Ever since I was fourteen and owned my very first IBM based computer, called the PC Jr (now that was a mountain of power!), I’ve been an IBM, Intel and Microsoft kind of guy. I have to date owned at least one incarnation of every style of processor ever released by Intel for the conventional market (The XT, 286, 386, 486, Pentium, Pentium Pro, P2, P3, and P4). Of those, only three were name brand machines, and that’s the first three. My first crack at building my own machine was a 486, and it went very well. Since then I have only owned PC’s that I have researched, sourced all the parts and built myself. Many family and friends PC’s also follow this pattern. I was PC Tech Guy #1…always called first by just about everybody I know (and a few I didn’t) when something went wrong on their machines. It’s flattering, I guess…but also time consuming. So, the idea that I would ever consider I different direction that an IBM-based machine would probably surprise everybody.

Well…I’m full of surprises….

I’m buying my first Macintosh this month. Yes, Eve has shown me the Apple, and I will take a bite.

As my abilities in Graphics Arts and Video Editing slowly grows, I’m finding more and more that it’s difficult to get any respect from others in those fields if you don’t go Apple. IBM, as much it can have more interesting peripherals and software, just doesn’t cut it. So, after a lot of consideration I knew I wanted to go that way, however budget was a bit of an issue…

Then two things changed that. Recently, Apple released a product called the Mac Mini. A tiny little computer…only 2.9 pounds in weight, and 6.5″wx6.5″lx2″h in dimension. An impressive array of features are pre-installed for the amount of space they had to build it all in. I was in love. But even with a cheaper pricetag (around $750.00+tax for the model I want), I couldn’t see how I could swing it.

Then surprising news on the workfront. Amazing…there is such thing as good news at work…who would have thunk it? I’m getting a bonus! And not just for the 2 months that I was a full-timer…but for the entire year. Interesting loophole in the HR compensation rules….if you are hired on from a contract that was existing from January 1 onwards, then you are treated at bonus time as having been fulltime the whole year. COOL! The exact dollar value is unknown, but I know the range and it is good. So, I passed it by Mel and she gave me the thumbs up. So, before my birthday I will be a MacHead.

Well, 1/2 MacHead at least. I’m keeping my PC. Can’t give up all my old toys….