MAC or WINDOWS i'm still debating with myself which i should buy...

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   csd1509posted 15 years ago

   MAC or WINDOWS i'm still debating with myself which i should buy...
   
   i am a graphic designer so i assume mac would be better  but my husband keeps saying i should stick with what i'm used to... what is better for someone who uses a lot of memory and "heavy" programs like fotoshop?

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   lyricsingrayposted 15 years ago

   Hi. I use Macintosh and my mother uses IBM, I think if you use your computer for more creative content Mac is #1 and if you use it more for data entry,spreadsheets etc. IBM is the leader there - But I do love my Mac!

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   csd1509posted 15 years ago

   does mac support same programs as windows like fotoshop?

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4. 68

   MikeNVposted 15 years ago

   I use both.  I would use Mac Exclusively but there are so many software tools I use written by smaller companies that are only available for the PC.  For Graphic Design I would lean towards the Macintosh.  Windows OS is in a strange state of flux... with Windows XP, Vista, 7 or whatever.  And constantly having to deal with potential software issues.  I often have to shut things down and restart.  Even at times when I am only using a fews programs at once.  Windows memory management is still not great. Plus you are susceptible to many more virus and adware problems.
   
   It doesn't matter what your husband thinks, because he is not the person who has to work with the computer.  Choose the tool that makes your job easier... mac or pc.

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   Greta Blalockposted 15 years ago

   I have had a mac for four years and I love it, but I just bought my son a pc (Dell). When I used my mac in college I often encountered compatitbility issues with others who were using a pc (group projects). I also had to buy Windows for mac because Pages (which is something like Word) stinks, and Keynote (which is something like powerpoint) also stinks.
   To me, the system of a mac is more intuitive and simpler, but the office software isn't quite as functional as Windows.
   The hubber above is correct - for creative uses, mac is great, but for writing and business, get a pc.
   Hope this helps.

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   Ripsnortaposted 15 years ago

   Back in the day, there was a clear division between a Mac and a PC. The Mac leant heavily towards supporting the arts. There were great applications for graphic designers, publishers, and even musicians. But the Mac had very little support for business applications, or for the gamer.
   
   PC/Windows on the other hand supported business applications and home users, specificially gamers, but had minimal support for the artistic side. Although, mostly due to Open Source, that side of things wasn't as bad as business support on the Mac.
   
   These days the barriers have become even thinner. There are probably as many applications for graphic design, desktop publishing and support for the other arts on Windows as there is on a Mac. In some cases, there may be even more support on the PC platform since the Open Source movement appears to support PCs (Windows and Linux) more than Apple.
   
   So the choice really doesn't matter. It comes down to two things.
   
   1) Are you expected to produce data in a format for one platform or another? If you need to produce files in a Mac only format, you'll need to go Apple.
   
   2) What do you prefer? Personally I prefer Windows to OSX, but that's what I've been using since the Windows 3.0 days. I have an Apple notebook, but I always drift back to Windows to do what I need to do.
   
   So, you really ought to make an informed decision. Go to an Apple store and see if you can demo a graphics program on an OSX machine.
   
   Better still see if you can find someone to lend you an Apple computer. Perhaps an old laptop they've had sitting around for a while.
   
   Play with it and see if it is something you want to live with for the next few years.

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   Tech Stud(ly)posted 15 years ago

   Macs are the leader in the professional graphics design market, hands down. You walk into any pro studio, and you will likely find a Mac running the software. Photoshop is definitely, as you mentioned a memory hog, but if memory is your only concern, there is really no difference because PCs and Macs both use the same parts (as far as RAM is concerned) generally speaking. You won't find much of a difference between the windows and mac versions of various software. The real misconception is the issue people have with price. Macs off the shelf are generally more expensive. There is no legitimate reasoning for this other than that Apple can charge more because the only competition they have on their own turf is Psystar who is very debatably illegal. However, PCs are going to be just about as expensive for the purpose you want to use them for, because you aren't buying one of the cheap computer boxes.

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   BrianLeanzaposted 15 years ago

   Whether a Mac is better for you or not has nothing to do with you being a graphic designer ... this is a broadly spread myth ("macs are better for designers") which is simply NOT true. All the really important software for a designer is also available for windows.
   
   Still, buying a Mac is a very good decision. The workflow offered by it is so much more natural than what windows will offer you. The preview functionality alone (have a look at literally ANY type of file without the need to open the application associated with it) is priceless ... especially if you wiggle with dozens and dozens of files every day.

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