I always like new toys. I also like playing with various different things with computers. I’m a bad coder, but I do enjoy playing with PHP. I’ve found trying to do this via an ISP’s servers is long-winded, and not much fun, so it’s better to have a local development ‘box’ to do it on. Until recently I’ve used a Linux machine to do it, but I decided to get one of the new Intel-based Mac Minis. It can serve many purposes:
- A little webserver
- Garageband for music stuff
- Image work
- Just look cool!
So I thought I’d get one. The model I have is a Core Duo 1.66, 1GB Ram, 100GB Hard disk, wireless, Bluetooth, and a dual-layer superdrive. Plus it’s all in a tiny, tiny box! Pretty cool in my mind.
So far, I’ve been quite impressed. Front Row is nice, but not something I’m likely to do much with. The great thing is that it’s a well-supported OS, but it sits atop a UNIX core, so I can still do the uber-geeky things I occasionally do. I’m slowly getting various bits and bobs set as I like them, mostly as I think of things. I’m quite pleased with it though! I’ve always threatened to use a Mac in a serious way but never have. They’ve either been too slow (a Beige G3 I had) or too big (like an eMac I recently sold). The Mac Mini hides nicely at the back of the desk and just does it’s thing. Plus it’s very quiet. Considering there’s a dual-core CPU (an Intel dual-core CPU no less – we all know how hot Intel’s stuff gets) hiding in there it does quite well.
Colour me impressed!