599 replies to this topic

[zencat]

Hey gang. Have we ever started a thread for CBner's who use Macs? Not sure if we have, but I think it's high time -- especially with the release of OS X Tiger on Friday. I know I have mine pre-ordered, do you?

So CBn Mac users, let yourself be known.

[DLibrasnow]

We use mac's at work. In fact I have never been in a newspaper office which was not Mac based - they are simply better for graphics and have the better newspaper programs.

[TheSaint]

Well said, Dlibra. When I first arrived at my job, they were using Macs. Then we went over to the dark side and started using pc's for the graphics work. Thankfully, we came back into the light and upgraded to Macs. Currently sitting in front of a Quicksiler G4 at work. I have a Mac at home but, it's quite old-a 7100/80 to be exact.

[zencat]

I've been using Macs forever. I never fell to the PC "dark side" (although Athena a PC girl so we go both ways in our home).

My first Mac was a Macintosh Plus. Got it in 86 or 87. No hard drive, but it did have one of the new nifty 800K floppy disc drives!

I then upgraded to a Macintosh II when they first came out (not sure when that was -- 1988 or so).

Next came a...darn, I don't remember what it was. But it was my last "desktop" style Mac and it had one of those giant monitors with the built-in speakers. Very cool looking.

Now I have a G4 tower as my desktop computer, 500MHZ, with a newer flat screen studio display. It's pretty old (got it in 99, I think). I also have a G4 powerbook, a much more powerful computer than my desktop, that I got only a few years ago.

I'm seriously considering getting one of those new top of the line dual processor G5s as a replacement for my aging desktop.

[Johnboy007]

We use Apple lap tops in our art program. I find Safari a lot more convenient to use than Internet Explorer whenever I use one.

Also a proud owner of the Apple iPod.

[stromberg]

Ah, the Mac corner...

G4 Quicksilver at work, G4 Cube at home, both still running on good old OS9 (but looking to at least upgrade to Tiger at home when it's out). 1st gen. iPod (real scroll-wheel) as well.

Started on the dark side and still have my old 486 (Win95) under the desk for emergencies (turn it on once a year to see if there's still some life in it).

[[dark]]

Never could do Macs. I've tried, but I just can't do them.

I'm always reminded of a quote I read somewhere...

"Name one thing your PC can do that my Mac can't."
"Right-click."

That's enough for me!

[The Admiral]

You can right-click with a Mac you know

I've got an iMac G5 20" for home, and an iBook for use at Uni.

Switched about 2 years ago and never looked back

I even managed to convert our Quartermaster, Greg to a Mac!!

I just love not having to worry about SPAM or Viruses. And the iLife apps rule.

And those of you not on a Mac will be missing on a CBn Dashboard Widget for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger...

Changing over to anything different is always weird/hard but after getting used to it - I guarentee you'd never look back at a PC.

Drag and drop installs anyone?
Aqua gorgeousness?
Unix security/stability?
The iLife apps? (Reason enough to switch!)
4 person Video Conferences? Check out the QuickTime video

What's stopping people from switching?

[Mister Asterix]

[mra]G5 at work. eMac at home. I

[DLibrasnow]

I'm reminded of a joke (at PC's expense) that a member of an ad building dept at a former paper of mine told me.

Back in the pre-Windows days of computers her PC friends would come up and look at her Mac-based desktop and say "Hmmm...looks like a toy."

Then when Windows arrived she would go up to her PC friends desktops and say "Hmm...looks like a Mac."

[marktmurphy]

Yeah Macs.... I use Panther at work (because everybody in the graphics industry seems to think they're better for graphics for no apparent reason- just like they think Quark is the best layout program) and it's a very friendly system. I'd recommend it to any casual lifestyle user.
Me? I'd think of a mac as a second computer (the mac mini is great value considering the software you get) but their sheer price (for equal price you can get a significantly faster pc); terrible maintenance (wait 3 months for a replacement..erm...My mac at work never worked right- and can you even find a bloody helpline number on their website? Can you buggery); lack of expansivity or tinkerablity; and just the bizarre problems which every one I've ever used throws up, plus incompatibility with the rest of world... no thanks. I'll save my cash, cheers.

