[MCN-L] FW: SPECTRUM Gets a Makeover (On leave)
Thank you for your email. I am on leave until 18 September. I will respond to your query when I return.
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Go with the operating system you know best. Photoshop works great either way, the main difference, imho, is the way you are used to the machine responding. So if you have mac people who will be doing the imaging, go with mac, if you will have windows people, go with windows. Frank Thomson, Curator Asheville Art Museum PO Box 1717 2 South Pack Square Asheville, NC 28801 828.253.3227 tel. 828.257.4503 fax fthomson at ashevilleart.org www.ashevilleart.org -Original Message- From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-boun...@mcn.edu] On Behalf Of Stein, Marty Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 11:35 AM To: mcn-l at mcn.edu Subject: [MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC? Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Being a fool, I'll rush in... Go with Macs. The entire high-end hardware and software imaging industry is optimized around the Macintosh platform. And the skill set of most fine arts photographers is centered around Macs. I would very much doubt that this is undergoing change at a measureable pace. PCs may be marketed as the machine for everyman and everywoman, but a museum-grade imaging operation is a completely different arena. But then, that's just my opinion. At 11:35 AM 9/8/2006, you wrote: Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l Sam Quigley, Director Digital Information and Technology Harvard University Art Museums 32 Quincy Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-496-4292 www.artmuseums.harvard.edu
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Dear Marty, We've found that Macs - and we only have Macs in the exhibit department and photo studio - have built-in programs that are more user-friendly and faster for our needs, especially in registration. For instance, creating contact sheets of new accessions, etc. Our photographer, Ed Pollard, favors it because he believes Macs to have better compatibility with graphic programs and because keyboard shortcuts in photoshop are easier (for him at least) to use. We did have one photographer a few years ago without much Mac use, and despite that he preferred Macs as well: even though he was on a learning curve, he felt it the functionality for graphics overall was better. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to call. Good luck! Molly Molly Hutton Marder Registrar, Chrysler Museum of Art 245 West Olney Road Norfolk, VA 23510-1509 phone 757.965.2030 / fax 757.664.6201 visit the website http://www.chrysler.org -Original Message- From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-boun...@mcn.edu] On Behalf Of Stein, Marty Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 11:35 AM To: mcn-l at mcn.edu Subject: [MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC? Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
LOL. I've been biting my tongue, but since I'm a fool too, here are my two cents: 1) If cost is an issue, go with the Mac. Unless you are building your own machine from scratch, you cannot find a comparably-configured high-end machine cheaper than the Mac Pro. See: http://www.macworld.com/2006/08/features/macproprice/index.php 2) While I agree Photoshop works well on either platform, the underlying stability of the OS is an important consideration. I would be extremely hesitant to trust any sensitive or valuable data to a MS Windows machine -- the last thing you want is the OS crashing while you are working on a 500MB image file! But, as I said, each point is only worth a penny. :-) Best, --Paul -- Paul F. Marty, Ph.D. (marty at fsu.edu) Assistant Professor, College of Information Florida State University, Tallahassee FL 32306-2100 http://info.fsu.edu/~pmarty On Sep 8, 2006, at 12:21 PM, Sam Quigley wrote: Being a fool, I'll rush in... Go with Macs. The entire high-end hardware and software imaging industry is optimized around the Macintosh platform. And the skill set of most fine arts photographers is centered around Macs. I would very much doubt that this is undergoing change at a measureable pace. PCs may be marketed as the machine for everyman and everywoman, but a museum-grade imaging operation is a completely different arena. But then, that's just my opinion. At 11:35 AM 9/8/2006, you wrote: Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l Sam Quigley, Director Digital Information and Technology Harvard University Art Museums 32 Quincy Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-496-4292 www.artmuseums.harvard.edu ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Hi Marty, That's a great question. It seems like that gap is closing between Mac and PC's in term of use in the graphic arts industry. I know photographers who work very successfully on both platforms. It's not so much a matter of better or worse anymore. It basically comes down to familiarity and comfort with one operating system over the other. In our case, because we are entirely dependent on computers to keep us working, I like to quickly troubleshoot problems without having to involve our very helpful, but busy, IT staff. This is only possible because of years of experience with the very user friendly mac interface. Furthermore, when it comes down to purchasing new equipment, I can make decisions about what's needed for our specific purposes without being a computer scientist. In my opinion, you should leave this decision to the people who will be using the machines day-in and day-out. There is no reason for it to be battle between users and technical support staff. Oh, one more thing_ Macs rule! mstein at mfah.org 9/8/2006 10:35 am Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l Dan Dennehy Chief Photographer The Minneapolis Institute of Arts www.artsmia.org
