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Are Macs really favored by industry Pros.
I was in Micro Center browsing around just to see how dinosaur my PC has become and started talking to a guy about what it would take to upgrade my machine, or if it was even able to be upgraded to today's standards. Actually it was the guy that struck up the conversation and he immediately went into what almost sounded like a sales pitch. At first I thought he was an Apple sales rep, LOL. He kept insisting that switching to an iMac would be the smartest investment any Photographer/Graphics person could make. His last words were "There's a reason they are the industry standard among Pros." So just how true is his remark? Hasn't Windows systems kind of caught up? Are graphics on a Mac monitor superior? Thanks! Gary Aug 12 14 07:52 pm Link Gary Blanchette wrote: No! A lot of Mac people seem to be like this. Aug 12 14 08:01 pm Link Looking forward to reading the responses from current, industry professionals. Aug 12 14 08:15 pm Link Mac has always been the creative folks' choice since the day of Mac II. It's not the monitor, it's the ease of use. Aug 12 14 08:15 pm Link My Mac SE (1987) still works, my Mac Power PC 7200 (1998?) still works, my current computer is a MacBook PRO that I bought in 2008 the only thing it's needed is a new battery. I've never had a virus, never had a drive failure, never had to reinstall the OS (except for upgrades of course), never replaced any boards... Apple makes the best hardware in the industry. Most/all vendors use the Mac Developers Kit to create software that is 100% compatible with the hardware and doesn't conflict with other programs, this also means that once you get the gist of how Mac software works you can just jump into any program and feel comfortable. You end up with a computer that you don't have to fight with to keep it running. I was a computer technician for many years, Apple certified, HP certified, certificate in computer technology... I built, networked, repaired it all and I wouldn't give you $10.00 for a WinTel machine I haven't got time to waste fighting with a computer. Piss on Microsoft. Aug 12 14 08:17 pm Link From personal expiernce at both Macy's and Coke the entire marketing and creative department were all Mac based. None of the "power users" had iMacs these were all Pro towers, some had Apple displays but many (who had color concerns) used other high end monitors. Most of the creatives at the agencies I have worked at or with had large Mac populations as well, but it would depend if some MS IT drone had power or influence on purchases. Aug 12 14 08:30 pm Link The main reason Macs are better than PCs is because there is no such thing as a cheap Mac. If you compare a MacBook Pro to a Windows laptop that costs the same amount, the quality difference narrows tremendously. That said, they do make the best product, if you have sufficiently deep pockets. That also said, the best bang for your buck would be a Windows-based workstation that never goes online, and a Linux-based laptop. Harder to do now that Adobe is cloud-based, but still possible. But if you don't have the space or budget for two machines, or just don't want to mess with all that, you want a Mac. And if you want a laptop, you definitely want a Mac. The Apple displays aren't the greatest, no. I'd say that they're among the best mass-market displays, but there are better options for the same or less money. Apple also likes to use its proprietary colour profiles for everything. They're more accurate than the Windows settings, but at least Windows will step aside and let programs use their own profiles without a bunch of rejiggering. This isn't how it actually works mind you, but it might help to think of an Apple as 95% accurate all the time, and a PC as 80-100% accurate, depending on the situation. So if you're looking for a quick 'what do I buy?' answer, buy an Apple. If you're okay with fiddling with your system, or have specific programs you need to run, maybe don't buy an Apple. Either way, it's almost never a badchoice. As far as all pros using them ... well, let me put it this way: almost every place I've been to where creative professionals were working out in the open where people could see them, they had iMacs. Ditto for receptionists at creative offices. But the people in the back? There's a lot more variation. Still lots of Macs, but not 'everybody.' Aug 12 14 08:58 pm Link If you are just running Adobe software then buy a mac if you like it. Or a PC. Either way. Aug 12 14 09:00 pm Link Creative industry pros are the only customers Apple has when it comes to computers. If it was not for them there would be no Mac sales. If you believe Macs are that much better than PC then you must think everyone else in the world is stupid because Windows still runs on the majority of computers. Real computer folks use Unix and others use Linux. The guts of all these machines are the same now so a high end PC is the same as a Mac. And contrary to what is stated Macs break and they get viruses. With all of that said, yes Macs are the choice of industry professionals along with the iPhone, iPad, and Adobe software. That is just reality of things. Aug 12 14 09:19 pm Link The Grand Artist wrote: At the end of 2013 Apple finished in 3rd place among PC manufactures with a %14 market share (HP, Dell, Apple, Lenovo, Toshiba). I would say that is more than just some creative industry pros. Aug 12 14 09:35 pm Link The Grand Artist wrote: The statistics show otherwise. If you actually believe it to be true, you may want to actually do some research, because the claim is so far off reality that it sounds like a well-crafted troll. And trolling isn't permitted. (Hint: are there 16 million+ 'creative industry pros'? That's the 2013 sales count. So far this year, they've sold around 9 million. Not enough to be the #1 computer hardware company, but definitely in the top 5. Only creative industry pros? SRSLY?) The Grand Artist wrote: Which, by your definition means MacOS: it's a wrapper on top of unix. As such, it would fall into what you are labeling 'real computer folks'. But nice try pushing buttons. The Grand Artist wrote: Macs certainly are a choice. It is no longer the only choice. For some, it's the right choice; for others the wrong one. Knee-jerk reactions for or against are just silly, as are the proselytizers and anti-proselytizers. Aug 12 14 09:46 pm Link I avoid macs because I sometimes need to run programs that either come out a year or two later on the mac, or not at all. I tried to run ZBrush in Windows emulation on a mac in 2007 (before there was a mac version) and it wouldn't run, and that was the last time I even considered macs. Aug 12 14 09:48 pm Link NothingIsRealButTheGirl wrote: Like 3ds Max!!! or even on the hardware side of things, they're a year of two behind. Gary Blanchette wrote: Just send him to go talk to people in other industries... like VFX and 3D and ask what are they using and why? Aug 12 14 10:39 pm Link Yes it was a sales Pitch!!! Guys working in Microcenter, Best Buy Know SQUAT If you are fluent in PC I see no practical reason for switching Aug 12 14 11:05 pm Link Macs USED to be far superior for graphics work because their processors used RISC architecture (in PowerPC processor chips) from '94 - '06 until they transitioned to intel chips. Long before the transition, the more conventional processors had basically obliterated any benefit that the RISC processors gave the macs (I'm not sure why but I'd guess that cheapness allowed speed gains in other areas). Nowadays it's all user preference. Some people like MAC, some people recognize that MACs are best for people who either a) know nothing about computers and will take it in to the shop when it breaks or b) know a shit-ton about computers and will dive into the linux terminal and modify plist files without hesitation to fix their own problems. D A N wrote: I didn't know that. that's a straight reversal of the landscape from a few years ago. Aug 13 14 12:36 am Link I retired from newspapers as a photographer and imaging tech after 40 years. Every newspaper I worked for used only Macs in Production and Photo departments. The only exception was one PC in a production department of over 20 G5 Mac Pros. The PC was used for Real estate advertising because the Realtors used PC. I use Macs at home and always have. Aug 13 14 12:52 am Link Preferred by many industry professionals, YES. Necessary, NO. Aug 13 14 01:00 am Link As somebody who has been working extensively in Advertising agencies and other creative branches, with often a mixed setup (albeit most creative companies have 20% PC and 80% Mac), Mac are more favourable...why: Mac's are more intuitively for creating, on PC's you are often confronted with the PC-technique More efficient, you are 70% busy creating, no need to be concerned by computer-technique with PC it's just about 50%...you are more occupied by the computer and technique, and all the alerts or settings that you need to click away :p Better color-managment with Mac, it's better integrated throughout the core and all levels, and all software. PC is a layer on top and not all software are affected Mac maybe 100 viruses as opposed to 6.000.000 viruses on PC...so no need to concern again on computer or computer technique Maintenance: Mac maintain themselves, no need to do additional things....PC, well PC needs to be cleaned and reinstalled every year, to have a smooth working machine Upgrade OS: Mac you can have a cup of coffee and walk away....knowing for sure that 98% will continue working (they have been changing how printers are configured among others, and there are some alterations done to Mavericks) PC, often processes are broken...reinstalling from 0 is often the only sure way to have it properly working (or using Ghost images, but still need to start wipe the computer) The moment you come home with a box of a new mac, you can be on internet, importing sorting your pictures and printing the , basically within 5 minutes....again...efficiency Macs you don't need to reboot every day, PC's often start running sluggish after more than 1 day (quite some memory leaks).....it has been rumoured by fervent PC-users that they can keep their PC running for more than 1 day :p Economically macs have a longer production time than PC, it's not uncommon for macs of 8-6 years old still to be used for production work...off course that would be possible with Windows, but somehow one is less inclined to do so...most PC's in a production surrounding are max 3 years old... maybe not for heavy photoshop, but for lay-outing and or music or multimedia editing... Even on an emotional level things are different, a Mac would be sooner