Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Different breakpoints and stuff like that is exactly the symptom you would expect if there were differences in the fonts.
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Mac vs. Windows
- Thread starter Michael Fryd
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Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
I think the typical small business photographer has different needs and resources than companies with millions of dollars of data.
But the question is not whether or not one should solely on the included backup system. The question is how does the functionality of the included backup solution differ between OS-X and Windows?
Mike CH
Veteran Member
Coincidentally, I've been staring at this for the last 5 min:
It's a completely new document, 2 pages, with a simple table and some text, created and saved 2 hours ago.
After 5 min the document opened.
Regards, Mike
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Wait and see...
I hardly ever speak for anybody but myself. In the cases where I do mean to speak generally the statements are likely to be marked as such.
It's a completely new document, 2 pages, with a simple table and some text, created and saved 2 hours ago.
After 5 min the document opened.
Regards, Mike
--
Wait and see...
I hardly ever speak for anybody but myself. In the cases where I do mean to speak generally the statements are likely to be marked as such.
I don't see that as the question. The question I have is do I trust built in BU solutions on any OS. I don't. I spent 50.00 bucks on mine and I am happy with it.
If you trust yours that is great. You get to save $50.00.
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Understanding the functionality is not the same as trusting the functionality.
I don't "trust" any single one of my backup strategies. I use multiple strategies so that if one fails, I don't lose my data.
Understanding the functionality (and limitations) of the built-in solution is important in deciding how it should fit into your overall backup strategy.
I have folder copies, a couple of windows backups in the system, and a 3rd party backup. I have never had to use any of them with my five year old Gateway or brand new ASUS laptop. I think we are a little more advanced than John and Jane Doe, the typical photographer, you are trying to relate to.
The built in system back ups probably work just fine for them. I have not seen a lot of complaints in this thread for either.
Features I wish my PC has
- fast, universal search
- Time machine
- Air Drop
- The Preview app
- space bar to preview anything
- Safari
- Macbooks
- full screen apps and gaming without flashing the screen or messing up my desktop icons.
- Custom built Gaming PC
- gaming
- Cheat engine
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
What is the Windows built-in search feature like?
The Mac version allow you to search by filename, contents, and meta-data. I can search for all JPEGs taken at ISO 200 in a certain date range that have "wendy" in the filename.
I assumed that Window would have a similar built-in search feature.
I think there's already a few messages asking for a description of Window's built-in backup.
I forget to mention airdrop. This is a feature that allows you to send files, contacts, etc. from your Pad, iPhone, or Mac to any nearby iPad, iPhone, or Mac. It's a simple and quick way to transfer data. It uses a combination of Internet and Bluetooth.
On the Mac there's an AirDrop folder with nearby people. Just drag and drop to send them a file. On the iPhone/iPad "Airdrop" is one of the standard sharing methods.
Does Windows offer a similar short cut for sharing documents?
Truthfully, Airdrop doesn't do anything you couldn't already do with a combination of mail, instant messaging, ftp, and a few other programs. All it provides is a streamlined method of sending data to someone nearby. You don't need their email address, you don't need high bandwidth to the outside world, you don't need their telephone number. Just click on their name, and they get a pop-up asking if they want to accept the transfer.
What file types does window allow you to view without buying software? On the Mac, the built-in Preview app supoprts many common file types: JPEG, PDF, TXT, RTF, .DOC, multiple types of camera RAW files, etc.
I believe on the Mac, the spacebar is just a shortcut for invoking the same functionality as the Preview app.
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Obviously, if you buy an app like Lightroom, Photoshop, etc., it includes support for a number of different camera RAW formats.
I know the Mac includes support for various RAW formats without requiring an additional purchase. The built in "Photos" app can read and process various RAW formats, and can save them out as a JPEG. It may not be as full featured nor give as much control as Photoshop, but in a pinch, it's nice to know it's there if you need it.
What sort of Camera RAW support is bundled with Windows?
