Mac vs PC

[Subhadip Sen]

Maybe none? Maybe it's a Linux?

Definitely not. RED is proprietary all the way though. Linux would be something like the Apertus project (http://apertus.org/). Doesn't Linux come under the "PC" banner though? The real irony is that the Mac range is limited to Personal Computers (PCs) while Windows or *nix can scale to massive systems which could hardly be called personal.

BTW: A big plus with Macs are the fact that you don't have to be a system builder... not that I find system building difficult, but I feel like a geek-amature working on my self build maverick solution... There are some relaxing factors being able to just plug in a finished and elegant system. It makes me less the geek, and more the artist, somehow... makes sense?

I think this is entirely a different debate - self-build vs buy, and nothing to do with the topic on hand. I don't see how buying a HP Z820 is any less "finished" than a Mac Pro? Or Thinkpad X220 vs Macbook Pro? In both cases, you turn on the systems and you boot into your OS and can start working immediately. There's nothing more to it. I would guess a large majority of the 92% computer users who use Windows are not geeks.

What you have with Windows is the option to tinker. In fact, Windows is much more forgiving once you start piling on hardware. Microsoft's Windows Hardware Qualification Labs (WHQL) has enormous resources and certifies every bit of hardware and software on the market before pushing them through Windows Update. This is something that is often eliminated from these debates, but WHQL is a crucial factor in opening up a whole world of possibilities. What this means is Windows Update automatically updates to the latest stable drivers and is effectively maintenance-free. On the other hand, Mac Pro is often caught out by broken drivers or OS X updates breaking drivers, especially graphics drivers, including the latest 10.7.4. Of course, this does not apply to the other Mac lines, which are all based around laptop hardware - the solution there is simply restricting configurability.

 

[Jon MIchael Puntervold]

1 - They are all PC's, but I've never used a Windows system that comes ready to use according to my expectations. The preview function/program is awful. No PDF printer. Weird MS default formats. Basic productivity tools are missing. Dell and/or HP machines ship with a lot of weird stuff. Generally, Windows 7 is better, but not there yet.. OSX is my favorite walled garder/my atelier of choice, and it's not always a pure rational choice for all the aspects of my work, but I LIKE it - I don't enjoy windows, if I did, I would use it.

2 - On silly imagery. Red Cameras are not Open Source, but they are extremely customizable, and they don't feel like the windows kernel...

Beat me up Scotty. Bye bye

 

[Hans von Sonntag]

What I'd like to hear is some genuine analytical responses as to why PC's might be better over Macs and why Macs might be better over PC's - preferably from people who have experience with both.

My daily typewriter is a MacBookPro13. It's a very reliable and good looking device with a very user friendly OS.

My main Workstation is a MacPro. Why that? Because I run Smoke and need a system that is stable, reliable and supports a ProRes workflow. But I also have a HP Z800 with Windows7 which is as reliable as the MacPro. I can only say good things about this box. But it cost a tad more than a MacPro with equal specs. I got it almost 3 years ago because I needed the Nvidia SDI card which is only supported on PCs.

IMO, Windows 7 is a good and stable OS. It doesn't look as friendly as OSX but Microsoft was never good at designing. However, the functionality and user-friendliness has much improved.

Since the combination of R3Ds, Smoke, PremierPro and Nuke is working well together on one reliable platform I go with Apple.

But I can see advantages for the PC platform. The entry costs are much lower. They work well with CS6 and can reach a stunning performance when Cuda is enabled and disks are fast. With a Scarlet, a PC and CS6 you can purchase a very capable production package at a convincing price point.

Hans

 

[Stephen Townsend]

Thanks Hans. Nice comparison.