Hey, they'd be less biased than you or me, Gus, since they've actually used both systems. That's something neither of us can say.
yerbut im not the one trying to convince the world of it...i wait for the bell to start ringing on the hill & then let them know that just because someone is wearing a turtle neck sweater ...that does not make them right. It simply means that they are shopping at St Vincent de Paul.
yerbut im not the one trying to convince the world of it...i wait for the bell to start ringing on the hill & then let them know that just because someone is wearing a turtle neck sweater ...that does not make them right. It simply means that they are shopping at St Vincent de Paul.
If I'm not mistaken, the O.P. asked for advice. If David didn't do it already, I'd have said buy a mac. After 22 years using peecees, 11 of them with IBM, I can't imagine ever going back.
Primary purpose: photo editing? Fuggedabowdit - get a Mac and enjoy live free of pc k-rap.
If I'm not mistaken, the O.P. asked for advice. If David didn't do it already, I'd have said buy a mac. After 22 years using peecees, 11 of them with IBM, I can't imagine ever going back.
Primary purpose: photo editing? Fuggedabowdit - get a Mac and enjoy live free of pc k-rap.
BUT I know good computing when I see it. In fact, I'm on a Macbook Pro right now, doing IE6 work on Windows XP2. And, I'm processing photos on Photoshop CS2. Best of both worlds!
Gus -I am not sure if you really want an answer to your question as to why you might prefer a MAC. How many MACS have you used?? How many hours have you spent working on a MAC? PCs seems simple and easy to you, but you have never really driven the other brand, so how can you be so sure??
I have built several WIN boxes, from 286 microprocessors on to P5s.. I have upgraded Bios, RAM, Hard drives, Microprocessors, and DVD and CDR drives. I know my way around a WIN box fairly well. I have repaired main hard drive crashes, etc. I still have one at home and one in the office that I use frequently, because I have not needed to replace it for web surfing. So I know how WIN boxes work and what they require to keep working safely and securely, since I have over 15-20 years experience with windows. If malware and viruses don'e cause you concern, BE HAPPY. Just don't purchase anything online.
I swtiched to MACs over a year ago, for several reasons. Security was very high on my list. Ease of calibrating the screen was another.
The operating system OS X is not copy protected in any way - my family license is good for five computers I believe. If my main hard drive should go into the porcelain microphone, I can just reboot from my external hard drive, and in less than 60 secs I am up and working again. NO one to call, NO authorizations needed. It is just that simple to back up my MACs. I do not need to reauthorize the operating system, or Adobe, or any of the other dozen odd vendors of proprietary software on my harddrive, because my back up is a bootable direct copy, not an image, of my main hard drive. I can then copy my back up hard drive to a new main hard drive and keep right on trucking.
One of the nicest things about my MACs, is that I spend almost NO TIME dedicated to keeping them working. I USE my MAC, I do not REPAIR my MAC. I do not update virus signatures, I do not update firewalls like Zonealarm, nor do I update anti-malware stufff. I do not defrag hard drives, nor do I delete extra junk from my hard drives. This alone saves me at least one or two hours a week. My time is valuable to me ( I am not getting any younger ) and this is why I pefer my MACs. I now own four of them.
When I get another newer computer, it will be a MAC also for the reasons I have stated above.
Windows computers MAY be more inexpensive to purchase than a MAC, IF your free time is not valuable to you. For me, I'd rather get work done on my MAC, than spend my time working ON my windows machine to get it ready to let me go to work.
Both operating systems work, but I got very tired of being an unpaid Microsoft repairman with daily security updates, daily antivirus updates, etc etc etc.
Apple does not expect my to spend my time keeping my MACs current, it does that automatically. I even have identical bookmarks, address books and calendars on all four MACs automatically.
And so far, every automatic update on my MAC has worked flawlessly. I wish I could say that every Microsoft update was flawless, but that is simply not my experience. Too many times I have had something not work after a 'helpful' update from MS.
Andy just might know a thing or two about computers too. He also switched - He was cautious, questioning, but after a years experience, what does he say now???
Use whatever system is best for you, and that you are happy with. : I know what is best for me!!
Mac or PC
I work on both platforms & both have their pros & cons. You can get the main creative software programs for both ie Quark, Indesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks & Photoshop & most of the time you can open files that have been created on one platform in the otehr platform. The main issue to consider is fonts, if you will be adding these to any of your work. Mac fonts don't work on PC & vice versa. There are alternative versions but these can cause text reflows & other issues. So, if you're planning to work between platforms, chose a font which is standard, such as Times New Roman, Helvetica, Palatina, Arial & Garamond. If you use more "creative" fonts, you'll need to convert them to "images" and them use them. Of course they then arn't editable & if you need to change anything, you will have to reset the whole word, line or whatever.
