Macs Vs PCs

[mauiBob]

Obviously you are getting your info from Autodesk’s Mac support and services page which show what cad features are not available in Autocad for Mac. Since you don’t use Macs, you don’t really know its limitations in first hand experience. Show some patience. This is the first year Autodesk made Autocad available on the latest Mac OX. Of course there will be trials and errors. Do you remember Autocad ver 12 in year 2000? Did that version have e-transmit, tool palettes, etc? Give the programmers some time. How about Windows 95…it was sooo perfect, why make Windows XP or Vista, right?

Why are most Graphic design and advertising agencies use Macs? Because Photoshop and many other graphic softwares were first developed for Macs. Adobe had a partnership with Apple during the early 1980s. Windows based computers just happen to be a preferred choice in the A&E field because of engineers. It doesn’t mean its superior because the mass of firms use it. There were no Autocad for Macs in year 1988.

Choose quality over a cheap, $500 PC that breaks or becomes infested with viruses by end of semester. Mac people look cool inside AND outside of Starbucks! And lastly, all you so-called Mac critics use Apple products in some shape or form. Like my co-worker who said she just doesn’t understand Macs, but owns an iPod, iPhone and regularly downloads songs from iTunes. Go figure! Be sure you don’t blur the vision between Apple the company and Mac computers.

Apple computers figured out those Mac vs PC days are way over! Apple learned to adapt and innovate, while everybody is a step behind. Tablet computers have made PC based Windows irrelevant to the general public. That is the future, not desktop computing.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Clearly, Mac vs. PC is the same as a debate over religion. The thing you need to do is to understand where your career path is likely to go and what is being used along that path. Currently, the majority is using PCs, not to say that a particular path may be Mac oriented or that things won’t change. If you don’t know your path or what is most used along it, odds are that a PC would be the right choice based on the current situation and the history of the last 15 years.

[ALEX P]

I thought design was about breaking boundaries, creating the new, the contemporary.. when has following tradition gotten us anywhere?  You think Freddy Olmsted was following all the rules?  I bet he would have a mac. 

 

macs rule, pc’s droll

[Greg Burwood]

not really for me Andrew- its done and dusted- will never (did I say never) go back- I don’t understand why a designer would stick to windows, but don’t really give a toss anyway- if you prefer windows- good for you ! be happy!

ciao

[Frank Varro]

To be fair, you should be getting antivirus for MACS as well. Macs are far from virus proof, its just that in general no one bothers since its still only around 15% of the install base. (http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/security-expert-mac-os-x-more-vulnerable-windows-in-some-ways-286)

[Frank Varro]

When was the last time you saw a Blue Screen? I can tell you I’ve had a Mac freeze up more recently than either my fiance’s or my laptop, or my desktop have blue screened.

[Frank Varro]

“A current Mac laptop would still be in use 100 years from now…with no upgrades and virus free.”

Now you are just being a fanboy and silly.

http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/mac-defender-did-you-really-think-apple-macs-

Have fun being virus free…

[Frank Varro]

It really does come down to preference.  At this point, almost all software available on PC is available on MAC, even without doing a windows boot on a Mac (Which is also a viable option in the event you find yourself in need of, say, full ArcGIS).  What it really comes down to is this:

PCs offer easier upgrade-ability if you are looking for a desktop, as drivers are widely available and the motherboards are willing to take a wider range of graphics cards (RAM and HDDs are pretty easy upgrades on either).

Macs are definitely the better looking desktops and laptops if you are looking at pre-built systems.

If you are looking at a laptop, the Macs and PCs have the same upgrade ability, so the biggest issue is cost and reliability.  If you look at a well constructed PC (HP has a good track record for instance) and a Mac that will perform fairly equivalently:

HP at Best Buy:

Model: dv6-3145dx | SKU: 1272614

Quad Core AMD 2.1 GHz Processor

6 Gb DDR3 RAM

640 Gb Hard drive

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 (128 Mb RAM) Graphics Card

Cost: $829.99

 

Mac:

Model: MC721LL/A | SKU: 1535836

Quad Core Intel 2.0 Ghz Processor

4 Gb DDR3 RAM

500 Gb HDD

AMD Radeon HD 6490M (255 Mb RAM) and Intel on board graphics switching

Cost: Normally $1,799.99, right now $1,709.99

 

Both these will perform fairly similarly (slightly better graphics on the Mac, but more RAM and bigger HDD on the HP), and should last about the same length of time.  Screens are the same size, Weigh the same.  The Hp Gives you 4 USBs, where the Mac gives you 2, and a Firewire.  If you get a decent antivirus for the HP, and take your chances on the Mac, as most mac fans seem to advise, that’s over 4 years, say $180.

