apple vs win

I can't believe I've missed all this fun! - Most of the people here know my credentials, so I'll spare that... I'm a mac guy. I've heard this all before, but I get some juvenile kick out of all this, so here's a few points that deker's excellent testimonial left out...

original issue:
"setting up a web based co & will need to use the internet but thought if its not going to be a prob will get an apple to push forward my love of art."

You love art, you say? Well, wouldn't you appreciate your designs - be it a painting, a drawing, a digital piece, a print, a whatever - to have accurate color? Sure you would. Try to find legitimate color calibration software for a PC. You'll find none. Apple's ColorSync isn't the best, or the worst - IT'S THE ONLY calibrated software for professional printing. Apple has tried for years to develop a cross-platform color schematic for all designers to enjoy - I don't know why, but it cannot happen. Who knows... Now, while we're talking about professional printing - you know where I'm going with this, I'm sure. You will likely be charged for supplying PC fonts, extra proofs (again, for accurate color) and subsequent additional pre-press time when submitting from a Windows workflow.

It seems to me that most of the cost, upgrade and compatibility issues have been beaten to death, so I thought I'd present some new things for you to think about before buying your new machine.

totally biased,
graphicsguy

technically since the g5's are 64bit it does beat your alien ware.

And that wonderful Alienware box STILL isn't running the Mac OS.

That kills it right there...I wouldn't care if it was $200... still wouldn't buy one for workaday use.

again, cpu speed not that important in most situations. do you REALLY use that 3ghz processor?

chris

Yeah, alienwares are really just big ass X-Boxes. I mean, the entire gaming aspect notwithstanding (which I think is asinine, by the way) I don't understand why no PC's are marketed, or built and/or 'optimized' for graphics.

The only specifically marketed PC's, as far as I've seen are strictly gaming units. Gaming of course meaning that they carry the label of 'gaming' machines. Now, of course we know what their lists of specs mean, and can interpret that into our needs as graphic/web/whatever designers, but why should we have to do that?

I mean, it's not a big deal, but why hasn't a PC company filled what is clearly a missing market niche?

Furthermore, regarding the cost of Macs compared to PC's, think of it this way. PC's, including systems, and components, are made by hundreds, if not thousands of different companies. The reason that Macs cost more is because they're made, or assembled, at least, by one company. Now clearly their components come from third party manufacturers, but the systems are made solely by Apple, which is one company. It is also commonly known that there are far fewer mac users than there are PC users. This, means that the market is not saturated with apple products, thus those that are available, including entire systems, cost more due to their decreased availability.

Also, being that Apple quite simply makes fewer computers, to meet a demand which, though growing, is less than that of PC's, Apple computers are made in far smaller quantities. This means that their production costs are higher, do to the fact that they do not manufacture a comparable volume to that of PC manufacturers.

Lastly, and perhaps what sets Apple apart, to some degree is this: Apple products are made in smaller quantities than those of their PC counterparts. They also sell fewer products overall. This means that there is a far greater attention to detail, and an overall better product made therein. The overall fit and finish on Apple products is far beyond any offered by any PC company around today. Additionally, given that Apple is, compared to some of the big PC builders, far smaller, they have much more to lose by making a shoddy product. Thus, they abstain from doing so.

Mind you, they above is not to say that Apple is some kind of grassroots operation. They deal in tens and hundreds of millions of dollars like any company, but being that they are, competing mainly with Microsoft, in terms of home and business computing AND PC system builders such as Dell, Gateway, Alienwares, etc, they are fighting a sales battle on two fronts, given that they are the sole supplier of both the hardware and operating system for their computers. Once again, they cannot afford to make a shoddy product, and in my opinion, they certainly do not. That is not to say that they are the best, I don't personally believe that there is one unrivaled 'best' when it comes to computers. Personally, for the purposes that I use a computer for, and in my experience as a computer user, and a graphic designer, I do believe that they are the best that money can buy.

I know that right now, I own a titanium powerbook G4, with 1 gb of ram (no upgradability, huh?) and mind you, it's by no means perfect, given that it is some 3 years old now, but the OS has never had to be re-loaded, nor has any of the software. In terms of the state of the hardware itself, it is definitely showing it's age, but that's after 2 owners, and 3 years of hard use, and tons of travel. As I see it, it was used like a construction worker uses a pick up truck. After a while, it's obviously well worn, but the wear was caused by using the thing fo what it was built for, and not the carelessness/negligence of the owner.

As far as laptops go, Apple is the only way to go. It's not about looks, or the OS, or the speed that a given hardware configuration can operate at (never does, mind you) or even the cost, down to a few hundred dollars, but rather the entire package, and in those terms, Apple can't be beat.

Originally posted by graphicsguy
I can't believe I've missed all this fun! - Most of the people here know my credentials, so I'll spare that... I'm a mac guy. I've heard this all before, but I get some juvenile kick out of all this, so here's a few points that deker's excellent testimonial left out...

original issue:
"setting up a web based co & will need to use the internet but thought if its not going to be a prob will get an apple to push forward my love of art."

You love art, you say? Well, wouldn't you appreciate your designs - be it a painting, a drawing, a digital piece, a print, a whatever - to have accurate color? Sure you would. Try to find legitimate color calibration software for a PC. You'll find none. Apple's ColorSync isn't the best, or the worst - IT'S THE ONLY calibrated software for professional printing. Apple has tried for years to develop a cross-platform color schematic for all designers to enjoy - I don't know why, but it cannot happen. Who knows... Now, while we're talking about professional printing - you know where I'm going with this, I'm sure. You will likely be charged for supplying PC fonts, extra proofs (again, for accurate color) and subsequent additional pre-press time when submitting from a Windows workflow.

It seems to me that most of the cost, upgrade and compatibility issues have been beaten to death, so I thought I'd present some new things for you to think about before buying your new machine.

totally biased,
graphicsguy

That's no longer really an issue. Pantone offers monitor calibration software for print and web.

Yeah, but it took them THIS LONG

Doesn't matter how long it took, its available now.

Again, if your sole criteria for purchasing a computer is "it smokes" and "I bought it with my allowance", then by all means please buy a PC. Have fun with your old muscle car that gets 3 miles to the gallon too.

Hobo, I am pretty sure a Dual G5 would "smoke" your alienware. Even independant tests by PC Magazine show that it is faster or just as fast as a Dual 3.06ghz Xeon workstation, and for the same price.

But anyway, like others have said, it still runs Windows, no matter how fast you can move a card in solitaire or how fast you can check your email.

with all of this said i would just like to add one more thing

YUMMY