I know the Mac includes support for various RAW formats without requiring an additional purchase. The built in "Photos" app can read and process various RAW formats, and can save them out as a JPEG. It may not be as full featured nor give as much control as Photoshop, but in a pinch, it's nice to know it's there if you need it.
What sort of Camera RAW support is bundled with Windows?
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Apple offers an online "App" store. You can buy the app online, and download right away. If you accidentally delete the app, you can download it again whenever you want. Updates are generally free, and you can configure them to happen in the background.
The standard licensing allows you to load and run the software on all of your Macs (i.e. those machines where you have an account associated with your Apple ID).
Does Microsoft offer an "App" store for Windows? What are the typical licensing terms like?
The standard licensing allows you to load and run the software on all of your Macs (i.e. those machines where you have an account associated with your Apple ID).
Does Microsoft offer an "App" store for Windows? What are the typical licensing terms like?
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Mac OS-X comes with both a built-in screen sharing service and a video chat service.
The Screen Sharing app allows you to view (or control) the screen of a remote Mac, even if you are both behind NAT firewalls. All that's necessary is for you both to be signed in to Apple's "Messages" service. No other configuration is required.
I find screen sharing incredibly helpful when collaborating on certain visually oriented projects.
OS-X also comes with standard screen sharing server/client software. However these require you to navigate firewalls and NAT routers on your own.
What sorts of screen sharing services are built into Windows?
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Video chat is available from any iPad/iPhone/Mac to any other to other iPad/iPhone/Mac.
What's the built-in Windows video chat like?
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The Mac also includes audio calls. The other day I left my iPhone at home. However I have my Mac configured with my cellular number. Calls that came in to my cellphone, also rang through the Internet to my Mac. I could make outgoing phone calls from the Mac over the regular telephone network. Callers though I was calling from my cell phone. This even works if the iPhone has a dead battery.
While I would have preferred to have my iPhone with me, I didn't have to worry about missing any calls.
Does Windows natively support placing cellular calls over the Internet, or does it require an add-on?
The Screen Sharing app allows you to view (or control) the screen of a remote Mac, even if you are both behind NAT firewalls. All that's necessary is for you both to be signed in to Apple's "Messages" service. No other configuration is required.
I find screen sharing incredibly helpful when collaborating on certain visually oriented projects.
OS-X also comes with standard screen sharing server/client software. However these require you to navigate firewalls and NAT routers on your own.
What sorts of screen sharing services are built into Windows?
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Video chat is available from any iPad/iPhone/Mac to any other to other iPad/iPhone/Mac.
What's the built-in Windows video chat like?
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The Mac also includes audio calls. The other day I left my iPhone at home. However I have my Mac configured with my cellular number. Calls that came in to my cellphone, also rang through the Internet to my Mac. I could make outgoing phone calls from the Mac over the regular telephone network. Callers though I was calling from my cell phone. This even works if the iPhone has a dead battery.
While I would have preferred to have my iPhone with me, I didn't have to worry about missing any calls.
Does Windows natively support placing cellular calls over the Internet, or does it require an add-on?
Tom_N
Forum Pro
It once was. I don't believe there is a current Windows version any more.
OS X Daily – Safari for Windows? Download & Run Safari in WIndows… If You Must
Internet Explorer once was available for the Mac. Microsoft discontinued the Mac version at just about the time that the first Mac version of Safari came out.
There are third-party browsers that run on both platforms, like Firefox.
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Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
Can you elaborate a bit more?
Are there lots of mainstream printers that are supported on one platform but not the other?
Similarly, I was under the impression that most monitors work equally well with both.
Are there monitors that require bundled software for advanced features where the software is only available for one platform? Do the monitors not work at all under the other platform, or do you still have basic functionality?
