Oh, I'm a retired teacher, but I still work a little part time at a local private school, thus my heavy usage of Excel especially for my rather complicated gradebook I made.

If I understand this correctly, the Time Capsule is exactly the same as the Airport Extreme $179 unit, but with the network hard drive (better quality HD?) which works with Time Machine.

For another$120, you get the 500 GB drive with Time Capsule.

Advantage: Less desk space than adding a separate drive. Better quality drive? Best bang for the buck? Set to work with Time Machine (is this ever an issue with other external drives?)

Disadvantage: Can't boot from it. So what happens if your internal drive messes up? And if Time Machine is making constant backups, if you got something defective or a virus is in the internal HD, wouldn't that just be copied to Time Capsule?

This - and the fact that I know Windows gradually breaks down without a reinstall so it is sluggish - like mine is now - is why I'd like to have some "images" (as we'd do on a PC) that I can just throw back in rather than starting comletely over.

Probably wouldn't have more than two or three (one after I get everything installed the way I want at first, then, later as I add more stuff, do it again. But once set, I would not want anything changing in it untless I specifically told it too.

Since you said you have to put a copy in a partition, that makes it seem that a different external drive would be better - divide it into three partitions (two for those basic clean backups and the rest for daily data changes and maybe some applications I don't put on the internal drive).

On the PC, I imagined ONLY backing up the partition containing the OS periodically like this and, if things got bad, put the ghost image most recent back in and then reinstalling the applications. A pain, but not taking nearly as much space - and probably able to put the images on DVD disks. I have the feeling with the mac with the single partition, I'd have to move the entire thing to the other HD which would be darn big and not able to put on a DVD setup.

So, with all that in mind, which approach (Airport Extreme vs Time Capsule) would you recommend and what is the best approach to making those clean copies I mentioned. Or am I being paranoid?

I didn't set this up on my present PC. I can go back and start over from the original disks, but with some of the updates since I bought it, I can't just use the original disks to make corrections except by starting from scratch before the service pack upgrades. I'd have to start over from scratch. I might do that once I have a new computer with everything I need on it, but I can't risk it now. Heck, I'm not even sure if I know where everything is now!

On the mac, I know some don't use software protection, but I think that may be an unnecessary risk. What do you use? Don't want to bog down my system and get those messages so much that says this or that is trying to do something and it is so hard to tell whether to approve or deny.

I guess on the keyboard/mouse, I'll look for the best bluetooth option I can get. If that means no extra buttons, might have to just live with that, just to minimize how much has to work with USB. Actually, maybe just start with the built in keyboard/track pad and then see how everything else works. If they, especially the laser printer, works with a hub, then I can consider keyboard/mouse that uses usb and have more options. When I replace the laser printer, I'll look into whether a wi-fi, or network printer will be best, or one that just plugs into the Airport Extreme or Time Capsule unit.

My current keyboard/mouse needs replacing anyway. It works, but the mouse (uses rechargable AA batteries) no longer charges properly. I have to keep putting the batteries in a separate charger every couple days. I might try hooking it up to the mac, just to see what works and what doesn't, but that would be just a test process.There is a cradle that holds the mouse for recharging that is also the receiver apparently. The wire from it to the USB connector is long enough for me to set it several feet away from the computer.

Let me know if you find that you can zoom with your mouse on web pages. I appreciate it.

The idea of getting both an iMac and a MB came about originally when I found out that I could get the bottom level of each for about the same price as a single MB Pro that I would have wanted (I think it was the mid level pro - around $2500. Since the iMac would have the power - or more - of the MBP, it seemed logical even if I would only occasionally need a laptop for trips (however, my PC is HEAVY - something like 8 pounds, I think). With a lighter MB, it may be I'd take it to school sometimes so my usage may change.

Now, with he much better graphics, I may not need the iMac at all. I know I won't be able to do some things - like really heavy graphics games - but I only need a few games to keep me happy that have replay value (a reason I like the Doom series, though I finally got tired of the ones I have, it took years).

So, I'm hoping to just stick with the MB until I upgrade again years from now. The MB would probably still be fine for my trips then and so I'd probably make my next computer an iMac. We're talking about maybe 4 years or more from now when, hopefully, there will be a lot of improvements in computing.

The main difference with this time is I'll definitely try to follow the
MB purchase with an external monitor before too long. Then I'll be
asking whether I should get a 22" (typically not more than $300) from a
third party, or look at that new 24" one from Apple! But I'm not buying
any yet.

I'm sorta a computer geek. Not as much as before - and I never had the money to buy all the stuff I'd like to have owned. I've pretty much always kept my computers for 5 years. But I work with them all the time, used to even program in machine code on my first one. But when programs got better and more varied, I did most of my "programming" within existing programs - thus some pretty darn complicated formulas in Excel plus some visual basic stuff. Had some really nice stuff with visual basic in Access too. Fortunately, I don't need those capabilities in Access now, but would still like it in Excel.