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Marty- It's all about the business model. Apple designs it products for a certain user, both consumer and professional. Creative pros will reap the benefits of that. The new monitor on the MacBook Pro is one good example, without talking about anything under the hood. Also, Unix servers as well as industry-standard production tools such as Xinet FullPress, color management, or high-end image capture, will interface better with Macs. -Jeff Jeffrey Evans Digital Imaging Specialist Princeton University Art Museum 609.258.8579 On Sep 8, 2006, at 11:35 AM, Stein, Marty wrote: Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Just to throw more info into the mix, Googling Mac vs. PC graphics came up with a ton of links. I found this one to be pretty interesting: http://www.barefeats.com/macvpc.html ~Perian Stein, Marty wrote: Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l -- Perian Sully Collection Database and Records Administrator Judah L. Magnes Museum 2911 Russell St. Berkeley, CA 94705 510-549-6950 x 335
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
What better way to energize our moribund list serv than a PC/Mac debate! In my experience we could not make this decision solely on the actual or perceived advantages of one or another operating system. Our insitution is an all-Windows shop and our IT staff would not support Macs and worse, would not integrate them into the network. In our case, the advantages of having our imaging systems on the network, with access to high-volume storage servers, covered by the regular backup operations, and supported by our IT staff far outweigh any possible downside to using PCs for imaging rather than Macs. All of our imaging staff has come in primarily with Mac experience, and they all adapted quickly to Windows. The fact is that working within Photoshop, which is what they do all day long, the platform does not seem to influence the actual workflow all that much. Some of them still prefer (marginally) working in the Mac platform but cannot say convincingly why; I chalk it up to old, ingrained personal allegiances or ideologies rather than actual performance differences. I agree with Sam that the external graphics environment/printing industry/etc. has been built around Mac and this is perhaps the best argument for Mac, all other things being equal. On the other hand, there are in fact high-end imaging products that are PC-only, such as the excellent Aztek flatbed scanners, last time I checked. This variability in platform support is true in the graphics software area as well; a number of highly-regarded imaging applications, used by many people in association with photoshop, are only available for PC, though I can't think which at the moment. In short, as far as compatibility, for the moment either choice will present certain limitations in one's options for hardware or software. William Real Carnegie Museum of Art
[MCN-L] Position Announcement - The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Position Available Title: TMS Administrator Reports To: Collections Registrar Date Needed: August 2006 Pay Type: Salaried, Nonexempt, Full Time, 35 hours/week Salary: Commensurate with Experience Benefits: Group Medical and Dental Insurance, Life and Long Term Disability Insurance, Pension Plan, Credit Union, Flexible Compensation Plan, Paid Time Off, Reserve Time Off, and Holiday Pay Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Work Location: Beck Building, a smoke-free building Responsibilities: * Manage TMS/Crystal Reports and provide proper and consistent entry and maintenance of data for the permanent collection utilizing approved Museum standards * Work with the Collections Registrar and the IT Department to develop and implement standards of data entry and use of TMS museum-wide o Establish guidelines for how and where data is entered into TMS o Develop training procedures to insure effective use of TMS by outside departments o Develop and implements strategy for data clean-up * Oversee training of staff for TMS/Crystal Reports * Maintain a working knowledge of TMS/Crystal Reports and inform staff of changes or updates in both programs * Coordinate with the Museum's Information Technology Department for maintenance of working back-up systems * Provide general museum-wide support for TMS users * Maintain and update TMS user manual * Organize and catalogue Crystal Reports * Create new reports as needed by all departments Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: * Excellent and demonstrated knowledge of TMS and Crystal Reports * Excellent written and oral communication skills. * Ability to assess priorities and work well under pressure; excellent time management, problem solving and analytical skills * Ability to work with curators, donors, vendors, other museum professionals, the public and co-workers professionally and tactfully * Professional and businesslike in appearance and demeanor * Strong organization skills to effectively manage multiple projects Desired: * Knowledge of SQL and ability to write SQL statements Education and Experience: * BA in art, art history or museum studies or at least two years experience in museum related employment How to Apply: Send resume to Human Resources, Job 011, P.O. Box 6826, Houston TX 77265-6826; Fax 713-639-7597 or email: jobs at mfah.org or apply at www.mfah.org/employment Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Marty They are better because they have better software to run the image stuff withI'm sure you'll get tons of other opinions as well :) That said the solution maybe coming out later this year (or be out already) Apple is introducing a new line of Macs that will run Windows side by side with the Mac OS. My only experience with all of this is being a Mac user and being married to a Mac programer with kids who want (gasp the little traitors) a PC for their games as so many of them wont run on a Mac. Dad has promised to get the new dual Mac/PC when they are cheap enough. Chrissie -Original Message- From: mst...@mfah.org To: mcn-l at mcn.edu Sent: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 11:35 AM Subject: [MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC? Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
