Windows or Mac??

Rich:

Windows XP here. Yeah it looks like Windows NT Romper Room, but it's still an excellent OS. More importantly than the OS I use Photoshop 7 to do my photo manips. That tool is also available for the Mac. I have an old PowerMac 8100/100av (which I really love the interface and ease of use) but you need to understand I can build PC's for a fraction of the cost of a Mac - so that's why I use a PC. (I game too - Tons more titles available for the PC side there).

As long as you can get a good photo editing proggy it shouldn't matter what platform/OS you use.

Good luck in your quest... Stever

RichSnyder said:

I'm a long time computer user - unix, linux, windows, mac, etc.
But I'm fairly new to digital imaging. Played before with Print
Shop Pro, but it's time to get serious. My home PC is showing some
age and most of the software is due for an upgrade or replacement.
So, going PC or Mac is not going to save me much on software.

Just wanted to see what the Sony Forum people were using.

Are you using Mac or PC? Why did you choose one platform over the
other?

Click to expand...

--
...they don't qualify as 'galleries' but http://www.fotki.com/pukrat

Hurrah!

You'll like XP (it's a bit "Little Tykes" ish), but that's okay. I haven't been able to find a more bullet-proof OS for the consumer (UNIX just flat out rules as an OS, but it's not consumer-freindly). Just be sure you surf the web for a while and have all your XP drivers on hand before you begin your conversion, this will prevent a number of headaches.

I agree the hardware costs on the Apple side are VERY prohibitive!

On a monitor I just purchased a Compaq P910 monitor (19") from CDW for $219. This thing flat out smokes! Diamondtron Naturally Flat tube (some say it's even nicer than the Trinitron). I haven't seen a purer white on a monitor. It comes with a link to a color calibration tool too. Any 19" at that price is nice but this is a steal - it retails for $400 - $500.

Good luck!

Stever

RichSnyder said:

I think I'm leaning towards XP. I love OS X, but the hardware cost
is a little ridiculous. Before XP, I might have leaned towards
mac, but I think the color callibration issues has reached the
point of equality between the two platforms.

Anyone run into any showstoppers with XP? I'm planning on using a
Canon S9000 printer and I haven't decided on the graphics card or
monitor yet. Everything else has little to do with the color
calibration.

Thanks for all the info! Greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

--
...they don't qualify as 'galleries' but http://www.fotki.com/pukrat

Erichatch said:

I have a heavy investment in mac equipment and software, but it's
getting pretty irksome not to be able to find mac versions of a
number of software programs. Still, I DON'T want to give Bill
gAtes the satisfaction.... or replace the thousands of dollars of
software I now own.

Click to expand...

What software do you guys have trouble finding on the Mac?

For me it's usually only stuff like "Bill's JPEG Rotator"...

All of the main software is availble on the MAC especially on the creative side. For the most part you just don't get all the cr@p software you have to wade through with Windows.

There'a a lot of biz software that's windows only, but that's never really been an interest for me.

AMEN!

Harvey F said:

The most important reason though is I have a very good friend who
is very good with computer's and when I have a problem he is always
able to help me. I would be lost without him.

Click to expand...

So unless you have a good frend like Harvey's, better go Mac!!!

Why is it that every 6months my Windows friends have to wipe their machines and reinstall the OS? That seems to be the 1 answer to Windows IT woes...

Marty Scher B said:

IMO
PCs have over 95% of the desktop market, so almost all software
products are developed for the PC and may or may not have a version
for the Mac.

Click to expand...

Sony only has 5% of the CE market

If they would only release OS X for Intel... OS X is based on Darwin so it would be a relatively easy port. Sure, you wouldn't have the ALTIVEC optimizations, but the G3 doesn't have the ALTIVEC pipeline either and it works fine.

Cheap hardware and a killer desktop OS.

OK, back to reality.

Stever46789 said:

(UNIX just flat out rules as an OS, but it's not
consumer-freindly).

Click to expand...

Umm, OS X is UNIX (BSD), it's pretty friendly... and STABLE

Stever46789 said:

Just be sure you surf the web for a while and
have all your XP drivers on hand before you begin your conversion,
this will prevent a number of headaches.

Click to expand...

Or you could get a Mac and not worry about drivers...

Stever46789 said:

I agree the hardware costs on the Apple side are VERY prohibitive!

Click to expand...

Not so true anymore. Try to outfit a Dell with Firewire, DVI interfaces, DVD-R and the price gets up there pretty quick.

Stever46789 said:

On a monitor I just purchased a Compaq P910 monitor (19") from
CDW for $219. This thing flat out smokes! Diamondtron Naturally
Flat tube (some say it's even nicer than the Trinitron). I haven't
seen a purer white on a monitor. It comes with a link to a color
calibration tool too. Any 19" at that price is nice but this is a
steal - it retails for $400 - $500.

