Mac compatibility:

I do not think that it is reasonable to expect everything to be Mac compatible.

I am not anti Mac. In fact I think Macs may be be better than a PC just like Accura and Porsche are better than Honda and Ford. I drive Honda and compute on a mix of Dell, eMachines, etc. However, I do love my iPod.

I have looked at the new MacBook Air with envy and lust and have considered buying one. It looks like a great computer for the road. However, it's at least $1000 and possibly more depending on how you configure it. I can go to Best Buy and by an Asus netbook for $250. It's not as pretty, but it is sufficient for most tasks that I need on the road.

Buying a Mac is a personal choice and one that is much more expensive. You have to realize that a price to pay for that is that not everything is going to be compatible.

Ideally the company would develop everything to be Mac compatible, but developing a Mac compatible version is not as simple as just selecting "Save as Mac compatible version." It involves limiting your choice of platforms and can be as extensive as developing a completely different version for Mac. Often it involves dumbing down in order to make a Mac and PC version. At a minimum, it takes more time which is more money to develop a Mac compatible version.

Major software companies have to spend development resources to develop for Mac. Often the versions are significantly different. They do so because they feel the market can justify cost. For a company like Delta, Mac compatibility is all cost.

If you use a Mac, you can run Parallels or Boot Camp to run Windows. If you have already paid significantly more for your computer, what's a little more for a copy of Windows. I understand that Windows 7 runs well on a Mac.

If it is feasible and within reasons to develop a Mac version, great. But as someone who wants to get more money from the company in terms of pay, I don't want the company spending too much of that money on developing Mac products.

 

If you are willing to take a GS you could answer the phone (or call them back asap after you look it up) see what they had, explain where you are and that'd you'd love to do it if they could PS you there. I got that on a GS in NYC on the ER once but that's only for SAME DAY flying, they explained they don't do that for tomorrow's flying. Basically for schedule continuity they're willing to PS you to get you there. It's their call of course.

 

Good synopsis. If you know the reserve system you can do quite well. I have made it a habit of going over guarantee and in many cases hitting ALV mid month.

 

You need to qualify that a bit. If you happen to be in a category with open time and fairly good reserve utilization, you can do quite well. For example, my first three years or so on the 88 as a Captain (on reserve) I averaged over 80 hours per month. Then it slowed down quite a bit and I only made it over reserve guarantee (70 hours) a handful of times. Since I've been on the DC-9 in MEM, I think I've only had one, maybe two, reserve months where I was able to get over 70.

 

ae is out...

 

Quite true.

I also enjoy sitting at home when we are over staffed on a jet. I got to enjoy the full pay for one four day a month last winter.

 

Yes, yes it is.....

 

120 vacancies and 50 surpluses.... all 50 are m88 b

 

Interesting. Not as big as I thought it would be. No big movements at all.

 

Don't see it on DeltaNet. Is it only on iCrew?