Whos made the switch from PC to Mac?

Because I write reviews of diving equipment and often review stuff that works in conjunction only with a PC, I am forced to use one. (Diving computer downloads and the Veecam come to mind.) I always get a feeling of trepidation when I go on to the PC because I am not computer savvy. I wouldn't be reading this thread unless I used a Mac. Macs are for those who are busy using a computer to do a job. I don't have patience to faff around with a PC on a daily basis.

Like Matt, I've found Adobe CS4 just works faster on WINDOZE 7/Vista 64bit. Everything from PS to AEFX is faster, sometimes significantly so. I use AEFX in Windoze because the mac version is glacial in comparison. Just need MacDrive 8 to read the OSX volumes.

The problem is setup. Like Eric, Windoze anything is not as easy to customize setup. The interface is a bit less intuitive than OSX. The optimized software for hardware from Apple does make things easier.

It's easier to run Windoze on a mac than OSX on a PC. Bootcamp has optimized drivers for the hardware.I just tried Windoze 7. It's not bad but Vista is just one nightmare that won't go away.

Still, I can get processor upgrades for my PC from Psystar so there's a limited upgrade ability.

If you are technical, I don't think any of the technical stuff matters. You are going to be able to get your computer to work, that is, unless you are trying to do networking stuff on Vista (good luck!).

The most important issue is whether you are more productive on one platform over the other. For engineers, it is typically the machine that is faster that wins (how I used to think). For creative types, you might avoid the machine that makes you want to kill someone because it is ugly and has no real interface guidelines for its developers.

Quick answer is yes but still getting there, I have a macbook air, I like it, had it a year now, but also got a desktop PC, hard to get rid of, especially when the wifes finding it even harder. Macs main advantage for mne is iWeb, (and the video software when I ever get round to shooting some) I recently took on HTML before buying it, but with iWeb its one less job to do, my new website is all done (or will be soon) on the mac and saved a lot of time playing with HTML. Apple's one to one is AWESOME if you live near an apple shop, absolute bargain! mobileme is a must too

Yes if you know your way around and set up a PC correct in the first place, you will have no problems.

That goes for bugs and virus too, its all very easy to keep clean with a simple bit of housekeeping from time to time with FREE programs.

Vista on my 17 inch laptop here runs great, its fast and I do lots of graphics and HDV video editing on it.

Keep a mirror image of my drive just in case of anything major, it can be accessed from a bootable USB stick that I keep with it.

Networking here works but don't use it too much now days.

But each to their own.....Time to try Win 7 though....

Just set up a PC for someone here at work. The machine is very fast. It was very inexpensive. First look at Windows 7. I found it similar to XP, yet annoyingly different (where's the run program window?). Installed some software. Left. User says in doesn't work. Gets corrupt or missing DLL file message.

Also, some 3rd party additions to Microsoft software won't work in 64 bit.

Some things never change.

I guess I like my Mac more than I thought.

Where's the run program window?

Why use it anymore?

Start key. Type whatever you were going to do. Hit enter.

Or you can be slow...Start key. Type "run". Type whatever you were going to do. Hit enter.

Or you can be really slow and enable the Start menu "Run" item in customization options, of which there are many...but why?

Aside: I would suggest the majority of all BSODs are caused by using the 'Upgrade' option between operating systems (WinXP->Vista->7) instead of doing a clean install...wipe that old system out entirely and start new. You'll be much more stable...

I don't know how long this charade can last, there is essentially no difference now between a Mac and PC starting a few years ago, under the hood they are the same, PC won, a Mac is a PC running a tofu operating system. There is no reason, if Apple released it, that OSX Leopard could not be run on a PC in Parallels just as a Mac can run Windows in Parallels.

I use a number of mapping, geology and drafting/CAD programs that simply are not available on a Mac operating system. I had a Mac, I took it back it was too limited and confining. Like being marooned on a beautiful desert island, nice for a while but ultimately I had to escape, I have stuff to do.

I had a Mac, I took it back it was too limited and confining. Like being marooned on a beautiful desert island, nice for a while but ultimately I had to escape, I have stuff to do.

What? The Mac is FUNDAMENTALLY different because it essentially runs on Unix. It is nearly infinitely tweakable. It might be confining if you are constrained yourself, but it is certainly not by nature.

Of course, if you're running CAD software or engineering software, you're totally right. Even the design guys inside Apple use Windows (running on Mac Pros).

Yesterday i had one of those moments that make people switch to Apple. At home I have 2 apple machines, but also 2 windows machines. For now my image library runs on a window box (but im eying the new 27" imac). So i was making a backup in preparation of a trip, and wanted to fix something that had been bugging me for months but didnt take the time to fix.