Click to expand...

On the monitor side people, don't be fooled into think you HAVE to buy an Apple monitor. They'll work with any standard VGA monitor...

What it comes down to is 3 things.

-premium quality- you get what you pay for. Mac's are the Cadiallac's of computers. They last longer and run smoother.

-ease of use- the thing just works, no hours searching for drivers on the web, no blue screens, no begging your friend to come over and format your HD... I love using my Mac like I love driving a V-6 5 speed, or eating at a nice restaurant, or seeing a great performance. PC's are fine, like a urnial. They function to the bare minimum...

I don't see anyone here talking about how much they love their PC. I hear talk of market share (how does that affect me? as along as apple is in biz they've got enough marketshare for me) and price whining... you get what you pay for...

-lifespan- MAc's have a much longer lifespan. I do tons of image editiing on my 5 year old 8600 tower, with no problems. I want to get rid of it but it's so darn useful... who can say that about their PII's from the same time (1997)?

Stever46789 said:

Good luck!

Stever

RichSnyder said:

I think I'm leaning towards XP. I love OS X, but the hardware cost
is a little ridiculous. Before XP, I might have leaned towards
mac, but I think the color callibration issues has reached the
point of equality between the two platforms.

Anyone run into any showstoppers with XP? I'm planning on using a
Canon S9000 printer and I haven't decided on the graphics card or
monitor yet. Everything else has little to do with the color
calibration.

Thanks for all the info! Greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

--
...they don't qualify as 'galleries' but http://www.fotki.com/pukrat

Click to expand...

--
-fg

RichSnyder said:

If they would only release OS X for Intel... OS X is based on
Darwin so it would be a relatively easy port. Sure, you wouldn't
have the ALTIVEC optimizations, but the G3 doesn't have the ALTIVEC
pipeline either and it works fine.

Cheap hardware and a killer desktop OS.

OK, back to reality.

Click to expand...

Engh!... the rumors are always there and IT DOES EXIST internally at Apple, but they make their money on hardware....

OK so I mainly use Photoshop on a Mac, but from time to time when I travel for work I have to take a PC laptop.

I work with my cursors set to "brush size".

On the PC, on many differnet machines and OS's through the years I have seen my cursor revert to a "precise" size after a few hours of use, with no explanation and no way to get my "brush size" cursor back...

any ideas?

this annoyance ALONE keeps me from going PC

While reformating and re-installing the OS is a common thing in the Windows world it is not the #1 answer to windows IT woes. The #1 answer is to RE-BOOT!

Sam

fg said:

fg said:

The most important reason though is I have a very good friend who
is very good with computer's and when I have a problem he is always
able to help me. I would be lost without him.

Click to expand...

So unless you have a good frend like Harvey's, better go Mac!!!

Why is it that every 6months my Windows friends have to wipe their
machines and reinstall the OS? That seems to be the 1 answer to
Windows IT woes...

Click to expand...

I'm just giving y'all a warning. Take heed or not. Cheers D

It's been civil so far. I think the general consensus is go Mac if you want to do video editting. Fairly even split between XP and OS X for image manipulation.

Really wasn't trying to stir up anything. Just trying to see if anyone ran into major problems on either platform.

darren said:

I'm just giving y'all a warning. Take heed or not. Cheers D

Click to expand...

If you're more familiar with PC, already have PC software and PCs are cheaper why would you consider Mac?

I use a Mac because I always have and most people in my line of work use them. For me it just makes sense.

For anyone else, they need a pretty strong case to move to Mac, especially with all the PC software available for the main stream computer user.

How's that for an objective opinion from a Mac user?

Cheers!

Yeah, hit capslock and itll usually fix it.

Or make sure Sticky keys (a windows 'accessibility' feature for handicapped people) isnt forcing shift or control to stay on or off.

fg said:

OK so I mainly use Photoshop on a Mac, but from time to time when I
travel for work I have to take a PC laptop.

I work with my cursors set to "brush size".

On the PC, on many differnet machines and OS's through the years I
have seen my cursor revert to a "precise" size after a few hours of
use, with no explanation and no way to get my "brush size" cursor
back...

any ideas?

this annoyance ALONE keeps me from going PC

Click to expand...

--
Jarett §§ DSC-F707 Lover!
http://www.uglyduck.com

Mac owners love their Macs.

PC owners like their PCs.

For me, I switch between Linux and Windows a lot. So, it would be great to have an OS that is based on Unix that would have all the benefits of Linux on the desktop, but with commercial, supported apps like PhotoShop and MS Office.

Unfortuantely, the price of admission is high.

Thanks for the input!

Rich

brent said:

If you're more familiar with PC, already have PC software and PCs
are cheaper why would you consider Mac?

I use a Mac because I always have and most people in my line of
work use them. For me it just makes sense.

