[Ti] .mac anyone?

[Michael Bigley]

>So I just got a new powerbook 15" and am being
>  enticed by the .mac offering from Apple.Is this
>  an outstanding deal with the web space,disk space
>  and other features? Has anyone bought a membership
>  and got a lot of use out of it? I could be swayed
>  either way.

I am struggling with whether to renew mine or not; I really think it 
is overpriced UNLESS you will seriously use the iCal/iPhoto features 
to quickly post calendars and photo albums, or find real value in the 
software. I am experimenting with alternatives to this, as the 
software is not of "real" value to me. IOW, if it were not free, I 
wouldn't buy it.

When .mac email was free, it was ok, but they really haven't improved 
it, so paying for it makes me feel like I am being ripped off. I have 
a number of things tied to my mac.com address because in the 
beginning it was supposed to be "free for life". So my bias here is 
that I am still smarting from being mislead. I also maintain that 
there should be a free level of email only as it is an excellent 
marketing tool.

Back to your question, I think it is a personal choice as to value. 
100mb of space is not enough to do much in the way of back ups, 
especially if you are using it for iPhoto albums as well. If you are 
really going to purchase the software they offer for free, if you 
don't have .mac, then that is another value option; but it ain't free 
software if you wouldn't buy it otherwise... it is $99 software if 
that is the reason you are getting .mac.  All of the other features 
offered are available cheaper or free elsewhere on the net.

I paid $49 last year, and I would probably pay $49 again, but on 
principle (the concept of paying $210 a year to be a mac user sticks 
in my craw), I most likely won't pay for .mac and Panther, and I 
really want Panther.
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Mike Bigley                Maineville, Ohio
       http://www.norbertrunning.com
Please support an American Indian Elder &
Medicine Man by visiting the above link.
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