When saving out images for PC or mac you just have to rememebr to save it for the platform that they will be used on.
Long term, I would say it depends on how technically minded you are. Do you know enough about a PC/MAC to be able to sort out problems. Would you have to rely on some one else for maintenace? If you can't do it yourself, you'd have to find a buddy willing to helo or pay someone.
Nicola
Iconic Creative http://iconiccreative.smugmug.com "To be creative means the ability to remain thirsty and to want more, never be content...you keep on seeing, discovering and understanding the joy of creativity"
Raghu Rai
Hey, they'd be less biased than you or me, Gus, since they've actually used both systems. That's something neither of us can say.
I have used both, owned both and done software development for both. Seems to me that it doesn't make a damn bit of difference which platform you use for photo editing. Another Nikon/Canon debate. Bleh. Regardless, here are a few observations.
Macs are targeted less often by scumware and viruses. However, if you aren't taking the same precautions with your Mac as sensible PC users do, you are running a big risk. So there really isn't any time savings there. PCs do require more futzing than Macs if you want to ensure long-lasting high performance.
Macs are more expensive. I am probably going to buy a new laptop this year and the difference between a MacBook Pro and a Dell of similar power is over a thousand bucks. The paucity of competition in the Mac hardware area means fewer compatibility issues, but higher prices. I can sort through the technical stuff when I have to, so Apple's prices just make me feel ripped off.
I am not a Microsoft fan by any means. But I have to wonder why so many Apple users seem to suspend critical thinking and become fanboys. Is it some chemical in the shipping boxes? Seems to me, a healthy skepticism is the best approach to every vendor of hardware or software. A plague on all their houses. Windows users don't seem to have any problem making fun of locating the Shutdown option on the Start menu. But it took almost a decade for Apple to admit that maybe a one-button mouse wasn't such a good idea for modern, bloated software. And I'm sure you will still hear some Mac users defend it.
Apple used to be far superior to Windows in stability and ease of use, but they lost that edge years ago. The differences are minor today. I bought my aging parents an iMac as their first computer a few years back and they still are mystified by the UI. They are intelligent people, but the fact remains that computers (yes, even Macs) are still way too difficult for the beginner to use.
I am not a Microsoft fan by any means. But I have to wonder why so many Apple users seem to suspend critical thinking and become fanboys. Is it some chemical in the shipping boxes? Seems to me, a healthy skepticism is the best approach to every vendor of hardware or software. A plague on all their houses. Windows users don't seem to have any problem making fun of locating the Shutdown option on the Start menu. But it took almost a decade for Apple to admit that maybe a one-button mouse wasn't such a good idea for modern, bloated software. And I'm sure you will still hear some Mac users defend it.
</rant>
I disagree. Macs are actually much more user friendly & understandable :-).
They had an easier interface way before PCs did. Much more easy to understand.
Nicola
Iconic Creative http://iconiccreative.smugmug.com "To be creative means the ability to remain thirsty and to want more, never be content...you keep on seeing, discovering and understanding the joy of creativity"
Raghu Rai
Okay, so just for posterity's sake, I'll post this.
I was and continue to be a windows user but I recently got a mac (macbook pro 17" ). My desktop is PC, all my previous lappys were PCs, and my wife is a PC user too. Having said that, my honest opinion right at this moment is to recommend a mac unless you're a gamer.
Yes there was a learning curve and my fingers still reach for the wrong keys (gah! I hit control when I should have hit the spirograph/apple key!). Heck with parallels I'm constantly going back and forth on the same darn machine so I get all kinds of confused. Anywho... don't belive anyone who tells you that macs don't crash. Oh you may not see the blue screen o' death, but you get the spinning beach ball from hell for sure. Crashing seems a bit less likely on a mac than pc though.
Also one of my big misconceptions about a mac is that there wouldn't be all that much software for it. True, you won't find super hot games made just for the mac. And you won't find macs that are built specifically for gamers (think alienware). But that aside you will be able to find any software that will do anything you need it to do. A small market share is still millions of people and among those millions there are plenty that are cranking out some really neat software. Stuff you just can't get on the PC, things like quicksilver, coverflow, any one of a gozillion widgets, etc.
