Last week I decided it was time for me to buy a computer. For years, I have wanted to buy an Apple. Used Apples are more expensive than used ThinkPads, so I have always bought ThinkPads. This time I went for the new MacBook.

When the MacBook was released, I thought Apple had blown it. The first problem was the name. MacBook is a stupid name. There is nothing wrong with the old names of iBook and PowerBook. MacBook and MacBook Pro are just stupid names.

When I read the MacBook specs, I saw a second problem: the glossy screen. I thought it would be better to buy an older iBook instead. When I actually saw a MacBook, I found out that the Apple glossy screens aren't anything like other glossy screens. The MacBook screen is glossy, but it doesn't glare like the screens made by other companies. The MacBook screen is very clear, and holds its color no matter what angle you view it from. The screen is also incredibly bright.

The third problem I saw with the MacBook was the keyboard. There are funny gaps between the keys. It looks like it belongs on a calculator, not a computer. The keyboards are one of the reasons I like ThinkPads and PowerBooks. When I initially saw the keyboard on a MacBook, I eliminated it from the list of possible next computers. Then I found out that the keys are actually short-travel scissor keys like they should be. Since it was time to buy a new computer, I decided I could live with a not-quite-IBM quality keyboard for a while. When the computer came, my brother and I compared keyboards. It turned out that the funny gaps between the keys are the exact size of the sloping sides of iBook keys. The new keys are basically just a cosmetic change that doesn't matter to typing. Typing on the keyboard feels just as good as typing on a G4 iBook keyboard.

My two initial technical complaints with the MacBook turned out to not be problems. So far I have been very happy with my new computer. The battery life is great, the keyboard is good, Processing pictures is fast. Everyone loves playing with Photo Booth and the built in iSight camera. Now that I have a nice computer, I hope to spend more time working on my projects instead of fighting dying computers.