considered a pet or working partner (and named ) than a PC, with as little affection as a brick FBI prefers Macs to PC, as they can run MacOs, Windows and Linux and their software on their MacbookPro's  . In the end it's about efficiency and intuitively creating Of course there will be always exceptions, but this is the general picture and feeling. Herman www.hermanvangestel.com Aug 13 14 01:02 am Link I do not think the graphics are better when comparing two different models both containing the same graphics card. For example, a Mac and an ASUS both containing an NVIDIA GEFORCE 760M. Now, there is much more to a computers graphics than the graphics card, but the card is what determines a computers graphics capabilities. Other factors that contribute are what allows a computer to utilize the graphics card. Aug 13 14 02:58 am Link Industry Pro here; I use Mac for all my work, some of the beat features are: easy to use, does not obsolete peripherals, continuity and compatible through the entire product line, consistent color ( not necessary critical color ) and free OS upgrades! Oh, there is also Virtual Box if you really need to run window$...the older and free versions of PhotoShop - the ones that used .8bf plugins and WordPerfect come to mind, because EVERYONE knows how badly Word sucks! Aug 13 14 03:14 am Link I work in Video/TV Production and as a pro photographer. On the TV end, I have yet to see an independent shop use anything but Mac. Some networks use PCs, but often that is because of corporate policy, and even that is changing. Photography, I know a few photojournalists whose companies give them PCs, but anyone who works as a freelancer (on the high and low end) all use Macs. I have 3 in my small shop (an iMac, a Mac Pro and a Macbook Pro for portable use). I wouldn't use anything else. Aug 13 14 03:59 am Link Gary Blanchette wrote: Graphic is something that's displayed on a monitor, and has nothing to do with the monitor, it can also display text or whatever. Aug 13 14 04:26 am Link Gary Blanchette wrote: I use both everyday and have for years. I was just talking to a friend the other day who also does and we're basically both of the same position in that we're not sure there's any real reason to ever buy another Mac. The only thing I think I'd miss is the trackpad on my MacPro. Aug 13 14 04:49 am Link Kevin Connery wrote: The Grand Artist wrote: The statistics show otherwise. If you actually believe it to be true, you may want to actually do some research, because the claim is so far off reality that it sounds like a well-crafted troll. And trolling isn't permitted. (Hint: are there 16 million+ 'creative industry pros'? That's the 2013 sales count. So far this year, they've sold around 9 million. Not enough to be the #1 computer hardware company, but definitely in the top 5. Only creative industry pros? SRSLY?) The Grand Artist wrote: Which, by your definition means MacOS: it's a wrapper on top of unix. As such, it would fall into what you are labeling 'real computer folks'. But nice try pushing buttons. Which is better, a Mac or a PC? Aug 13 14 05:44 am Link I've worked in retouching studios for more than a decade, and they've all been Mac based. Same with every photo shoot I've worked on. Current studio has one lone PC, running GMG Colorproof. Aug 13 14 05:45 am Link If you are doing number crushing like an accountant, they are all on PC. Windows is made for number processing. However, if you are dealing with objects, then it is Mac. I used to have maintain a lot of of both, but in recent years everyone has gone to Mac. Aug 13 14 06:42 am Link I worked out of a retouching studio in NYC this past winter that does work for Victorias Secret, Sephora, Vogue etc and every single computer that was used for retouching was a Mac. I do freelance work from home sometimes for them though and use a PC, they don't seem to mind. Aug 13 14 07:01 am Link Roy Nelson Photos wrote: If you are running mainly Adobe products then you may as well get a mac. Aug 13 14 07:07 am Link It is interesting ... I think what you, the OP are saying, was the mantra until a few years ago. There is no doubt, as a percentage, more professionals use Mac than Windows. It is no longer the necessity that it was in the past. In other words, six years ago, nearly all pros went with the Mac. Now it is the dominant platform but not necessarily the only platform. There are several reason. First, for a period of time, Mac abandoned the filmmakers. They discontinued Final Cut Pro. Basically they drove a lot of people away since they stopped development. They have since brought it back, but once the luster was gone, it was gone. Second, Final Cut Pro is more intuitive than Premier Pro. It just is an easier timeline. The problem is that Adobe did everything else better. As an example, After Effects is the better product. I have more than one friend that does the timeline in Final Cut Pro but everything else with Creative Suite. When Mac dropped Final Cut Pro, they just stuck with Creative Suite and now that they have made the move, they didn't go back. Finally, Mac quality isn't what it was. One of my clients here just got his iMac back from repairs. The video card failed under warranty. He bought this iMac because the video card failed on his last iMac. He also has a MacBook Pro and it has a problem too. Also, Macs are more structured. As