macOS Web Development on an iBook

[Cue]

Hi there!

I'm a web developer coding in Java using PostgreSQL as a database.
I currently do all my development on a P4@2.6HT with 800FSB and 1Gb of Dual DDR.

I'm thinking of getting a 12' iBook for doing development while on the go.
Since this will be my first mac, I cant really compare the G4 to the P4.

Can any of you share your experiences plz?
Thanks!

 

[CANEHDN]

I have a G3 iBook that I've used with Xcode a couple times. It takes forever to compile. Obviously this is slower than a G4 but that's ok. I would wait a little bit and see what Intel "iBook" is released. It will be a ton faster and probably the same price as the current G4s.

 

[starnox]

I have an iMac G5 (rev a) and an iBook G4 (latest model). As I develop using php & mysql which aren't CPU intensive on a program like TextMate. I don't have much experience in Java but I would expect it to be me more intensive. The only thing that makes me use my iMac G5 over my iBook is that the 12" screen that big and I prefer having a big windows of code open with a browser so I can easily check what happens.

As for performance then I think the G4 will suit you, screen size might not.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I'm using a 12" iBook G4@800MHz as my main computer. My main tools are TextWrangler and Cyberduck for all my php/mysql/xhtml/css programming, and that works great. Don't see why java/postgresql should be any different... and the newest iBooks are much better than my more than two years old one...

 

[Cue]

As for performance then I think the G4 will suit you, screen size might not.

Yeah...this is making me skeptical.
Mitthrawnuruodo, how do you find the screen/resolution?

Has any of you used Eclipse as its the IDE I'm using...

 

[jsw]

I program using eclipse, and I do it with my 12" PB (1.5 GHz) when traveling/on the couch/etc. It's a decent environment, but I wouldn't recommend it as a full time system - 1024x768 is usable but not optimal.

Speedwise, though, it's fine. Not as fast as my work PC, my dual-2 PowerMac, or my Intellimac, but certainly not too slow.

 

[Cue]

Thanks jsw. So whats the feeling of Eclipse? Is it snappy/laggish?
What spec is ur PC at work?

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Mitthrawnuruodo, how do you find the screen/resolution?

I wouldn't complaint if I had higher resolution, but I find it more than good enough... Check out my typical workspace...

 

[frankblundt]

For straight coding it's probably fine, but personally i have to deal with sites that have a lot of static pages (1800!) and gave up working on an iBook just because of the hassle of scrolling through large file lists and switching between multiple test windows (and i wasn't allowed to hack the screen spanning cos it was company mac ), so i got a mini instead to enjoy the luxury of 1800x1400, while still maintaining a degree of portability.

 

[Cue]

Thanks a lot for your input.
So performance wise is all good? Is it just the screen/res that "bothers" people?