I have two iPods- both of which are seriously flawed machines. Great in parts, but appallingly designed in others (a thing you put in your pocket made from perspex and shiny metal? The two most scratchable substances known to man?). My iPod photo has no battery life whatsoever and won't turn off when I take it out of its dock so the battery runs down when I'm not using it. I know it's faulty- all macs I've ever seen are.

[zencat]

,26 April 2005 - 03:58]Never could do Macs.  I've tried, but I just can't do them.

I'm always reminded of a quote I read somewhere...

"Name one thing your PC can do that my Mac can't."
"Right-click."

That's enough for me!

You can always buy a right-click mouse. That's all it takes. I have one. Logitech wireless with a scroll wheel. It's the only non-Apple part of my system.

One of the most amazing things about a Mac is the iSight camera. Not only can I talk to Dave in the UK, on screen (and not a jerky image) all day long for NO CHARGE (why do we even have telephones?) but there is a program called Delicious Library that turns your iSight in a bar code reader -- just hold up you new DVD to it and it scans it and files it in a library. Yes, you can use this program with a PC, but you have to buy a separate bar code reader device for $200.

But talking long distance via iSight is the way to go. I have a friend whose wife has family in Indonesia. It was cheaper for him to buy the family a Mac with iSight than the long distance charges for just a few months of telephone calls. Now they talk as much as they like as long as they like for free.

[The Admiral]

Incompatibility with the rest of the world? I've not had a problem at all.

And I work with Solaris and Windows 2000 at Uni, plus various flavours of linux on and off- not had a problem at all with compatibility between any of them.

MS Office files work seamlessly, and so do Photoshop files. Anything does.

Also, it's worth noting that Mac's use different processors - they use the PowerPC which is a lot faster than the Intel/AMD/Windows architecture.

Comparing a PC and Mac by their processor speed is not an accurate comparison. Saying that a 2GHz PC is faster than a 1.8GHz G5 PowerPC processor isn't true.

You may (possibly) be able to get something that appears to be better for less money. But you compare a PC you'd buy for

[The Admiral]

[quote name='zencat' date='26 April 2005 - 20:04'][quote name='[dark'],26 April 2005 - 03:58]Never could do Macs.

[DLibrasnow]

John - I don't think Library works on a PC - there's only a Mac version because it'd be impossible to develop something that cool on a cruddy PC

Well said Dave...PC users really are still living in the dark ages. And marktmurphy Quark XPress is the best newspaper program out there. If it wasn't why would the majority of newspapers the world over be using it.

Proficiency with Quark is a requirement of every newspaper HR packet I've ever seen. We once told a college student who had graduated from a PC-based college that his journalism degree literally wasn't worth the paper it was written on because it didn't involve any Quark training.

We told him to come back after he had achieved two of the very basic standards for working at any major newspaper - proficiency on Macs and with Quark.

[The Admiral]

Though isn't Adobe InDesign treading on Quark's feet recently - painfully, I might add?

[zencat]

Let's try and steer this thread away from the Mac vs. PC thing. We all know Mac users love their sleek, sexy, Ferraris, and PC users love their practical, functional, Fords ("92% percent of the market!"

[The Admiral]

Yeah, good idea

This thread is for Mac users only

[Mister Asterix]

Though isn't Adobe InDesign treading on Quark's feet recently - painfully, I might add?

We most likely will be making the switch from Quark to InDesign as soon as some of our vendors get up to speed. Though in the ad biz so much now is Photoshop that the page layout program is almost moot.

[stromberg]

Still on Quark, InDesign somhow just didn't make it over here. We thought about switching, but didn't really feel the need to. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. As long as I can get to produce proper PDF files in the end, I'm fine with it. Only problem that turns up every once in a while is when someone comes along with a PageMaker file...

