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The firestorm of viruses and spyware has changed everything.
 technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

T e c h n o f i l e
Cheapskate's Annual Holiday Buying Guide to Home Computers, Part 1


Nov. 28, 2004


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, The Post-Standard

   Looking for a new personal computer for the holidays? Does your personal wish list include a new printer? This week, in the first installment of our two-part Annual Cheapskate's Buying Guide to Home Computers, you'll find advice on computers. Next week, we'll cover printers, software and accessories.
   Does it matter whether you choose a Windows XP computer or an Apple Macintosh? The answer might surprise you.
   A few years ago, the choice could have been based solely on personal preference. But the current firestorm of viruses and spyware has changed everything.
   Viruses and spyware are exclusively Windows problems. Windows is an inviting target of virus and spyware authors, and this prompts many of the attacks. But Windows has a history of security flaws and outright bugs that let viruses and spyware slip into PCs without notice.
   Some experts count at least 60,000 active Windows viruses. My sources say there are twice that many. Spyware, the other pestilence, is flooding the Internet so rapidly it can't even be counted. But you can get insight into how widespread the spyware problem is from a survey taken by Symantec. It tracked "zombie attacks" -- infiltration so serious that computers are literally taken over by spyware. Symantec says 30,000 Windows PCs a day are taken hostage by zombie spyware infections.
   Windows users have many choices of anti-virus software and spyware catchers, but such programs usually fight rear-guard operations. More to the point, many Windows users -- perhaps more than half, based on Microsoft's own estimates -- don't run any working antivirus software or spyware killers. Computers that require extra effort to protect users aren't likely to protect many of them.
   Fortunately, you don't have to struggle with viruses and spyware at all. Apple's new line of Macintosh computers are designed to be safer than Windows PCs. So far, in the three years since the introduction of the current line of Macs, no viruses or spyware infections have been reported.
   Apple's computers have other advantages. They're uncannily easy to use, yet match Windows PCs in overall power and speed. Prices start at $799. Complete information on Apple's Macintosh computers is available on Apple's Web site, www.apple.com.
   The model attracting the most attention this season is the new iMac G5. It is a flat-panel computer unlike anything made before. The entire computer is housed inside a flat screen 2 inches thick. CDs and DVDs slide into a slot on the side of the screen, and the computer sits on a slim pedestal that rotates easily. From the side, the new iMac looks like one of Apple's popular iPods on its docking station.
   The software Apple provides on the iMac includes iLife, a suite of audio and video programs. In addition to iPhoto and iTunes, for pictures and sound, iLife has iMovie for video editing and iDVD to convert iMovie productions to DVD video disks. I like iMovie and iDVD because they require no experience to use yet work in a professional manner. (I use both extensively.)
   All Macs come with e-mail software that blocks spam and with TextEdit, a program that can handle Microsoft Word documents as long as they don't have graphics or tables. Mac buyers who frequently use the Windows version of Microsoft Office can buy an exclusive Macintosh version of Office called Office 2004. Its version of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are equal to the Windows versions except for being easier to use.
   Macs running Office 2004 can open any Office document created on a Windows computer and can save Office documents that Windows users can open.
   The iMac G5 comes in two models. An iMac with a 17-inch screen costs $1,299 with a CD burner/DVD drive combination or $1,499 with a combination CD-DVD burner. An iMac with a 20-inch screen and the CD-DVD burner costs $1,899.
   Less expensive Macs include the eMac, which has a 17-inch standard (non-LCD) display built in. It costs $799 with the CD burner/DVD player or $999 with the combination CD-DVD burner. eMacs are a little slower than iMacs but they can do the same operations and come with the same software.
   Apple also offers laptop (or notebook) computers that have the same software and capabilities as their eMacs and iMacs. The Apple iBook, a compact notebook Mac, costs $999 with a 12-inch screen or $1,299 with a 14-inch screen. Those models have the CD burner/DVD drive combo. A 14-inch iBook with the CD-DVD burner costs $1,499.
   Macs are sometimes criticized for being more expensive than Windows PCs, but all consumer Macintoshes come with displays built in. Adding the cost of a display to a Windows PC brings its price close to a Mac. If you add value for the lack of viruses and spyware, Macs end up costing no more than most Windows computers. Added value comes from Apple's service and repair policies, too. Apple has ranked at or near the top in the annual J.D. Power and Associates survey of customer service and satisfaction for the last decade.
   A few tips when you are shopping for Macs: Buy extra memory (RAM) when you buy the computer. They'll run faster with the added memory, and the extra memory will be covered by the standard Apple warranty. Also, you probably qualify for a considerable discount if you are a student or teacher. Ask at the store or look for information on educational discounts on Apple's Web site.