The things photographers need are on both machines of course. Really, the only reason I've got much use for a windows machine is so that I can hate on IE6 and because my CS2 is windows (I'll switch when CS3 comes out). Also Microsoft is playing up their expression stuff pretty well so I'll probably see if that's really worth it once that comes out. So IE6, that's pretty much it for me for windows and I only use it because I do lots of websites. Shoot man, parallels has me covered for that easily. So I don't much bother with my PC anymore. My wife'll kick me in the shins if she hears that someday in the not so distant future I'll probably start saving for the yet to be released Mac Pro hotness (not because it's a mac, but because it costs money). So don't tell her.
So to sum up, yes you can do anything you need as a photographer on either machine. But it's a much better experience on a mac and there are all kinds of neat little apps for the mac that make your day so much better and easier that I won't be switching back.
That's my opinion anyhow.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
don't belive anyone who tells you that macs don't crash. Oh you may not see the blue screen o' death, but you get the spinning beach ball from hell for sure. Crashing seems a bit less likely on a mac than pc though.
Applications crash, but you have to work very, very hard to crash the OS, and if your OS crashes (a kernel panic), then there is something wrong. I have yet to see a system running Tiger that had a kernel panic that was without cause...meaning they don't just happen, unless you have bad RAM, a bad directory on your hard drive....you can always find a reason why it KP'd. A fixable reason. It doesn't "just happen."
Applications crash, but you have to work very, very hard to crash the OS, and if your OS crashes (a kernel panic), then there is something wrong. I have yet to see a system running Tiger that had a kernel panic that was without cause...meaning they don't just happen, unless you have bad RAM, a bad directory on your hard drive....you can always find a reason why it KP'd. A fixable reason. It doesn't "just happen."
Thing gets slow and bogged down. Apps start crashing, stuff takes forever. If you restart it, it works much better. That's exactly the same thing that happens on windows.
You would pick that bit from my whole post to quibble about wouldn't you
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
Macs are targeted less often by scumware and viruses. However, if you aren't taking the same precautions with your Mac as sensible PC users do, you are running a big risk. So there really isn't any time savings there. PCs do require more futzing than Macs if you want to ensure long-lasting high performance.
Macs are more expensive. I am probably going to buy a new laptop this year and the difference between a MacBook Pro and a Dell of similar power is over a thousand bucks. The paucity of competition in the Mac hardware area means fewer compatibility issues, but higher prices. I can sort through the technical stuff when I have to, so Apple's prices just make me feel ripped off.
Two things, Richard. I agree that everyone should exercise caution in computing whether PC or Mac, but it is foolhardy to run a PC without anti-viral software. And I would argue that it is foolhardy to run a Mac *WITH* anti-viral software. On a Mac you'd be protecting yourself against something that just doesn't exist, and slowing down your system, and actually compromising your security more than if you just used your own good sense. That seems to me to be a major advantage.
And you could have just as easily compared the Dell to the MacBook, non-Pro and gotten the same pricepoint. The speed of the two machines (Pro and non-Pro versions) is just too close right now. But in a month or two Apple will be releasing (mark my rumor-mongering words!) a 64 bit MacBook Pro, which will allow, among other things, access to more than 2GB RAM. This is the MBP that they wanted to release originally, but their timetable and the timetable of the processors didn't line up to make that happen.
So why didn't you compare the MacBook with the Dell? The MacBook Pro has a lot of really nice features that no other lappy has, and sure, they cost money. In fact, the MacBook, non-pro has plenty of features you won't find in a Dell.
Thing gets slow and bogged down. Apps start crashing, stuff takes forever. If you restart it, it works much better. That's exactly the same thing that happens on windows.
You would pick that bit from my whole post to quibble about wouldn't you
The need to restart should be no more than monthly. If it's more often for you, then we need to do some troubleshooting.
And I didn't mean to quibble about it. Applications crash frequently on a Mac. But I'm just amazed at how stable the root system is. I mean it should be, I guess, being built on UNIX.
but it is foolhardy to run a PC with anti-viral software. And I would argue that it is foolhardy to run a Mac *WITH* anti-viral software.
Uh....
There was a digg thread about norton antivirus having some security exploits and being not good. But that doesn't mean that *every* antivirus product for the mac is a bad thing.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
I really don't know anything about the availability or desirability of running AV software on the Mac right now. If the situation is as you say, though, I would call that a disadvantage. I run a light-weight, free program called AVG on Windows. It updates itself daily and automatically and keeps a low profile in terms of system resources. I agree that sensible behavior is more important than software.