There is nothing different about the performance of a Mac vs. PC for the money you put into either. Macs are better because they are only built using premium hardware. And Apple gears the hardware they select toward image and video editing. You can get the same performance from a PC by purchasing the premium hardware that serves your needs on a PC platform. If you needed a great image editing machine you can create it as a PC. Mac's do have a more stable operating system when it comes to virus protection and the system not failing. But performance-wise when it comes to image converstion, manipulation and editing there is nothing that one can do over the other. Another point Id like to make about Mac vs. PC users is, if you have been using Macs your whole life and then switch to a PC (or vice versa) you might have some initial adjustments to make with keyboard shortcuts and minor layout issues with software. But in a couple days, weeks, months, (based on your tech savvy) you'll be past it. And this is where I think the current issue with PC versus Mac comes from. It has nothing to do with performance. But rather understanding how the two operating systems function. One last thing, keep using the current premium photo editing software. Photoshop CS2 is still the best image editing software you can buy. Phase One's Capture One Pro and Adobe' Raw Converter are the best raw converters you can buy. If you buy a new Intel-based Mac remember Adobe will not be pushing out software for this new processor til Q1 '07. So when running current versions of Photshop you'll have some lag time if you use the current version of Photoshop CS2 emulated through Apple's Rosetta software. Adobe Lightroom and Apple's Aperture software does not offer the variety of options as Photoshop CS2, and Id steer clear of them for professional use until they fully mature as an application. Networking is a bit beyond me so I will not go into it. We have Macs that are connected to our network. On a personal note, if I had a choice between getting a PC or a Mac, I fall for the coolness factor of a Mac (the stability of the operating system helps a bit). In school I used Macs then used PCs at work. We have PCs in our office and a Mac in the studio. Mike Rippy IMA Photographer mrippy at ima.museum (317)920-2662 ext.191 IMA 4000 Michigan Road Indianapolis, IN, USA 46208-3326 www.ima.museum psully at magnes.org 9/8/2006 12:10 PM Hi Marty: I think that the Mac vs. PC issue stems from the fact that Macs, in the past, have been inherently better at solving graphics logarithms and have been more stable overall, due to the entire package being created by one company, rather than the mishmash of parts that one gets with PCs, which don't always work so well together. However, that being said, today's Macs can still be graphics powerhorses, but the proper PC package (video card, RAM, processor, heatsinks, etc) will blow any Mac out of the water. I second the opinion already expressed that if your graphics department prefers one type over another, go for that one. I don't know a whole lot about networking, but it seems that many of the Mac vs. PC file sharing and networking issues of 5-10 years ago is not so much a problem today. If you do decide to go PC, there are a multitude of computer geeking websites which can guide you on how to get the most uber l33t smokin graphics machine. I recommend http://www.tomshardware.com/ Perian Sully Collection Database and Records Administrator Judah L. Magnes Museum Berkeley, CA Stein, Marty wrote: Hello, We are hoping that the wonderful members of mcn-l can help us with a question we are debating here in Houston. I hope this isn't a question that has been posed recently to the list and I've just missed it. We are currently involved in a project to convert out photo studio from film to digital. It's a very exciting project, but it has brought up an old question that I had hoped to avoid - the dreaded Is Mac better for graphic applications than PC? question. The MFAH is predominantly PC-based, with only a few Macs in our Graphics department. Our IT department would like to keep it this way, but a consultant has recommended that our new photo studio and imaging lab use Macs. Our current digital equipment is running on PCs and it seems to work just fine. Since we're making decisions about pretty expensive new equipment we want to make sure that we're not overlooking anything. Can anyone explain why Macs are better for graphics and digital imaging than PCs? Not just that graphic designers and photographers prefer Macs, but why they're different and better? This would be a great help and I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Marty Marcia (Marty) Stein Photographic Services Manager The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston PO Box 6826 Houston, Texas 77265-6826 Phone: (713) 639-7525 Fax: (713) 639-7557 Email: mstein at mfah.org
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
