What do I need to do to become a web designer?

leemoss

k0nstantine wrote: »

If a certain someone actually answered the OP's original questions, and said something like "i'd chose a PC over a Mac" rather than hijacking someone else's reply and leaving stupid remarks like "sweeping statement", then no-one would have gone into the whole Apple vs Windows debate.

I replied sweeping statement because that's exactly what it was, then I replied to your other statements about Windows being horribly unreliable/unstable.
If we just accepted everyones opinion, discussions would be seriously boring I'm not actually a Windows fanboy, I prefer Linux for many tasks, I don't even hugely dislike Apple and actually own a few apple products.

I have also made at least 4 replies in this thread offering advice to the OP, even the discussion about Windows/Mac is relevant to the OP.

k0nstantine

leemoss wrote: »

I replied sweeping statement because that's exactly what it was, then I replied to your other statements about Windows being horribly unreliable/unstable.
If we just accepted everyones opinion, discussions would be seriously boring I'm not actually a Windows fanboy, I prefer Linux for many tasks, I don't even hugely dislike Apple and actually own a few apple products.

I have also made at least 4 replies in this thread offering advice to the OP, even the discussion about Windows/Mac is relevant to the OP.

No it wasn't, it was a opinion derived from 10 years experience in a design field, of which I've used both machines/OS, and from writing a paper comparing the differences in OS in the networking part of my Computing degree.
A sweeping statement in fact, is a statement that is too general and that does not consider all the facts.

This wasn't never intended to be a discussion however. It's a forum offering technical advice. Not a place to rip on other people because they hold a different opinion to yourself.

[Deleted User]

The best tool for web design is a piece of paper and a keen mind. The best tool for web design implementation is whatever you know best and can get the job done.

Give me Windows 95, Pentium 75Mhz, Paintshop pro 3 and notepad and I can make you a website. Give me a Mac Air, Photoshop and Dreamweaver; I'll probably end up making an identical website.

Give it up, this is not an OS battle

Lil306

Apples are Apples, Windows are Windows. They all suit their task at hand. Nuff said

I'm not going to keep this post going with more debates, so the OP can keep this post on topic.

[Deleted User]

k0nstantine wrote: »

No. Because the majority of people only chose windows due to it being the most common/wide spread OS, the price of the computer, lack of computer knowledge(if you're a newbie you're not going to go researching into other OS when you know nothing about it- you're just going to go with what's most common) , and the fact that windows support a few more things than apple.

Then you would see a trend of the Windows share sharply declining as people become more familiar with other products available and leave if they are, as you say, a technically superior product. That doesn't appear to be happening though..

If apple produced lower priced computers, had more support for products, and was wider known by newbies to the computer world then Windows wouldn't stand a chance.

They already do have a lower priced offering, but still they aren't able to break into double figures of the market share. There must be more to it than that, could it be that Apple exist only to satisfy a niche market of people who are willing to pay a premium price for something much akin to Bose?

Just look at the smartphone industry for example.
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/07/android-has-39-smartphone-market-share-in-us-apple-comes-in-second/
Windows are at the very bottom end of the market due to having competitors who offer similar value phones/packages.
They make more money from a patent agreement with HTC than they do selling phones with their own OS!
http://www.redmondpie.com/microsoft-makes-5-times-more-money-from-googles-android-than-it-does-from-windows-phone-7/

It is interesting that a sensibly priced product is dominating the market as more and more people realise that having to buy a phone and getting locked into an unfavourable contract isn't a wise use of their money.

Plus if you took a thousands Window pcs, and a thousand Macs, and compared the amount of problems each system had, Windows would have the most without a doubt!

Go on, prove it.

I have a friend from uni, who owns his own computer repair shop. Last year he took in 489 Windows pcs and no Macs! The year before that, the statistics were pretty much the same, and the year before that.

Don't most Apple users go back to the Apple store when they have a problem?

Does he advertise his services as an Apple repair expert?

I'm sure if you've spent a lot of money on a product you would want to make sure that it was being repaired by someone reputable and who knew what they were doing.

Yes, Macs are harder to fix than PCs, parts are a lot harder to get hold of and a lot more expensive.

I wonder why..

But surely the fact that so many products are available to use to repair a PC shows that the manufacturing industry have acknowledged that PCs aren't always built to last and are providing parts knowing there's a good chance they'd be needed. If this wasn't so, then so the computer manufacturing industry would lose millions each year, and by now, there wouldn't be half as many companies as there are!

PC components do not solely exist as replacements for when others have failed. Upgrading a PC progressively over a period of time is a cost effective way of ensuring you are using better hardware without getting locked in.

You also have the flexibility and freedom to build a computer to your own budget and requirements, whatever they may be.

I agree what's important are the skills and knowledge of the designer.

True.

The OP just asked if they should go for a Mac or PC and i replied with my opinion, that was being a web designer/graphic designer myself, I'd chose a Mac over a PC for any design work as I find them to be better equipped to handle processor heavy software.

Designing websites is extremely taxing on resources afterall..

k0nstantine wrote: »

Although I'd love to see how great and reliable your wonderful windows would be if you take away firewalls, anti viruses, pop up blockers, anti-spyware, email scanners, etc etc.

