04th Jun 2003
Why I Want A Faster Computer
After some hassle today with an online merchant (web site implied “sure, we have Mac Adobe Acrobat 6.0 in Stock!”, reality was “oh, well in 3-5 business days, where we can redefine the word ‘day’ as we see fit”), I got in my dust covered M3, drove to CompUSA, and expected to see a Mac 5.0 version of Acrobat. Lo and Behold, they had 6.0 Standard on the shelves! Even encased in a “please don’t try to rip me off, I am a special product” Clear Plastic Box!
ooh ahh. Well, to do editing/review on a manuscript, I couldn’t delay any more. One of those “I’ll be damned if I am going to wait until next week for a shipment, if they aren’t lying to me” deals.
“That’ll be roughly $300, just gimme your wallet and be done with it” - No, the CompUSA clerk was nicer than that.
Oh but wait, you’re here to see why I want a faster computer…
Ok, fast forward. Traffic. Heat. Home. Burn a backup CD. Install.
Eat a bagel & cream chee (hey! no tangents today!) se… ok…
Acrobat 6.0 Standard. 300 Page Manuscript to review. Mac B&W 400 mhz G3. OS X 10.2.6
Slow.
Useable, but … slow. You can count, while, it is, context… switching.
I have been thinking that I would wait till after the January 2004 MacWorld to go for a new machine. I am not so sure I can make it! Sure I know that Acrobat is slower in this version than it was previously. Almost every app is like that though. My 1999 computer, designed in 1997 and 1998, can’t keep up with 2002 and 2003 apps. Oh, and summer is here. My study gets hot in, say, July, and it makes everything run that much slower. Should I bring in references to humidity, molasses, lemonade, lazing on the ole Porch? Will you
just take my word for it that I have a perception that things run slower in the Summer?! (I know they don’t. I was … acting!)
So, Mr. Jobs. May I call you Steve? Where do you go for those turtlenecks? Yes, I also think Mr. Gates is a bit of a dork. Think you’ll ever strive for 10% market share?
So Steve, Please deliver, to my doorstep, a shiny new 2gz quad IBM 970 processor machine with OS X, 10.3. Debugged. I’ll even consider joining ADC, so that when my wife and daughter get their new machines and iPodden, we will get a reasonable discount (and I’ll enjoy a free pass to WWDC)
Yes, we have other machines around the house. I even have a fried 700 mhz Win/PC mobo (but may be rescueable) lying around, and some slower Intel Linux boxen. I refuse to invest more in Windows software, and though I love Linux, and use it every day, the Mac is sort of my “home base”. That’s what I’m going to run Acrobat and a couple of other key apps on. Let’s see, we have 5 Macs within 30 feet of me. Wife has the fastest one at a whopping 500 mhz. We’re so behind! Isn’t there some sort of “take two of them, and fuse them together” trick I could do? Like a FrankenMac?
I’m getting that 4 year itch. I’m Jonesin’ (and I’m a Smith) - I haven’t even mentioned lately how much my Toshiba Portege is driving me crazy (pssst.. yes, you did…), and how
much I want a 17″ PowerBook.
So what happens to my G3, once I get some singing and dancing new box? Easy. It will dual-boot Debian and OS 9, and I’ll stick a SCSI card back into it
so that I can hook up my Nikon LS-2000 slide/negative scanner. It will go
back to being an impressive 1999 box, and somehow, the circle will be complete.