As for the MacBook, the screen size and resolution simply don't cut it for me. I don't use a desktop machine. My five year old Dell Latitude has a 15" 1600x1200 pixel screen, and I don't want anything less in the next machine I buy. So I never even considered the MacBook.
Out of curiosity, I just looked at the Apple site, but I couldn't find how much it would cost to upgrade the memory to 2GB, which is what I am looking for. I know you love Macs, David, but please, please don't tell me they are not more expensive than Dell, HP or other generic PCs. The difference in price may be worth it for many people, but I am not one of them.
I really don't know anything about the availability or desirability of running AV software on the Mac right now. If the situation is as you say, though, I would call that a disadvantage. I run a light-weight, free program called AVG on Windows. It updates itself daily and automatically and keeps a low profile in terms of system resources. I agree that sensible behavior is more important than software.
DavidTO is I think talking about Symantec's Norton Antivirus products which have been shown to have security vulnerabilities on both PCs and macs. That doesn't mean that there are not antivirus products for macs that are easy, secure, and free for the Mac. One good one is ClamXav. It's free, it updates itself every day automatically and doesn't take up much in terms of resources.
As for the MacBook, the screen size and resolution simply don't cut it for me. I don't use a desktop machine. My five year old Dell Latitude has a 15" 1600x1200 pixel screen, and I don't want anything less in the next machine I buy. So I never even considered the MacBook.
Yes, I agree. I would not have gotten a 15" MBP because of the low screen resolution compared with PCs that I've had. That's why I went with the 17" MBP with a 1650 x 1050 resolution. I'm not sure why Apple doesn't have a higher resolution on their lappy monitors to be honest.
Out of curiosity, I just looked at the Apple site, but I couldn't find how much it would cost to upgrade the memory to 2GB, which is what I am looking for. I know you love Macs, David, but please, please don't tell me they are not more expensive than Dell, HP or other generic PCs. The difference in price may be worth it for many people, but I am not one of them.
Regards,
Apple (not unlike dell or any other PC maker) charges too much for the RAM that you buy from them. Thanks to the recommendations from DavidTO and BWG and others, I found that crucial.com was the way to go for a RAM upgrade. This is true for any computer, mac or PC IMHO.
I never bothered comparing the prices for similarly equipped systems. So I went ahead and did it. I customized a Dell 17" to have specs that were at least as good as the 17" MBP. What I mean is that you can either get a screen that is 1440 x 900 for the Dell or one that is 1900 x 1200 so I chose the higher of the two to be at least as good as the MBP's 1680 x 1050 resolution. On the dell I had to add things like a remote, a webcam, Dell premium photography software (which is probably about the same as iPhoto), etc. They have a free 1GB upgrade option right now and with that the total for the Dell comes to $2788. The 1GB of ram would easily be $200 and maybe $250 regularly so that could easily push the price up to over $3000 when there is no promotion going on. The 17" MBP with comparible specs (including 2GB installed by Apple rather than bought from crucial.com) is $3099. Plus you get a bunch of software that you wouldn't get on the PC like photobooth, iLife, garage band, comic life, grapher, etc.
After having done this, I'm really not sure where the PC's-are-so-much-cheaper meme is coming from.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
There was a digg thread about norton antivirus having some security exploits and being not good. But that doesn't mean that *every* antivirus product for the mac is a bad thing.
Running an app like that when you don't need it? Scanning your drive and taking up resources when you don't neeed it? I call that a bad thing. There are no viruses for the Mac. Precautions make sense. Software just doesn't, IMO.
I really don't know anything about the availability or desirability of running AV software on the Mac right now. If the situation is as you say, though, I would call that a disadvantage. I run a light-weight, free program called AVG on Windows. It updates itself daily and automatically and keeps a low profile in terms of system resources. I agree that sensible behavior is more important than software.
As for the MacBook, the screen size and resolution simply don't cut it for me. I don't use a desktop machine. My five year old Dell Latitude has a 15" 1600x1200 pixel screen, and I don't want anything less in the next machine I buy. So I never even considered the MacBook.
Out of curiosity, I just looked at the Apple site, but I couldn't find how much it would cost to upgrade the memory to 2GB, which is what I am looking for. I know you love Macs, David, but please, please don't tell me they are not more expensive than Dell, HP or other generic PCs. The difference in price may be worth it for many people, but I am not one of them.
Regards,
Mike already answered the price question nicely. It looks to be that Macs aren't any more expensive feature for feature, but it IS true that for the features YOU want, it may be cheaper. That's a fair enough approach. It doesn't matter all that much if the Mac's the same price feature for feature when you just don't want what it has to offer.