My Downloads directory was somehow set to being a Pictures folder. So instead of the normal folder options like sort by date and stuff, it had 'sort by date taken' and fun stuff like that. Somewhere in time I had probably put a jpg in my Downloads directory and Vista decided i must want it to be a special Pictures type folder.

You would think it was easy to fix. Some menu option right? Just right there, somewhere easily reachable. But there is a reason I hadnt fixed it for months. Every time I wanted to change it, I couldnt easily find a way to change it and gave up after a few minutes, convinced I must just be blind.

So yesterday I didnt give up, and after a very frustrating 45 minutes, I came to the conclusion the sites I found with google were right. But they couldnt be, just couldnt be! I had to actually edit the registry, and change a whole bunch of settings, to convince windows that my Downloads folder was a normal folder. All I could do was download a registry file, and run it. Hoping that it was indeed what it said it would be, and not the recipe to the destruction of my image library. It's stuff like that that makes Windows a bad OS.

People that compare Apple and Microsoft and talk about the hardware dont get it. Apple isnt about the hardware. I actually find Apple as a hardware company very annoying. If something is broken, their smugness (which I agree they exhibit) comes out and they make you feel like an idiot for thinking ipods arent supposed to explode in your pants. "All our other customers dont have a problem with it, so why do you? huh?! HUH?!? It never happened to Steve, so we're not fixing it. Now get out before we release the hounds"

The only reason I can forgive their customer-hatred (I suspect they have secret training schools to finetune that) is that OSX is such an incredibly nice OS. And that is what makes an Apple computer different. Not the shiny laptop with a broken hinge, but the operating system that shields you from the scary parts of the system, but opens up like a flower to anyone that wants it. (unlike Windows, which opens up like a cesspit). I love being able to login to my mac with a Unix shell, and do everything Im used to as a unix guy, but at the same time I can put my 70yo mother in law behind it and she gets it.

If you feel marooned on a mac, it's because you missed the airport on the other side of the island. It's easy to miss because if you're used to Windows there is no other side of the island, and all you can do is sit in frustration and kick it every time it does something you dont understand.

I'm an IT person. For 25+ years I've worked with every type of machine and operating system. From Vic 20s to multimullion dollar computing clusters. There was a time I enjoyed tinkering with things. Buying the parts, putting it together, and fiddling with things I dont get. But im over that. I want things to work, and work well. If I want my computer to go left, it had better go left and not show me an assistant that thinks we should go right, and blocks the steering wheel from working. I have no patience for that anymore.

Blimey! I didn't understand a word of the last few posts! That's obviously why I HAVE to use Macs. I just bought a Macbook for my daughter. It has Snow Leopard OS and my son tells me it won't run Photoshop CS/CS4. Anyone found that to be the case?

Blimey! I didn't understand a word of the last few posts! That's obviously why I HAVE to use Macs. I just bought a Macbook for my daughter. It has Snow Leopard OS and my son tells me it won't run Photoshop CS/CS4. Anyone found that to be the case?

John is it CS or CS4? CS was not Universal Binary..

There are some issues with Snow Leopard and CS4 Adobe Blog Also some info here

Is CS4 not running at all, or is it hanging or some other issue? There have been bits and pieces of issues, such as the beack ball which can happen depending on memory in the machine, such as here which could be happening on a MacBook, especially if it has 2 Gigs of RAM...

Cor, the whole wanting things to work is an age thing... look at Matt... he's still Hackintoshing!

I'll agree with Apple the hardware provider is essentially the worst kind there is. I hate having no upgrade choices other than GPUs and HDD. I want a more powerful processor in the 3rd year of life of my desktop. I don't want to buy a new machine because they can't bother to make a 64 bit EFI upgrade for my 3 year Santa Rosa laptop and so I can't run in 64bit mode, even though the Core2Duos can run in 64bit.

I don't know which Genius Bar you go to but my geniuses are all very happy people who take in the products in and fix it. The ipod scratches, dying battery, my laptop battery which was technically out of warranty was replaced FOC (which I actually didn't want as I wanted a useless battery to keep the laptop plugged in.)Maybe it's a dutch genius thing.

John is it CS or CS4? CS was not Universal Binary..

 

There are some issues with Snow Leopard and CS4 Adobe Blog Also some info here

 

Is CS4 not running at all, or is it hanging or some other issue? There have been bits and pieces of issues, such as the beack ball which can happen depending on memory in the machine, such as here which could be happening on a MacBook, especially if it has 2 Gigs of RAM...

