@unknownuser said:

I'd do the CPU upgrade. That'll help with both SU and rendering so it's money well spent.

I'd pass on the GPU upgrade. I don't think you'll see any difference at all unless she's also interesting in playing Skyrim on that PC.

That doesn't make any sense, because you can't 'just upgrade' the CPU and not the GPU on a Mac. You do both at the same time.

FWIW, she'll see a massive difference because of the swap from 32bit to 64bit, even if, yes, SU still only works in 32bit, because the rest of the OS is running in 64bit.

Again there is the jump in buss speed too, as well as the machine being able to deal with up to 32gb's of RAM. (The older machines would only go as high as 2 or 3 gb's).

Core Duo? Is that the CoreDuo or the Core2Duo?

The former was only 32bit- the latter being 64bit. Also the older Macs only had a maximum of 2 or 3 gigs of RAM and the buss speed was quite slow (667MHz- compared to today's 1333MHz)

Also the old iMac had pretty awful built in graphic cards (Intel GMA). Not that good.

Any upgrade you will notice a vast increase in speed/performance. And as for that huge screen? Everyone loves a huge screen!

If you've got the money, go for it. Why not?

@alan fraser said:

Personally, I'm with Descartes; it's all a dream...however real it might appear to be.

The Rebbe would have some interesting thoughts about that!

@unknownuser said:

*It is liberating, this knack we have to discover what works before
understanding how.

Certainly, it is nice to know the “how.” When you know and understand,
you can immerse your entire mind and heart into the matter.

But when you experience that which you do not yet understand, there is
surprise and there is wonder. For that moment, you are swept away and
lifted out of your little world. You taste firsthand that, yes, there
is truly a reality that exists beyond my own mind and heart.*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebbe

@unknownuser said:

@krisidious said:

... until there is more proof, the only honest religion is the agnostic one.

The Dyslexic Agnostic Insomniac sits up all night wondering if there really is a DOG.

I thought it was "The Schizophrenic Dyslexic Agnostic Insomniac sits up all night wondering if there really is a DOG"?

[flash=850,688:y9jrrksj]http://www.youtube.com/v/9U4Ha9HQvMo?s=1&hl=en_GB&fs=1&&[/flash:y9jrrksj]

@alan fraser said:

Another advantage of smoking is that it kills the desire for sleep, so that you can still post to the forum well into the wee small hours of the morning....like Mike.

I don't know there Alan....

I used to sleep better after a fag or two in the evening...

@daniel said:

I've never engaged in any risky behavior to "fit in," so I find the concept hard to understand. But I see it all the time, especially young adults. And not just with cigarettes. With illicit drug use. I've never heard of drug addiction having a positive effect on someone's life, yet people still do it. I just don't understand, when there is so much information out there explaining how damaging a behavior is, why anyone would engage in it, especially when the "benefits" seem negligable in comparison.

Daniel, that's absolutely fine to think that, and your opinions are shared by tens of thousands of others worldwide.

However,

It doesn't give you, or all those others the right to tell another adult that they should or shouldn't be doing it. Right?

People should be given the freedom to form their own opinions rather having someone else decide what they think for them. No matter what evidence or breach of human rights those self appointed decision makers may throw up against them or against their case.

@daniel said:

Tom, in general, I don't drink. Even most wines taste bitter, to me. I usually have one cup of coffee first thing in the morning, but can go without (usually do, when traveling or visiting friends/family, as I find the brown water they make and call coffee unpleasant). Since I spend too much time behind a computer, I work out with a trainer usually twice a week for my health. Neither of those have the unpleasant (to me) side affects that cigarettes do, though.

You mention that smoking had a calming effect, but did you know thta when you first started smoking? What convinced you to take it up in the first place?

I started smoking when I was 13. The classic cliche- round the back of the bike shed at school. It's true!

The first cigarettes made me feel really sick, and I quit pretty quickly. It was really a pose more than anything- to look "grown up" and to fit in I suppose? I started again when I was 27. Again so I could fit in, but more because I was bored, or they gave me the perfect excuse to 'have a break'. But that's besides the point. Everyone has their own reasons why they smoke, but it's not up to the state to tell you what you can and can't do. Yes the state can advise, but it should never intervene. Ever.

My point in the original questions about coffee, exercise and alcohol was that they all make the body release endorphins that make you feel good. Cigarettes do the same- if you've smoked for long enough that is.

I like my coffee with cream (double and thick). I get the most funny expressions from people when I ask for it (because it is now food that our government are trying to control- heard of Jamie Oliver?! Say no more! lol! ). Starbucks make the best takeout coffee imo.

It's the "better ruby script installer" which lights up my world. This will make SketchUp a far more friendly tool for those in the classroom! For once I can start getting kids and teachers to install plugins without having to get all technical with them!

@alan fraser said:

Tom, it's perfectly apparent that you think everything is to do with 'mud huts'...even if it involves being staunchly anti-capitalist on one thread and supporting and promoting the profits and exploitative practices of some of the most powerful corporations on earth...like British American Tobacco on another. Citing alternate forms of smoking is pointless. That's not the reality; that's not what is being pushed by the tobacco companies. It will never amount to anything other than a niche market.

I don't see why? You run a niche cottage industry business don't you? What's so different?

And on the contrary, I am not anti-capitalist. In fact I'm very much the opposite! However some of the worlds biggest and most powerful environmental organisations are quite capable of using the power of emotional manipulation to make their point. In reality they are no different either.

@alan fraser said:

You can fantasise all you like about other possible causes, but in the case of Roy Castle, if someone who has never smoked in his life is found to have lungs half-full of tobacco tar you have to stand reason on its head to argue anything other than secondary smoke inhalation. Similarly with my grandfather; I'll take the word of the oncologists who treated him over your speculations, if you don't mind.

Sure, I don't blame you. I mean I am not qualified to tell you what your grandfather died from, but at least, considering his job, have an open mind about it. Hundreds of people die from lung cancer each year, who have never smoked in their lives. The circumstances of their fate also doesn't necessarily mean that they have died as a direct result of passive smoking either.