Are you computr savvy? Well then, mind answering these questions, please? ^^

[abbiemonGoesRaWr]

I just got my own laptop and I have so many specific question that the internets doesn't always have what I'm looking for. x]

So if anyone can help me with this.
I've got the questions posted on Yahoo Answers.
Please and thank you to anyone that bothers with this.:3

Q1: Laptop Battery.
Q2: Parallels + MacBook.
- Don't know what Parallels is? Click here.

[fido123]

Oh god don't get a parallel. It'll eat up your resources not to mention they still can't run all Windows programs. Just repartition your hardrive so you have three partitions. 2 about 20G each that will hold your operating systems then one partition without any OS's on there. If you want help doing that yourself add me on YIM or AIM, it's not that hard when you get rid of the mental block. I'm not really a mac expert but I'll give your questions a shot.


One: Only dumb asses get viruses...and there are more and more viruses being made and disturbed for macs. Pretty much don't run suspicious binary files (.exe, don't know what they're called on mac), and get NoScript for FireFox and learn to use it. Yes the viruses can affect other partitions, but unless the virus has been written to attack Windows and Mac, it'll mess up one, and you just have to reformat that one OS's partition and all the data in your data partition will be fine.


Two: Won't mess up your machine and is better for your battery, will not wear out your battery as far as I know if you don't use it.


Three: OH GOD YES...don't plan on running games. This is why you should just partition your hardrive 3 times.



In closing parallels are basically the inferior, noob way of partitioning your hardrive. If you have any questions just add me on YIM or AIM...

PS: lolmac

[Relambrien]

Originally Posted by fido123

One: Only dumb asses get viruses...

This is untrue. Especially things like Virut and MS Antivirus 2009, which are constantly being maintained and which few scanners catch. Theoretically, any web site you visit could potentially give you one of these viruses, especially if you have an outdated anti-virus or firewall. Not to mention that using your own computer to help out a friend could infect yours with anything they've got (e.g., through a flash drive).

Keep your antivirus and firewall well-maintained. If you're using Vista or Win7, enabling UAC also helps. I realize this doesn't apply to the OP due to using a Mac, but it's still good advice.

In short, don't skimp out on security just because you have a Mac. Take every precaution you would on Windows, and you'll be safer overall.

[OrganisM]

Antivirus programs are just as bad as the viruses they're designed to protect your computer from. They slow down your computer, cause undesired operation, and make changes in the heart of your computer without even asking permission.

Aside from that, I remember reading an article where it was said that the laptop would check whether there was a battery and then decrease the performance levels of the processor and hard disk if there was no battery present, regardless whether the laptop was plugged into an outlet.

[Vuture]

As far as anti virus software goes, the same people who make the viruses, make the software to cure them, so I just reformat my hard drive once a year and problem solved .

As for parallels. DON'T GET IT! Like someone said before, just partition you hard drive and use bootcamp (Allows you to put Windows XP or Vista[if you're dumb] on one partition and Mac OS X on the other). While, yes you'll have to restart the laptop when you want to run a different OS, you'll be saved from the crap Parallels is.

[OrganisM]

Originally Posted by Vuture

Vista[if you're dumb]

Wow, congrats on buying into the sensationalist propaganda.

[Relambrien]

Originally Posted by OrganisM

Antivirus programs are just as bad as the viruses they're designed to protect your computer from. They slow down your computer, cause undesired operation, and make changes in the heart of your computer without even asking permission

The biggest risk in viruses is the personal information on your computer being compromised to a third party. Affecting the computer's performance itself isn't that big of a deal and is easily rectified, but that's not why I make sure I have competent anti-malware programs. I'll take a slight hit on performance to keep my sensitive info safe any day, even if few viruses actually compromise it. Call me paranoid, but my computer's powerful enough that I don't notice a significant difference in operation when running an active anti-virus. The firewall I leave to my network.

Originally Posted by Vuture

As far as anti virus software goes, the same people who make the viruses, make the software to cure them, so I just reformat my hard drive once a year and problem solved.

Virus creation is illegal, punishable by heavy fines and prison time. No company is going to be making viruses and then selling software to fix them.

Additionally, hard drive formatting is overkill in just about any situation. If you're so desperate for performance improvements that you're willing to nuke your info into oblivion, then by all means do it, but in all other situations there are much more viable methods. Additionally, any backups you may do run the risk of exposing your newly-formatted hard drive to infection, as there are many viruses that recognize and copy themselves to media such as flash drives and external hard drives.

