Community Newsletter: Q&A: Is the Mac right for me?
- 4/5/07 11:48 AM
depends on the quality
by ellis feigenbaum - 4/9/07 1:16 AM In reply to: Ditto!!! by MzSabinaAt the momemt im running a laptop, with a core 2 duo 5500 , 2 gigs ram and 512 on the graphics card, the motherboard and the chipset are intel the graphics card is nvidia. Even under the presuure of slide show ,disc burning and watching tv on the dual monitor display. I always use both monitors simultaneously, very often with 2 or 3 apps open on each monitor will often have an im programme running with inbuilt camera on for conferencing(ok sometimes its just chat with freinds) and it has yet to lock up.
I seriously beleive we have got beyond the point in time when one could say macs are better quality,and I beleive we are entering a phase where the software support for specific tasks will be the deciding factor as oppossed to hardware capabilities.If you need a computer for web browsing email and an oocasional letter you will never need really high quality machine, if you need one to render graphics well be prepared to spend some money but chosse the vendor and the o/s based on support for apllication specific needs.
Ellis
re: If the Mac is so perfect?
by twyrick - 4/7/07 8:03 AM In reply to: 4 Questions? by waytronWayttron:
1. Most Mac users also own a Windows PC of some sort, primarily because it's pretty cheap to do so. In my experience doing on-site computer service, I've run across quite a few "Mac users" who do also "happen to own a Windows box" - but it's typically a 6 year old Dell they got at someone's garage sale, or maybe an old Gateway or HP they bought before making the switch to their Mac. Used PCs have so little resale value most of the time, they figure it makes more sense to keep it as an extra computer than resell it. Plus, *some* Mac users like games -- and computer gaming is one area where Macs aren't very "strong". Many developers of great 3D games (like Half Life 2) have refused to write a native Mac version of the software. As more Mac owners buy the latest Macs with Intel CPUs in them, they'll start booting into XP to play these instead. But for now, many still use a PC when they want to play the games.
2. Apple resisted making their machines run Windows for YEARS ... But eventually, I think they realized that Motorola (who used to make their CPUs) just wasn't willing or able to compete directly with the "big players" (Intel and AMD) who were dominating them in releasing powerful processors for the dollar. If they wanted to offer a competitive computer in the marketplace, they had to go with the mainstream - or get left in the dust. They briefly tried a partnership with IBM (for the PowerPC G5 chips) - but IBM wasn't committed to updating it as quickly as Apple required. Once they moved to Intel (or even AMD if they went that route instead), running Windows was almost impossible NOT to allow, really. The machines were too similar to any other Windows PC from a hardware perspective.
3. A big one? Spyware! I lost count of how many PCs I've had to "fix" due to weird, random crashes and error messages, sluggish performance, etc. Every time, it was traced back to spyware that got in when they visited the wrong web page and something got downloaded automatically to their PC. Macs (so far) are pretty much virus and spyware free - which makes them FAR more stable in the real world.
4. The camera itself isn't such a "big deal" at all. It's more the "coolness factor" of what that allows. Apple developed some of the best video conferencing software in the business with their "iChat AV" software. Online chats with it are amazing. You can zoom the video window up to full screen and it still looks fluid and stays in synch with the audio. On a reasonably fast cable modem or DSL connection, you can conference together multiple parties too, and you can add movies in the background if you film yourself behind a "blue screen" or "green screen" backdrop. The list goes on. Basically, FAR superior to the typical stuff Windows users run for the purpose.
Mac / PC
by cj.mckay - 4/7/07 6:20 AM In reply to: Macs for media by scotlandyardusHi,
I fully understand that some people have had nightmares with PCs which are prone to crashes and lockups which can result in interrupted work schedules and lost data. In my opinion this is almost always due to the PCs and their operating systems not being set up correctly in the first place.
Macs appeal to non-technical creative types for precisely the reason that you can pretty much switch them on and start working from day one without worrying about the hardware or software. I have heard the difference between Macs and PCs described as resembling the difference between a car with an automatic transmission and one with a manual. Some of us prefer the manual option - that is to say we want to be able to modify the settings on our computer and customize the specifics of the way that it works. PCs and their operating systems do allow for this whereas it is much harder to do this with a Mac.
With PCs a little knowledge goes a long way. I have built all of my PCs myself and, in so doing, have saved an awful lot of money and have learned to set up and maintain the machines myself without ever needing to pay a shop or an 'expert' to help me.
My home PCs still run Win98SE and they do so without any crashes or lockups because they are set up properly. Just learning a few little tricks will ensure a stable and error-free computing experience with a PC.
