[Aavso-photometry] Advice on Mac Models

[BailyHill at aol.com]

Hello;

Sorry if you get this post twice.   I was not sure which address list was 
current.

I have recently gone thru a terrible repair on my dell laptop--no fault of 
Dell's.   I have without a computer and photometry for 5 weeks now, and another 
2 weeks is expected.   It has got me thinking that with the availablility of 
IRAF to run on a Mac, and with EquinoX Software that controls SBIG cameras (I 
have tried it) and it controls Takahashi Temma mounts (also lx200, 
etc)--------perhaps now is the time to get a mac again.

I would appreciate any advice from those who know about what is manditory and 
what is nice.   I do have 2 observatories and will move the computer back a 
forth.   It could be an all in one iMacG5, or a portable iBookG4 or 
powerbookG4.   Now that I am retired and on fixed income, I would say that I want neither 
the cheapest nor the most expensive, but the best value, and if its good to 
have, I would pay for it.

I would be planning on using IRAF to do the reduction.   The images would be 
saved by EquinoX as FITS.   Currently run MaximDL/CCD and if it would run on a 
Mac, I would go that way.   

Another alternative is to buy another pc and just keep on trucking with 
Maxim.   

Comments and Suggestions?


Gary Walker