Macintosh

[OingoBoingo]

I adore my 12" iBook and am psyched that I'll be able to use it for law school.  It's so portable, and I don't mind the small screen at all.

I'd keep the champagne on ice if it is a non-Intel unit. I do like the iBooks and I look forward to seeing the Intel iBook being released in June.

Oingo

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

I adore my 12" iBook and am psyched that I'll be able to use it for law school.  It's so portable, and I don't mind the small screen at all.

I'd keep the champagne on ice if it is a non-Intel unit. I do like the iBooks and I look forward to seeing the Intel iBook being released in June.

Actually, I'm psyched about my school's policy to allow Macs, rather than the boot camp thing.  I know my Mac won't run Windows, and I kinda prefer it that way.  I don't trust windows on my sweet innocent computer.   

[01100110011]

ExamSoft has been following use of the Intel chip in the new MAC OS X since
Apples announcement in June 2005. With the April 5, 2006 announcement by
Apple confirming successful installation of Windows XP on this platform,
ExamSoft will undertake formal review and testing of SofTest in this
environment.  We anticipate having quantifiable results no later than the
third quarter of this year.  We will keep you advised of our findings.

This is an official ExamSoft statement forwarded to me from another law school's IT department.  They say "no later than the third quarter."  The third quarter of the year includes July, August, and September... so if they don't get results until the END of the third quarter, it will be too late for incoming 1Ls.

Just because you can run Windows on a Mac with Boot Camp doesn't mean security-concerned law schools will allow you too.  Some schools require you to use ExamSoft for tests, other schools put students at a disadvantage if they don't use it.  So I'm holding out for these "third quarter" findings before choosing Mac vs. PC. 

[AZWildcat]

ExamSoft has been following use of the Intel chip in the new MAC OS X since
Apples announcement in June 2005. With the April 5, 2006 announcement by
Apple confirming successful installation of Windows XP on this platform,
ExamSoft will undertake formal review and testing of SofTest in this
environment.  We anticipate having quantifiable results no later than the
third quarter of this year.  We will keep you advised of our findings.

This is an official ExamSoft statement forwarded to me from another law school's IT department.  They say "no later than the third quarter."  The third quarter of the year includes July, August, and September... so if they don't get results until the END of the third quarter, it will be too late for incoming 1Ls.

Just because you can run Windows on a Mac with Boot Camp doesn't mean security-concerned law schools will allow you too.  Some schools require you to use ExamSoft for tests, other schools put students at a disadvantage if they don't use it.  So I'm holding out for these "third quarter" findings before choosing Mac vs. PC. 

While your dilligence and conclusion are wise, Examsoft needs to wake up.  If anyone wants to cheat, they will.  PC's have had the ability for years to boot into Linux and run XP as a virtual machine.  The whole "will the Intel Macs pass the test" really is senseless. 

[Slumdog Lovebutton]

Why WOULDN'T ExamSoft work on a mac running windows?  The whole idea is that windows runs perfectly (well, as imperfectly as it runs on a pc, anyway) and all of those windows-only programs run on it, as well.

BTW Su--The Microsoft files go on a completely separate part of the hard drive far away from the mac files--if you get a virus using Windows that destroys all of your stuff, it will not destroy or mess up the mac part of your hard drive

[01100110011]

While your dilligence and conclusion are wise, Examsoft needs to wake up.  If anyone wants to cheat, they will.  PC's have had the ability for years to boot into Linux and run XP as a virtual machine.  The whole "will the Intel Macs pass the test" really is senseless. 

Why WOULDN'T ExamSoft work on a mac running windows?  The whole idea is that windows runs perfectly (well, as imperfectly as it runs on a pc, anyway) and all of those windows-only programs run on it, as well.

I agree. I'm told ExamSoft does run just fine using Boot Camp.  I think ExamSoft and IT departments need to accept it, or at least come out with a native OS X version.  But what I think really doesn't matter, because if it "doesn't pass the test" according to ExamSoft or individual schools it can't be used and I have to borrow a computer.

I understand that one possible concern is that you can turn off the computer, boot into Mac OS, and use notes/Lexis/Westlaw on a closed notes test.  Because it has a double booting option, this could possibly be achieved without detection.  But as others have said, this is possible on windows PCs too.  Another possible concern is that the slightly different hardware setup might leave a backdoor.  I think these concerns are without merit, and hope they are dismissed by the powers that be.

[Groundhog]

Yeah, hopefully the Examsoft people won't stick their heads in the sand and say "la la la, we're not supporting macs due to dual booting" when PC people have been able to do the same for years. A mac native version would be even better.

[The Spanish Teacher]

I've read that the MacBook Pro has to run many of its applications through Rosetta since most applications haven't come out with new Intel-based Mac versions.  I've read that this includes MS Office.  Is anyone using the MBP now?  Have you noticed MS Word running any slower? What about your other applications? When do you think that a new MS Office for Macs will be introduced?

[AZWildcat]

I've read that the MacBook Pro has to run many of its applications through Rosetta since most applications haven't come out with new Intel-based Mac versions.  I've read that this includes MS Office.  Is anyone using the MBP now?  Have you noticed MS Word running any slower? What about your other applications? When do you think that a new MS Office for Macs will be introduced?

I'm a 1L using a MBP with Word, and it works fine.

[dizn]

Anyone know when Leopard is coming out?  I am still working off of Panther, and want to upgrade to Tiger soon.  But if the newest version is coming out, I'll just wait till then since I think Tiger's price will drop subsequently, no?

Or should I just suck it up and pay the $$$ to upgrade to Tiger now.  Is it worth waiting 6 more months??  Does the computer perform that much better?

I already know the widgets are cool....