You are aware that security software of that nature exists and is used on every operating system don't you?

Whether you personally choose to or not is irrelevent as guidelines, best practise and standards exist to fully secure Operating System (whichever they may be) that includes includes security software.

k0nstantine wrote: »

With all these Apple haters out there, and the whole Mac VS Pc thing, surely one would have came up with a decent virus/hack whatever by now? But in the Mac world, it's still very rare for anyone to get any sort of infection/hack.

Wasn't it only recently Apple had to push out software specifically to identify and remove malicious software?

Threats and vulnerabilities exist in much more than just viruses and malicious software.

Iphones are one of the biggest players in the mobile world, yet these don't get hacked or viruses, unlike some other mobile OS.

The iPhone has had a pretty dismal security history, which is why uptake in the Enterprise sector has been woefully slow.

Yes, the Apple's have been hacked by using the Safari browser, but the hacker admitted he had prior knowledge of a security flaw in Safari before the competition so worked on the exploit prior to the competition, which explains why the hack worked so quickly. Besides, Windows using Chrome, Firefox and IE have been hacked regularly every year, last year being the exception due to the team not turning up to try Chrome and Firefox.

Apple are still always first though. It's not just because they go in alphabetical order..

k0nstantine wrote: »

It's true. Without outside security software Windows is useless.

Any Operating Systems without security software is vulnerable and anyone running one without is being extremely ignorant to the threats that exist. Some are better equipped to handle these threats, although Apple have always been playing catchup in this respect.

k0nstantine wrote: »

That is possibly true, but at this very point of time, it's also true to say that you're more likely to get a virus/hack whatever using a Windows machine than a Mac, and without any software to protect yourself from it Windows isn't that great.

Neither is OS X, Linux, Unix, BSD..

k0nstantine wrote: »

No it wasn't, it was a opinion derived from 10 years experience in a design field, of which I've used both machines/OS, and from writing a paper comparing the differences in OS in the networking part of my Computing degree.

Why are you not able to post in a manner which would reflect any knowledge of the subject you claim to have?

[Deleted User]

Epic rant. Nice. Did no one mention Linux yet?

k0nstantine

anewhope wrote: »

Why are you not able to post in a manner which would reflect any knowledge of the subject you claim to have?

Take a good look at yourself before you go criticising anyone else, as your above question applies to yourself!

You have no evidence supporting any of your claims, but expect me to. Then when i do make a point and explain why, you pick on little parts of the explanation and ignore others.

For example; i mentioned Apple having little support for products compared to Windows, but you totally ignore that and just concentrate on the part about apple having "lower priced offerings" as if that's the single issue as to why Apple isn't so frequently used compared to Windows.

Your smartphone comment makes no sense whatsoever.

You ask if my friend advertises Apple, which I've already answered in a previous post.

You go writing statements like "i wonder why", which proves that you don't have the knowledge or ability to debate something in a proper, constructive manner.

Your "Designing websites is extremely taxing on resources afterall.." comment once again, has no point, and doesn't contribute or relate to my point about why i prefer Macs.

The rest of your "points" all pretty much either consist of things already described above or, are childish little petty things such as " Apple are still always first though" or are just short sentences that claim things but don't back them up.

But hey, if that's they way you are, and these are way you handle things then i feel sorry for you.
It's a shame when people can't see past their own ignorance and feel like they have to attack others who don't agree with them.

23n1th

k0nstantine wrote: »

So was XP out in the 95/98 era? As my old PC (high spec, home built) regularly crashed, froze, and lagged.

Sounds like user error to me.

I've managed to crash pcs after 5-10 mins that are running either Windows Vista, or Windows 7. My sister's laptop constantly comes up with an error message every time tried to shut down (Windows 7 pro).

Again sounds like user error to me.

The only day I'd actually admit they're any good is when I can't do this, but until then, I wouldn't waste a penny to purchase either, heck i wouldn't even use them for free!!

Ok so your test is to try and crash a computer and if you can it fails. Sounds a little stupid to me.

Oh and to all you Mac haters, if PCs are so awesome and so much better than Macs as you all keep making out, why is it that so many posts on this tech forum are about PC problems and not Macs? :rotfl:

PC's make up more of the market than mac's and this is a money saving site. I'm sure I went to a mac support forum I could use your argument there.

steve1980

For God sake people.

This thread started with the OP asking how to become a web designer and it has now turned in to 5 pages of PC vs MAC.

If you want to contest which is better then start a new thread.

:mad:

dhj

ringo_24601 wrote: »

The best tool for web design is a piece of paper and a keen mind. The best tool for web design implementation is whatever you know best and can get the job done.

Give me Windows 95, Pentium 75Mhz, Paintshop pro 3 and notepad and I can make you a website. Give me a Mac Air, Photoshop and Dreamweaver; I'll probably end up making an identical website.

Give it up, this is not an OS battle

My two pennorth for what it's worth.

Ringo is right in his assertion.

Also, anybody with any technical expertise can build a website free using any of the numerous free tools available. Hardware is not the issue. Designing a website however, ahh, that's a different kettle of fish altogether. .