I don't think my 13-year-old daughter needs Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3 or CS4 so I haven't even tried loading any with Sow Leopard (OS 10.6). I have several other Macs in my house for that. However, I thought it might need mentioning to those about to switch to a Mac. Obviously there is no problem with Leopard OS (10.5.8).

What? The Mac is FUNDAMENTALLY different because it essentially runs on Unix. It is nearly infinitely tweakable. It might be confining if you are constrained yourself, but it is certainly not by nature.

Fundamentally different? But what does that mean in terms of day to day usage? And is it really more tweakable than Windows?

I've used Linux almost every day for the last 5 years or so, but regularly use both Macs and Windows machines. Linux is truly tweakable because it's an open source OS unlike OSX and Windows; I don't see much difference between those two in terms of tweakability. The Unix side of things should make very little difference to the user other than the filesystem layout; these days I believe Windows etc asks for the admin password when you're altering the system, much the same as Unix systems.

I don't think my 13-year-old daughter needs Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3 or CS4 so I haven't even tried loading any with Sow Leopard (OS 10.6). I have several other Macs in my house for that. However, I thought it might need mentioning to those about to switch to a Mac. Obviously there is no problem with Leopard OS (10.5.8).

Ahh, gotcha. htought there was an issue getting it installed and running....

Cor, the whole wanting things to work is an age thing... look at Matt... he's still Hackintoshing!

Not so much, Drew...

Blimey! I didn't understand a word of the last few posts! That's obviously why I HAVE to use Macs. I just bought a Macbook for my daughter. It has Snow Leopard OS and my son tells me it won't run Photoshop CS/CS4. Anyone found that to be the case?

Hi John,

I'm on Snow Leopard version 10.6.2 and I can confirm Photoshop CS4, Aperture, Lightroom and Photomatix Pro all work perfectly fine. I think CS4 was identifed as an application which was not currently *certified* to run on Snow Leopard; in other words, they just haven't tested all the features yet and verified compliance.

Cheers

JohnP

What? The Mac is FUNDAMENTALLY different because it essentially runs on Unix. It is nearly infinitely tweakable. It might be confining if you are constrained yourself, but it is certainly not by nature.

 

Of course, if you're running CAD software or engineering software, you're totally right. Even the design guys inside Apple use Windows (running on Mac Pros).

Define "fundamentally" because the hardware and chips are the same as is the architecture. Yep, that right, a Mac is a PC running OSX Leopard instead of Windows, big whoopeee. They are not fundamentally different, they simply run different operating systems on very similar hardware. Linux runs on a PC. I run Linux on my laptop PC on Parallels with Windows, this one I am typing on, UBUNTU, it is an open structure. All any PC needs to become a "MAC" is a tweaked/optimized OSX Leopard operating system and Parallels. In fact, there are people running MAC software on PCs, just Google it if your MAC can manage that, lol:

http://www.ihackintosh.com/2009/01/install...-boot-132-hack/

You admit, even when the Apple designers need a computer to do real work, they use a PC.

I don't know how long this charade can last, there is essentially no difference now between a Mac and PC starting a few years ago, under the hood they are the same, PC won, a Mac is a PC running a tofu operating system. There is no reason, if Apple released it, that OSX Leopard could not be run on a PC in Parallels just as a Mac can run Windows in Parallels.

 

I use a number of mapping, geology and drafting/CAD programs that simply are not available on a Mac operating system. I had a Mac, I took it back it was too limited and confining. Like being marooned on a beautiful desert island, nice for a while but ultimately I had to escape, I have stuff to do.

Ain't no charade my friend, the hardware is just not the issue anymore. I'm a huge fan of the Hackintosh movement because it really shows how superior OS X is... I wish Apple would openly support using it's OS on other platforms. I'd love to see a new Dell Adamo with OS X on it. Of course, if you want to continue to endorse Microsoft's 2nd tier OS, feel free. You seem to think it's Macs vs. PC's and you are missing the point. They are BOTH Personal Computers, one with a significantly better OS.

I have always argued that PC's had superior hardware all way up until Mac made the switch to Intel. The OS however, is absolutely superior. I understand your issue with CAD programs, that's a niche PC Software has "owned" for quite some time. PC's still own the gaming arena too, but in terms of photo, video, sound software and useability, OS X is clearly superior in my opinion.

And after all, this IS a photography forum, no?

If Microsoft will release an OS that A) is not a worse performer than the previous release and B) has at least SOME advantage for upgrading, I'm totally willing to try it. Why do you think so many people still want to buy new PC's with Windows XP on it?

JohnP