gjhdiver 0 #26 February 22, 2005 QuoteI'm buying a new laptop in a couple of weeks, and I'm trying to decide between a Mac and a PC. If you were making this choice, what would you go with?? These are the things I want to run/do on the computer: ? Video Editing/DVD burning ? Photoshop and other photo processing ? Macromedia Studio (mainly Dreamweaver and Flash) ? Word processing I know that a lot of people recommend Macs for better video/graphics/design/etc. But for one, if I buy the Mac, it has to be really worth it because I'll have to buy/find all new software. I would also have a pretty big learning curve to get out of my PC habits. But, I'm willing if you guys think it's worth it. I'm prepared to have to spend about $2500. Geek suggestions??? I'm getting rid of the PC this week for a G5 iMac. After 15 years of dealing with PCs on a daily basis, I've just had enough. I'm tired of the bug ridden software. I'm tired of the security holes you could drive a truck through, and tired of having to spend hours downloading patches and service packs that either don't work, or just require even more patches applied, just to keep a machine running at a basic level. I'm going to a product that works. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #27 February 22, 2005 lots of good advice here, but i still can't decide. i know i want a laptop because i want to be mobile. i have a desktop and it is fine. i will continue to use it when necessary. grrr. too much money at risk to make wrong decision. bumping this hoping for more opinions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RevJim 0 #28 February 22, 2005 Liz, with todays computers, you can't really go wrong either way. Seriously. Just remember that firewire hard drive. Really. I didn't at first, and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to get one.It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidKing 0 #29 February 22, 2005 I would go Mac all day long. I currently own four, I run winblows on two of them so I can use pretty much any software on the market Mac or PC. I keep a new iMac G5 at the DZ for video editing and entertainment,it's plugged into the DZ TV and stereo system. Macs do love the ram though performance can be greatly improved by adding a gig or two. In 15 years I have never had a Mac let me down. Get Your Roam On David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #30 February 22, 2005 That's exactly right, Rev Macs are for people who "think different" If money isn't an issue, and you aren't comfortable reading the manual and learning how to tweak your system to secure it properly then get a MAC. You won't be disappointed. MAC's are beautifully engineered (and marketed! ), and OS X is based on one of the best engineered environments ever (NeXT OpenStep). But MACs are very expensive and don't forget that they are proprietary and you won't be able to "buy parts on sundays" for them. It isn't true that they are inherently more powerful or secure than PC's running windows - either for graphics or anything else. On the other hand, if money IS an issue and you want the most bang for the buck, there is absolutely no technical justification for buyng a MAC unless for some reason the work you need to do can only be done buy software that is exclusively made for the MAC (very unlikely). This is the reason why the vast majority of businesses are not using MACs. For $2500 you can assemble a very powerful PC (or have a trusted geek do it for you), but make sure and get Windows XP Pro rather than Home Edition installed on it. Contrary to what numerous detractors will tell you, it IS possible to very effectively secure Windows XP; I do it all the time. *************************************** Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #31 February 22, 2005 thanks. that was the best advice i've gotten yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RevJim 0 #32 February 22, 2005 I need to get back to IL....I'm not enough of a loser yet, I need to be pathetic too! It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites cameramonkey 0 #33 February 23, 2005 If ALL you want to do is what you listed, go MAC. and this is coming from a PC geek! PCs are great, but they have thier problems. MACs are SO much better in the graphics and video dept. I have two great real world examples: 1: one of my oldest clients is the top graphics shop and photo lab in town. They have 3 non mac systems... two Linux based servers and a windows terminal server... the latter was against thier wishes, but required for some specialized server app. Not one single PC. Why? Why not? 2: Adobe bailed out of the video editing race on the MAC because they didnt want to compete with Final Cut Pro... which I have seen in action... blows Premier out of the water... Now if you wanted thousands of programs, wanted to play alot of cool games, then I would suggest a PC. IF you are happy doing only what you listed, by all means go MAC.Two wrongs don't make a right, however three lefts DO! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites weegegirl 2 #34 February 23, 2005 Hey... question for you... if you are a Premiere Pro person, how hard is it to pick up on Final Cut? That's another concern of mine... how long the learning curve will be. I'm definately leaning towards Mac right now. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites lemonjelly 0 #35 February 23, 2005 Definitely mac. Been using for 15 years, not a problem. No virii no hassle************************************************* RED LIGHTS & OFF LANDINGS ARE JUST MY THANG http://www.redlightrob.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nacmacfeegle 0 #36 February 23, 2005 What type of desktop do you have? I have a couple of desktops and quite often swap stuff like big video files bewteen my lappie and desktops, I don't know if this is practical if I were to have a Mac/PC mix...... Somebody here will know.....