You usually upgrade the computer after you've started to place your order. But don't get the RAM from Apple. It's too easy and cheaper to get elsewhere.
Running an app like that when you don't need it? Scanning your drive and taking up resources when you don't neeed it? I call that a bad thing. There are no viruses for the Mac. Precautions make sense. Software just doesn't, IMO.
If you've got things on your computer that you'd rather not let people have access to (bank account info, private data, whatever) it is only prudent to be extra cautious. That is necessary IMHO.
You can make apps scan at times when you're not using the computer so there's no problems with taking up resources so that's not an issue.
"A Mac running with factory settings will protect you from viruses much better than a PC, but it’s never a bad idea to run extra virus and security software."
I happen to agree.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
After having done this, I'm really not sure where the PC's-are-so-much-cheaper meme is coming from.
Well, the Dell I speced came in at $1729: Dual Core 2Ghz, 2GB RAM, 15.4" WUXGA resolution screen, 80GB hard drive, DVD burner, 802.11a/g yadda, yadda, yadda. It did not include all the nifty Mac software, but I am just fine with the software I've got. All in all, it seemed a much better value for my needs than the $2700 MacBook Pro.
Given the volitility of hardware prices, I don't doubt that on occasion, a particular Mac configuration will be at a truly competitive price. But in my personal experience, every time I have been in the market Macs were more expensive for what I needed. I did buy one once back in the days of the Quadra, when MacOS crashed less often than Windows 3.1, and I was really quite happy with it. It sucked less.:D
If you've got things on your computer that you'd rather not let people have access to (bank account info, private data, whatever) it is only prudent to be extra cautious. That is necessary IMHO.
You can make apps scan at times when you're not using the computer so there's no problems with taking up resources so that's not an issue.
"A Mac running with factory settings will protect you from viruses much better than a PC, but it’s never a bad idea to run extra virus and security software."
After having done this, I'm really not sure where the PC's-are-so-much-cheaper meme is coming from.
Simple, most people don't compare Apples to apples, pun intended. Most people look at the base price and compare that, they don't dive into the exact feature set. The Dell you compared to, you needed to upgrade that quite a bit to match the entry-level Apple. Once you did so the price delta was moot. On the flip-side its hard to get a Mac that is as bare-bones as most PC's.
Simple, most people don't compare Apples to apples, pun intended. Most people look at the base price and compare that, they don't dive into the exact feature set. The Dell you compared to, you needed to upgrade that quite a bit to match the entry-level Apple. Once you did so the price delta was moot. On the flip-side its hard to get a Mac that is as bare-bones as most PC's.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
Quick question about installing RAM. By the end of my 12th grade year for a graduation present, I will most likely be getting a MAC. I like the MBP but I know that before the year is over there will be a new one out. My question is when you upgrade the RAM in a laptop, do you need someone to install it for you, or can you (safely) open up the computer and put it in?
Quick question about installing RAM. By the end of my 12th grade year for a graduation present, I will most likely be getting a MAC. I like the MBP but I know that before the year is over there will be a new one out. My question is when you upgrade the RAM in a laptop, do you need someone to install it for you, or can you (safely) open up the computer and put it in?
It is very, very, very easy. Take out the battery, remove a cover with a few screws, pop in the RAM (push hard!) reverse and you're done.
It is very, very, very easy. Take out the battery, remove a cover with a few screws, pop in the RAM (push hard!) reverse and you're done.
push until you can only see a little bit of the gold contacts showing. if you turn it on and nothing happens, you haven't pushed the ram in far enough. turn it off and try again.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
You can make apps scan at times when you're not using the computer so there's no problems with taking up resources so that's not an issue.
The thing about viruses on the Mac is that there aren't any. When one successfully replicates itself in the wild, it'll be big news, and I'll hear about it before the virus defs are ever updated. And if I don't, then that's what my backup is for. In the meantime, I just don't see the sense in fighting a phantom menace.
Comments
yerbut im not the one trying to convince the world of it...i wait for the bell to start ringing on the hill & then let them know that just because someone is wearing a turtle neck sweater ...that does not make them right. It simply means that they are shopping at St Vincent de Paul.
Primary purpose: photo editing? Fuggedabowdit - get a Mac and enjoy live free of pc k-rap.
Biased? You bet I am
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BUT I know good computing when I see it. In fact, I'm on a Macbook Pro right now, doing IE6 work on Windows XP2. And, I'm processing photos on Photoshop CS2. Best of both worlds!