an example, there is no longer a DVD drive available as an option in the iMac. You have to get an external one. Blueray is not available at all since Steve Jobs didn't like the format. You have to go third party external. So I agree, the Mac dominates creative shops but it is no longer the only game in town. They continue to use them because they already have Mac shops but if you are starting from new, there are less compelling reasons to pick one from scratch. Aug 13 14 07:07 am Link GPS Studio Services wrote: Professional Adobe users. Aug 13 14 07:08 am Link I think the apple mouse has more than just that one button they were originally so proud of, so the mouse is usable now. The software still has that annoying 'feature' of not having an opaque background but I think in Photoshop there is an option to make it behave as if it's on a PC, so that's usable now, too. Aug 13 14 07:18 am Link Hardware is the same on the macs. They both will sport Intel Processors, RAM, HDD/SSD, dedicated graphics. They both function the same. With that being said: I work as a Systems Admin during the week and photographer on the weekends. PC workflow is very task oriented and does well for business tasks. I use a Mac for my Photography primarily for the high resolution (Retina Display) pretty damn close color accuracy. But most importantly, it's not the laptop itself, as I said earlier -- hardware is the same across most devices, but it's because of OS X. I find that my workflow when working with my images in OS X are much more refined than working on my photography a Windows based PC. For the OP, 99% of the applications professionals use are available for both Windows and Mac. Your knowledge in computer hardware is important to ensure you get a system that is powerful enough for what you're trying to accomplish -- macbook air will have a hard time rendering 36 megapixel images vs your top of the line Dell XPS. Overall, workflow is key and that is unique and will always be different from the next person. Example of my work area:  Aug 13 14 07:21 am Link Kevin Connery wrote: The Grand Artist wrote: The statistics show otherwise. If you actually believe it to be true, you may want to actually do some research, because the claim is so far off reality that it sounds like a well-crafted troll. And trolling isn't permitted. (Hint: are there 16 million+ 'creative industry pros'? That's the 2013 sales count. So far this year, they've sold around 9 million. Not enough to be the #1 computer hardware company, but definitely in the top 5. Only creative industry pros? SRSLY?) The Grand Artist wrote: Which, by your definition means MacOS: it's a wrapper on top of unix. As such, it would fall into what you are labeling 'real computer folks'. But nice try pushing buttons. I am sorry please show me any numbers that show that Apple is the #5 computer vendor. Here is a Computerworld article from today to get you started http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/ … word_apple Aug 13 14 08:23 am Link If your software is available on both platforms then choose the platform *you* like.. not the one other people like. My company has hundreds of computers. Most (75% if you count only desktop machines.. 95% if you count servers) are Linux. We have 3 windows machines for software that is only available on that platform but they are a pain in the ass. They integrate *very* poorly into a Unix/Linux based workflow. We use them grudgingly because we have no other choice. Everything else (Photoshop, Zbrush, Maya, Houdini, Body Paint, rendering, Office, etc.) are done on Macs and Linux machines. For me I have a Linux box on my desk but I don't like it as a complete environment. I do all of my software development and general work on my Mac. My Linux box is very fast, however, so for performance-important tasks I switch over. Eventually I'll get myself a Mac Pro so I can abandon the Linux machine entirely. We already have 3 of them to replace our aging Mac Pro towers and they've been amazing. In the end there is no need to switch if you're not having any problems/missing any tools. But for my money I would only use Windows if I had absolutely no other choice. Aug 13 14 08:33 am Link Wye wrote: And when did it become possible to use a Wacom on a Linux machine? Aug 13 14 08:52 am Link NothingIsRealButTheGirl wrote: not sure. Years ago. But most Wacom needing tasks we have historically done on macs. But I know that in our early zbrush days we used intuous tablets on Linux machines. I'll ask my sysadmin but I'm pretty sure we had early intuos 3 tablets working on our Linux boxes. If I had to guess id say 2005-ish. Probably earlier. Aug 13 14 09:02 am Link Wye wrote: Pressure-sensitive? Or just position? Aug 13 14 09:07 am Link NothingIsRealButTheGirl wrote: dude. There's been a lot of drugs, alcohol and 120 hour work weeks between then and now. Aug 13 14 09:12 am Link Wye wrote: Well, all I can say is when I needed Maya 2010 in 64 bits it wasn't there for me on macs. When I needed ZBrush 2.5 or 3 it wasn't there. When I needed (believe it or not) Fractalius it wasn't there. And those are just the ones off the top of my head. There's either a promise that it's only 18 months away, or it's never coming. Aug 13 14 09:18 am Link OP here. WOW! A lot of passion felt comments here. Thanks so much to all of you. Aug 13 14 09:31 am Link |
I have no idea.