I'm doing all sign work now, but in the near future plan on doing t-shirts, cups and hats for volume and so the need for the other computer.

If you would care to share your reasons I'd appreciate it. Maybe all these years I've missed out on something. I've always had a pc, but I've always had trouble with them too.

Thanks for the help,

Been using PC for about 8 years now, and for no particular reason other than availability.

Most of what follows is hearsay, and not gospel. Macs supposedly are more stable and less crash-prone than PCs. Mac graphic programs seem to be aimed more at desktop publishing than the sign industry. There is more PC oriented sign software than that written for Macs.

This is not an endorsement for PCs-- I have had my share of problems with the one I have. Usually tho' the problems are self created, and regular electronic maintenance i.e. clearing off temp files, defragging files, good anti virus, etc. will lessen the difficulties.

Chuck, if you are familiar with PC's there's no reason to switch over to MAC, unless you just really want to have a MAC.

This is not a dig on MACs, I like MACs, I'm just familiar with too much Windows software to re-learn MAC equivalents.

All the pro design software that really matters is available for MAC and IBM clones, the software makers have finally realized they can make alot more money by writing software for the 90% of computer users who arent using the MAC platform.

Most stability problems with a computer are related to the hardware in the computer itsself. Cheap junky hardware or chainstore computer systems are going to be prone to crashing while higher end hardware and systems like IBM Intellistations or Dell workstations will run flawlessly.

Apple computers are a little higher on price just like the IBM's and Dells, but they also have better hardware.

My desktop computer running Win98SE hasnt been rebooted at all in the past 3 months (I havent been home to reboot it and so far my housemate hasnt had any problems with it running all my graphics software), and it's an 8 year old system but the hardware in it is the creme of the crop.

[ February 12, 2002: Message edited by: John Deaton III ]

both have their own idiosyncrasies.

I sold my mac for peanuts later, and find that my pc takes all the abuse I give it, and handles it just fine!

My relationship with other macs, and other people in the graphics industry is just peachy keen also.

My advice ... learn one platform thoroughly, and stick with it. It's all there, whichever you choose.

As a side note, Dave (my techie beau) services all the computers at his workplace (32 pc's and one Mac) tells me many of the components in the Mac are pc parts. We found that interesting.

Why? Cause I said so? No. Here's why.

This summer, Microsoft will decide if the Mac will live or die. You may or may not remember, in 1997 when MS gave/bought/invested $150 million in Apple and committed to making Office and other software for the Mac platform for at least 5 years. Well, that 5 year pact is up this summer. With the states on the heels of MS even after the US Govt. made peace, it's hard to say if MS will say "fine you bastards.. you want a monopoly, we'll give you a monopoly.." and pull the plug on the Mac.

Before some mac-maven says "so what if MS does that, there are LOTS of software makers out there.." Well, not so bubba. Macromedia, makers of Dreamweaver, Freehand, Flash, UltraDev and other Mac offerings (as well as PC) is in deep, deep trouble finanacially. They have approached MS and are in negotiations for MS to buy them out, which is pretty much a done deal. It's very attractive to MS, since they can control their biggest competitor in the WYSIWYG html editors (Front Page vs. Dreamweaver) and totally kill their .NET/ASP competitor - Cold Fusion.

They bought $125 million of Corel last year, which, along with a new CEO that doesnt have his head up his butt, pretty much shelved Word Perfect indefinitely.

So all that would leave is Adobe - who is strong no doubt, but not enough to support a platform on their own.

Finally, Apple is their own worst enemy. They over charge for their products, they sever their retail channels, they build rediculously designed cases (i.e. - the iFruit and G4 tissue box), they have little in the way of upgrade paths, and there are few non-office or graphic apps available. If you do find a useful program or game, its usually several versions behind it's PC counterpart.

It's a considerable uphill battle owning a Mac, one without any saving graces in my opinion.

If you're totally hot for the way a Mac desktop looks or works, you can use WindowBlinds (www.stardock.com) to make your PC look and act (visually) like any version of the Mac OS. Or, like me, you can just put your taskbar at the top of your screen instead of the bottom, which does seem much more natural than at the bottom.

"... in 1997 when MS gave/bought/invested $150 million in Apple and committed to making Office and other software for the Mac platform for at least 5 years. Well, that 5 year pact is up this summer."

Apple has already repurchased the investment MS has made in Apple non-voting stock. Also, as Office v.X is making money, I doubt they will discontinue it. Even so, there is AppleWorks.

"Macromedia, makers of Dreamweaver, Freehand, Flash, UltraDev and other Mac offerings (as well as PC) is in deep, deep trouble finanacially."

I use Adobe GoLive and LiveMotion, a much more intuitive solution, IMO, and OS X native versions are due to be released in a few weeks. There are dozens of other WYSIWYG editors out there.

"They bought $125 million of Corel last year, which, along with a new CEO that doesnt have his head up his butt, pretty much shelved Word Perfect indefinitely."

