Mac or PC?

[MarkusTay]

I have a unique opportunity to start out with a clean slate. I had a fire a few months back and lost EVERYTHING, and I am really looking forward to getting back into fantasy map-making. Since I am starting from scratch, I am considering a Mac for the first time, because I understand they are better for graphics design. I was happy using PS and Illustrator on my self-built PC, but since I don't really game anymore, I don't see much of a need for sticking with IBM-compatibles, and having a more stable system sounds like a great stress-reliever.

How do other folks here feel? What do you guys use?

[bradlavario]

I feel funny saying this because I have been pro-PC for years and years, but pretty much if your main focus is creativity as in art or music the Mac is the way to go, if your focus is gaming or pirated software, the PC is the way to go. As the gaming continues to move away from the computers and onto the gaming platforms I see the need for computers to fade away so eventually the Mac will take over, provided nobody else throws something unexpected in to the ring, but this will probably still take many more years.

Now that Steve Jobs is gone, Apple could make the PC completely obsolete in a short time if they wanted do, simply make Mac completely open source hardware. If they did that, nobody would have a PC anymore, but I suspect that is why Bill Gates bought many shares in Apple long ago, because doing so would kill the PC practically overnight and deal a harsh blow to Microsoft.

Question is, if they did that now, would Bill let it pass? Microsoft has enough other irons in the fire, they could adapt away from the PC platform... maybe. They might have to learn to make code less buggy. (this might kill them)

[jfrazierjr]

Personally, I endorse Linux over either. Windows has the most support, but also the most bugs and viruses. Mac on the other hand has far fewer viruses, etc, BUT, if you need something outside their very narrow window of supported software, you are out of luck. A good example is java support. Java 6 came out on date X, OSX.next version came out almost EXACTLY one year LATER, however, users had to wait for almost another 2 years to get Java 6 AND could only get it if they upgraded to the latest OSX version. Not really very helpful in the support area IMHO... Note to mention that you have a huge premium for such support.

Also on a side note, if you happen to need something that is not pre-made for Mac and want to try to delve into building it yourself(assuming Open source program for example), there would be FAR more people available who know Linux that might be available to help vs a Mac. Also, I can't compare a Mac's memory management, but Linux blows Windows away with the default settings.... a bit of playing around and tweaking can provide huge performance boosts in Linux vs the tweaks available on Windows.

Oh way... you said PS/Illustrator...if so, then stick with Mac(though you could run PS/Illustrator in linux under WINE.. but would loose some performance with that extra abstraction.) Another option if you want the best of both worlds might be to go with Linux + VirtualBox/Windows. The good thing about Linux is in most cases, you can try before you buy and play with it for as long as you want without having to make any permanent changes to your system.

[Lukc]

Honestly, I don't find a Mac has any particular advantage over Windows as far as graphic design is concerned. If you're using photoshop / illustrator, you're going to be using Adobe software anyway and the UI is the same on both computers. On the PC you'll have more software available besides those two, Windows 7 is very stable and Mac's also crash (I do graphics work on both Windows 7 and Mac OSX, yes, they both crash). MS Office for Mac simply doesn't support everything that MS Office for Windows does.

Basically, with PS / Illustrator I find RAM and a good processor to be a deciding factor and in that respect, well, a PC comes through much cheaper than a Mac.

But Linux is also fun. And fast. And free, so you'll get the most processor and RAM for your buck (but no PS or Illu out of the box )

[Lukc]

Le doubblepostte.

[paulbhartzog]

You don't have to decide.
Run an Intel processor-based hardware (pc or mac)
and triple-boot into all three OS's

Use mac for the the things it is good at.
Use windoze for things u have to (like CC3)
and Use Linux to feel morally superior ;-)

You won't regret it.

-p

[Larb]

I use a Mac at work and I have a PC at home and I have not found any difference at all when using Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign (besides a single key =P). What I do know though is that my PC is much cheaper and will cost less to upgrade in the future which is a big factor for me (well that and all the Windows-only stuff I also run).

[EricPoehlsen]

PC.

Nothing to say aganist Apple products on the technical side and on design aspects, they are great. I just can't stand the companies policies...

[Hai-Etlik]

A modern consumer desktop has about as much in common with the IBM PC whether it was assembled by Apple or by someone else. As I see it, "PC" is as much an Apple marketing term as "Mac".

The whole "Macs for graphics" thing dates from the 80s. It hasn't had any particular truth to it for over a decade.

[MarkusTay]

Okay, I think you guys after swaying me to stick with Win/PC. I love the concept of Linux, but I am much too old to have any more 'moral umbrage' and sold my soul to Bill Gates long ago.

As for the Mac - I think I would enjoy the "idiot-proof' ness of it for a short time, and then get frustrated when I couldn't do something very specific (I build my own systems, as I said in my first post). I suppose, if you take out any difference in PS/Illustrator software (which folks here say no longer exists), then I should just stick with what I know.

Besides, I'm starting to feel my once-a-month virus-battles are like an old friend - I expect them, and get nervous when they take too long showing up. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling when I eventually thwart them.

Thanks for everyone's input.