IMac Users?

[John Hudson]

Well, it's that time again. The software I want to use has outstripped my laptop's processing ability, even with the full RAM compliment. So, I'll be upgrading shortly.

I'm going to be using Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics package that's quite taxing on computer resources. Recently, my brother bought an IMac, and is extremely pleased with it.

Given the Mac OS stability and renowned reputation for handling graphics, I was seriously considering buying this machine myself, and was wondering if anyone on this board is an IMac user and if so, would you recommend it?

John

 

[Jody Radzik]

I've been flying Mac (and Illustrator and Photoshop) since 1990. In the beginning, Photoshop was the much more intensive processor user. In that day, a 10 mb file was a large image. 100 mb was out of the question.

But now, 500 mb is no problem at all for my dual 2.23 iMac. With Illustrator, I have to be working on files with a lot of gradients and multiple layers to notice any slow down in the processing.

I'm deep in the cult, so this isn't objective in any way. But working on both PCs and Macs at work, I find the Mac much easier to troubleshoot for system and networking issues, infinitely more secure with regards to viri and trojans, much better looking hardware, much prettier software, OS upgrades are less expensive and much smoother, and the thing now runs Windows just as well as any PC on the market.

It's a question of cash. Do you have enough for a Porsche, or will you have to settle for a Ford.

 

[Eric Flescher]

look for more then $$$$$

Before you total up for a PC, also add
(1) RAM more for Vista is needed
(2) what software do you need?
(3) other cards etc not built into PC that you may have to get
(4) other

I have used Apples/Mac since the 1980s.They are my principal machines and I rarely use my older compaq downstairs.
I possibly will use the compaq from other astronomy software not on the mac
I still use OS9 photoshop for mac and I do fine with my website, graphics and etc

My imac is only 900 mgz but does fine on high speed internet stuff with AT&T that we now have.

I hear that Vista and all its versions may be the last version of Windows for a long long time (except for patches). Consider that too.

Anyone use iPhone for chasing?>

 

[Susan Strom]

I just saw a demo of the new iMac at the Apple store in San Fran. The iMac is a beautiful computer. The multitasking desktop was extremely impressive. Mac has always handled graphics well. However, iMac is competing as an excellent all-around machine. The desktop model I saw in SF retailed for $1200. It was a lot of computer for that money.

 

[Jerry Prsha]

Well, it's that time again. The software I want to use has outstripped my laptop's processing ability, even with the full RAM compliment. So, I'll be upgrading shortly.

I'm going to be using Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics package that's quite taxing on computer resources. Recently, my brother bought an IMac, and is extremely pleased with it.

Given the Mac OS stability and renowned reputation for handling graphics, I was seriously considering buying this machine myself, and was wondering if anyone on this board is an IMac user and if so, would you recommend it?

John

Hi John,

I'm a computer consultant in the States and a member of the Apple Consultants Network.. The folks Apple recommends to it's clients to come into the home and assist you should you need it.

For an all-in-one machine, the new iMac has really impressed me. I've always considered the iMac a consumer model. But in the past year or so, it's become a mainstay in a lot of businesses and has the power to pull it off.

My recommendation is that you add as much memory that you can afford and the machine will blaze. Graphics apps use a lot of RAM to do their thing and if the machine doesn't have to keep paging out memory... Sending the data to the hard drive to load in more, you'll have less waiting.

And if you'd want to, you can always switch and run Windows on the machine or even as an application within the Mac OS. It runs about 80-90% of the normal speed of Windows as a application and full speed on it's own.

And, as PC magazine wrote, Windows ran faster on a Mac than any other machine they tested.. How ironic, eh?

Drop me a note if you need any help. I don't mind a bit...