Same sort of deal going, here. All MS wanted with Corel was a commitment for .Net, to kill WordPerfect (Word is better, anyway), and to squash Corel Linux (No worries, I use OS X).

" They over charge for their products, they sever their retail channels, they build rediculously designed cases (i.e. - the iFruit and G4 tissue box), they have little in the way of upgrade paths, and there are few non-office or graphic apps available."

Complete nonsense. Their products are priced competitively, when one considers the total cost of ownership. They severed ties with Sears and Circuit City because those dying chains are inept at selling Macs. I happen to like the case designs. If you want upgradeability, get a G4 tower. As for the Apps, you are severely misinformed.

"Speaking of XP, it pretty much put to rest any arguments the Mac community could come up with when badmouthing the Windows platform. "

XP is still years behind OS X, when it comes to interface and functionality.

You like your platform, I like mine. End of story.

Sounds like some (I said "some") Mac people constantly pounding the virtues of that machine home to us.

Had a BIG Mac for lunch today!!!!!

Consider this first before making the purchase of a new platform.

#1./ Ready to shell out lotsa bucks? ... Mac's are pricier from the get-go and don't come with some basics that pc's do either. A surprise I wasn't ready for when ordering my Mac.

#2./ Do you really want to learn to do something differently, than you already now know how to do on the pc? At least for me, they were not as "intuitive" as claimed. Even if you are a quick study .... why do it? Isn't there already enough to keep up with in learning software upgrades in any one program on one platform alone?

#3./Are you prepared to invest in a whole new wardrobe of software that you may already own with your pc? Can you spell "cha-ching"? hahaaa... again I'll mention the learning process. Same software, different sets of commands.
Yup ... great way to maintain a healthy measure of confusion.

#4./ Do you want to keep track of which are your Mac formatted disks, and which are you pc ones?

#5./ Try to find someone to service your Mac as cheaply as you could your pc ... if need be. Luckily I've not had to experience that as much in the 7 years I've owned pc's as with the 2 I owned a Mac. (call me one of the unlucky Mac owners) hahahaa.... hell .... try to find someone who'll even look at your Mac without their hands in your wallet!

Chuck, many will claim that the Mac is better than the PC. Perhaps they are. So? My points here are not at all to bash the Mac, but rather to put alittle logic into your decision process with regards to adding a Mac in order to accomplish something you are already equipped to do.

Things aren't as one sided in the graphic industry out there as perhaps they once were. That gap has closed. (thank goodness) In fact, some of the obstacles that were there even years ago stemmed from the reluctant attitudes of the mac folks in the printing industry not wanting to conform and learn to accomodate pc files. hahaaaa... I still shake my head to think that one printer actually told me once that I needed to get a mac if I wanted to do business with him.
Hmmmm.... while just down the street another printer got the same job done, with the same pc files ... on a Mac ... within the week.
Do you honestly think that had anything to do with the "machinery"?

I once invested way too much money to find out differently.

even if the 1 GHz dual-processor Mac G4 is the best machine for Photoshop on the planet

...whoops....sorry about that.

As I've said before, I started off with a Mac, and still use one on the rare occassion someone brings in a mac-only file. I saw the light several years ago, converting over to a Windows enviroment.

No sense in itemizing your reply. You're happy with your convictions and thats fine. Some things you stated were pure opinion though, like the Adobe apps (GoLive and LiveMotion, both crap in my, and seemingly the web industry at large's opinion) you mention, and I wanted to point that out. As for Microsoft's continued support of their Mac software, time will tell.. but you can bet once their legal woes are behind them, it will be a whole new ballgame. I just wouldnt want to be playing on anyone else's ballfield when they come out to play.

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post that should stand as a good a reason as any to put your money in a PC over a mac...

96% of ALL computers in the world, run a Microsoft OS. Of the remaining 4%, they are split between Mac, Linux, Unix, OS/2 and others.

With a user base like that, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out why there are TONS more options for a PC versus the Apple platforms.

Dreamweaver seems clunky and non-intuitive, to me. I use GoLive, because I used it when it was still known as CyberStudio. Again, it's all in what you're used to - I started with PageMill and would not build a page typing source code if you paid me.

"96% of ALL computers in the world, run a Microsoft OS. Of the remaining 4%, they are split between Mac, Linux, Unix, OS/2 and others. "

Actually, Macs make up 5% of the computer user market; the top 5%.

"most sign industry specific software is written for PC."

The guy is a visionary, and whether or not he's the brains behind everything Apple has done as of late, his coming back to Apple has turned the company around.

In truth, I thought Apple would go away years ago. They haven't, because they continue to develop revolutionary products. I hope that continues, because my PC is what it is in no small part to the competition brought on by Apple.

I've met Bill Gates. Mighty smart, as are most that work on the Microsoft campus. But, I doubt Gates would be the kind of benevolent dictator we'd all hope, should Microsoft control every desktop. For the sake of the other 95%, I pray that Apple holds on to (and expands) their 5%.

IMHO,

A backspace key, coupled with a cat, can be a dangerous thing.

[ February 15, 2002: Message edited by: Daniel Craig ]