Questions from a Linux user considering a Macbook

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Tue, Mar 03, 2009 at 07:53:41PM -0500, D. Hugh Redelmeier wrote:
> The lack of competition causes some surprises.
> 
> I have a 30" monitor that requires dual link DVI.  Same as the 30"
> Apple monitor.
> 
> The Mac Mini looked cute but could not support Dual Link DVI.  Until
> the just introduced one: it now can do dual link.  But it requires
> this expensive "cable": http://store.apple.com/ca/product/MB571Z/A
> $109.00.  Besides plugging into the Display Port socket, it needs to
> connect into a USB socket (probably just for power).  Yuck.
> 
> The Display Port supposedly saves $0.50 licensing fees for the DVI
> consortium.  The ratio between $0.50 and $109.00 seems to make the
> choice of Display Port silly.

Well some newer 30" monitors do support displayport, but I suspect a new
30" monitor makes your existing price ratio even worse. :)

Apple and Dell seem to really be pushing displayport.  I guess they
really dislike paying license fees at the volumes they do.

I certainly think it is way too early to remove DVI from computers given
how few displays support it yet.  I know the mac mini has limited space,
but then stick with what people have, not with what you wish they
would buy.  Also you can connect DVI to HDMI, while you can't do that
from displayport either (without an expensive adapter).

-- 
Len Sorensen
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists