Change from PC to MAC?

[EliseW]

I work in a Design office and we have a small vinyl sign system. We have a Gerber Fastrack 650 vinyl cutter/plotter and currently we use Graphix Advantage 6.2. Obviously, it's time to upgrade. We can either upgrade our PC software to Gerber Omega or change to a Mac system using Imprint or Flexi. We're trying to find out if our plotter will work with both of those options. I would WELCOME any advice and information anyone would care to contribute.
Thanks
EliseW

 

[Bill Modzel]

Elise,
I'll place my vote firmly on the MacImprint side. You will need a USB to serial Keyspan adapter for the Fastrack if it doesn't have USB already. The Edge is also USB. One drawback at this time is MI runs in Illustrator 10 and won't work in the CS version. There is no committment from GSB to upgrade at this time but I am hearing some rumblings from the MI users so maybe we'll get some communication going again and see what's up.

You will LOVE MI! It's simple to learn and fast to print. Of course OS 10.3 is a rock solid OS also. It won't take you 4 hours to make it work either!

Feel free to contact me at any time.

 

[EliseW]

Pc to Mac software

Thanks Bill for your input. We looked into MacImprint and FlexiSign and my boss wants FlexiSign. Are you (or anyone else) familiar with FlexiSign using a Mac? Do you think MacImprint is better?
Tks,
Elise

 

[Bill Modzel]

Of course I do but I am totally biased too.
I'm of the theory that the simplest answer is generally the best. Adobe Illustrator is the default file of the industry. Once again,if you add another app to the formula your importing again. If there is anything that you can't accomplish with the Illustrator/PhotoShop combo I'd like to hear about it.

Flexi is a good program. I know, I sold my copy last year. But, it's a big complicated app too. You are probably already using Illustrator. Cross platform issues are practically non existant. MI is so easy to learn and use. I can tell you that if you are an Illustrator user already and can't bu up and running on your Edge within a half hour something's wrong. You are dealing with an amazingly short learning curve.
If your already using Illustrator.

 

[OldPaint]

WHY? no real advantage in MAC over PC. more disadvantges with the prices and availabilty of softwear. but i never touched a MAC. i also build and service pc's so there i nothing i cant do with or to a PC.

 

[Bill Modzel]

Ok Joe, no real advantage huh? It's the OS! No pop ups, no viruses, no spyware. What software are you talking about anyhow. This is a graphics dept not a gaming arcade. MS Office suite is totally cross platform to.

What about built in software. The mac comes with iPhoto, iDVD, iTunes, iChat complete with audio and video, It's own browser and mail app without worm holes.
It has finder level features that Longhorn is still dreaming about. The new Mac OS had been rated the best out there my even pc magazines.

Yes, you can beat the price, but your building them for pete's sake. Most of us would rather work with our desktops, not on them. I did however take my 5 year old G4 500 and stick a 1.3 gig processor in it and another 712 mb of Ram. It was a 10 minute job and I've never done it before. If your comparing feature to feature on a Dell and a Mac you won't find the prices that far off and if your hitting the high end systems the Mac will usually be less expensive.
Check it out
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/But-Macs-Are-Slower-Right-36964.html

 

[OldPaint]

well i wouldnt own a DELL either...like i said i build mine and once i do they work flawlessly, because i build them i know what i want in my computer...and the last one i built for my self was almost 2 yrs ago...just replaced a power supply fan last week.

 

[Baz]

Macs ..... hmph ... Now i guess some of you people will start saying you'd rather drive a Ford than a Chevy!!

 

[Fred Weiss]

I'd rather eat worms than drive a Ford .... but I do drive both Windows and Macintosh PC's.

 

[HSG]

Come on Fred, a car doesn't know it's own name! We sell them all here at Houser's Auto Sales. I put 45,000 miles on a little Ford Bronco II. I had to stop driving it before he lost too much money on it.

Back to the Mac issue, I successfully set up a new Ioline Plotter to work on my G4. No easy thing since Ioline isn't made to be overly compatible with Mac. If I can help anyone, let me know.

HSG

 

[Fred Weiss]

Come on Fred, a car doesn't know it's own name!

Of course they do! The Mrs. drives a Bravada named Ruby SUV and I drive a Sonoma named Easy Pickup. They both come when they're called and know the way to work and home.