I would like to see what I can get by with using iWorks - just for the challenge if nothing else. But I'm betting the spreadsheet won't cover my needs for my big stuff. Also thinking about looking at Filemaker Pro.

I'm guesstimating that I'll get a mb in November. If I use the Apple credit card deal that lets you have 90 days without interest, that would mean I'd have my February retirement check before then. Not sure if I'll be spreading it out that way, but even if I just put it on my present card, I need to wait until Nov 6th so it won't come out until my December statement. I have the money - just trying to minimize the immediate impact!

I do wish they had Nahalem out, but apparently that won't happen until at least afte April 2009. Can't wait for new thnigs forever!

I just know about drives that are either built in or normal drives attached to a computer. In those cases, I know I can save files and install programs, make all kinds of partitions.

You say I "may" be able to run programs from it. Does that mean you aren't sure or just that some programs may work and others may not? I guess having some parts of a program still put on the main drive is okay - I'm certainly used to that with a PC!

Something I'm curious about. I mentioned in a prior post a couple programs I found which supposedly let you use extra buttons on mice which the mouse software themselves didn't provide (on a Mac). I don't mind experimenting with these things myself (and reporting back, of course). I could, for example, try my present keyboard and mouse and see if the software worked.

My concern is about if putting such things on my computer (maybe taking them off later) is if I'm going to be leaving "stuff" behind. PCs can be a hassle with this - one of the reasons I wanted ghost images on the PC. I figured I could make a number of changes, keeping track of what since the last image, and then at a future point decide which I really wanted to keep. Then use a prior ghost image followed by just adding the things I decided to keep followed by a new ghost image.

Looking at approximately two weeks to a new Mac!

You said it could be used as a boot device, but I thought you said before you couldn't boot from it. I think I missed something!

I didn't know you could move apps on a Mac! That could be handy.

What I'd like to do with putting programs on Time Machine - especially as I start filling up the internal drive - would be some things I want, but don't necessarily need on trips. At home, they'd always be available.

I don't mind too much gettnig orphaned files left behind - it was all the crap in the registry that built up that was aggravating!

I went to the Apple store today. Interestingly, the only new macbook they had was the 2.4 ghz version, but all their little signs giving specs and prices next to each one was for the $1299 version! I found out when I looked at the hard drive to see how much space was available - all had more space left than 160 gb!

On some forum (I forget which) someone mentioned the local store did memory upgrades AND gave them back the original memory. I asked about that and found something new. They said they don't give the memory back on their "rebate" for memory. Never heard of that rebate so I asked further. Seems their normal price for that memory is $300! I don't know if it is an instant rebate you don't have to even think about or one you apply for, but it was new to me.

Have to think a little about whether I should get it now while prices are low ($135 for educators) or just figure if I ever do need it, I can buy it for around the lower price from non-apple sources.

So I'm looking for sure at the computer ($1249), the printer that will be free with rebate, and probably Time Capsule ($279). That's $1538. Then maybe iWorks ($71 - interestingly, the family version has no discount) and MobileMe ($30). $1639 total. Just wait on the Applecare - you still get the discount later. Wait on the keyboard/mouse too - try my present one and see if I get lucky with the software I mentioned.

Now, if the government would stop taxing, I'd be reasonably satisfied!

BTW, I was checking out the bottom of each of the display models for heat again. Noticed one that was considerably hotter than the rest! Meant to ask about it, but forgot.

One think that I did note was that it recommended keeping Time Capsule away from a microwave - 25 feet was recommended. Well, that would be nearly the distance from one end of my condo to the other! As it happens, the only practical place for me to set up my computer is no more than 5 feet from the microwave! I assume (hope!) that the microwave would only be a factor when it is actually cooking something! Can't move the microwave and anyplace else I put the computer would be inconvenient most of the time and more susceptable to reflections.

Since I plan on normally connecting with wires, I can't move the Time Capsule very far from where the computer is.

Thanks for the tip about memory.

The other would be about the same distance - maybe 5 feet - but against the wall dividing the kitchen and living room. Thus no line of sight, but just dry wall for an obstruction.

Here is some info that you or others may find useful. MacRumors (on "page 2" said that Codeweavers (the folks who make Crossover Mac so you can run windows on a Mac) is making it available for ONE DAY (today - Tuesday) for FREE! Here is the link:

http://www.macrumors.com/c.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Flameduck.codeweavers.com%2Ffree%2F&t=1225242001

It actually sent me to a special page because their normal page apparently got overloaded with traffic. There are four things you can download (two for mac and two for linux. Also a place to give an email address so they can send you the code you have to enter to activate it.

I had to download it on my PC so I hope it works when I get my mac. Don't know if there is any deadline as to when you have to actually do the activation - could be an issue if there is because I'm still about 9 days from buying a mac. Also don't know when the deadline for downloading is today.

Maybe I better put up a new thread about this!