I want a Mac

[PAH]

Do the official OS X downloads come with a trial period like Windows does (i.e. get 30 days before needing to activate so can try before buying and check the hardware is compatible)?

Thinking of trying to install in a VirtualBox VM to use the iPhone/iPad simulator that comes with the SDK, to test a website for presentation/formatting on the iStuff.

So if the above works I'd prefer that than to buy a Mac when I may already have suitable hardware.

[Durbs]

Do the official OS X downloads come with a trial period like Windows does (i.e. get 30 days before needing to activate so can try before buying and check the hardware is compatible)?

Thinking of trying to install in a VirtualBox VM to use the iPhone/iPad simulator that comes with the SDK, to test a website for presentation/formatting on the iStuff.

So if the above works I'd prefer that than to buy a Mac when I may already have suitable hardware.

You can't run Desktop OSX in a VM, the license doesn't permit it (does Lion Server allow VM's???? Think Leopard Server did).

Also, I wouldn't take what you see in the simulator as a guarantee of what you'll see on the hardware.

[doodab]

Do you mean Win 7 Pro with Office?

The spelling check is part of office but the keyboard switching and date format options are all part of the OS.

control panel -> region and language. I set mine so ctrl + left alt switches keyboard layouts.

[Paddy]

[PAH]

You can't run Desktop OSX in a VM, the license doesn't permit it (does Lion Server allow VM's???? Think Leopard Server did).

Also, I wouldn't take what you see in the simulator as a guarantee of what you'll see on the hardware.

I don't give a stuff if the licence is restricted against something that otherwise makes sense, and the actual software allows it. i.e. false restrictions that are detrimental to the user.

Sounds like there's no emulator/simulator that can be relied on for testing so we're forced to buy iTat.

Maybe something like iEmu will save the day, if I understand its intentions correctly (provide a realistic iPhone/iPad emulator on Android, Windows, or Linux).

[Sysman]

You can't run Desktop OSX in a VM, the license doesn't permit it (does Lion Server allow VM's???? Think Leopard Server did).

Also, I wouldn't take what you see in the simulator as a guarantee of what you'll see on the hardware.

I think they've changed it with Lion and will allow you to run Desktop in a VM. Last time I looked the licence wording was a bit tricky - some folks interpreted it one way, and others another way.

That still leaves folks who want to run Snow Leopard client in a VM under Lion a bit stuck though. And last I heard VirtualBox and VMware do try to enforce those licence restrictions (though you can probably hack your way around it).

[PAH]

Yep, looks like it's ok to install in a VM with a Windows host but not an OSX host. Some right 's approved that restriction.

Though he's probably dead now so sense may prevail in future.

Still, if I understand VM stuff adequately, it means that if it works in VirtualBox (as proven by people that have done it and provided a set of instructions) then the actual hardware the VirtualBox is running on is irrelevant, thus circumventing any hardware support issues.

[Sysman]

Yep, looks like it's ok to install in a VM with a Windows host but not an OSX host. Some right 's approved that restriction.

Aye, a crap decision. Now I've had a taste of using VMs I've found out how useful they can be. Restricting who can run what and where is just plain silly.

[bobspud]

Aye, a crap decision. Now I've had a taste of using VMs I've found out how useful they can be. Restricting who can run what and where is just plain silly.

There are plenty of howto's out there showing how to Hackintosh a VM machine. Personally I see little reason to waste the time on a VM when you could do it to a laptop instead...

Chef. Take a sharp intake of breath find some spare cash and take it down to the nearest apple store and ask them for a 15 inch mac book pro with full memory and the 8 core processor. If you don't like lion then you can use bootcamp to install windows and never ever bother booting to mac again... I went down this route in Janurary because I got pissed off with my HP envy freezing up. I am writing this sat in front of two daisy chained 27" Thunderbolt displays plugged into my macbook port. So far this year I have spent about £5k on apple products. I haven't regretted a single penny. I reckon that I am done with any big IT purchases for the next 5 years. Although if the Mac starts to feel slower I will opt for the new 8gb dimms and an SSD to stretch the life further still.

However the HP envy15 that I bought in jan 2010 was crap and an utter waste of my money and at £1400 is sat in my laptop spares pile after barely a year...

I still run windows 7 for visio and word but I boot it up as a VM in Parallels. While I was working this morning I clicked a few buttons and Parallels downloaded and installed me a copy of windows 8 automatically. I didn't even need to set any install prefs...

If you buy an old one it will still cost quite a bit compared to its age and you will only end up buying a new one in a few months anyway...

[doodab]

What is the degradation in battery life with age like on macbooks? Same as any other machine?