What makes a Mac better for designers?

DatabaseError

Simon_Pugsley wrote: »

I like mac you like windows, personally I like my MacBook Pro because I find it easier to use than a PC, the next guy may not, each to there own..

I must admit not spending hours messing with compatibility issues or virus software does have its benefits.

I agree, informed personal preference has a lot to do with it.

To just correct a couple of points.
Hours messing with virus software and compatibility issues?

I have a PC, indeed I have several, I upgraded my own hard drive(s) a couple of weeks ago, adding a 2Tb mechanical drive and a 64Gb SSD (chosen form a vast array - as I'm not restricted to buying parts from one manufacturer or supplier at inflated prices), This was really easy, I didn't need to get a lot of instruction on which parts to remove first..then undo this bolt...because this is a PC, it's easy to work on, and in.
The new boot drive necessitated the re-installation of windows (much smaller drive than my original boot drive) This took about 10 minutes to install, and maybe another 20 minutes to install the essential software and setup (including downloading antivirus software) I even added a game, as I use a PC, I have that option .

Since then it's....er...just worked.

Compatibility mode is, I imagine, a pain for those who need to use it, who would have thought trying to run software designed for a 10 year old operating environment could cause the occasional problems, but it does. Perhaps, as a comparison, someone could try the same on a modern mac, get some software from 2002 and see how well it runs 'out of the box'
:A

23n1th

jbreckmckye wrote: »

... (which is hewn of pure loveliness).

Surely the iphone is more restricted than the macs on sale next to it???;)

candtalan

Apple keeps close control over lots of aspects of its products. The hardware (mostly) and the software. It is difficult or impossible to get non Apple 'approved' items. This has an effect on the price you will pay, usually increasing it.

An advantage to you of this is that generally you can expect things will work (together) as intended.

Apple is also respected for its user interfaces and its nice displays and hardware, it is also pretty inventive when it comes to user interfaces, and probably other things.

I visited a friend who had a MAC and i was asked about a problem. I tried to have a look at it, but as an ex Windows user and now for many years, an Ubuntu user, I was *completely* lost with the MAC, particularly with admin stuff. I still have no idea what I could have done to help. She went to the shop.

People who get used to one or other systems often end up 'liking' them, for whatever reasons.

I am biassed - I use Ubuntu because it is freedom software. It is good and stable, with good security. And freedom. The software comes free of cost, but interestingly I find ways to spend money in support of freedom software, whereas with Windows or MAC I think I would be forced to spend money without much choice.

You pay your money and you take your choice!
Good luck!

Lil306

I thank you all for these posts they make excellent reading

I am not biased towards Mac or PC, because I have only ever used PC's with Windows on them. I'm intending to get a Mac aswell for troubleshooting and learning. Just wanted to hear opinions over why designers love them so much

I think in the end it most likely comes down to preference and simplicity

[Deleted User]

Lil306 wrote: »

I thank you all for these posts they make excellent reading

I am not biased towards Mac or PC, because I have only ever used PC's with Windows on them. I'm intending to get a Mac aswell for troubleshooting and learning. Just wanted to hear opinions over why designers love them so much

I think in the end it most likely comes down to preference and simplicity

If you had read what was written you would realise that as a majority, designers do NOT prefer OSX.

There is no trouble shooting and learning to be done on OSX because it is dumb user focused, hence one button mice. If you want to learn, save your money (MSE!) and download a copy of live bootable ubuntu.

newfoundglory

I wouldn't call Macs dumb user focused!

It simply shows Windows is over complex.

User the hood, macs are far more complex than Windows and have been for years.

Mac OS X is well designed for media consumption.

Windows is well designed for business productivity.

CharlesCooper222

jbreckmckye wrote: »

Er... what? I think you're a little confused.
.....
And even if Wozniac's machine was some magical tuple-based architecture, there is no relationship between 1980's Macintosh and the Macbooks you see today. The oldest ancestor of OS X is the 90's NeXtStep OS, and the hardware is effectively PC-based.

I agree with your last statement quoted above. However, to suggest that I'm a little confused is understandable, but a little off the mark...

Architecturally, there is next to nothing between today's OS X and the early Macs of Wozniak. Why would there be, they're entirely different generations of technology.

What I was referring to was that because of the non-sequential programming of Wozniak - which is well documented in countless books and interviews with him - Apple achieved significant industry advantage in graphics related industries and everything else that followed became part of the reason why designers prefer Apples.

