I officially kicked Microsoft out of my home office this week, using Windows XP for the last time to copy over our previous tax files. Now I have no need for XP and have fired up the MacMini running OS X 10.4 as my main machine. I do still have Winodws on a computer here but its my company laptop and I don’t have much choice there. My home laptop is running Ubuntu Edgy Eft at the moment and will soon be ugpraded to Feisty Fawn.
I am liking what I’ve seen so far of OS X. I spent some time today setting up automounts in NetInfo Manager. I was happy to see NetInfo Manager is an LDAP front-end, which as you know appeals to the LDAP geek in me. Now the Mac is smart enough to mount remote partitions only when I need them, without me doing anything but accessing their directories. Easy.
The second part of the equation was the sweet 22″ widescreen flat-panel LCD I picked up from Staples last week. It is capable of 1600×1050 resolution and looks absolutely beautiful at that size. It provides analog and DVI with HDCP inputs so I can use it with all my machines, old and new. My old CRT monitor wasn’t up for the larger resolutions and hurt my eyes with the ones it could show.
I’m greatly looking forward to learning more of the ins and outs of OS X: one that combines the ease of use of the Mac with the power of UNIX. Yeah, boy.
How much was that monitor? I’ve been looking for one myself.
And you’ll like OS X – the power of Unix, without spending a week figuring out how to watch a DVD.
The monitor was $249, which seemed like a pretty good deal (and still does). I don’t know if its still around for that price but you might get lucky.
I’ve used OS X before but on a more casual basis. This is the first time it has completely taken the place of Winders.
HP Smart Buy Displays mail-in rebate
Receive a rebate of $40 with the purchase of one (1) of the below listed HP business Smart Buy Flat Panel monitors. Limit of $200 total rebate per end customer (5 units). Good on purchases made thru April 30th.
Eligible Smart Buy flat panel monitors include only the following part numbers:
PX848A8#ABA — HP L1506 15” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog
RB146AT#ABA — HP L5006tm 15” Touchscreen Flat Panel Monitor
PX849A8#ABA — HP L1706 17” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog
PL766A8#ABA — HP L1740 17” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
PX850A8#ABA — HP L1906 19” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog
EM869A8#ABA — HP L1940T 19” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
RA373A8#ABA — HP LP1965 19” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
RD125A8#ABA — HP L2045w 20” Wide TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
EF227A8#ABA — HP LP2065 20” TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
EF224A8#ABA — HP LP2465 24” Wide TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
EZ320A8#ABA — HP LP3065 30” Wide TFT Flat Panel Monitor – Analog/Digital
Here’s the URL for the rebate: http://h71016.www7.hp.com/html/pdfs/1310-1DT.pdf
FYI – Provantage ( http://www.provantage.com/ ) has good prices on HP monitors. I bought a couple L1740’s from them back in September; the price was right, and the shipping charge was reasonable. I love the monitors – they’re crisp and bright.