how could having a mac book pro benefit me as a college student?

Complex question without a simple answer. One thing I know is that Macs are better built than cheaper laptops. I have had more MacBook Pros than nearly anyone I know (I've probably had 20 Powerbooks and Macbook Pro's over the past 10 years), and I've never had a problem with the hardware. Yes, you will read about them, but given the number sold, it happens.

But the biggest thing is that Macs just work. You don't have to spend hours diagnosising a problem related to some random dll file. Installing programs are easy. Backup is easy. Every program works just about the same. Macs come with a suite of programs called iLife that allow a college student to get stuff done. And there is a bunch of free or inexpensive products in the Mac App store to personalize your Mac like Facebook and Twitter apps.

Look, I'm a Mac fanboy. You'll hear a different story from Mac haters on the HP bulletin board.

Shootist007 wrote:

As apposed to a notebook, pencil, typewriter and hours spent in the Library.

Or to the platform, Windows V Mac OS X.

There is no difference. They both work the same. Having one over the other does not benefit you at all.

It all about what you are comfortable with and which one works the eaisest for you.

That's rather simplistic. They have completely different philosophies of computing, which have advantages and disadvantages, depending on your point of view. Your point is like saying buy a Kia or BMW, doesn't matter, they both get you from point A to point B.

OrangeMarlin wrote:

That's rather simplistic. They have completely different philosophies of computing, which have advantages and disadvantages, depending on your point of view. Your point is like saying buy a Kia or BMW, doesn't matter, they both get you from point A to point B.

Simplistic yes but true. Either car will get you from A to B and on the same roads. So please point out the differences.

Actually Kia has some very impressive safety records. Of course people look at you when you drive a BMW and they don't tend to notice Kia. But they are both cars.

Different philosophies? Last time I checked they both opened programs, allowed the user to view, create, edit, save/store, send, receive data of all kinds (and may I and the same kind).

I'll refrain from any other comments.

To be honest, which computer platform you use isn't likely to make much of a difference. You need a reliable system first and foremost. Granted, low end Windows machines can be less reliable. But I have found comparably spec'd Windows machines to perform as reliably. It does take a little more work on the PC side with respect to maintainance and avoiding viruses.

The most important thing is that you get a system that will allow you to do what you need to do. If you're not familiar with using a Mac (and subsequently, OS X), the best time to learn isn't when you're in school. You don't want to be spending time trying to figure out how to do something when you're up against a tight deadline.

Unfortunately, many schools still use some Windows only applications. The good news is that with a Mac, you can still natively run Windows, so there is no downside in going with a Mac. You can have the compatibility with Windows that you may need and you'll also have your comfy Windows there if you run into something in OS X that you don't have the time to figure out.

These forums are great for support, but sometimes you might need an answer "now" in the middle of the night while you're working on something, and it may take some time to get a helpful response. In those cases, you'll be able to fall back on Windows.

Over time, you'll find you can use Windows less and less and you'll start to get more comfortable with OS X. The benefits to a Mac aren't so much in the hardware, but rather the OS. It tends to be stable, clean, and efficient.

Frankly, being proficient in multiple operating systems is always a benefit as well. There may be Mac only applications out there that are better than their Windows counterpart. With a Mac, you'll be able to use those programs... which people running Windows machines may not even know exist. It's sort of like being able to speak a different language. You can broaden your options. Also, in today's job marketplace, any advantage you can have is a good one.

As apposed to a notebook, pencil, typewriter and hours spent in the Library.

Or to the platform, Windows V Mac OS X.

There is no difference. They both work the same. Having one over the other does not benefit you at all.

It all about what you are comfortable with and which one works the eaisest for you.

It might help you do your own research instead of asking us to do it for you.