So really it is up to you. Do you want to pay a fortune for a Mac which is basically a PC under the skin anyway? Or should you learn a few basic set-up and maintenance tips so that you can instead operate a much cheaper and more powerful PC with near-total stability?
In reality, I think a lot of creatives are drawn to Macs for two reasons - reasons which have little to do with actual function: 1)Macs look pretty ....2)Everyone else in their industry seems to have one.
If I can run an office full of PCs, some of which are still operating with Win98 - and get extremely low rates of crashes or problems then anybody can. It only requires the sort of level of skills you would need to set the timer on a video recorder.
But then again - most people used to say that even setting the timer on a VCR was too difficult for them back when VCRs were more common.
Its a shame that as technology moves forward some people's attitudes just fall back. In this technological world it pays great dividends to be one of the people who understands the way that things work. A little knowledge can save you a lot of time and money.
Thanks,
Chris J.
Wow! Very interesting...
by jackies35 - 5/14/07 6:53 AM In reply to: Mac / PC by cj.mckayYou stated in a previous tread:
Mac / PC
by cj.mckay - 4/7/07 6:20 AM
In reply to: Macs for media by scotlandyardus
Hi,
I fully understand that some people have had nightmares with PCs which are prone to crashes and lockups which can result in interrupted work schedules and lost data. In my opinion this is almost always due to the PCs and their operating systems not being set up correctly in the first place.
Macs appeal to non-technical creative types for precisely the reason that you can pretty much switch them on and start working from day one without worrying about the hardware or software. I have heard the difference between Macs and PCs described as resembling the difference between a car with an automatic transmission and one with a manual. Some of us prefer the manual option - that is to say we want to be able to modify the settings on our computer and customize the specifics of the way that it works. PCs and their operating systems do allow for this whereas it is much harder to do this with a Mac.
With PCs a little knowledge goes a long way. I have built all of my PCs myself and, in so doing, have saved an awful lot of money and have learned to set up and maintain the machines myself without ever needing to pay a shop or an 'expert' to help me.
My home PCs still run Win98SE and they do so without any crashes or lockups because they are set up properly. Just learning a few little tricks will ensure a stable and error-free computing experience with a PC.
I remember in the past I had to help my mom and dad setup and program a vcr. I do agree with you partially. My mom got the process down pack but my dad didn't give fart about learning anything. When He wants something done, he wants it done in now!
As an IT person, I live and breathe PCs all day. However, when i get home, I have a MacBook, which is so user friendly, I fell in love...
At work, I am called numerous times to help and assist other workers with their PCs. So what, I am a geek and a programmer. However, its to tetious to do the same tips and trick on over 400 hundred computers.
With the MacBook (i am trying to convince the company to make the switch), I don't have to remember or use any of my expert tips and trick. Would you believe 87% of the employees would like to see the PCs removed and replaced with a Mac??
Also, would you believe 80% of the employees here have a Mac at home?
We all learned and loved the PCs but the constant crashes, error message, etc... is unbelieveable!! This is coming from an Expert!!
Mac's and Crashes
by PhotoMan - 5/14/07 9:15 AM In reply to: Wow! Very interesting... by jackies35I am a photographer and graphics artist with my own business. I agree with you that a Mac is best for someone that does "not wish to know" and will accept whatever setup the app decides upon, without question. That is why I use a PC (I have used Mac's in the past). A properly set up computer and a bit of common sense will go a long way.
To say that I've never had a crash or lockup would be ludicrus. My last lockup was about three months ago when I was draging an EPS file between Corel, Photoshop CS2 and AI CS2 (all open on the screen at the same time).
I question your percentages regarding Mac's though. If 80% of the people where you work have a Mac at home, then you must have only about a half dozen employees and work for Apple....given the roughly 3% market share Mac's have compared to the PC market. I, and others in my profession, see Mac's and PC's in the printing business all the time and Mac's get rebooted just as often as PC's. Most use PC's on the more complex jobs as they are more customizable for specific tasks and leave the easier jobs for the Mac.
I am by no means a computer expert but I do have eyes and can see what is being used in the working world.
Mac & PC
by WAArnold - 4/8/07 10:20 AM In reply to: Macs for media by scotlandyardusPrecisly what Barry was saying, you get what you pay for. You paid mucho bucks for that Mac and the Mac software. Given the same Mucho bucks for the PC you would have just as good a machine. I started with Apple years ago. After the many, many, many, you gotta buy another card, and that nice program isn't available for the Apple/MAC, I switched and haven't regretted it at all. Would I go back to Apple/Mac, absolutely not. My PC has served me well. Yes there has been some downs but, don't tell me you haven't had your down's with MAC, I know better.
