Mac or PC? Options

[mitchntx]

I've never worked at a place that used Macs for anything but graphics design.

And that seems to be quickly changing.

I've been editing video and multi-media in the corporate world for 24 years. Over the last couple of years, the PC side seems to have made great strides in creating an interface that rivals what the Macs had a strangle hold on.

Dual monitor support, processing speed and memory management are just a few things I've noticed coming a long way.

And once Adobe launched Premeire Pro, it was over the top.

Of course, there will always be those die hards who proclaim flouridation is a communist plot, Iraq has WMD and Macs are the best at graphics work.

But those types are usually on the west coast (another jab at Randy). (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[sgarnett]

Heh, I guess it is what you get used to. I am more at home with a Mac on the desktop. We have a mix (primarily due to work requirements) at the home office. The servers are Linux/Solaris. The last place I worked at provided WinTel boxes for the desktop, but when I knew I was going to get laid off, I got an iBook.

Also, there's an element of "best tools for the job". There are some things that win apps do best, a lot of things that Linux or Linux apps do best, and some things that other unix flavors do best (meaning non-open source apps that haven't been ported yet). I switch between them frequently depending on the task, though I use Linux most of the time.

I'm simply not artistic enough to have needed any of the Mac's best-in-class apps. However, I think a lot of schools are using Mac's so when my daughter gets old enough I may have to add one to the mix so she'll be multi-lingual.

[shortbus]

FYI:

any mouse will work with Mac OS X. No drivers needed. I took a iBook to CompUSA once and tried ALL the mice and trackballs on the rack. No problems.

With the stock mouse hold control and click -- that is right click.

For command lines try "Launch Bar" it is a command line on crack. It'll pick up your programs abbreviations/shorthand/nicknames automatically.

Personnaly - I use the stock mouse. (It is not so bad. I just got over the right clicking with the control+click.) Launch Bar is awesome. I never drill through folders - ever.

[AllZWay]

This image below pretty much sums up my thoughts about Mac's. Luckily we only have one here at the plant and it will be the last. It is used for graphics work, but it is an absolute POS from day one.

And there is NO ONE locally that can work on them or knows how to fix all the operating system crap that is always messed up.

When it dies we are going back to a PC, since it will do everything we need done only easier.


(IMG:http://www.smittysspeedshop.com/smilies/macpot.jpg)

[rmackintosh]

But those types are usually on the west coast (another jab at Randy). (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

....yeah us west coast types....dumb as fences....we find and settle down in a place that doesnt have hurricanes, tornadoes, or bury us in frozen water EVERY STINKIN' YEAR.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ...(oh, and before you go on about earthquakes....the last one of ANY significance was in 1906....I WASN'T AROUND THEN... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ) the weather is shorts and t-shirts for 8 months of the year, and....oh yeah...SOMETIMES I GO TO WORK IN SAID SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) ...

...and we realize PC's suck....had my PC for just over 2 years...crashed twice....lost EVERYTHING....that happened ONCE in over 15 years of "Mack" ownership....no viruses to speak of either...course now my Mac will crash HARD, and get a virus..... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

...only problem is...it costs so damn much to live here, and you non Californians KEEP MOVING HERE (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[shortbus]

And there is NO ONE locally that can work on them or knows how to fix all the operating system crap that is always messed up.

Is there a Mac store near you?

You can take it there and they can fix it. I took my iMac to a Mac store when the DVDR/CDRW went flaky and they replaced the part. No problems since. Apple covers hardware AND software. That is why you pay a more for the product.

OTOH, I can't take a bug to MS and get it fixed.

To each his own though.

[Barney]

Sorry so late to the party. I have used Macs since 1990, being in the graphics art business it is mandatory.

I had a friend of mine build me a PC for gaming (Macs suck for gaming) and still use both. The Printing company I represent use Lotus Notes, bad for PC worse for Mac.

I prefer Mac for ease of use and immunity to viruses. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

DOOM 3 Rocks! :drive:

[rmackintosh]

OTOH, I can't take a bug to MS and get it fixed.

....I thought Microsoft WAS a bug.....hmmmmm....

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[mitchntx]

Is there a Mac store near you?

You can take it there and they can fix it. I took my iMac to a Mac store when the DVDR/CDRW went flaky and they replaced the part. No problems since. Apple covers hardware AND software. That is why you pay a more for the product.

OTOH, I can't take a bug to MS and get it fixed.

To each his own though.

I took my G4 into a shop with a heat related lock up.

$2500 later, I had a new motherboard, processor set and memory.

I understand a new Mac can be bought for that. However, purchase new comes out of capital budget and repair comes out of O&M budget. I have plenty of O&M money, but capital money is scarce.

[sgarnett]

BTW, as I understand it OSX is basically FreeBSD (another unix variant) with a Mac-like user interface grafted on top.

Is it possible to get "under the hood", so to speak, and use BSD directly instead of installing a ppc linux port?

[98_1LE]

I have been told that you can pull up a terminal window and run normal UNIX commands, but have never done it.

[Barney]

What the F..ck are ya'll talkin' bout? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif)

[rmackintosh]

I have been told that you can pull up a terminal window and run normal UNIX commands, but have never done it.

...yup...use it in conjunction with Unix at work all the time....had to download software on the PC to do that....

[sgarnett]

I have been told that you can pull up a terminal window and run normal UNIX commands, but have never done it.

...yup...use it in conjunction with Unix at work all the time....had to download software on the PC to do that....

I don't think we are talking about the same thing.

I THINK you mean using the PC or Mac as a remote terminal for a Unix system, not accessing the Unix system that's buried under OSX (but not the earlier Mac OS or Windows).

[98_1LE]

I am talking about accessing the underlying OS command line on the OSX machine. As I understand it, all OSX is the UNIX OS with a MacOS like window manager in front of it. Unlike Windows, with *NIX you can run different window managers, or none at all (all command line on the console).

Of course you should be able to access other machines from the terminal on the OSX box. I am sure that telnet and ssh are supported, and I would hope you can run X apps from another host if you wanted to.

[mitchntx]

I have a cat

[sgarnett]

I am talking about accessing the underlying OS command line on the OSX machine. As I understand it, all OSX is the UNIX OS with a MacOS like window manager in front of it. Unlike Windows, with *NIX you can run different window managers, or none at all (all command line on the console).

Of course you should be able to access other machines from the terminal on the OSX box. I am sure that telnet and ssh are supported, and I would hope you can run X apps from another host if you wanted to.

Yes, but regarding Randy's post (whichever way he meant it) there are two big deficiencies in windows (among many others):

Windows does not inherently provide an X server, though there are 3rd party solutions. Actually, neither does unix, but it's almost always included. For that matter, there's no ssh client included with windows either.

Windows is NOT running any form of Unix underneath (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

At any rate, the point was that with OSX a Mac could potentially be two machines in one (without dual booting): warm and fuzzy, but with some very useful and powerful features under the hood for those who need them. Heck, the windows emulator seems to be fairly good on Macs too.

[sgarnett]

I have a cat

And a mouse, I presume.

[sgarnett]

What the F..ck are ya'll talkin' bout? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif)

Prior to OSX, Macs had their own unique operating system (with a user interface stolen from Xerox). Starting with OSX, Macs are really running Unix. The user interface is Mac-like, but it's Unix.

[robz71lm7]

DOS 5.0 & my 286 with 512kb ram ownz j00!