Making the switch

[grampa dan]

After a little more than a decade of using a Windows based PC we are going to the other side... and switching to a total Mac system. I've used a Mac laptop for almost two years and liked it a lot. It's given me no troubles in that time.

With some serious software upgrades pending and the need to update my primary computer I felt it was time to go back to PC or go to a Mac based system. I wobbled back and forth for quite some time. To make my decision easier or more fair in the last months I tried to do the bulk of my work on the Mac. I decided I just like how it works for me. With how my brain works it seems so much more intuitive and friendly.

I've decided to run Parallels software to run EnRoute - the only windows based program I'll be using from here on out.

I looked at the big towers with multiple raid drives and all that. I run a similar PC system right now with Windows and I can't say I've been totally happy with it - especially when I look at the price tag. After much thought I decided to go with the fastest 27" iMac on the market. Its a quad core loaded with RAM. The balance of price and performance seemed right for my place of business.

How many other Mac users are out there??

-grampa dan

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

BIG time Mac user here... If you have any questions let me know.

I recently helped our CNC guy convert over to a Mac.

He does all his design work w/ FlexiMac and runs the software for his Laser and Router via Parallels...
I use VMware Fusion and like it better, just a personal preference I guess.

"Once you go Mac, you'll never go back!"

 

[Flame]

I went Mac and went running back to PC.

Sorry, had to comment. lol.

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

No problem Flame... Different strokes for different folks

 

[JoshLoring]

Don't go Mac!
You'll have to go back.

Software companies are moving towards 64bit based systems and running through video cards. We have already seen the 64bit PC's stomping macs with this new software.

My opinion.. Go buy a 15k mac.. Ill build a faster PC for 1/2 the price and run circles around it.

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

The new Mac's are 64bit ... have been for a while now.

Photoshop is capable of using the GPU of the graphics card on a Mac as well ... and the 64bit version of Photoshop will be available for the Mac next year .. then we'll compare speed.

 

[speedmedia]

MAC user here for about 12 years. Never look back. I only have 1 PC and it is to run my RIP. That will be going in the trash when the new printer setup gets here.

I just love the Apple setup. Not to say anything bad about windows based stuff I just like how it works for me.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

[graphixtogo]

...My opinion.. Go buy a 15k mac.. Ill build a faster PC for 1/2 the price and run circles around it.

Yeah, run circles around it screaming and yelling trying to get all the Microsoft bugs out of it!!!!

Sorry, Josh... that was too easy of a target not to take a jab at it!! :ROFLMAO:

Seriously... I use both, but I do prefer my Macs... Like you said grampa dan, "it seems so much more intuitive and friendly". That's how I've felt about the Mac since I started using them in 1995...

 

[Stealth Ryder]

I STRONGLY suggest a PC but have set-up a few MACs... IP Addressing seems to be an ongoing issue with MACS on large networks. Having said that, if you can work around these issues it's all the same... Just more available resources for PCs...

 

[graphixtogo]

not being facetious but... where do you purchase macs that cost $15k? I recall the Lisa and some other early apples costing that much, but not in the last 15 years! (as of right now, a top-of-the-line mac pro with: Two 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon, 16GB (8x2GB), Mac Pro RAID Card, 640GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s, ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB and One 18x SuperDrive is less than $7500. Add a few hundred more to upgrade the hard drives and you're still less than $8000... a tic more than half of the $15k figure! This setup is way overkill for most graphics businesses, so you don't have to spend even half that amount to have an extremely fast mac!)

I gladly pay a little extra for my macs since I get way more service from them than my pc's. My last mac workstation (a G4/400) served me very well for 6 years with very little upgrading. 9 years after being purchased, it is now being used as our bookkeeping computer and still has alot of life left in it. PC's I bought just 4 years ago are about on their last legs and need replacing. Just like in the sign business, you get what you pay for!


...and, what IP addressing issues are there with macs?

 

[curtrnev]

Go to their website and you can spec. one out close to 40k

 

[graphixtogo]

Go to their website and you can spec. one out close to 40k

I did spec one out at the apple store... that's where I got the price I listed earlier... but on the $8000 price, I did not add the $3200 32GB ram upgrade because that's just plain stupid. You can get ram upgrades for a fraction of that through third party ram vendors. I also left out the 3 $300 hard drives since you can get hard drives as best buy for $100 or less. And don't try to add the monitor price in there since you have to have a monitor for either a pc or a mac and there are several brands that are as good as apples displays for a fraction of the cost. Even adding in the ram and the hard drives, I only come up with $11,500... and like I said, $3200 for 32GB ram is preposterous!

A base model 8 core mac with a ram upgrade is plenty of horsepower for a professional graphic artist... and you can get that for $3299! Heck, dual core imacs have enough horsepower for most designers and that's less than $2000!

 

[astro8]

We run both....why limit yourself??

 

[Techman]

Open up the machines,

You will see the same hard drives in both, the same Ethernet chips. the same memory chips, every thing the same. Same CPU chips, same cd readers, same speakers systems, same sound chips, same bios.. every thing the same.
Same USB, same copper wires. Same capacitors. They are both the same. Even mac can run XP and MAC os's are running on PC's.

The only difference is the Operating systems. That is it. No other difference. NADA. Well except that MAC owners are fanatical fanboys,,,

So we can all argue this debate until the day Linux takes over and no one will ever make a definitive determination as to which one is best.

They are just tool.s They are not sexual partners. Good luck to u all.

 

[acothran]

I'm a long time Mac user (from back in the Performa days). My previous job I did a lot of video editing and graphics on a Mac, I use Mac at home, and have a Nehalem Mac Pro now as my main design computer at my current job. I don't want to get into a "which is better argument" but Mac just works well for me and I've very rarely had any issues.

