan I can sell you Mr. Freeze! :evil:

 

It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something, :shrug:

Buffy

[alexander]

Ok, i know you couldn't possibly predict a comment like this (i know you are waiting for it, just know it), but get a linux box, setup wine and ies4linux, which will allow you to run ie 5, 5.5, 6, 7 on linux, setup virtual box and xp or win 7 for ie8, setup (you can download a VHD from microsoft that will work for 120 days), then delete the vm and reset it up from a copy of the vhd. Safari works in wine. And Chrome runs on Linux now too. And you can get FF 3.5 and 3.6 running side-by-side on linux... that should cover that... Are you looking for actual links to hardware for this, Buffy?

[Buffy]

Oh I wasn't surprised at Freezy, but you too alex?

 

Seriously, I've fixed half a dozen bugs in our software in the last few months that *only* show up on the Mac versions of FF and Safari....and FF has been *especially* buggy in 3.6.x...

 

"What's she talking about?" There's a little thing called a "rendering engine" and once you get down to talking to the OS, there's little similarity between platforms....It also amazes me that that interaction bubbles up to really strange javascript behavioral differences...but that topic could take up a whole separate thread....

 

As to what I'm actually looking for here: My snide remarks should indicate that the requirement is "something that will run Snow Leopard because I really do have to test the actual browsers built for and run on a Mac," so this is more a question of "is the mac mini any good or is it a worthless piece of trash" and "is it so different from the iMac MacBook that it's not representative of the Mac platform" (something I very much doubt), and "is there some good place to find cheap late model mac hardware?"

 

Imagine how boring life would be if we were all the same. My idea of a perfect world is one in which we appreciate each other's differences; one in which we are all equal but definitely not the same, :shrug:

Buffy

[alexander]

Oh, see thats why i love you buffy, i love the way you put forth your thoughts, wish you lived closer though :shrug:

 

Mac minis are not pieces of junk at all, i have yet to see one break and we have 5 at the office that we use daily. Mini is actually only representative of its size, they are nearly silent, they are small, and they are pretty damn powerful for the machines that they are and will suit you well for testing, and actually, on the mini you can test all browsers and platforms as well. Also safari acually uses the same back end as the Konqueror browser, but their rendering engine is different, you can run the windows safari on linux under wine, the rendering engine of windows and mac safari are the same, and firefox 3.6 has been super buggy, we've had issues with our monitoring software on 3.6, and some other minor issues with the version, yeah, lots of random bugs. As far as our currently under development stuff, jquery stuff seems to be ok with the new version, also i think you would freak at this framework we're developing, there's like no code to it and it does crazy things :shrug: ...

 

but yeah get the mini, its a great little machine, i think you'll love it, and also don't forget to get the apple care for it, apple care is excellent with the speed and it covers everything, unlike some other warranties i've had first hand with.

[Buffy]

Thanks, alex! That's what I needed!

...the rendering engine of windows and mac safari are the same....

Oh they're the same code base, but they sure don't render the same! Got some test cases with boxing of images that'll tear your hair out.... :shrug:

... and also don't forget to get the apple care for it, apple care is excellent with the speed and it covers everything...

Yah I have friends who swear by it, but I've seen it be a bit subject to the quality of your Apple Store... I've got a friend in one of the more "remote" areas of California who's a teacher (definitely non-tech), and she's had cases where they had to "ship it out" because they couldn't figure it out locally...and my mom won't go near an Apple Store, but then her Mac guy makes house calls...

 

A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanging, it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in colour and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used, :shrug:

Buffy

[alexander]

oh i believe you, buffy, code base is the same, but code itself isnot quite, you really have to test it on all the platforms... nontheless, vmware works well for that, juust make sure you have enough ram :shrug:

 

My personal apple care experience involved me telling them what to replace, but yes it would depend on the local store, but they fixed it nontheless though, didn't they :shrug:

[freeztar]

Oh I wasn't surprised at Freezy

 

I'll try harder next time. :shrug:

 

Seriously, I've fixed half a dozen bugs in our software in the last few months that *only* show up on the Mac versions of FF and Safari

 

:evil: No comment

 

"What's she talking about?" There's a little thing called a "rendering engine" and once you get down to talking to the OS, there's little similarity between platforms....It also amazes me that that interaction bubbles up to really strange javascript behavioral differences...but that topic could take up a whole separate thread....

That "other thread" sounds pretty interesting.

 

As to what I'm actually looking for here: My snide remarks should indicate that the requirement is "something that will run Snow Leopard because I really do have to test the actual browsers built for and run on a Mac,"

 

Well, when it isn't a choice...sigh...

 

so this is more a question of "is the mac mini any good or is it a worthless piece of trash" and "is it so different from the iMac MacBook that it's not representative of the Mac platform" (something I very much doubt), and "is there some good place to find cheap late model mac hardware?"

Really? You blow away misconceptions, only to introduce another?

Of course the Mac minis are good. And, of course you can find cheaper alternatives if all you want is a Mac. (Ebay, Craigslist, Yahoo, etc.)

 

What about the people running Leopard, or Tiger (or whatever animals live in the past)?

:shrug:

 

Imagine how boring life would be if we were all the same.

 

:(

 

My idea of a perfect world is one in which we appreciate each other's differences; one in which we are all equal but definitely not the same,

Buffy

 

Amen :)