BTW, trivia time: Who was the first person to use a Mac in a Bond movie?

[The Admiral]

I'm taking a wild guess because I haven't started to look (but will do now!)...

Q on the Identigraph?

[DLibrasnow]

Though isn't Adobe InDesign treading on Quark's feet recently - painfully, I might add?

Not in the newspaper industry. Quark is so entrenched in the industry that it will probably forever be the program of choice.

If any indication were needed, the $27 million printing press the Washington Post Company just ordered for us is specially designed for nifty upcoming Quark features

It's the first of its kind in the United States and was built especially for the Post, but it is expected to be the dominant printing press in the coming decades.

BTW - In a brief computer count in just our divisions newsroom there are 38 Mac's and 1 PC.

[marktmurphy]

And marktmurphy Quark XPress is the best newspaper program out there. If it wasn't why would the majority of newspapers the world over be using it.

Proficiency with Quark is a requirement of every newspaper HR packet I've ever seen. We once told a college student who had graduated from a PC-based college that his journalism degree literally wasn't worth the paper it was written on because it didn't involve any Quark training.

We told him to come back after he had achieved two of the very basic standards for working at any major newspaper - proficiency on Macs and with Quark.

Whoops! Wrong wrong wrong. It was the best. Then Adobe brought out InDesign. Compatible with all the programs you actually use to produce images, using the same shortcuts and yet also compatible with Quark. And it even has multiple undos! Quark is massively outdated; unfortunately you've still got to use it because it's industry standard and you're safer with it: all printers use it whereas they may have trouble with Indesign. And there's no need to use Macs for graphics work. What is it exactly that they do better?

[marktmurphy]

[quote name='Dave' date='26 April 2005 - 19:23']Incompatibility with the rest of the world? I've not had a problem at all.

And I work with Solaris and Windows 2000 at Uni, plus various flavours of linux on and off- not had a problem at all with compatibility between any of them.

MS Office files work seamlessly, and so do Photoshop files. Anything does.

Also, it's worth noting that Mac's use different processors - they use the PowerPC which is a lot faster than the Intel/AMD/Windows architecture.

Comparing a PC and Mac by their processor speed is not an accurate comparison. Saying that a 2GHz PC is faster than a 1.8GHz G5 PowerPC processor isn't true.

You may (possibly) be able to get something that appears to be better for less money. But you compare a PC you'd buy for

[DLibrasnow]

This thread is for Mac users only

Yep.

It appears some people (yes I'm included) have entrenched positions. I have a Mac at work and a PC at home - like them both for different reasons.

[marktmurphy]

As they say: there's nothing like an intelligent conversation.

Certainly not on CBN, anyway.

[stromberg]

To each his own, mark.
As Zencat said: let's not turn this into "My Dad's car is faster than your Dad's."

I'm taking a wild guess because I haven't started to look (but will do now!)...

Q on the Identigraph?

Wild guess indeed. That would have been very early. And the Identigraph is a bit bulky for a Mac.

Hint: it was not in a Brosnan Bond movie.

[marktmurphy]

To each his own, mark.
As Zencat said: let's not turn this into "My Dad's car is faster than your Dad's."

Was that before or after he compared Macs to Ferraris and PCs to Fords?

All I'm saying is that there's little to separate the two- neither is better than the other. It's just that Mac users have the terrible snobbery to presume that because they paid through the nose they are getting more for their money when both do their, sometimes different, jobs perfectly well. As I say, I use both on a daily basis and the macs just don't deserve the all praise they get just for looking pretty.

And seriously, could someone please explain why Macs are seen as being better for graphics work? I'm a graphic designer who uses a mac and I have no idea. Is there any difference at all?

Oh, and I presume the first Mac Bond was Dalton using Leiter's computer.

[Mister Asterix]

[mra]I

[The Admiral]

Ah, actually I think I do remember spotting one!

A View To A Kill - Where Stacey checks out the Earthquake at her house?

And yeah, the Identigraph was a bit of a dishwasher