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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Mac vs. Windows...

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Despite their recent hiccups with editing software, my vote is still Mac.

Windows computers are generally cheaper, more powerful, have broader software support, and are more configurable, so at first blush, it seems like they would be the choice to go with...however, OSX has been far more reliable and secure for my projects since I switched 7 years ago. I tend to view my Macs as appliances - for the most part, they really do "just work" and are a lot less hassle than managing Windows machines, especially ones that are connected to the Internet. I use both Mac & Windows, but I prefer Apple when given a choice. And as much flack as Apple has gotten with FCPX, I'm more scared of the direction Windows is going with the version 8 release. If you don't like FCP7 to FCPX, at least you still have your choice of other editing suites - but with Windows 8, you're stuck with an entire interface shift and have to resort to hacks like StartMenu8 to get the old, familiar layout back. However, I think XP & 7 are great, and I'd even go as far as saying Windows has caught up with Mac in terms of multimedia capabilities...it's not longer "serious video editors only use Macs" - there are more choices available now that are equally as good. And it's nice to be able to hop on either an OSX or Windows machine to use Premier or Avid and not be tied just into one system in a pinch.
 
Only Mac. Since 1984.

People are surprised when I say I have NEVER had more than half a can of beer in my entire life (I'm 43) and they also seem surprised when I say I have never used a PC. In both cases, I prefer to be sober and sane.:confused1:

Since I've been spending much of my money the last few years buying Red stuff, I couldn't afford to buy a new MacPro anyway... but the new revamped one MUST be close and will be a must-buy. Years from now, people will see that the iOS revolution required Apple's full attention. That hyper-focus on mobile cost Apple some pro market share, but Apple knows pro users will start coming back when Apple finishes revamping their pro products (MacPro, FCPX, LogicStudio, etc).

Plus, Apple AGREES WITH RED that 4K is NOW... Retina TV, Retina Displays... Red and Apple should collaborate in working toward the same 4K ecosystem.

So whatever your reason for asking Jim, never bet against Apple. Like Red, they may not always get things right the first time, but they are passionate about their products and about their customers.
 
It is just another tool choice.

Sometimes Mac, sometimes Windows, sometimes Linux.
 
Hey David, how does a Mac just work and PC does not? What are the things that take extra steps to do on a PC (windows) than a Mac (OSX)? I'm really curious as they feel so similar to me....
 
I used Windows up till about 2000, got tired of cursing at my computer. Finally one day I tossed my working but defiant Sony VAIO down the trash chute of my condo ( a glorious feeling it was ) and went to a VAR the next day and picked up a Powerbook. It has not been all trumpets and angels since, but it was the right move for me, no regrets. And I don't agree with all this "don't get emotional over your choice of tools" talk. We're human, it's who we are and it's normal. We long for connections and we'll take them any place we can get them. However, Apple, hell hath no fury comparable to an ignored lover. If no love is shown in 2013 for the pro user in hardware, divorce is in the wind.
 
I am staying with Mac but moving away from their Applications. Will move from Final Cut to Lightworks when Mac version comes out. Already switched to Davinci from Color. Want to be as platform independent as possible with applications. I prefer apps that run on all three OSes, Mac, PC, Linux. That way if I ever have to leave the Mac I have a choice without having to switch apps.
 
Windows, there is no good reason to use OSX.

What we need is Adobe to get their "Adobe Next" out so once and for all that can be true. It's too cheap/easy to build power in the Windows world.

We will stay Windows and Adobe for our next feature.
 
I've been on a mac since OS 7 and I never had the need (or the desire) to be on windows. So you you could say that I am somewhat of an Apple fanboy but even I can not disregard the fact the Apple's focus has shifted from the creative professional to the consumer. If Apple stops innovating the way they used to they will lose their user base very fast. I would love to see a new Mac Pro but how much longer will I have to wait for it?
 
For laptop work the Macbook Pro, for desktop work my home built PC. The built quality is important when on the road and the quality of the Macbooks is essential, they also have a robust connectivity and great battery endurance. For desktops though, I cannot find a reason to go mac. I can really beef up my desktop with top of the line modern hardware and be on the edge of what's possible in technology if I use a PC. I cannot do that with a Mac Pro. Not only that, but with careful configuration I could get the same power for around half the price. All talk about Mac's being stable is just crap, I have more problems and errors with the Mac Pro I use on my day job editing then my own PC-system at home. Every week I have more errors on my Mac Pro at work then an entire year of work at home.

So I would say, for on the road use a mac, for editing suite/post production use a PC that's optimized. No reason being a fanboy if you are truly professional.
 
I am 100% Linux these days. Never got into Apple except when I was a kid because that's what the local educational system bought and used in the 80's/90's before switching to Windows in the late 90's.
 
The question shouldn't be about operating systems. The question should be about what machine is appropriate for whatever you happen to be using it for. If you're doing work that requires the flexibility and sheer processing power of a tower/slot machine, the current crop of Windows machines - particularly the HP boxes - have a lot to offer. But if you're doing work either on location or on the run using a laptop, the Apple laptops offer a lot of things that are appropriate to and unique for the type of work we do. Things like a very fast integrated interface (Thunderbolt) for file transfers, a great and relatively accurate display, Prores compatibility, and the ability to run software such as Colorfront's Express Dailies, Scratch Lab, and DaVinci Resolve, among other things. I don't know of any Windows laptop that has those capabilities.

So the question isn't really "Mac or Windows." The question is "what are you doing and what do you need to do it."
 
I think it is interesting that this (now 14 pages) post hasn't gotten personal. Even though ardent Mac user have their own impressions and experiences with PCs and ardent PC users have their own impressions and experiences with Macs, there is no reason to discount the other person's viewpoint... this post isn't about who's right, because clearly there is no "right" answer here... Jim, for his own reasons, asked a simple question and civil responses have been given.

But I must interject the text from a shirt I saw years ago, obviously dated now:

Mac = Productivity
Linux = Connectivity
Palm = Mobility
Windows = Solitaire
 
PC (Windows)
 
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