A week ago I’d pretty much decided my next development machine would be a PC with a pair of Dell 24″ displays. I was mainly waiting for the special deals to pop up on Tech Bargains. I also thought it might be interesting to try doing my main development on a PC again, having been on the Mac as my primary platform for the last 2 years.
One thing the Bay Area has over Denver is Fry’s Electronics – there just isn’t as brick and mortar store like this in Denver. I stopped into Fry’s today, mainly to take a closer look at what it would be like with 2 x 24″ monitors vs. a single 30″ Apple display. Unfortunately (money-wise at least, as it’s a bit more expesive), there really isn’t a substitute for the 30″ display – it’s just beautiful. Now I’m back on the Apple bandwagon.
Generally, I think it makes sense to invest more in a display than in the computer itself. I’ve had my current display since 1998 and it’s still chugging along just fine – I just need a little more room for big ideas1.
UPDATE: Wouldn’t this be nice?
Well, personally I’d stick with a Mac. Then again, I also want a PowerBook more than just about anything right now.
OS X is like Linux with a kick ass GUI that makes it as easy (easier?) than Windows to use. If gaming isn’t a consideration, I’d certainly stick with a Mac if it’s at all possible. I believe you also mentioned missing BBEdit if you switched, which seems to make the decision final in my mind.
On a totally unrelated note, what size is your PowerBook?
Previously blogged here, here and here.
Alex,
I feel for you. I develop mostly on a windows machine with dual 19’s and I can’t say it isn’t any good. But, every day I end up on my G4 powerbook and I can’t think of anything else. After seeing the 30″ at the apple store I knew that was my next big buy.
Wow. I just switched to a Mac (12in Powerbook) from a Dell laptop and I won’t EVER go back. Not to Dell, at least. Have you read about their plummeting customer satisfaction rates? I had something to do with that. A small something, but I certainly pushed their average down like Blue did in the movie Old School, when they’re having the competition and get failed because Blue’s score was a zero since he was dead. Not that I’m dead, but rather that I give Dell a big fat ZERO.
WOW that’s a nice display… but as for developing machines, a good monitor is a must. you have to be able to read your code, and fit lots of it on the screen. I stick with my xp-machine for most developing, and have a debian laptop for fun.
of course, it’s always possible that with the Intel hardware switch, you could run something else on that hardware 😉
I can’t imagine ever needing a 30in display, if I need something that big I move to canvas. I split from mac 10 years ago and after many happy years I just got back into mac and could never imagine anything else. Gimmie a dell with 15 19in monitors and I will take an iMac every time.
Let Down
I was all ready to order my new development system, but the rumored dual-core PowerMacs were conspicuous in their absense at the “one more thing” event this week. Combine that with the Dell deal being back, and I’m wondering how long…