So you can get the Mac for $1,709.99, or the HP for $1,009.99.  Maybe the look and interface are worth it, but to me (someone who likes the windows interface more – I know DOS, I know how PCs think) A glowing apple logo is not worth $700

[ALEX P]

okay, if i had to buy a pc (God i hope the world ends first, 2012 baby) i would get an hp. They are mildly tolerable, minus the mouse pad (its like a moist towellete)

[Anthony Parziale]

Yeah AC 2011 is now available for Mac again…finally!  Student version is much cheaper too.

[ALEX P]

gross vector works sounds like some PC product made to mimic a mac program.

[ALEX P]

Lei…a i think you missed the point  save money now is a false prophecy.  You will get an ugly computer peppered with dysfunctional programs and processing system.

[Anthony Parziale]

It all depends on your preference really.  Mac/PC…they’re both good and will work fine.  Mac’s are flashier and don’t have the virus problems but don’t let anyone tell you they have no problems at all…they have plenty..as many as PC’s.  I use and maintain both and believe me…neither one is more stable, stronger or problemless.  Someone below mentioned Window’s updates.  While there are more, they are usually good fixes and upgrade much smoother then Mac OS X.  Macs have way more OS upgrade problems them PC (Windows Vista excluded…that operating system was just horrible).  Another comparison is power/speed/memory.  You will get a lot more bang for your buck from a PC and to be honest, I haven’t meet a Mac that could keep up with a cheaper PC.  Just for comparison, my Mother-In-Law is a graphic designer and swares by Mac.  Before she bought her new Mac she had a stacked G5 which we did a little photoshop experiment against my 3yr old (at the time) HP zd7000 laptop.  The HP came out on top in speed (and my M.I.L. is way faster at photoshop then me).  Even she, a devoted Mac user, conceded..lol.  That being said, the build quality of a cheaper PC is not going to come close to a Mac, unless you build it yourself or pay the extra money to get the higher end models.  My new HP laptop is just as fast as my M.I.L.’s new 27″ iMac (i7) but the quality of the case materials is just ok.  My old HP was amazing…this one…is just ok.

 

All that babbling aside, just beware….you will get what you pay for either way.  If you’re looking for the most compatability, then PC is way to go.  While most software you will use for L.A. is available on Mac, ALL of them are available on PC.  With AutoCAD 2011 now available for Mac, that gap is closed a bit more now.  The other thing you will want to find out is what software the school you’re looking to attend uses.  If they use VectorWorks, AutoCAD (below 2011), 3D Studio, MS Office, etc.  Most of these are available on both Mac and PC but there may be a program or two that may only work on either a PC or Mac which would help the decision one way or another.  What may also help is to talk to the faculty and some existing students and see what they use and recommend.  They will have a good idea what will be most compatabile with the programs work.

 

Hope that was some help.  Either way, you really won’t go wrong.  Good luck in grad school.

[Anthony Parziale]

The mouse/tracking pad on the HP’s are totally fine…just takes a little getting used to.  Besides, who even uses a track pad to do everyday work…wireless mouse is the way to go..lol.  Eitherway…they’re way better then Apple’s Magic Mouse…that thing is useless.

[J. Thomas Gebauer]

PC’s have many different producers, more customizable, and more personalizable.  How does choosing an Apple computer that is the exact same for every computer produced equal “breaking boundries?”  Mac’s are about tradition and being stodgy, PC’s are about expanding, new thought, and open mindness.  That is based on how the company conducts itself.  Apple is controlling, they don’t let anyone else know about their hardware (which is oft inferior) and act like what they are doing is some huge secret.  The windows/pc world says,”here, I have created this.  Now take this, learn from it and make it better!”  THAT is creating the new and not following tradition.

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