With the latest operating systems both machines co-exist on the network very well. We have Macs in the Graphics, Exhibit design and Multi-media departments. Cost is equal. It would it would initially appear that the Mac is more expensive, but by the time you've spent the money on a PC to make it an equivelent performer you could buy a Mac for the same amount. As far as the Administration portions of the Museum ... PC's are far superior simply because the majority of Museum specific software available is written for a PC. It becomes not a question of the machine itself but of the useage that dictates which is best for what job. My advice would be 'apply the best tool to the job at hand' and don't be afraid to mix when necessary. Our Macs log on to an MS Exchange server for e-mail, share calendar functions with the PCs, store data on Win2K3 servers, print to windows printers and behave on the network like any other workstation. I would not waste the power of a Mac for writing word documents nor performing accounting functions. I would also not waste the time required to make the average PC perform as well as a Mac in graphics oriented duties. Just my .02 typed on a PC while my G4 mactop is beside it monitoring traffic flow on my Win2K3 Network. Randy Heise Information Technology Manager High Desert Museum 59800 South Hwy 97 Bend, OR 97702 541.382.4754 x244 rheise at highdesertmuseum.org www.highdesertmuseum.org
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
From a tech support point of view: 1) I agree with those who have stated the position that there is little difference in performance potential. 2) As a hardware nut, I personally suspect that a powerhouse PC could be built with better price/performance ratio than a MAC. Commodity economics. I wonder how many PCs are built for each MAC (10:1, 100:1 or more?) 3) Utility software: There is very little (if any) utility software that isn't available for PC. Availability for MAC is far more patchy. I use a bunch of highly useful and powerful tools like Symantec Ghost, Anti-Virus, file management any many other obscure and handy tools that are often not available for MAC. 4) PCs integrate easily into my PC support systems (AV, backup etc.) MACs require extra effort, resources and tools to accommodate. 5) Regardless of merit, having 2 classes of computer rather than 1 creates extra support workload, regardless of which may be better. VHS is technically inferior to Betamax, and certainly Philips 2000 (ever heard of that?) yet nobody would ever advocate adopting either of the latter pair. 6) While many techs respect MACs, I've never yet met a tech who actually advocated for them. Think about that. Frankly, the individuals I've encountered who most vociferously advocate for them generally have little technical background. As a techie I therefore find it hard to find their positions compelling. If I want advice on a well-engineered car I'm more likely to listen to a mechanic than a taxi driver. Let's be clear: I'm not anti-MAC. I'm just not pro-MAC, and I've not been convinced yet by anybody who is. David M === David Marsh System Administrator H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Vancouver Museum 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9 E sysadmin at hrmacmillanspacecentre.com sysadmin at vanmuseum.bc.ca T (604) 736 4431 ext. 5507 C (604) 813 9667 === -Original Message- From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-boun...@mcn.edu] On Behalf Of Randy Heise Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 12:17 PM To: 'Museum Computer Network Listserv' Subject: Re: [MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC? With the latest operating systems both machines co-exist on the network very well. We have Macs in the Graphics, Exhibit design and Multi-media departments. Cost is equal. It would it would initially appear that the Mac is more expensive, but by the time you've spent the money on a PC to make it an equivelent performer you could buy a Mac for the same amount. As far as the Administration portions of the Museum ... PC's are far superior simply because the majority of Museum specific software available is written for a PC. It becomes not a question of the machine itself but of the useage that dictates which is best for what job. My advice would be 'apply the best tool to the job at hand' and don't be afraid to mix when necessary. Our Macs log on to an MS Exchange server for e-mail, share calendar functions with the PCs, store data on Win2K3 servers, print to windows printers and behave on the network like any other workstation. I would not waste the power of a Mac for writing word documents nor performing accounting functions. I would also not waste the time required to make the average PC perform as well as a Mac in graphics oriented duties. Just my .02 typed on a PC while my G4 mactop is beside it monitoring traffic flow on my Win2K3 Network. Randy Heise Information Technology Manager High Desert Museum 59800 South Hwy 97 Bend, OR 97702 541.382.4754 x244 rheise at highdesertmuseum.org www.highdesertmuseum.org ___ You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l
[MCN-L] Tricky question - is Mac better than PC?
Just to poke a little... :) 5) Regardless of merit, having 2 classes of computer rather than 1 creates extra support workload, regardless of which may be better. VHS is technically inferior to Betamax, and certainly Philips 2000 (ever heard of that?) yet nobody would ever advocate adopting either of the latter pair. Apple = BetaMax? 6) While many techs respect MACs, I've never yet met a tech who actually advocated for them. Think about that. Frankly, the individuals I've encountered who most vociferously advocate for them generally have little technical background. As a techie I therefore find it hard to find their positions compelling. If I want advice on a well-engineered car I'm more likely to listen to a mechanic than a taxi driver. I do believe this is personal perspective. Alternately, most of the Techie's I know have PC's but also have drifted into using Macs for their powerful / intuitive Unix underpinnings. Many I know think Macs are very techy-friendly, especially from a software programming point of view. I think their are a multitude of reasons to go for either PC's or Macs. I think it's a mostly about satisfying your users and integrating with your organizations culture. Roger
