Basic iBook? For WP +

[B.J. Major]

>> I'm new to the list and have very basic computing needs. I'd like to 
>> get a
>> laptop system that will meet my simple needs, word processing and
>> presentations (I'm a Community College educator). Don't need lots of
>> graphical/video/audio sort of stuff(wouldn't know what to do with it 
>> anyway,
>> just something to provide me with the means to keep working on a 
>> document or
>> presentation without being tied to an office. Extremely limited 
>> budget. Any
>> ideas?

Yes, and my suggestions will vary greatly from the ones you've already 
been given.

You really do not need an iBook.  You could use virtually ANY of the 
PowerBook G3 line which all have s-video and standard audio out ports for 
your presentation needs (and these books do "tv mirroring" quite nicely, 
something with which I've had first hand experience in transferring a 
slide show to a video tape).  Any word processor worth its salt will also 
work without hitch on any used PowerBook G3; just be sure to have 
adequate memory installed if you are using bloatware like MS Word; 
otherwise Nisus and AppleWorks word processors run just fine on these 
PowerBooks.

Except for the Pismo, you will pay several hundred dollars less for a 
good used Wallstreet or Lombard than you will pay for a brand new iBook.  
In saying all this to you I have nothing whatsoever against iBooks, I 
have one myself - but I also have other older Mac PowerBooks which I 
continue to use and which are perfectly usable for computing needs like 
your own and would fit your budget.  There are many Mac online stores to 
choose from and almost all of them feature G3 PowerBooks on a very 
regular basis.

Hope this helps.

--bj
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