YOUSE GET'S WHAT YOUSE PAYS FER (No I didn't use spell checker)
MAC is the Embedded Platform
by martyh - 4/9/07 3:19 PM In reply to: Macs for media by scotlandyardusThe argument that Macs must be better because more artists or photographers use them is based upon a common mistake in logic. It assumes that the majority must be right, which history clearly refutes.
The principle reason why more artists and photographers use Macs is because everyone else does. New artists and photographers assume that the majority must be right so they jump on the bandwagon, increasing the fallacy.
So how did Macs get the majority in the first place? By being the first, and thus the best, many years ago. There's no question that the Mac used to be the only serious game in town for artists and photographers. But the PC has caught up so that the artist on the PC can do anything his Mac brother can do. The problem, however, is that Mac is so embedded that it's easier for the ad agency, the service bureau and others to simply cater to the Mac users. So the PC artist who goes to work at an ad agency goes to his desk and finds a Mac sitting there by default. And the PC artist who wants to send his files to a service bureau has to worry about font and conversion problems because the service bureau doesn't consider his occasional jobs worth the cost of outfitting a PC with all the hardware, software and fonts to handle his jobs.
Fortunately, that barrier isn't nearly as high as it once was, but it's enough to discourage some from going to a PC. But a photographer doesn't have that hurdle to worry about anyway. So I think the advice to consider the specific software and needs is more sound than the idea of following the crowd.
Remember, only a decade ago people were still using that logic to say, "No one ever got fired for buying IBM."
Yes to the iMac
by TtfnJohn - 3/23/07 5:02 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The Mac guys were right about it crashing. It's so rare that I doubt you'll run into it.
And with all due respect to Windows users and Linux users (like me) the Mac is head and shoulders the best platform for editing photos, videos (if you ever have that itch) or just about any serious artistic work.
ttfn
John
Why Mac over PC if using the same editing program?
by Rob10 - 3/31/07 6:06 AM In reply to: Yes to the iMac by TtfnJohnI am a 5 year PC user and waiting for new Macs to come out with Leopard to make the "switch". I've never used a Mac before and have had vey few issues with viruses and major crashes, but just tired of the way Windows seems counter-intuitive in many ways. I am looking to use it for lower power, home photo and video editing.
It sounds like most folks are using Pro software like Photoshop for their editing (as opposed to iPhoto). If that's the case, why is it easier to use Photoshop on a Mac than use Photoshop on a PC? I would probably only go as far as PS Elements myself.
Graphics, Photos, Mac and PC
by marybryan - 4/7/07 7:57 AM In reply to: Yes to the iMac by TtfnJohnI have been a graphics designer on my own for now 5 years. I got here by way of using PC's and Corel. In the 10+ years of doing design and photo work, Corel has been by far, easier, more intuitive and faster to create/edit graphic design and images.
Now I'm using a program called Xara for most of my design, but go back to my old copy of Corel 7/Photopaint on a regular basis to clean up images and photos. Really the only time I go to Photoshop nowadays is to create transparent gifs (images that have no backgrounds), but that is really it. And, I have found that Xara and Corel actually do a lot that Photoshop won't and in real time with easier undos and modifications.
My biggest complaints for using Photoshop have been the many extra steps you have to go through to achieve the same effect, plus the incredible bloating Photoshop does to files that are often 98% smaller in Xara and Corel. As many of the printers that I have submitted designs to over the years have required mac driven eps, I have learned in both of my programs how to create files that can be transmitted via email - they're almost all mac users, but have seen the pdf light and some are converting. Most are quite amazed at the file size, without loss of composition or resolution.
I've kept on the PC path for several reasons. One, 100% of my client base is PC, and for them to be able to view files I create, it makes much more sense to be able to send them a PDF in a file size that won't choke the ISP line and take years to open or needing a special program to view proofs.
The other reasons are that I can go to the office supply store and try a new program any time I want, can get any kind of peripheral (printer, scanner, and Camera) from low end to high end and be assurred it will work with my system and not be proprietary.
I've been working my desktop for SEVEN years now. It has been upgraded here and there, but all in all, my HP has given me 7 very, very reliable, solid and enjoyable years...
So, PC can be a great thing even in my Mac driven industry. You just need to be willing, and look at the even bigger pictures - compatiblity, expansion, sharing with others and backing up files (Adobe PS pics 10 vs. Xara or Photopaint pics 1000).
The biggest caveat for most pc users, especially those who don't spend hours on their box is knowing all of the IMPORTANT sytems maintenance things - defrags, cleanups, firewalls, anti virus etc...these are very important and do require user intervention from time to time. But done and done before the blue screen of death, can help to have a smooth experience.