[OrganisM]

Originally Posted by Relambrien

The biggest risk in viruses is the personal information on your computer being compromised to a third party. Affecting the computer's performance itself isn't that big of a deal and is easily rectified, but that's not why I make sure I have competent anti-malware programs. I'll take a slight hit on performance to keep my sensitive info safe any day, even if few viruses actually compromise it. Call me paranoid, but my computer's powerful enough that I don't notice a significant difference in operation when running an active anti-virus. The firewall I leave to my network.

I'm a hardcore computer enthusiast and spent $1000 on my processor alone. Even with that, I notice differences in performance depending on what I load the system with. In fact, I'm very careful to keep very, very few processes operating at a time, and no unnecessary things are allowed to run. That way my $1000 processor goes to good use instead of running crappy auxiliary processes. There are many issues, but there's one that stands out. I have dealt with many mainstream manufactured computers in fixing the computers of others, and find that the greatest RAM hog is the anti-virus program. The problem is, a large number of people have computers purchased a few years ago. Just for a quick read: 512mb of RAM often times, with 384 remaining after integrated video. After factoring Windows and other generic processes, there's usually about 340 or so left from that. I've seen antivirus programs use up a good 250. That leaves 90mb for everything else you want to do. And no matter how powerful your computer is, a waste is a waste. That's just my take on that.

Originally Posted by Relambrien

Virus creation is illegal, punishable by heavy fines and prison time. No company is going to be making viruses and then selling software to fix them.

Wrong on both counts. Creation is not illegal. Note the databases of "70,000+ viruses" that Norton has antidotes for. A great majority of those are created by Norton and then "defended against". Now they don't release them, obviously, but they're certainly coding them, and that in itself is not illegal. Also, what you said is exactly what some crooks are doing. They're releasing malware which pops up with a "system warning" telling the user that it has malware and must purchase the anti-virus program the malware recommends to remove it before further damage is incurred. The company is often times a defunct operation registered in Ukraine.

[Relambrien]

Originally Posted by OrganisM

I'm a hardcore computer enthusiast and spent $1000 on my processor alone. Even with that, I notice differences in performance depending on what I load the system with. In fact, I'm very careful to keep very, very few processes operating at a time, and no unnecessary things are allowed to run. That way my $1000 processor goes to good use instead of running crappy auxiliary processes. There are many issues, but there's one that stands out. I have dealt with many mainstream manufactured computers in fixing the computers of others, and find that the greatest RAM hog is the anti-virus program. The problem is, a large number of people have computers purchased a few years ago. Just for a quick read: 512mb of RAM often times, with 384 remaining after integrated video. After factoring Windows and other generic processes, there's usually about 340 or so left from that. I've seen antivirus programs use up a good 250. That leaves 90mb for everything else you want to do. And no matter how powerful your computer is, a waste is a waste. That's just my take on that.

And that's why you notice a difference in performance when anti-virus programs are running. For most of us, even those like me who are computer enthusiasts, just not on your level, don't notice a significant impact and aren't quite as concerned with getting the most optimal usage out of our system resources. With 4GB of RAM and a significantly-powerful processor, any performance gains to be had by disabling my anti-virus just aren't worth the trouble.

Wrong on both counts. Creation is not illegal. Note the databases of "70,000+ viruses" that Norton has antidotes for. A great majority of those are created by Norton and then "defended against". Now they don't release them, obviously, but they're certainly coding them, and that in itself is not illegal. Also, what you said is exactly what some crooks are doing. They're releasing malware which pops up with a "system warning" telling the user that it has malware and must purchase the anti-virus program the malware recommends to remove it before further damage is incurred. The company is often times a defunct operation registered in Ukraine.

Then allow me to rephrase, "Creation with the intent to cause damage to property" or whatever legal jargon you please. And insert the word "legitimate" between "no" and "company." I'm sure you understood my intent. And besides, Vuture's point was that he doesn't use an anti-virus because the companies making the anti-virus also create these dangerous viruses themselves, and presumably distribute them. Any anti-virus program he would willingly install would be from a legitimate group, either commercial like NOD32 or free like Malwarebytes.

[OrganisM]

Originally Posted by Relambrien

And that's why you notice a difference in performance when anti-virus programs are running. For most of us, even those like me who are computer enthusiasts, just not on your level, don't notice a significant impact and aren't quite as concerned with getting the most optimal usage out of our system resources. With 4GB of RAM and a significantly-powerful processor, any performance gains to be had by disabling my anti-virus just aren't worth the trouble.

The point is, the benefit of spending money on better parts is negated by memory and CPU wasting processes. And in addition to that, the great majority of users, even a lot of gamers, oddly enough, don't have significantly powerful processors and 4gb RAM. Many gamers are surviving on old AMD Athlons, or Athlon X2's that run at 2.2 GHz, with some awful DDR-400 value-priced modules running on some of the older machines.