No matter which Mac you are buying, check the Refurbished section of the online store (go to the Apple store and scroll to the bottom - link is on the left hand side under "Special Deals"). Same warranty, perfect condition, and you save anywhere from 10-25%. We had to wait a few weeks for a Nehalem (newest series) Mac Pro to become available but we got a $3,300 tower for around $2,800. You can't add component upgrades on refurb models, but I wouldn't recommend buying component upgrades from Apple (unless it is one where user upgrade will void warranty - i.e. hard drive upgrade on iMac). I would recommend RAM upgrades from Other World Computing and if you want RAID, external raid will be cheaper. If you are worried about external drive connection speed, you can easily add an eSata port or a 3rd party RAID internal card. For around $3,500 we got the 2.26 dual quad core; 640GB HD w/ two added 1TB internal drives; 2GB striped external RAID drive (eSata connection); and 12GB RAM (8 GB kit w/ 4GB that came w/ the tower).

I am the only Mac user in our office and our our RIP computer is a PC. Someone mentioned IP and/or networking issues. I've never had a problem running Macs on a Windows server (various small business edition servers) and accessing files/communication across the network. In fact, our RIP computer is set up with a desktop folder that is an shortcut to a folder on my Mac Pro. I design, drop file into ready to print folder, send the job file spec sheet, and they load the file (Mac onto PC) into the RIP software.

Finally, I think one nice feature that many people overlook is that in buying a Mac, you have the option to run Windows. Jamie (CG Signs) mentioned Parallels and VM Ware, which are great for Windows in a virtual environment, but there is also Boot Camp (comes free w/ you Mac) that allows Windows to run natively with full use of hardware (i.e. graphics card). Install Windows and choose it while booting up and you are running Windows natively on an Intel processor(s).

Sorry for such a long post but I thought I would share some things that have saved us money and helped us speed up the way we work.

Allen

 

[graphixtogo]

...They are just tool.s They are not sexual partners. Good luck to u all.

:Big Laugh

But if they WERE sexual partners... which would you rather have??? The one that is clean, streamlined, beautiful, and easy to get along with...

or........ (wait for it.........)

....the one that's infected with viruses and stuffed with samples left behind by a plethora of hopeful suitors?

:Big Laugh

Sorry, don't take me too seriously... it's been a long week!

 

[Biker Scout]

Been a Mac user since 1988. I'm not a fan boy, but I've been around Desktop Publishing since the beginning. And Macs were made for this stuff. They were designed by people who think exactly the way I think when I want to do something or perform a task on my computer.

It's still just a tool. But, I will say this... it's only been since Windows XP that operating Adobe products was finally very close back and forth between Mac and PC. Prior to that, working on a PC to do any kind of graphics relating to the printing industry just plain sucked.

The one thing that Mac has going for it, and always will... is color management. Two identical computers, side by side, the Mac will always allow for better output and wider color gamuts. And that's without having to buy additional calibration hardware and software.

For you PC Guys who only kinda sort want to make the switch and try to use a Mac, but don't want to commit to Apple's higher end price tag, I would recommend getting one of the newer Mac Minis. About $500. They will operate all of the Adobe Suite Programs with gusto. And are just as capable as an iMac. I've set up a couple of work station minis at my previous employ, for overflow work with a second and third designer. They worked just fine. No problems.

If you are considering an older iMac... like from Craigslist... here's the bare minimum you need to look for. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT get a 20" iMac, no matter what the price is. Always get the 24" model. It's complicated, but basically, the 24" has a better LCD Panel. Trust me on this, if you like colors and wide viewing angles. Otherwise, you will need to find a 2.4 ghz processor or better. There's a specific reason, no need to go into it further, just make sure whatever older iMac you buy has at least that processor. The machine will last you many years. Oh, and they will unofficially support 6gb of ram. Even though Apple and all technical literature says 4gb. Unless you are jumping into the newer processor that supports 8. But those are still pretty pricey. Apple does not have the need for RAM pairing. So, a 2gb stick and a 4gb stick, as long as they are the same speed will give a significant boost.

Oh, the reason I mention all of this, is because as soon as the 27" model is released this next month, for the same price as last years 24" model... you will see them pop up on Craigslist in droves.

So remember, 2.4 ghz or higher, and the 24" model. Once you get it, you can fiddle around with the RAM. $189 can get you a 6gb RAM kit from here

We just recently picked up another 24" iMac off of Craigslist for $750! And look around, a lot of them will come pre-loaded with the Adobe Suite to boot!

 

[Bly]

I tried Macs, but went back.
It's not an issue these days.

 

[Mainframe]

Macs here, been a while, first one shipped with 5 megs of ram (performa 600 cd) I also run parallels for Versa works, no problem, welcome aboard Dan, remember command tab is your friend to quickly switch between programs! I had been ridiculed for years for using Macs, I used to get quite defensive about it,Now I just say to each his own & good luck with your choice. Everyone knows I am a Mac fan, They are switching in droves & approach me about it all the time. I welcome them & share tips & show them how to set up Expose, (one of my favorite features,

I also use default folder, it is a file folder utility for keeping track of recent folders, it is nice for our kind of work, you can set it to keep track of the last 100 folders you used & set some favorites & some other settings for file handling, just adds to the fun, that's what I find is the most noticeable feature built into Apple Tech gadgets, they are just plain fun to use.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Tried MAC in school when learning some Adobe CS2 ..hated it . learned little and it cost
then went to the library .free classes on Adobe CS3.. PCs ..learned alot and enjoyed

What I like about PCs is a great deal more is available and can understand how to repair or solve