Make your Own

As far as the Fusion Drive is concerned. All the tools for rolling your own are built into the file systems in Lion and Mountain Lion. I built one for my Mac Pro ( which is only SATA 2 ) with a 256GB SSD and a 2TB WD Black. Very nice increase in performance and drops you straight into login after about 10-15 secs.

Time Machine Caveats

I agree with the above about relying on Time Machine for anything more than simple file based backups for the home user. As Trevor mentioned use Carbon Copy Cloner for more sophisticated and robust imaging/copying. Fantastic piece of software by Mike Bombich, lost count of the number of machines I have imaged/backed up ( and indeed restored ) using it. Never had the slightest problem with it.

Goodbye Adobe...

For PDFs, I have used Foxit Reader for years, much faster than Adobe's bloatware. There is even a version for the penguin fans.

Inevitable Crap Car Analogy

Like some of the above posters, I have been drinking the Kool Aid for a long time now ( since the Mac Plus ) so my judgement is undoubtedly skewed but all I can say is they just work for me. It used to be said by some that Macs were like the BMWs or Mercs of the computer world ( with the prices to match!) but now especially since the switch to Intel I would say they are more like Volkswagens now, a bit more mass market. Yes, they still tend to be more expensive (in some cases a lot!) but they are understated, well designed, reliable, build quality tends to be high, they hold their value very well over time and they "just work".

As for PCs I could buy something that is "like a Golf" as the current VW ads go but personally I just would like a Golf. As always YMMV.

Me as well...

I seem to remember that at one point it seemed as if you couldn't go into an ad agency or pr firm reception in Central London without seeing one sitting on the receptionists desk. ( not always switched on if I recall)

Have to agree that the Cube was Apple's last bonkers product. Possibly the best looking computer they ever made but the price was eyewatering even for us zombie fanbois. Didn't stop me getting about 5 of them over the years all refurb or secondhand. Taken most of them apart several dozen times and upgraded/rebuilt them. Gave one to Mum and Dad who now wonder why all other computers don't look like their one. My one remaining cube with dual 1.6 GHz 7448 cpus, 500GB HD and 23" Cinema Display is quite possibly my favourite ever computer and still a bloody good machine.

Come on Apple, less of the cool evolutionary products, let's have another WTF product in the vein of the Cube (and indeed the 20th Anniversary Mac)

Heaven is.....

Across the border, in the "real" north, large white pudding supper from the chip shop, washed down of course with ice cold irn-bru.

This comment was predictable

Research, Pah! They should have this up and running just in time for Crysis 2.

Coat, etc,etc.......

Respect

For working the Shoe Event Horizon into the discussion.

MS Office...

There is no love between us anymore.

MIne's the one with one of a million Designers Republic logos on it.

(so old...)

iphones got talent

Campaign starts here:- Jared to win Britain's Got Talent. The hours of mindless fun I had in OS 9. Welcome Back!!

SE/30

Have to agree about the SE/30. One of the best ever. It takes for the time, an amazing 128MB of RAM. Stick in a bigger SCSI drive, network card, got your own (fairly) portable server.

Mine's the one with 30 pin simms in the pocket.