Originally Posted by Relambrien

Then allow me to rephrase, "Creation with the intent to cause damage to property" or whatever legal jargon you please. And insert the word "legitimate" between "no" and "company." I'm sure you understood my intent. And besides, Vuture's point was that he doesn't use an anti-virus because the companies making the anti-virus also create these dangerous viruses themselves, and presumably distribute them. Any anti-virus program he would willingly install would be from a legitimate group, either commercial like NOD32 or free like Malwarebytes.

I know what you meant and I wasn't being a poindexter. I just thought the distinction was important. I was also keen on mentioning the supposed magnitude of threats that antivirus companies advertise, like Norton for example. Most of those 70,000+ viruses are artificial. At any given time, fewer than 100, and usually fewer than half that are widespread.

[fido123]

Originally Posted by Relambrien

This is untrue. Especially things like Virut and MS Antivirus 2009, which are constantly being maintained and which few scanners catch. Theoretically, any web site you visit could potentially give you one of these viruses, especially if you have an outdated anti-virus or firewall. Not to mention that using your own computer to help out a friend could infect yours with anything they've got (e.g., through a flash drive).

NoScript AddOn for Firefox...viruses that infected files and then you receive those files through some sort of transfer from a friend...I'll give you that but it's never happens to me. It happens but hardly.

And I basically agree with everything OrganisM said.

[abbiemonGoesRaWr]

Wow. Lot's of side, in depth conversations on viruses.
Anyways...

First of all, I'm curious to know as to how many of you even have first hand experience with running a MacBook+Parallels... >.>

Originally Posted by Vuture

As for parallels. DON'T GET IT! Like someone said before, just partition you hard drive and use bootcamp (Allows you to put Windows XP or Vista[if you're dumb] on one partition and Mac OS X on the other). While, yes you'll have to restart the laptop when you want to run a different OS, you'll be saved from the crap Parallels is.

Well why not?... Firstly, I've already read up on Boot Camp and though your point is opposite in this quote; the reason why I chose Parallels over Boot Camp is that difference in being able to run both Leopard and Windows XP at the same time... >.>

Originally Posted by fido123

Just repartition your hardrive so you have three partitions. 2 about 20G each that will hold your operating systems then one partition without any OS's on there.

Well... the reason why I actually need Windows XP on my Macbook is because one of the Windows only program I need [Paint Tool SAi] uses a Windows driver that enables pressure sensitivity. If you don't know, SAi is a program used for drawing CG anime with a tablet, which I have, so the pressure sensitivity is a must.
So I don't think just partitioning a non-Mac driver will help with that.

Originally Posted by OrganisM

Antivirus programs are just as bad as the viruses they're designed to protect your computer from. They slow down your computer, cause undesired operation, and make changes in the heart of your computer without even asking permission.

Aside from that, I remember reading an article where it was said that the laptop would check whether there was a battery and then decrease the performance levels of the processor and hard disk if there was no battery present, regardless whether the laptop was plugged into an outlet.

-Ugh, so are you saying it's better to just continue without an antivirus? I'll take your word if you say so, just saying... sounds so risky. x.x

-And alrighty. I'll just keep my battery in instead of trying to cheat its life span. XD

Sidenote: I read something saying that laptops/chargers these days will automatically stop charging the laptop once it's fully charged to prevent overcharging. Can anyone confirm this? If it makes a difference, I have a Mac OS X.

-

Also, with the few people that are recommending not to get Parallels and especially not for gaming, if it makes any difference, the game I want to get as soon as I get Parallels is TF2... and possibly other Steam games. I know it's a heavier game to have a computer play and I know believing the claims of a company on its product isn't always best. XD But I watched through all the demo videos on the Parallels site and it even used TF2 as an example.
Along with that, I've read up on user reviews and such and as far as I can tell, it seems Parallels is just what I'm looking for.

Plus the fact that the other programs I'll need Parallels for are simple; Paint Tool SAi, Paint.net, and AiM. So it's not like I need Parallels to run amazingly like on a PC because Mac's Leopard will still be my primary system I'll be using.

Sorry guys, not trying to be hard headed with arguing against people who are clearly more educated on running computers, but I just want to be sure and know as much as I can. ^^;

Also, fido123, I added you on AiM last night but you haven't been on since.
My sn is abbiemonsterrr.
Anyone else who is willing to answer more questions, please IM me.
Though, I'd prefer if you have first hand experience.

[OrganisM]

Protection is good, but constant monitoring isn't. I'd recommend a firewall and to scan your computer once daily. Just find a program that doesn't cake over your computer.

[FishFishRevolution]

parallels is bad

get crossover if all you care about is tf2 and steam games

otherwise just do boot camp partitioning, like everyone else has said, parallels is more work and headache than it's worth