For anyone else, they need a pretty strong case to move to Mac,
especially with all the PC software available for the main stream
computer user.

How's that for an objective opinion from a Mac user?

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I'm an graphic designer. I use Macs. We own 4 Macs, 3 towers and 1 iBook.

We just used iMovie (FREE program) to create an hour and 15 minute VHS tape for our out of state relatives showing our grandson's first year in video and still. We even added music, titles, you name it. Since we really pushed iMovie to the limit, we are considering Final Cut Pro.

My daughter's husband is a programmer. He has Windows NT running at home. My daughter can't hear sounds -- no sound card. Can't use a modern printer -- no USB, no Firewire. Talk about lack of support, Windows NT is the last to get support.

You can say how great it is to build your own PC and put it together yourself. For the rest of us, buying a Mac gives us what we need -- sound card, video card, CD, zip with many options (maybe why they cost more???) and now that memory can be bought in Costco, we've maxed out our computers. Don't like the apple display -- I don't either, we use CRT monitors.

My camera? Just plug in the cable. No drivers, no problems, it just works.

We have airport -- we can all surf on our dial up modem (yes, it's slow, but it works without wires). Surfin' the web on the iBook while watching TV on the couch -- really cool!

I can barely make my way around my daughter's PC -- ever read "directions" for installing programs on a multi-platform CD -- why are the PC directions always so much longer?

On my Mac (it helps I'm a graphic designer) I can load fonts, boss them around, switch between airport and modem, and the "you can do it" attitude of Apple is encouraging. There's a lot to learn, why should it be so difficult?

My mother, despite our advise, followed the advice of her friend and got a PC. It sits, unused, because she can't even get AOL to work properly. Her friend who was going to help? -- Well, her friend can't figure out what's wrong either. My mom called AOL, she called COMPAQ -- no solutions! So she has to hire someone to come fix her machine. If she had a Mac we could have helped her. Not everyone has a PC guru handy, with Macs, it's nice to have one, but not necessary.

So for all of you who love your PCs that's fine! Switching is not easy if you are used to PC. And my daughter -- what is her preference, I was really surprised after using PCs at work and at home for several years -- she wants a Mac.

PC with Windows XP Home Ed.

Both Intel and AMD processors stomp on Mac’s RISK processors “Clock for Clock”. You can build a PC for about ½ the cost of getting a Mac and have more power. Your hardware options are greater with a PC and for less ca$h. If you’re a gamer, then a PC is a must (IMO). The gap between Mac’s GUI and Windows isn’t as great now days. The software options are far greater with the PC. But on the Mac’s side, it’s a snap to use… If you decide to build a PC from scratch, don’t fret. Its all plug and play. It’s no harder than plugging in a new Vid card.

RichSnyder said:

I'm a long time computer user - unix, linux, windows, mac, etc.
But I'm fairly new to digital imaging. Played before with Print
Shop Pro, but it's time to get serious. My home PC is showing some
age and most of the software is due for an upgrade or replacement.
So, going PC or Mac is not going to save me much on software.

Just wanted to see what the Sony Forum people were using.

Are you using Mac or PC? Why did you choose one platform over the
other?

Click to expand...

LOLROF!

PCs preloaded with XP are a no-brainer. Jut got my Compaq Presario 721CL with XP to augment my DA for on-the-road activities. The DA was plug & play. Loading PSP 7 was a cakewalk. Hooking up to the home network was just snapping in the Cat5 cable. Heck a monkey can work it. The old days of Win9X are gone. I did the XP upgrade to the desktop the day it hit the shelf and it’s been a snap to use.

It’s always good to have a friend like Harvey around, but their services just won’t be needed as much.

fg said:

So unless you have a good frend like Harvey's, better go Mac!!!

Why is it that every 6months my Windows friends have to wipe their
machines and reinstall the OS? That seems to be the 1 answer to
Windows IT woes...

Click to expand...

Hi Scutellata,

I agree with you. It is always good to have a good friend around to help you. Nobody knows everything. On this forum we all have lots of good firends who help each other. People like Shay, Ulysses, Ron Parr just to mention a few. I bought XP 3 months ago and enjoy it. For me it is a pleasure to use.

One nice feature when loading it is it gave me a preliminary report on my computer. It analyzed all my programs and told me which were compatible and which were not compatible with XP. I thought it was very impressive. XP also automatically notifies you for updates or patches. The icon say click here and it does the rest. All in all a very nice operating system and I have yet to crash with XP.

Regards,

Harvey F

Scutellata said:

It’s always good to have a friend like Harvey around, but their
services just won’t be needed as much.

fg said:

So unless you have a good frend like Harvey's, better go Mac!!!

Why is it that every 6months my Windows friends have to wipe their
machines and reinstall the OS? That seems to be the 1 answer to
Windows IT woes...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...