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I suspect this is more in the category of "If the software you want is only available on one platform, then you should choose that platform", then a difference in the built-in capabilities of the two platforms.
glasswave
Forum Pro
I use both Macs an PC's (Win 7-64) at work everyday. I have a couple Macbook Pro's for my office, I use a self build Windows graphics workstation at home. At work most all of my design for print (inDeign, Illustrator, PhotoShop, Acrobat) and photo editing (Capture One, PS & LR) is done on iMacs. Animation (Maya, Mudbox, 3d Studio Max), motion graphics (After Effects and some Cinema 4d), and video editing takes place on Windows workstations, with a few MacPros running Final cut. The audio guys seem to be using mostly PC's (probably different than industry trends) for q-Base and Pro Tools. The web designer/app developers seem split down the middle with a bunch of Linux fans sprinkled on top.
I find the Windows interface to be a little more efficient for file management and program navigation. I also like the access to gaming keyboards and mice for running macros in Max, Maya, Premeire and AE. I also like the way that with Windows I can assign processes to cores, so I can assign a AE render to using 4 processor cores and save two for designing stills in PS. It also is way easier to render farm with Windows boxes, so when someone is out sick or at a conference we just add their machine to the farm.
OTH, I think that OS x is a bit more stable over the long term, although a well executed Windows 7 build can be very, very stable. Windows machines seem to like to be formatted and rebuilt every couple of years to maintain optimal performance.
For consumers, I think things are a little different. Many/most off the shelf Windows PC's com stuffed with bloatware and spyware and should really be reformatted before being put to use, the work around is to use a quality local clone builder or self build.
OTOH, the Apple users seem more than happy to share any/all of their information with their beloved Apple and as such are spoon fed into the app store where they gleefully type in their credit card numbers and are happy to know that iTunes is spying on their playing habits to that the iTunes store can make better choices on what music and movies to convince them to buy.
Windows Pros
I find the Windows interface to be a little more efficient for file management and program navigation. I also like the access to gaming keyboards and mice for running macros in Max, Maya, Premeire and AE. I also like the way that with Windows I can assign processes to cores, so I can assign a AE render to using 4 processor cores and save two for designing stills in PS. It also is way easier to render farm with Windows boxes, so when someone is out sick or at a conference we just add their machine to the farm.
OTH, I think that OS x is a bit more stable over the long term, although a well executed Windows 7 build can be very, very stable. Windows machines seem to like to be formatted and rebuilt every couple of years to maintain optimal performance.
For consumers, I think things are a little different. Many/most off the shelf Windows PC's com stuffed with bloatware and spyware and should really be reformatted before being put to use, the work around is to use a quality local clone builder or self build.
OTOH, the Apple users seem more than happy to share any/all of their information with their beloved Apple and as such are spoon fed into the app store where they gleefully type in their credit card numbers and are happy to know that iTunes is spying on their playing habits to that the iTunes store can make better choices on what music and movies to convince them to buy.
Windows Pros
- sheer power for the buck, OTOH lately apple has gotten much more competitive
- more/cheaper/diverse accessory choices
- easier to upgrade/repair
- more/better/diverse SW and freeware, especially in games
- bloat/nag/spyware from the factory
- more viruses/malware
- lose stability over time
- less viruses
- stability over time
- elegant designs
- can better sync across devices, if you want to live in their ecosystem
- Apple stores and Applecare support
- expensive computers
- expensive accessories
- hard to upgrade/repair
- less SW choice, especially in gaming
- Stable, functional, extendable
- virtually no viruses
- Rabidly dedicated support community that will dedicate themselves to solve virtually any problem
- no support for many/most of the coolest apps (PS, AE, MAx, Maya, etc) :-((
PhotoFactor
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I've been using Apple computers since the Apple II+, and Windows since the late 1990's.
Ignoring history and coming to TODAY, I would say that MacOS is a lower maintenance, more stable OS. I would also say that the Mac Hardware has deteriorated from its excellence over the past decade. The newer laptops have had more hardware issues, lousier keyboards, and are mostly unrepairable and unexpandable.
Windows 10 is pretty good although I mostly favor Windows 7 still. I don't like Microsoft's attempts at tricking customers to upgrade to Windows 10 for the sake of their corporate goals. But Windows is still much better than in the past.
For Windows hardware vendors, the options are excellent and better than they've ever been. Dell and HP have some fabulous new computers that are gorgeous and functional. However avoid Microsoft -brand computers (Surface) as their reliability has been subpar.