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:andy :andy :andy :andy :andy
I have built several WIN boxes, from 286 microprocessors on to P5s.. I have upgraded Bios, RAM, Hard drives, Microprocessors, and DVD and CDR drives. I know my way around a WIN box fairly well. I have repaired main hard drive crashes, etc. I still have one at home and one in the office that I use frequently, because I have not needed to replace it for web surfing. So I know how WIN boxes work and what they require to keep working safely and securely, since I have over 15-20 years experience with windows. If malware and viruses don'e cause you concern, BE HAPPY. Just don't purchase anything online.
I swtiched to MACs over a year ago, for several reasons. Security was very high on my list. Ease of calibrating the screen was another.
The operating system OS X is not copy protected in any way - my family license is good for five computers I believe. If my main hard drive should go into the porcelain microphone, I can just reboot from my external hard drive, and in less than 60 secs I am up and working again. NO one to call, NO authorizations needed. It is just that simple to back up my MACs. I do not need to reauthorize the operating system, or Adobe, or any of the other dozen odd vendors of proprietary software on my harddrive, because my back up is a bootable direct copy, not an image, of my main hard drive. I can then copy my back up hard drive to a new main hard drive and keep right on trucking.
One of the nicest things about my MACs, is that I spend almost NO TIME dedicated to keeping them working. I USE my MAC, I do not REPAIR my MAC. I do not update virus signatures, I do not update firewalls like Zonealarm, nor do I update anti-malware stufff. I do not defrag hard drives, nor do I delete extra junk from my hard drives. This alone saves me at least one or two hours a week. My time is valuable to me ( I am not getting any younger ) and this is why I pefer my MACs. I now own four of them.
When I get another newer computer, it will be a MAC also for the reasons I have stated above.
Windows computers MAY be more inexpensive to purchase than a MAC, IF your free time is not valuable to you. For me, I'd rather get work done on my MAC, than spend my time working ON my windows machine to get it ready to let me go to work.
Both operating systems work, but I got very tired of being an unpaid Microsoft repairman with daily security updates, daily antivirus updates, etc etc etc.
Apple does not expect my to spend my time keeping my MACs current, it does that automatically. I even have identical bookmarks, address books and calendars on all four MACs automatically.
And so far, every automatic update on my MAC has worked flawlessly. I wish I could say that every Microsoft update was flawless, but that is simply not my experience. Too many times I have had something not work after a 'helpful' update from MS.
Andy just might know a thing or two about computers too. He also switched - He was cautious, questioning, but after a years experience, what does he say now???
Use whatever system is best for you, and that you are happy with.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
I work on both platforms & both have their pros & cons. You can get the main creative software programs for both ie Quark, Indesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks & Photoshop & most of the time you can open files that have been created on one platform in the otehr platform. The main issue to consider is fonts, if you will be adding these to any of your work. Mac fonts don't work on PC & vice versa. There are alternative versions but these can cause text reflows & other issues. So, if you're planning to work between platforms, chose a font which is standard, such as Times New Roman, Helvetica, Palatina, Arial & Garamond. If you use more "creative" fonts, you'll need to convert them to "images" and them use them. Of course they then arn't editable & if you need to change anything, you will have to reset the whole word, line or whatever.
When saving out images for PC or mac you just have to rememebr to save it for the platform that they will be used on.
Long term, I would say it depends on how technically minded you are. Do you know enough about a PC/MAC to be able to sort out problems. Would you have to rely on some one else for maintenace? If you can't do it yourself, you'd have to find a buddy willing to helo or pay someone.
Iconic Creative
http://iconiccreative.smugmug.com
"To be creative means the ability to remain thirsty and to want more, never be content...you keep on seeing, discovering and understanding the joy of creativity"
Raghu Rai
Macs are targeted less often by scumware and viruses. However, if you aren't taking the same precautions with your Mac as sensible PC users do, you are running a big risk. So there really isn't any time savings there. PCs do require more futzing than Macs if you want to ensure long-lasting high performance.
Macs are more expensive. I am probably going to buy a new laptop this year and the difference between a MacBook Pro and a Dell of similar power is over a thousand bucks. The paucity of competition in the Mac hardware area means fewer compatibility issues, but higher prices. I can sort through the technical stuff when I have to, so Apple's prices just make me feel ripped off.
I am not a Microsoft fan by any means. But I have to wonder why so many Apple users seem to suspend critical thinking and become fanboys. Is it some chemical in the shipping boxes? Seems to me, a healthy skepticism is the best approach to every vendor of hardware or software. A plague on all their houses. Windows users don't seem to have any problem making fun of locating the Shutdown option on the Start menu. But it took almost a decade for Apple to admit that maybe a one-button mouse wasn't such a good idea for modern, bloated software. And I'm sure you will still hear some Mac users defend it.
