Mother wants to buy me a MBP(?)

[Sogo]

Well randomly yesterday my mom tells me she wants to get rid of her 5 year old gateway laptop. She wants me to give her my 15" 1.5 ghz powerbook and she will buy me a new one. The giddy child in me wanted to just yell out YES, but I have a couple of issues.
Firstly I wanted to keep my powerbook all the way through college. at the end of that journy I wanted to update a 4 year old computer so to feel a greater jump in speed and what-knot.

I also still dont know if I should update my powerbook. I could just jump on and be just as happy as if i were with my powerbook. But i feel that I don't really need an upgrade. Yes I probably could dual boot, and such but then I kinda dont want to because if really wanted to update a 4 year old computer. I wanted to "suffer" through and watch everyone leap ahead.

The last issue is that for the greater part of my life we have not been well off so when i got my powerbook nearly 2 years ago it really did mean something to me. over the past half year and so my parents have been doing quite well with their jobs and have more money to spend. So I feel as if my mother is trying to "pay me back" for all the stuff she couldnt get me as a child. OH and as for the 4 year update thing, i get have it because i grew up with the thought of making my stuff last as long as possible. (I am not saying others dont, its just that I think its been enbeded in my head a bit more.)

 

[AlBDamned]

I have to say I like the style here.

Maybe analyse if a MBP could really help you more than your PowerBook at college. If yes, ultimately my answer would be to accept her offer.

Alternatively, if you don't think you'll need the extra oomph, just say, thanks but why not give yourselves (mum and dad) a holdiay, or put the $2k in the bank for a rainy day, or spend it on your siblings.

It's quite a nice situation.

 

[m-dogg]

Well if you have a problem with it, you can always keep your PB and order the new MBP for her! Your mom wanting to upgrade doesn't necessarily mean that you would need to upgrade as well.

 

[Shadow]

Take the MBP and hide the PowerBook somewhere!

Whey, 3 posts in the same minuete. (No I cant spell very well)

 

[plinden]

Wow, can I adopt you? I hope my daughters are as appreciative.

Well, I say go ahead and take it. You mother may be trying to "make up" for your not having much when younger, but there really isn't anything wrong with a parent showing appreciation for their kid's patience. I don't think this is going to spoil you.

The MBP is a faster machine and more future-proof than the PB, and will definitely last four years. It will only get faster as more software is written for the Intel CPUs and the OS is optimized. You will probably want to upgrade then anyway.

 

[stonyc]

Masochism aside, if I were in your position, I might ask your mom first if she would be happier with a new MBP for herself... because you're obviously quite content with the PB that you have now. If the motivation is clearly that she wants to do something nice for you, why not let her? The PB that you have now is still a workhorse and might be more than enough of an upgrade for her such that you shouldn't feel guilty about not seeing your 4-year commitment through to the end.

To me, it sounds like she wants to do something nice for you. If you indeed let her get you a MBP, maybe you could offer something in return... maybe pay for part of it. Or offer her a series of orientation "classes" to OS X.

 

[MattyMac]

or.... just keep your pb, wait for the planned 4 year upgrade and buy her the new macbook (ibook) when they are released....hopefully very very soon.

Im saying this, because I am buying my mother a macbook when they come out. She will never need anything more powerfull than that.

 

[yippy]

If the plan if for her to get a better laptop and switch to OS X why not suggest she get an iBook instead? It will cost half as much, let you keep your computer while still keeping the best comp in the house and will still be a huge upgrade for your mom.

Just a thought.

 

[strydr]

If you're happy with your PowerBook, keep it. Have her buy a MBP (or wait for the MB) for herself. Is there any Apps. she needs that are not UB's yet? It sounds like you would be more prone to need apps that haven't made the transition yet (being a student). I know, for my mom, as long as she can read email, browse the internet, and watch TV (EyeTV), she's happy. I also like the idea of buying a curent gen. iBook. If she's moving up from a 5 year old laptop, the speed difference will be awsome. Also, I wouls suggest going to a local Apple store (If you have one close) and letting her play around.. She may find the iBook all she needs.

 

[MIDI_EVIL]

You are extremely appreciative and i can relate to where you are coming from.

You should really consider whether it will benefit you through college, and i'm sure a faster computer will.

I think you deserve to accept her gesture because you seem like a good guy who appreciates what you have, and what you don't.

Rich.

 

[Sogo]

I have to say I like the style here.

Maybe analyse if a MBP could really help you more than your PowerBook at college. If yes, ultimately my answer would be to accept her offer.

Alternatively, if you don't think you'll need the extra oomph, just say, thanks but why not give yourselves (mum and dad) a holdiay, or put the $2k in the bank for a rainy day, or spend it on your siblings.

It's quite a nice situation.