These days it seems the choice is Mac for a great OS but declining hardware, or Windows for a less good OS but some great hardware. IMHO of course.
Ignoring history and coming to TODAY, I would say that MacOS is a lower maintenance, more stable OS. I would also say that the Mac Hardware has deteriorated from its excellence over the past decade. The newer laptops have had more hardware issues, lousier keyboards, and are mostly unrepairable and unexpandable.
Windows 10 is pretty good although I mostly favor Windows 7 still. I don't like Microsoft's attempts at tricking customers to upgrade to Windows 10 for the sake of their corporate goals. But Windows is still much better than in the past.
For Windows hardware vendors, the options are excellent and better than they've ever been. Dell and HP have some fabulous new computers that are gorgeous and functional. However avoid Microsoft -brand computers (Surface) as their reliability has been subpar.
These days it seems the choice is Mac for a great OS but declining hardware, or Windows for a less good OS but some great hardware. IMHO of course.
You also point out that you do not use just one backup strategy. This points to neither of us thinking the MAC or the Windows solution as good enough for either of us.
You want to talk about the differences in the built in backups. There really is none I have seen that would make either a deal breaker. Neither is capable enough for advanced users but quite capable for the average user.
Five years with one desktop and no recoveries have been needed to recover my system; except to test a new BU app. If that is not stable enough, I do not know what is.
I will tell you about Windows stability now. 97 to 99% up time. Almost all the down time can be attributed to hardware failures or monthly patching that requires a reboot.
The usability and stability are Windows best assets. Not the pre-loaded software that the Apple company and store seems to be marketing to you.
Windows, Microsoft, has always catered to the developers of other applications. It is what makes Windows such a flexible OS with so many good application choices. Apple has always shown a willingness to compete with other application developers. I think this is the main reason they were held back for so many decades.
Michael Fryd
Forum Pro
I guess I was hoping for more of a feature comparison, rather than a suitability evaluation.
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Time Machine stores a series of snapshots. It does this in an efficient way way so that each snapshot is available for browsing from the desktop, yet it doesn't need to keep multiple copies of unchanged files. In addition to being able to browse the backups via the desktop (or any "open file" dialog), there's a built-in interface for reviewing the history of a particular file/folder.
Some programs (like mail) have their own hooks into Time Machine allowing program specific viewing of the backed up data.
The backup disk itself is not bootable, but modern Macs have an extra partition on the boot drive with a "recovery" system. If the recovery partition is not available, the Mac's firmware can boot a recovery system over the Internet.
If you have to restore a disk from the Time Machine backup, you end up with a fully functional bootable disk.
When setting up a new Mac, the installation process understands Time Machine backups. You can migrate over user accounts, data, applications etc. Your new Mac can easily be configured to match your old Mac.
Whether or Time Machine alone is a suitable solution depends on one's specific situation. For many people it is enough. Particularly those that take advantage of various cloud services which mirror data in a cloud.
Personally, my needs are rather complex, and Time Machine alone is not quite enough. However not everyone is in my situation.
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What's the general philosophy and strategy of the built-in Windows backup solution? Are the backups bootable? If not, what is the procedure for restoring to a replacement HD? Can the backup be used to "restore" to a new machine?
Setup to use external drives, Yes and this includes a network or cloud. Path, user name, and password of course needs to be supplied when setting up.
Scheduled backups along with a choice of what to backup, Yes
A full image for a bootable disk, Of course
And there is always the system recovery options from the recovery partition.
Like I said, it is very basic but quite capable for the average user. The biggest improvement is with using the cloud. Recovery partitions, scheduled and selective backups, and disk images have been around for a long time on Windows machines.
Scheduled backups along with a choice of what to backup, Yes
A full image for a bootable disk, Of course
And there is always the system recovery options from the recovery partition.
Like I said, it is very basic but quite capable for the average user. The biggest improvement is with using the cloud. Recovery partitions, scheduled and selective backups, and disk images have been around for a long time on Windows machines.
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