Even for graphic arts majors, there's no real reason to buy a Mac. Sure, that was true a decade and a half ago, but Photoshop has been available on PC's for years now. Not to mention, the native built-in right-mouse click ability on PC's makes for much faster work. Sure, you can buy a two-button mouse for the Mac, but it's just not going to be as quick/easy as the PC. Not to mention the ability to easily drop in crosslinked graphics cards (on a desktop) or to just upgrade the graphics card (in any PC), and it's easy to see that rending, etc., goes faster for a lot less money on a PC. "But Macs have less viruses." Ok, seriously, I've used a PC for years and years and I never get a virus or spyware. I haven't had a blue screen of death since the 90's. Here's what you do: Don't download crap -- new funny looking mouse cursors? Ignore it. Cool software that'll let you hack that bittorrented game you just downloaded so you can play it for free? Ignore it. **** sites that offer you free desktop strippers? Ignore it. Update the computer when new updates come out. Did you know that most Macs actually do have spyware on them because people update their Mac software so infrequently. Heck, even 30% of official Apple computers running in the official Apple company office have spyware on them because even Apple itself is pretty sloppy about downloading updates.

Do I need to carry "extra" armor around for end game flashpoints/operations? I play on the RP/PVP server, Jung Ma. I plan on eventually getting the War Hero PvP armor, but although it's what I plan on wearing most of the time (since it's a PvP server), I hear it's not as good as the non-PvP armor? So, to do the hardest end game flashpoints/operations, I'm going to have to carry around a second suit of gear to change into for those flashpoints/operations?

I'm not up to level 50 yet, but wouldn't some of those problems be solved if people obsessively grouped more? If you see someone else standing around for the mob, give 'em a /wave, then send them an invite. Then you wouldn't have any problems with "other people" jumping in and dealing damage which apparently makes some mobs not drop their item.

And for those of us who only have one character that isn't yet 50, we can transfer over 0/14 pieces. So we still get to live with getting ***** for a good while until we can finally, finally get enough commendations (what with the cap) to buy "equal" gear.

I don't really think it's fair that 1-49 warzones are basically "fair", but then suddenly you get to level 50 warzones and you're suddenly just have to live with getting ***** for a while before you can finally get enough commendations to buy "equal" gear. If I PvP like crazy from 1-49, I should be able to just jump in at 50 and go to town.

When I first ran the Black Talon flashpoint, there was a 50 in the group and I got xp. So, yes, people will get xp.

I flat out tell people, the roll times are very long. If you'd want it for a companion, wait and see what others want. After 30 seconds or so, post in chat that you want it for your companion and feel free to roll need. That's what I'll be doing. Seriously, anyone else think that the loot roll timer is crazy long in this game?

Personally, I find it hilarious that roleplayers are perfectly content to team up with a random person who's on the "opposite side" as far as dark/light is concerned, but draws the line with teammates who are on the "opposite side" as far as Republic/Empire is concerned. It seems like strongly light-oriented people of any stripe should be able to work together well and that strongly dark-oriented people should be killing everyone else and taking the loot even when the rest of the group is composed of people who are also "on their side". I play a very strongly-oriented light side Imperial, and I wouldn't have a problem teaming with light-side Republicans in a flashpoint. Sure, in the rest of the game I might kill Jedi, but that's only because those darn NPCs attack me on sight. Whenever I've had the opportunity to actually talk with my opponents (make a light/dark side choice), I tend to get along quite well with both Jedi and Sith. To really sort things out and to handle disparate groups and choices, I could see some sort of dual flashpoint/warzone scenario, where four Imperials meet with four Republicans and if the group votes to fight (majority dark side) then everyone is dumped into a warzone and if the group votes to collaborate (majority light side) then everyone is dumped into a flashpoint. I can't be the only person who queues up for warzones and flashpoints and is perfectly happy to take whatever comes my way first.

The 50 won't get xp, but other members of the group who are closer to the level of the mob/quest will.

The new patch notes say that everyone can hold 2,750 warzone commendations and 4,500 ranked warzone commendations. It looks like it'll cost the following to buy a full set of armor: Battlemaster 10,750 commendations War Hero 25,575 ranked warzone commendations, 600 warzone commendations Ranked War Hero A specific rating for each piece, and a total of 1890 ranked warzone commendations for all pieces Are these full-set prices correct? No matter how much I PvP before level 50, I can't save up more than about a quarter of the commendations that I'd need to get a full set? It seems like, no matter how much I PvP before level 50, I'm going to be at a distinct disadvantage for quite some time once everyone else starts getting gear with more Expertise on it.

I play on the RP-PVP server, so at level 50 I'd generally want to run around the world in expertise armor for any open PvP that crops up? Apparently WH armor isn't good enough for end-game PvE, I'd have to carry around an extra set of armor just for end-game flashpoints or black hole runs or whatever?

Yes, but not legally.

Sometimes I do, but sometimes I don't.

That's kind of what I was thinking when I canceled my subscription.

The game crashes, I believe when the chat log fills up. For a "quiet" session of play, this might be 5-6 hours. For someone who's a more prolific chatter, it will be sooner.