[thelist] What is least expensive Mac to use as Web client QA box

[Chris]

Apple just came out with a tiny new G4 desktop.

Its called the MacMini
http://www.apple.com/macmini/

It seels for $499 in the cheapest configuration, and its quite fast.

It does not come with a keyboard, mouse or monitor, but they are 
available separately.

It does have Ethernet, Firewire, and USB2 and is compatible with a huge 
number of peripherals. It will also drive a very large monitor, although 
the 3D performance might not be as good as the latest G5 Macs or PCs 
equipped with the latest hardware..

However, its ideal for browser testing and a LOT else..

If you are wedded to Windows, I'd just get a KVM switch and a USB 
keyboard and mouse, and use that on both machines.. (All modern PCs can 
use both USB and PS2 keyboards) Then you can switch back and forth at 
will and get full-speed performance on both.

I use Macs running OSX for about 90% of my development work...
You can run almost anything on a Mac... including tons of free Unix 
software (check out the Fink and Darwin Ports projects)

Don't buy an old used machine..

With used Macs you almost never get your moneys worth..

The sellers are so fixated on getting at least half of what they paid 
for the thing, while the price for a given level of power is dropping 
mush faster.

For $499 you get a NEW, fast Mac.

They should have done this years ago.. Then 90% of the world would not 
be stuck as it is with Windows.

OSX is based on BSD Unix. It is rock-solid stable and a joy to use.

Chris


Mark Marlow wrote:
> What is the least expensive Mac and OS configuration I can use as a QA
> machine for client side testing of Web applications.  The general
> requirements are:
> 
> Needs to run latest versions of IE/NS/Safari/FireFox.
> Needs to connect to internet via an ethernet network.
> 
> 
> I am hoping to pluck something off of Ebay, but I don't know what to look
> for.  
> 
> Much thanks!
> Mark
>