Closing the book on Apple's Mac mini

[LuKreme]

On 26-May-2007, at 04:23, Charles Dyer wrote:
> On 26 May 2007, at 00:57:33, LuKreme wrote:
>> On 25-May-2007, at 18:38, Charles Dyer wrote:
>>> On 25 May 2007, at 19:24:47, Roland Torres wrote:
>>>> On May 25, 2007, at 4:15 PM, Matt Johnston wrote:
>>>>> On 26 May 2007, at 00:09, LuKreme wrote:
>>>>>> Improved form factor?  I think the mini's form factor is just  
>>>>>> about perfect.  It couldn't be smaller without eliminating the  
>>>>>> optical drive, and I don't think that's a good idea.
>>>>> The Mac is dependent on it's optical drive. Utterly dependent.
>>>> Why not reduce the form factor with an (optional) external  
>>>> optical drive?
>>>
>>> If the optical drive is optional, you install new software how  
>>> exactly?
>>
>> Firewire or USB2 external drive.  Or, over the network.  Or from  
>> your other Macs.
>
> The vast majority of people who buy low end machines, such as a Mac  
> mini, only have one machine, so they don't _have_ a network or  
> other Macs.

I would agree with 'majority' but I would have to see proof of 'vast  
majority'

> And installing from a USB or or FireWire external drive begs the  
> question of how the software got on that drive in the first place,  
> _and_ the question of why a newbie or a person on a limited budget  
> would buy another device in the first place.

The mini makes a great second machine, and most the Mac users I know  
personally have one for just that purpose (throw an extra keyboard/ 
mouse on it and it's a great Family Room computer for the kids, for  
example).

> Not having an optical drive is simply a non-starter at this time.  
> Perhaps in the future software will be retailed on USB flash drives  
> rather than CD or DVD; if so, _then_ optical drives might become  
> optional... so long as the users of the machines with the drives  
> restrict themselves to software which comes on USB flash drive, and  
> never want to play a movie or to burn a CD or DVD as a backup.

A large percentage of non-professional software comes from the  
Internet.  I know, other than OS installs, I can';t remember the last  
time I used my CD drive to install software.  Oh wait, yes I can,  
Last fall to install the Encyclopedia Britannica.  Of course, I  
installed that on the old iMac and then it, like all applications,  
got synched to my machine, so technically I didn't use the CD on my  
Mac Pro to install it.  Same with World of Warcraft...

<scans his /Applications /Applications/3rd/ and ~/Applications>

Yep.  Nothing there that didn't come from the Internet or the  
original install of the OS or my previous Mac's application folder.   
Typical?  Maybe not, but I can't imagine most people who are using a  
mini as a second machine--and I think that's a large number--are  
pulling out original discs to install their software.  Unless they  
are running CS2 or something on it, or QuackXpress, or some other  
application with a badly behaved installer.

My CD of BBEdit is still in its shrinkwrap after three years.

>> OK, Fine, installing Adobe software would be nigh impossible, but  
>> for the vast majority of mini users, they aren't using CS3 and  
>> it's not Apple's fault that Adobe's installer is so craptacular.
>
> It's much worse than that. Adobe's software won't install... and  
> neither will Microsoft's.

Bull.  Last time I 'installed' Office on someone mac I did it from  
the terminal:

rsync -Eaz /Applications/Microsoft\ Office\ 2004  
user at destinationmachine.local:.

Then I moved it from their $HOME to /Applications and launched it.   
Viola, Office installed.

> Or most games

There are games other than WoW?  I haven't seen any in 2 1/2 years! :)

Fine, games that are not available as downlaod purchases are a  
possible issue, but again, most of these would be fine with an rsync  
from an installed version on another Mac.

<checks /Games>

OK, Call of Duty 2 was a pain. Oh, and Myst IV was such a hideous  
experience installing it and running it I am frankly surprised I  
still have it on my hard drive. But really, all I play is WoW,  
Colibricks, and the occasional Mike's Cards, none of which arrived on  
my Mac via a CD. Atypical?  Perhaps, but the Game is not a big gaming  
platform, and most stuff is available as downloads.

> , even many low-end ones. We are not now at a point where optical  
> drives can be made optional

I bet an awful lot of mini purchasers (like all those labs with  
hunded of them, or the robotics guys, or anyone who is using one as a  
second Mac) would be thrilled to have a mini with no Optical drive.


-- 
...gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed  
they were not here,