It was Apple who introduced the postscript printer which gave birth to the notion of 'Desktop Publishing'.

It was Apple that introduced WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get, because of Wozniak. Microsoft was incapable of even approaching such a subject back then.

It was Wozniak who introduced the notion of Windows and the mouse - ideas that cost Apple dearly in the court room later when they tried to defend (Windows particularly) against Microsoft and lost.

It is because of Apple that companies such as Adobe saw unimaginable growth in part because of the exceptional speed and graphics handling of Wozniaks non-sequential programming and modified chip sets.

Microsoft didn't even introduce the notion of Windows until the late 80's and a working version until 1992 with the release of Windows 3.1 - a good 10/15 years after Wozniak had implemented the idea.

Wozniak and Jobs were already billionaires by then and every graphic designer the world over were already using their Apple computers as the DeFacto graphics standard.

So ends Part 1. The age when operating systems were programmed or at least modified in BASIC, by people like Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak.

C++ had just been invented and a new kid was on the block.

Jobs was booted out of his own company. Apple went into decline. Microsoft gained market share even in the graphics industry.

Microsoft's success at this time was due in part because of the horsepower provided by Intel which disguised Windows woeful lack of performance and heavy handed programming.

What Wozniak had achieved with sheer engineering and programming brilliance, Microsoft with Intel was achieving with brute processing force.

The Microsoft-Intel partnership looked dominant.

And by the end of 1999, it looked like Apple was history.

Jobs had failed to make any market headway with the new C++ based, or more accurately 'Cocoa' based environment he created at NeXtStep. Even a move to Microsoft with his ideas and billions in financial backing from Gates brought no new results.

He was finished, packed up. Stock brokers we're shouting "Sell sell Sell!" your Apple shares.

Apple was finished and so was Jobs.

So he had nothing to lose by returning. That was 1998.

Within a couple of years of returning from the wilderness, Jobs created the all new colourful iMac's in strawberry and blue continuing the vision began by the now retired Wozniak and himself in those early years from his garage.

With Cocoa at their operating heart, the new Apple iMac era began...

And this is where we are today. Now that same vision is moving into the iPhone and iPad which seem to be causing the same excitement today that the Apples caused in the 70's and 80's.

Jobs is at it again....

And it all stemmed from Wozniak's non-sequential programming...

DatabaseError

Couple of minor points
Xerox develeoped the 1st GUI (windows), apple took many of that team of devs to create the 1st commecrially successful GUI

"He was finished, packed up. Stock brokers we're shouting "Sell sell Sell!" your Apple shares.
Apple was finished and so was Jobs.." ...about this time microsoft, apples biggest rival to this day, invested over £150m.

"Jobs created the all new colourful iMac's in strawberry and blue " creating the idea that design was as important as function, of not more so.

//and I do love apple design, their machines are beautiful things, but I can't justify a price premium for such details, plus my pc is a much better 'all round' machine

Lil306

[quote=[Deleted User];37669044]If you had read what was written you would realise that as a majority, designers do NOT prefer OSX.

There is no trouble shooting and learning to be done on OSX because it is dumb user focused, hence one button mice. If you want to learn, save your money (MSE!) and download a copy of live bootable ubuntu.[/QUOTE]

I'm not talking about troubleshooting an operating system although understanding Snow Leopard etc would probably help me. I'm talking about learning the hardware and repairing it, as I believe you have to be certified Apple repair company to be considered for Macs.

I've already read earlier in the early days that people selected Mac, where as now it's mainly down to what people prefer. You could argue Windows was designed to be dumb user focussed aswell yet at times it's the most frustrating thing to use

CharlesCooper222

Thanks DatabaseError for those corrections.

While I'm here I might add that I do also use PC's in my everyday work - although I haven't upgraded to Windows 7 yet.

So I'm not anti PC in any way.

But a point I feel worth adding is that I used to do all my video editing on Apple - one of the showcase possibilities for the Apple environment.

Even so, a few years ago I switched from using Final Cut Pro on Apple to Sony Vegas on a PC. (I use both).

And astonishingly, Sony Vegas kicks Apple's !!! for simplicity and intuition every time. Even this morning, I'm finishing off a TV commercial of broadcast quality and I'll be doing it on the PC!

So, where does that leave my own arguments....