Yeah, a mini. Tiny is more like it. Thing's literally the size of a stack of about six CD cases--came in a box about the size of a 6-pack of beer. I put it under my desk-lamp--zero space lost, just a few extra cables (that were actually wrapped around the lamp anyway from when I moved another machine away).

I got the little one (1.25GHz G4 40GB HDD $499, instead of 1.4GHz 80GB $599), and threw 1GB memory into it (case is a bitch to open). Damned memory cost half as much as the machine ($249)--probably could have shopped around and gotten it for less on-line, or settled for 512MB for $120. Thought about going with the bigger one ($100 more for double the drive and 15% more processor), but they didn't have one in stock, I wanted it then, and I have a network with 300GB free on it already... I haven't done anything needing the extra oomph or space, yet.

The machine is about as responsive as my 2.4GHz P4 (no HT) with 786MB RAM running LINUX. Haven't compared to WinXP (machine dual-boots). For comparison, it's home-build, started with a $250 bare-bones (including processor and 256MB RAM) mid-sized case (the knee-high normal case), added DVD and CD-RW (two separate drives), and one 160GB HDD and one 80GB HDD (not at the same time, the 80GB came first), and 512MB of RAM (it has two slots, now both filled). All told, about $800 of bits and pieces, estimated. Compared to the Mac, I'd say it's priced the same. The 240GB is relatively huge, although, in reality, the machine dual boots, 80GB for LINUX, 160GB for WinXP, so it's not really 240GB. By using Samba or NFS, I can get to the LINUX drive from the Mac, so it's a relative wash, and the other drives on the network.

I plugged it into my network and KVM, and it worked. Poof. Easy as that. On my 20-inch CRT monitor, it kicks out 1600x1200 (at 75Hz) without a problem. Smooth, and even better looking than the LCDs.

I downloaded a Java IDE, Eclipse, and it just worked. Tapped out a tester program, and it worked. There's a couple demos of games installed on it, and they work OK, but I suck at them--played long enough to test, not really interested in them.

The only glitch I've found is with the included Zinio digital magazine reader. The reader works, but the download manager it crashes while trying to download my electronic magazines. I haven't played with it long enough to find out if it's a Zinio error, something with the magazines (maybe Windows oriented?), or something with the Mac.

Not a deal-breaker, by any means.