There is a need I find here to educate every computer user, Mac and PC, on all of the house cleaning to ensure a solid, steady experience. I am getting more and more clients who need to be shown how to accept firewall warnings, system and program updates, and set up virus programs. (I had one client who always got the updates, but never ran a scan - it was not pretty). Like your body, if you keep your bones healthy, get regular checkups, and eat well, you'll have a better body for a longer time.
Maybe this will help those of you on the fence, but I'm proof that if you want to be relevant to the majority, you have to be engaged in it too.
graphics
by PhotoMan - 4/9/07 10:04 PM In reply to: Graphics, Photos, Mac and PC by marybryanHear, Hear !
I've been a pro photographer for over 30 years and bangin' the keyboard for the last 20. I've used Timex, Commodore, Apple, Lisa, Mac , IBM and PC's. Ive got three versions of Photoshop (5,7, CS2), Illustrator CS2, 4 versions of Corel Graphics Suite ("The Rock"-V9,11,12 X3) and Painter 9 on the computer as well as a half dozen other graphics apps (you use whichever program, or combination of programs you need to in order to get the clients' job done).
Corel and my PC are my bread & butter for the same reasons that you have so very well stated !
To Mac or not To Mac...
by jackintucson - 3/23/07 5:19 PM
In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Chaz,
As a certified photographer, I faced the same dilemma fifteen years ago. Back then I would have said go Mac. But today, I say stay with the PC until you find out if this is what you really want to do. Selling photos is NOT easy. You have to really do your homework. Hone your skills for awhile. Get a good photo app like Adobe's Photoshop CS2 or CS3. Learn how to manipulate the photos on the PC. Make sure you are going to be willing to invest the time it will take to get those salable shots. Once you get all your flying ducks in a row...re-evaluate your hardware.
Good Luck!
Jack (aka..jackintucson)
A slight lean towards Mac (yes, I have one)
by NM_Bill - 3/23/07 5:20 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You'll probably assume Adobe Photoshop as a necessity. Either platform for that.
Need much compatible communication with the e-world in general? A slight lean towards a PC.
Maximum flexibility? Mac provides/allows dual platform use. I use Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac (to be upgraded later this year.)
I lean towards Mac programs for stability & plug & play being the norm. I had to use MS at work for years before getting a Mac. At something like 85% market penetration, MS is the norm. I prefer a few of their features over Mac. Beyond that point of stupidity years back when the then Apple CEO signed off on the look & feel GUI in return for a measly 25 million loan during a cash crunch (whereas founders Steve & Steve politely asked Xerox for the privilege), it is obvious that now the two steal look & feel from one another.
My take on the decision? Back to the slight lean towards Mac. Yes, a lot less freezing/crashing. Minimize MS use to avoid focused exposure to the many bad guys.
I would never attempt to cram the decision on anyone. There are certainly many more MS gurus around than Mac. A recent demo swayed you? Stop back in an Apple store & let those guys earn their pay. Be politely demanding. Your time is not to be wasted on seeing what games teens like. Ask specifically for demo of iPhoto type features. They hire only relatively speaking, experts. Any should be familiar with Photoshop if not the creative suite in general. You deserve to take some of their time, not just parents with the kids (not sure who dragged whom along.)
Just encouraging an open mind. Best of luck as to both some semi-pro photo income & the platform you will us (not the mention all today's varying camera resources.)
Mac vs. PC
by mdstevnz - 3/23/07 5:27 PM In reply to: Is the Mac right for me? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The Mac guys know what they are talking about! The Macs do not crash and have the problems which PC's have.
I have had over (8)PC's but will never buy another PC. I will buy Mac's next time.
Macs are the ultimate choice of Graphic, Photo, Designers, Animators and Video folks. A person will not go wrong going Mac/Apple.
Macs DO crash
by cdhanks - 3/30/07 4:45 PM In reply to: Mac vs. PC by mdstevnzUse both PC and iMac Intel 20". Had the Mac about 5 weeks - it has crashed/locked up around 5 times, had to power off and restart. My Dell - Zero. Don't listen to the Mac sales geeks, if you are used to Windows, the Mac OS seems clunky and slow to figure out. Some things work similar to Windows, others seem to have no rhyme or reason to their workings. Example, with Windows, if you want to print some text from a document or web page, simply highlight it and select File, Print and "Selection" and just the highlighted text prints. Haven't found a way to do that on a Mac, have to highlight, copy, open a text file and paste, then print. If it is possible to do it on a Mac, it is not apparent. Lots of other anomalies like this. Another could not get my Epson R1800 print over Firewire, even after over an hour with tech support and downloading the latest drivers. Works ok with the USB cable. Connected the Firewire to my Dell - bang, works first try. The sales rep said I would hate the iMac the first 2 weeks then would love it. Wrong, I still hate it and wished I had stuck with PCs.
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