PC or Mac?
Thursday March 20, 2008
Macintosh/Apple computers have long been touted as the best machines for artistic people. Many photographers swear by their Macs. But the vast majority of amateur photographers seem to work with PCs. While Macs are geared towards media applications the are more expensive, require different software, and operate differently than a PC running Windows (including crashing less). PCs are familiar to many, software is easy to find, and are less expensive. So what is the big deal? Why do so many photographers rush to switch to Mac and then stay with Mac? Recently, Microsoft basically handed the business of almost every professional photographer to Apple with a great big bow on top when they release the much relived Vista operating system. As Windows XP machines are replaced photographers are flocking to Mac so they can avoid Vista preloaded on a machine. To avoid repurchasing software they have happily discovered that software exists for the Mac that allows them to run both the Apple operating system (OS X) and Windows on the Mac. Photographers are snapping up full versions of Windows XP before they are all gone to load onto Macs.
Where do you stand on the Mac vs PC debate? Are you moving to Mac? Are you already there? Are you a die hard PC fan?
Poll:Do You Use a Mac or PC?
View Current Poll Results
Where do you stand on the Mac vs PC debate? Are you moving to Mac? Are you already there? Are you a die hard PC fan?
Poll:Do You Use a Mac or PC?
View Current Poll Results
Comments
Mac user for 12 Years while supporting family members on their PCs for the same amount of time. I never push Macs on them because they only use the internet and word processing… but as a Photographer Mac is hard to beat. The iLife Suite is the main reason to have a mac. The ability to have professional options in print/send/create after you have taken your picture well worth the $99. Plus my mac is low maintenance… it is an old saying… but it just works.
I had a Mac from 1984-1990. Then the corporate world took over and I had a PC. I went back to Mac last November. I am a semi serious photographer, and here is the not so good news: iPhoto is good, not great. I loved Google’s Picasa as a quick sort and fix program, but Picasa is not available for the Mac. Adobe Photoshop is only on version 4, while the PC is on version 5. Perhaps these things will be added/upgraded soon. I have explored Aperture, and so far, Photoshop is better by a wide margin. There is no perfect solution, but a Mac is soooo much better: easy to use, well supported, and always a free class at the local Apple store. Why buy a PC? No reason.
I have always used Macs and now have a Mac Pro with two Intel processors and 24-inch LCD screen. I started out just being a very vision oriented user who did all the things the average person does (email, browsing). But got into digital photography and got Photoshop Elements, then Photoshop CS3 which brings out the Mac’s real abilities. I can still understand why people don’t need all that graphics capability and would stay with a Windows PC for non-technical uses.
I work with a windows and linux also as a photographer. For me a pc is low cost, and easy to use. All software is easy to find in all corners of the internet. I like the technical freedom it gives mee. Ones you calibrated the screen and printer the results are the same. I don’t like the value for money on Mac hardware.
PC. I think that there will always be the divide between PC and Mac, like between German race cars and English race cars. Both quite capable towards the same goal using different ways to get there. Interesting though that Apple for a long time touted their OS and “who needs the Windows programs”. Now you hear Apple people saying “oh you can run your Windows stuff on a Mac now”.
I’ve used both for years. Whether I was at school using a mac, or at home using both, I find that being able to use both platforms gives you the most flexibility, whether you are designing a website or multimedia interface, recording the next top40 hit, or just surfing the web.
PC user for many years. I realize all the problems that comes with windows. Fortunatley I am able to build all the PCs I use and fix the hardware and software problems that I enounter.
Rich