Apple used to be far superior to Windows in stability and ease of use, but they lost that edge years ago. The differences are minor today. I bought my aging parents an iMac as their first computer a few years back and they still are mystified by the UI. They are intelligent people, but the fact remains that computers (yes, even Macs) are still way too difficult for the beginner to use.
</rant>
I disagree. Macs are actually much more user friendly & understandable :-).
They had an easier interface way before PCs did. Much more easy to understand.
Iconic Creative
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I was and continue to be a windows user but I recently got a mac (macbook pro 17"
Yes there was a learning curve and my fingers still reach for the wrong keys (gah! I hit control when I should have hit the spirograph/apple key!). Heck with parallels I'm constantly going back and forth on the same darn machine so I get all kinds of confused. Anywho... don't belive anyone who tells you that macs don't crash. Oh you may not see the blue screen o' death, but you get the spinning beach ball from hell for sure. Crashing seems a bit less likely on a mac than pc though.
Also one of my big misconceptions about a mac is that there wouldn't be all that much software for it. True, you won't find super hot games made just for the mac. And you won't find macs that are built specifically for gamers (think alienware). But that aside you will be able to find any software that will do anything you need it to do. A small market share is still millions of people and among those millions there are plenty that are cranking out some really neat software. Stuff you just can't get on the PC, things like quicksilver, coverflow, any one of a gozillion widgets, etc.
The things photographers need are on both machines of course. Really, the only reason I've got much use for a windows machine is so that I can hate on IE6 and because my CS2 is windows (I'll switch when CS3 comes out). Also Microsoft is playing up their expression stuff pretty well so I'll probably see if that's really worth it once that comes out. So IE6, that's pretty much it for me for windows and I only use it because I do lots of websites. Shoot man, parallels has me covered for that easily. So I don't much bother with my PC anymore. My wife'll kick me in the shins if she hears that someday in the not so distant future I'll probably start saving for the yet to be released Mac Pro hotness (not because it's a mac, but because it costs money). So don't tell her.
So to sum up, yes you can do anything you need as a photographer on either machine. But it's a much better experience on a mac and there are all kinds of neat little apps for the mac that make your day so much better and easier that I won't be switching back.
That's my opinion anyhow.
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Applications crash, but you have to work very, very hard to crash the OS, and if your OS crashes (a kernel panic), then there is something wrong. I have yet to see a system running Tiger that had a kernel panic that was without cause...meaning they don't just happen, unless you have bad RAM, a bad directory on your hard drive....you can always find a reason why it KP'd. A fixable reason. It doesn't "just happen."
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Two things, Richard. I agree that everyone should exercise caution in computing whether PC or Mac, but it is foolhardy to run a PC without anti-viral software. And I would argue that it is foolhardy to run a Mac *WITH* anti-viral software. On a Mac you'd be protecting yourself against something that just doesn't exist, and slowing down your system, and actually compromising your security more than if you just used your own good sense. That seems to me to be a major advantage.
And you could have just as easily compared the Dell to the MacBook, non-Pro and gotten the same pricepoint. The speed of the two machines (Pro and non-Pro versions) is just too close right now. But in a month or two Apple will be releasing (mark my rumor-mongering words!) a 64 bit MacBook Pro, which will allow, among other things, access to more than 2GB RAM. This is the MBP that they wanted to release originally, but their timetable and the timetable of the processors didn't line up to make that happen.
So why didn't you compare the MacBook with the Dell? The MacBook Pro has a lot of really nice features that no other lappy has, and sure, they cost money. In fact, the MacBook, non-pro has plenty of features you won't find in a Dell.
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The need to restart should be no more than monthly. If it's more often for you, then we need to do some troubleshooting.
And I didn't mean to quibble about it. Applications crash frequently on a Mac. But I'm just amazed at how stable the root system is. I mean it should be, I guess, being built on UNIX.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Uh....
There was a digg thread about norton antivirus having some security exploits and being not good. But that doesn't mean that *every* antivirus product for the mac is a bad thing.
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I really don't know anything about the availability or desirability of running AV software on the Mac right now. If the situation is as you say, though, I would call that a disadvantage. I run a light-weight, free program called AVG on Windows. It updates itself daily and automatically and keeps a low profile in terms of system resources. I agree that sensible behavior is more important than software.