-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites weegegirl 2 #37 February 23, 2005 QuoteWhat type of desktop do you have? I have a couple of desktops and quite often swap stuff like big video files bewteen my lappie and desktops, I don't know if this is practical if I were to have a Mac/PC mix...... Somebody here will know..... wow. good point! i didn't even think of that! erf. another curveball. after reading what everyone thinks, i'm definately leaning toward the Mac switch. I was thinking about it when I bought my last PC 4 or 5 years ago, but went with the safer, smaller-learning-curve choice of PC. design wise... i think Mac is where it's at. having to buy new software AND learn the new software... that stinks. Having to replace my desktop too eventually... well, i guess that was bound to happen. grrrrrrrrr. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites cameramonkey 0 #38 February 23, 2005 Good Question... I have actually never used final cut. I dont own a mac (not for lack of want). I'm one of those that I mentioned that needs the thousands of programs... :( I am sure its not that hard. If you can pick up on Premier, you can figure out FC.Two wrongs don't make a right, however three lefts DO! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites murrays 0 #39 February 23, 2005 Apple has put a lot of work into OS X to make it work easily with PC networks and systems. File swapping is easy. I do it all the time between my iBook and old HP Laptop. Drag and drop. Word, Excel, POwerpoint files are interchangeable between the Mac and PC versions of Office. iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, iTunes...all great pieces of software and included with all new Macs as iLife 05.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites weegegirl 2 #40 February 23, 2005 hm. that's cool. i didn't realize they were that interchangable. sweet! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nacmacfeegle 0 #41 February 23, 2005 Likewise, Murray, what about avi files? Do Macs only 'like' QT files, or are they tolerant of AVI?-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites kelel01 1 #42 February 23, 2005 Oooh, question: can I download Windows media Player for my Mac? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jdhill 0 #43 February 23, 2005 AVI's work fine for me...All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jdhill 0 #44 February 23, 2005 Quotecan I download Windows media Player for my Mac Yes JAll that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites murrays 0 #45 February 23, 2005 I use a freeware program called VLC to play avi files and pretty much everything else that Quicktime or WMP won't play. I use the Mac version of Windows Media Player to play wmv files.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumper03 0 #46 February 23, 2005 QuoteWord, Excel, POwerpoint files are interchangeable between the Mac and PC versions of Office. whoa....only if you're using the most up to date versions of both. I have to deal with this crap on a regular basis. My boss is running a mac and I have a pc - we have to swap excel, word and powerpoint files all the time. I can read his no problem (I have the most recent office upgrage). Any time I send him a file - it's screwed beyond recognition. Same thing with Illustrator and Canvas - I can read from his, he can't read from mine. This isn't isolated to just our computer pair either - it's dept wide. JumpScars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites cybercom 0 #47 February 23, 2005 QuotePC without a doubt. Software is available for free and all the parts are available off the shelf, cheap. Mac software is much harder to find, (some doesn't even exist) and generic parts are virtually unobtainable. It's true PC, with a MAC you are stand alone on you island Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites weegegirl 2 #48 February 23, 2005 in that case, couldn't you save your files in an earlier version? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites murrays 0 #49 February 23, 2005 I send my Mac Excel files to our accountant all the time and have never had a problem while using Mac Office 98 for OS 9 and using Mac Office X for OS X. I have no idea what version of Office for the PC they are using but it has never been an issue for us.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumper03 0 #50 February 23, 2005 Quotein that case, couldn't you save your files in an earlier version? we tried it, but then I'd lose information (eg formatting and such) that was only available in the newer version. Needless to say - dealing cross platform is a pain in the ass. It'd be easier if everyone used the same platform but as you can see from this thread alone there are some pretty entrenched people on either side of the aisle.Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 4 Next Page 2 of 4 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. 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RevJim 0 #32 February 22, 2005 I need to get back to IL....I'm not enough of a loser yet, I need to be pathetic too! It's your life, live it! Karma RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cameramonkey 0 #33 February 23, 2005 If ALL you want to do is what you listed, go MAC. and this is coming from a PC geek! PCs are great, but they have thier problems. MACs are SO much better in the graphics and video dept. I have two great real world examples: 1: one of my oldest clients is the top graphics shop and photo lab in town. They have 3 non mac systems... two Linux based servers and a windows terminal server... the latter was against thier wishes, but required for some specialized server app. Not one single PC. Why? Why not? 2: Adobe bailed out of the video editing race on the MAC because they didnt want to compete with Final Cut Pro... which I have seen in action... blows Premier out of the water... Now if you wanted thousands of programs, wanted to play alot of cool games, then I would suggest a PC. IF you are happy doing only what you listed, by all means go MAC.Two wrongs don't make a right, however three lefts DO! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #34 February 23, 2005 Hey... question for you... if you are a Premiere Pro person, how hard is it to pick up on Final Cut? That's another concern of mine... how long the learning curve will be. I'm definately leaning towards Mac right now. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lemonjelly 0 #35 February 23, 2005 Definitely mac. Been using for 15 years, not a problem. No virii no hassle************************************************* RED LIGHTS & OFF LANDINGS ARE JUST MY THANG http://www.redlightrob.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #36 February 23, 2005 What type of desktop do you have? I have a couple of desktops and quite often swap stuff like big video files bewteen my lappie and desktops, I don't know if this is practical if I were to have a Mac/PC mix...... Somebody here will know.....-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #37 February 23, 2005 QuoteWhat type of desktop do you have? I have a couple of desktops and quite often swap stuff like big video files bewteen my lappie and desktops, I don't know if this is practical if I were to have a Mac/PC mix...... Somebody here will know..... wow. good point! i didn't even think of that! erf. another curveball. after reading what everyone thinks, i'm definately leaning toward the Mac switch. I was thinking about it when I bought my last PC 4 or 5 years ago, but went with the safer, smaller-learning-curve choice of PC. design wise... i think Mac is where it's at. having to buy new software AND learn the new software... that stinks. Having to replace my desktop too eventually... well, i guess that was bound to happen. grrrrrrrrr. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cameramonkey 0 #38 February 23, 2005 Good Question... I have actually never used final cut. I dont own a mac (not for lack of want). I'm one of those that I mentioned that needs the thousands of programs... :( I am sure its not that hard. If you can pick up on Premier, you can figure out FC.Two wrongs don't make a right, however three lefts DO! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #39 February 23, 2005 Apple has put a lot of work into OS X to make it work easily with PC networks and systems. File swapping is easy. I do it all the time between my iBook and old HP Laptop. Drag and drop. Word, Excel, POwerpoint files are interchangeable between the Mac and PC versions of Office. iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, iTunes...all great pieces of software and included with all new Macs as iLife 05.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #40 February 23, 2005 hm. that's cool. i didn't realize they were that interchangable. sweet! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #41 February 23, 2005 Likewise, Murray, what about avi files? Do Macs only 'like' QT files, or are they tolerant of AVI?-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelel01 1 #42 February 23, 2005 Oooh, question: can I download Windows media Player for my Mac? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdhill 0 #43 February 23, 2005 AVI's work fine for me...All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdhill 0 #44 February 23, 2005 Quotecan I download Windows media Player for my Mac Yes JAll that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #45 February 23, 2005 I use a freeware program called VLC to play avi files and pretty much everything else that Quicktime or WMP won't play. I use the Mac version of Windows Media Player to play wmv files.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #46 February 23, 2005 QuoteWord, Excel, POwerpoint files are interchangeable between the Mac and PC versions of Office. whoa....only if you're using the most up to date versions of both. I have to deal with this crap on a regular basis. My boss is running a mac and I have a pc - we have to swap excel, word and powerpoint files all the time. I can read his no problem (I have the most recent office upgrage). Any time I send him a file - it's screwed beyond recognition. Same thing with Illustrator and Canvas - I can read from his, he can't read from mine. This isn't isolated to just our computer pair either - it's dept wide. JumpScars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cybercom 0 #47 February 23, 2005 QuotePC without a doubt. Software is available for free and all the parts are available off the shelf, cheap. Mac software is much harder to find, (some doesn't even exist) and generic parts are virtually unobtainable. It's true PC, with a MAC you are stand alone on you island Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #48 February 23, 2005 in that case, couldn't you save your files in an earlier version? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #49 February 23, 2005 I send my Mac Excel files to our accountant all the time and have never had a problem while using Mac Office 98 for OS 9 and using Mac Office X for OS X. I have no idea what version of Office for the PC they are using but it has never been an issue for us.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #50 February 23, 2005 Quotein that case, couldn't you save your files in an earlier version? we tried it, but then I'd lose information (eg formatting and such) that was only available in the newer version. Needless to say - dealing cross platform is a pain in the ass. It'd be easier if everyone used the same platform but as you can see from this thread alone there are some pretty entrenched people on either side of the aisle.Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