I like those ideas but that is how i have been, with the exception of telling them to use the money themselves, for most of my life. Whenever we would go out to buy clothing or possibly games i would always cut what i wanted by some factor. Say, if i wanted 3 games i would settle with just 1. They may hassle me if i wanted another game but i would tell them to let my brothers use it. Oh, I should mention i have 2 brothers and 1 sister. 1 boy and the other girl and twins.

Well if you have a problem with it, you can always keep your PB and order the new MBP for her! Your mom wanting to upgrade doesn't necessarily mean that you would need to upgrade as well.

Oh I agree, but thats how she came out it when she spoke to me. I was just reading and she sat down and told me she wanted to get rid of her old computer and suggested that she buy a new one and i would giver her my current powerbook. I was taken back because it seemed so random to me. I told her to give me a while to think about it.

Masochism aside, if I were in your position, I might ask your mom first if she would be happier with a new MBP for herself... because you're obviously quite content with the PB that you have now. If the motivation is clearly that she wants to do something nice for you, why not let her? The PB that you have now is still a workhorse and might be more than enough of an upgrade for her such that you shouldn't feel guilty about not seeing your 4-year commitment through to the end.

To me, it sounds like she wants to do something nice for you. If you indeed let her get you a MBP, maybe you could offer something in return... maybe pay for part of it. Or offer her a series of orientation "classes" to OS X.

This does sound nice. I initially was going to tell her to just wait a month and for an ibook but i felt bad turning her down because, as i said before, I would turn down offers because i felt the money could be better spent on something else. I like the "in-turn" idea and Ill think of what i can do aside from what I do now. Which has been taking care of my brothers and help keeping the house clean. I also cleaned the kitchen this morning, and yesterday, out of habit. Both my parents work so i wouldd usually pick up my brothers, feed them, and help them with their homework. As a matter of fact i was going to go out to the mall and look around but my father just called me and asked me to pick up my brothers and take them to the dentist. I just called my mother telling her i was going to pick them up and she thank me.



I know it know it seems i am being a good son, but its not all happy. I have fought with them and my brothers, so dont paint me so idealy. I do what i do becaue i felt it was always in the best interest of the family.

I may just take the leap and get the MBP.

 

[Sogo]

Oh now that I remember, the reason my mom may want to give me a laptop was because back in early 1997, i was ten, I made my mom promise to get me a laptop in 2000. I told her I wanted to have it for highschool. made her promise and had her sign a "contract" so it was all binding.

Anywho, I call her up on it in 2000, around my birthday and she tells me she forgot. I actually got somewhat angry since i reminded her about it and felt i had done good for the past 3 years. She actually explained that she didnt know what a laptop was and thought it was some gameboy like thing. Well the rest of the story is not nice since i was sad and angry. I was still 13..not much of an excuse but im sticking to it...Anywho, i just wanted to share that story.

 

[Caitlyn]

Hey! I know exactly how you feel. It took me a while to buy my iBook and iPod (I wanted to buy them together) and there was a sort of special-ness about them because I bought them all myself and they were nice things.

However, if your mom has the money and does want to do something nice for you, I say let her. It sounds like it's her pleasure. But I do understand why you want to hang onto your PowerBook. Hmm. Well, why don't you think about what you do with your machine and if it will help you through your college career. It might be a nice boost. However, if you ultimately decide you don't want the MBP just say "Thanks, but why not just buy yourself a brand spanking new machine. I love mine."

 

[FFTT]

I think it's admirable of you to be so considerate.

Although I recommend waiting just a bit longer to see the rest of the laptop line-up, I think the best solution here is to take your mom shopping and let her buy herself a new computer with your education discount.

If she doesn't need a portable, then go for an iMac.


You can always hit her up for a new quad core MacBook Extreme when you
enter grad school.

 

[sjb2016]

You're a saint

Perhaps I'm a selfish bastard, but when my grandmother died and my mom got a rather large inheritance, I let her buy me a G3. I did get a low end one, but I still let her buy it. Have bought all my consequent computers and iPods myself, but she bought my first. Actually, I know I'm a selfish bastard, my girlfriend tells me so everyday Perhaps I'm lamenting that fact and since I've been drinking...(don't worry, it's drinking time here in China) Anyway, do what you think is best. You seem to be a kind caring person and nobody would think less of you whatever you did.

 

[Dr_Maybe]

Unless you think that buying the computer would cause financial troubles or anything like that, I don't see a problem with accepting it.

Have you talked to your mom about when you didn't get the laptop you wanted in 2000? If you're hesitant to accept gifts from her because of what happened, I would maybe talk to her about it, and maybe tell her that she doesn't need to buy you stuff today to make up for the past, if that's how you feel.

Ie. don't reject a gift saying you don't need it, if you're really doing it to "tell" the giver that they don't have to buy you stuff to make up for something. Say it. And then accept the MBP if you want it