As for the MacBook, the screen size and resolution simply don't cut it for me. I don't use a desktop machine. My five year old Dell Latitude has a 15" 1600x1200 pixel screen, and I don't want anything less in the next machine I buy. So I never even considered the MacBook.
Out of curiosity, I just looked at the Apple site, but I couldn't find how much it would cost to upgrade the memory to 2GB, which is what I am looking for. I know you love Macs, David, but please, please don't tell me they are not more expensive than Dell, HP or other generic PCs. The difference in price may be worth it for many people, but I am not one of them.
Regards,
DavidTO is I think talking about Symantec's Norton Antivirus products which have been shown to have security vulnerabilities on both PCs and macs. That doesn't mean that there are not antivirus products for macs that are easy, secure, and free for the Mac. One good one is ClamXav. It's free, it updates itself every day automatically and doesn't take up much in terms of resources.
Yes, I agree. I would not have gotten a 15" MBP because of the low screen resolution compared with PCs that I've had. That's why I went with the 17" MBP with a 1650 x 1050 resolution. I'm not sure why Apple doesn't have a higher resolution on their lappy monitors to be honest.
Apple (not unlike dell or any other PC maker) charges too much for the RAM that you buy from them. Thanks to the recommendations from DavidTO and BWG and others, I found that crucial.com was the way to go for a RAM upgrade. This is true for any computer, mac or PC IMHO.
I never bothered comparing the prices for similarly equipped systems. So I went ahead and did it. I customized a Dell 17" to have specs that were at least as good as the 17" MBP. What I mean is that you can either get a screen that is 1440 x 900 for the Dell or one that is 1900 x 1200 so I chose the higher of the two to be at least as good as the MBP's 1680 x 1050 resolution. On the dell I had to add things like a remote, a webcam, Dell premium photography software (which is probably about the same as iPhoto), etc. They have a free 1GB upgrade option right now and with that the total for the Dell comes to $2788. The 1GB of ram would easily be $200 and maybe $250 regularly so that could easily push the price up to over $3000 when there is no promotion going on. The 17" MBP with comparible specs (including 2GB installed by Apple rather than bought from crucial.com) is $3099. Plus you get a bunch of software that you wouldn't get on the PC like photobooth, iLife, garage band, comic life, grapher, etc.
After having done this, I'm really not sure where the PC's-are-so-much-cheaper meme is coming from.
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Running an app like that when you don't need it? Scanning your drive and taking up resources when you don't neeed it? I call that a bad thing. There are no viruses for the Mac. Precautions make sense. Software just doesn't, IMO.
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Mike already answered the price question nicely. It looks to be that Macs aren't any more expensive feature for feature, but it IS true that for the features YOU want, it may be cheaper. That's a fair enough approach. It doesn't matter all that much if the Mac's the same price feature for feature when you just don't want what it has to offer.
You usually upgrade the computer after you've started to place your order. But don't get the RAM from Apple. It's too easy and cheaper to get elsewhere.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
If you've got things on your computer that you'd rather not let people have access to (bank account info, private data, whatever) it is only prudent to be extra cautious. That is necessary IMHO.
You can make apps scan at times when you're not using the computer so there's no problems with taking up resources so that's not an issue.
Hell even Apple has this to say:
"A Mac running with factory settings will protect you from viruses much better than a PC, but it’s never a bad idea to run extra virus and security software."
I happen to agree.
http://photos.mikelanestudios.com/
Given the volitility of hardware prices, I don't doubt that on occasion, a particular Mac configuration will be at a truly competitive price. But in my personal experience, every time I have been in the market Macs were more expensive for what I needed. I did buy one once back in the days of the Quadra, when MacOS crashed less often than Windows 3.1, and I was really quite happy with it. It sucked less.:D
The only thing I run is Little Snitch.
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True, and I am anxious to see how Shay does with his Linux machine (rebel that he is.:):)
If he can blueprint a path to a viable platform of hardware and software, Linux might be my next computer OS.
ziggy53
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It is very, very, very easy. Take out the battery, remove a cover with a few screws, pop in the RAM (push hard!) reverse and you're done.
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push until you can only see a little bit of the gold contacts showing. if you turn it on and nothing happens, you haven't pushed the ram in far enough. turn it off and try again.
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The thing about viruses on the Mac is that there aren't any. When one successfully replicates itself in the wild, it'll be big news, and I'll hear about it before the virus defs are ever updated. And if I don't, then that's what my backup is for. In the meantime, I just don't see the sense in fighting a phantom menace.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
that took all of 2 seconds.