My PC has been acting up and is about 6 years old. I've been less than happy with Windows and as a result considering a MAC. I have a fair investment in PC based software. I've read that you can run PC based software on a MAC but I'm unclear to what degree. Software I definitely want to keep using without paying a fee to do so is Adobe CS2, Photomatix, and NIK Viveza. If I went Mac, what would it take to run those applications? I did a search but was not very successful in learning what I wish to know. Thanks in advance.
I'd just like to point out that 6 years is ancient in terms of computer age, both PC and MAC, and if you're having problems with your softwares, I would have to put the blame on your computer age. I would also like to ask you the last time you reformatted your PC.
Thanks for the reply. I agree this machine is an antique as far as computers go. I do know I have one bad memory chip and that has been my biggest problem of late. Considering buying new memory, but with the age of the PC, maybe spending more and getting a new machine would be wise. As far as reformatting the thing. I haven't a clue on how that is done. I have de-fragged and those kind of up keep things, but not re-formatting.
Dave, I personally prefer PC's due to the flexibility of swapping out parts and adding parts as I see the need. With Apple (especially the iMac) this is more difficult and you are much more limited.
That being said however, the brand new iMac looks really nice. Not just from a design stand point but also from a price/performance perspective. It is still possible to build a PC with better performance at a lower cost but it is difficult to match the new 27" iMac screen. This is a new 27" 16:9 2560x1440 IPS panel that no one else is currently using in their displays. This will likely change in the next couple of months but right now I would say that the iMac has one of the better 27" displays.
For running your Windows software on a Mac you'll want to install a copy of a Windows OS on a Mac using "bootcamp". This is officially supported and not really a 'hack'. You'll have to do some research to determine how well this may work for you.
Dave R. wrote:
Thanks for the reply. I agree this machine is an antique as far as computers go. I do know I have one bad memory chip and that has been my biggest problem of late. Considering buying new memory, but with the age of the PC, maybe spending more and getting a new machine would be wise. As far as reformatting the thing. I haven't a clue on how that is done. I have de-fragged and those kind of up keep things, but not re-formatting.
Well then, I don't think you can escape these problems even if you were using a Mac.
Bad memory chip aside, reformatting is still recommended at least once after 3 years to get rid of all the Windows accumulated crap and keep your machine running efficiently. All you have to do is back up all your data, pop in the Windows CD and follow the prompt. After formatting, reinstall windows and softwares and updates, make a "clone" of your HDD so the next time you reformat, you can have everything up and running in no time.
If you decide to get a Mac to run Windows on it, all I can say is you'd be wasting your money paying for the OSX and not use it.
you'll end up running a VM like Fusion, Parallels or Virtualbox or worse yet, Bootcamp (mostly because it's a PITA to reboot etc). Adobe wont transfer w/o first forcing you to upgd to CS4 ($200). Don't know about Nik or Photomatix, you should email them and ask what their policy is.
Maybe I should consider just upgrading the processor, motherboard and memory. Everything else is fine. I never have liked tossing something with multiple parts and only one of those parts being bad. Wondering if anyone else has taken that path? PROS and CONS?
I think if you can put things together yourself, that you spec out a brand new quad-core i7-based computer. It will be significantly cheaper than buying from Apple (don't have to pay the 'Apple Tax' as I call it). I really wish they would sell OSX separately.
Dave, upgrading portions of your system may be a possibility. The biggest issue is that your current components are 6 yr old technology. I have similar issues with my 5 yr old computer that I am planning on replacing this winter. My video card works just fine but is AGP interface which is no longer used on 'modern' motherboards. Similarly, I have some hard drives that are SATA which I can migrate to my new computer but my PATA drives will likely just be put into external enclosures and used for backup. I guess you'll have to look closely at what components you currently have and whether they will be easily migrated to a new motherboard.
After 10 years of using PCs on my desk and as a laptop, I switched to Mac. I really like everything about the Mac except it is not meant to be a PC or used as one! I do have VM Ware Fusion on my machine and I do use the that to run some applications that I use for work (not photography ones,) with a great deal of incompatibility issues.
I think if you have had your PC for 6 years, you're over due for a new one by a couple of years and chances are your software might be outdated too. If photography is your passion, I'd go with a nice new 27" quad i-Mac which you will love.
Avi B wrote:
I think if you can put things together yourself, that you spec out a brand new quad-core i7-based computer. It will be significantly cheaper than buying from Apple (don't have to pay the 'Apple Tax' as I call it). I really wish they would sell OSX separately.
+1 on all counts. Save money, go with PC and if possible, build your own. Also, I would be willing to try the Apple OS on a dual boot box if I could get a legal copy sold separately.
if you partition your mac and run windows on it, you open up that vulnerability to all those problems again, and all you have now is an expensive PC...
I've nothing against Macs, but if you're in the market for a new computer off the shelf you should consider that for the money you can generally get much more PC than Mac in terms of hardware. Add Win7 64-bit and at least 4GB of RAM and you'll have a very stable and fast system probably for less money than an equivalent Mac. If you already have PC software then IMO it's a no-brainer.
As for Windows' supposed instability, I put most of that down to individual users or setups. I've run XP, Vista and now 7 on off the shelf PCs over the years and have *never* had a BSOD and have *never* had any speed issues that were not caused by third-party software. All three operating systems have been extremely reliable, so much so that I take my Mac-owning friends to task whenever they make some throwaway comment about "windoze".
Not to mention that by all accounts the Snow Leopard upgrade is proving to be a headache for some Mac users.
tonygerads wrote:
if you partition your mac and run windows on it, you open up that vulnerability to all those problems again, and all you have now is an expensive PC...
Yeah, because Mac can't possibly have a bad memory chip or any other hardware problem after 6 years of usage.
pipspeak wrote:
As for Windows' supposed instability, I put most of that down to individual users or setups. I've run XP, Vista and now 7 on off the shelf PCs over the years and have *never* had a BSOD and have *never* had any speed issues that were not caused by third-party software. All three operating systems have been extremely reliable, so much so that I take my Mac-owning friends to task whenever they make some throwaway comment about "windoze".
This.
Every install and build I have had since WindowsME has been absolutely bombproof. I can't even remember what a BSOD looks like and system lock-ups are a thing of the past.
