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Ok, I just bit the bullit and bought a 20inch I mac for the office, and a 17inch Powerbook for the road. Asside from the obvious I.E. photoshop, what software should I absolutly buy, and what software would you guys recomend for small bussines applications. Also any tips on making the migration of my existing files from my pc to the macs any easier?
You'd probably like iView Media Pro, if you're looking for something to organise your photos. Lightning Fast, and I don't think it's too expensive?
edg
If you get a multibutton mouse, everything will work fine with OS X. But if you want to get fancy with it get this:
www.usboverdrive.com
For office software there really is only one choice, MS Office. You can play around with OpenOffice and stuff, but forget it. MS still is king in this area.
Transmit is a great FTP app, there are others too.
Be sure you download VLC for viewing funky video files that won't play in either Quicktime or Windows Media Player.
If you're every looking for software, here are two great sites to help you find solutions:
www.macupdate.com
www.versiontracker.com
And here are a couple to help you "acquire" them:
www.bitsonwheels.com
www.acquisitionx.com
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/enc...Serial_Box.htm
Not that I condone that sort of thing... ;)
get the mac version of photocal for your spyder :D
Goldberg/SmallImage for light/mass image manipulations
Audacity to deal with sound files
Toast 6 titanium
MacJournal if you write a lot
Adium for msn/jabber
X11 of course...
and that's it I think. The 20" mac display is so sweet :)
If you didn't buy applecare for the Imac, do it now. I know 3 people who have had them burn up this year alone. With all of that heat packed so tightly, they don't have adequate cooling. I read a stat that said something like 20% of all Imacs are failing in their first year.
I have a powerbook and a 20" cinema display. Moving from PC to Mac was cake. MS office for sure for the business apps. If you can get a hold of Adobe Creative Suite 2 it is great. Just set up a network either wirelessly or wired and connect to the PC and move all of your files over that way. simple as cake. or you can even use your old PC as a storage box and use a network to pull all of those files over.
Everything you need to know about switching data.
Other than office, and PhotoShop, I have not needed much purchased stuff - though iWork is nice (if you didn't get it free) for publishing. Office sucks at publishing type work.
Funny, that was the exact reason I opted to avoid the iMac and get a full-on PowerMac. Considering all the propaganda they put out about cooling the G5's, it was hard for me to imagine they could take everything in a "low-end" PowerMac and cram it all into an oversized flat-panel monitor and not have heating issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by INDY GS
yah, first thing i'd buy is something to cool those things. 2nd is GretagMacbeth Eye-One Display 2
From everything i've heard it's better overall than the Colorvision Spyder and works better on LCD monitors. I'll be getting one soon.
USB 2.0 external HD's (multiple) since you will be running out of space quickly on the non-scalable computers you have. I'd suggest you buy 2 of whatever ones you do buy so you can have one for backup that you store in say.....a fireproof safe. It is your livelyhood after all.....so say 2 Western Digital or Segate 200 Gig HD's? Don't buy Maxtor or Hitachi Drives. They like to die.
Do NOT get USB 2.0 HDs but Firewire ones. USB 2.0 is pretty flakey on Macs and firewire is faster anyway, especially Firewire 800 which is on the new macs. You want a fast and stable interface when using HDs and firewire is a much better way to go on Macs.Quote:
Originally Posted by midget
X11 comes with OS X. You just have to do a custom install from the OS install disc.Quote:
Originally Posted by supercastor
Also, I love Toast. It's definitely on a must have list.
As for iMac G5s burning up, is that happening with just the Rev A machines or is it also happening with the Rev B machines?
The easiest way to tell if you have a Rev A or Rev B, amongst other things:
Rev A: nVidia GeForce FX 5200
Rev B: ATI Radeon 9600
Also, listen to skier0178. Firewire is faster than USB2.0. If you're going to buy an external drive though, get a triple interface drive (Firewire 800, Firewire 400, USB 2.0). That'll give you the best of all worlds. Your iMac only has Firewire 400. But lapzilla (the 17" PB) has FW800. Definitely buy an external drive that takes advantage of 800. Especially for moving around large picture files or large picture libraries.
I'm terrebly sorry to rant but a 17 inch.... for the road? Unless youre on the road more than at the office, you should have got a 12 inch Powerbook and gotten a G5 with a cheap Samsung Screen. Thats just my thought. :D I'm college life and have to worry about value and 3-D processability of computer systems.Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbakerskier
I agree. Too late to tell you, but in this case, for me, bigger is not better. Not as portable and tough to find things to slip it in (for carrying :fm: )Quote:
Originally Posted by wanghoeby
You're all forgetting that mbs makes a living working on pictures. In his case, I dare say the 17" is required. I know the 17 is a bit unwieldly, but there's no substitute for screen real estate.
Damn, thanks for clearing that up. Definately second on the triple interface for sure. In fact you might look into seeing if you can find one that is s-ata compatable. That's the fastest thing you can get out there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arty50
I didn't know about USB 2.0 was flakey on Mac's....good to know. I've noticed that a lot of FW drives not working so hot in PC's....that's why I recomended USB 2.0
And the last thing......get a seperate table to put your beer on so you don't kill your computers of HD's while you are fumbling around on your computer when you are waisted you damn drunk!
Don't forget Photo Mechanic-probably the fastest and easiest editing software.
Also I don't know where I'd be without my pressure sensetive wacom tablet, the $100 cheap one works great and there is no substitute when trying to "be gentle" in PS.
I know two people with the 12" and have wi-fi in their house, its the best. It's so lightweight, that its just like carring a few magazines around with you. What is MBS' occupation?Quote:
Originally Posted by yogachik
http://store1.yimg.com/I/yhst-292101...3_1865_5959593Quote:
Originally Posted by wanghoeby
Lapzilla? I love it! I'm totally stealing that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arty50
The overheating is not nearly as much of an issue in the current gen. Imacs as it was in the previous. If you have a 2.0ghz 17" or 20" you are fine, which you do MBS.Quote:
Originally Posted by Big E
Although, I have to say the 17" and iMac is complete overkill. You could've gotten away with a 15" PB and an external display....especially considering you don't even shoot digi. But whatever. Lots of fun toys.
He traded his fuel-efficient Corolla for an SUV, and now has dual 18 cu ft Thule boxes on it. The man is a living example of over-indulgence and penile compensation! I can't wait for the lift kit and big tires!Quote:
Originally Posted by bossass
I fully expect him to bust out a four foot long, 2 foot wide 1200mm f4 lens this winter. "Yeah, you go over there and ski Herman, and I´ll shoot it from inside the Tap Room. I´ll get the fukkin´covah of Powdah!!"
Edit: I´d ask why you chose those two computers vs. a G5 something and a 15" PB, but it doesn´t really matter now that you´ve bought them
What's really sad is that new models are probably coming out tomorrow... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by hop
I have a 15" Widescreen laptop (not mac) and after using it for 5 months now I wish I would have gotten the 17" one. Digital shooting or no digital shooting he's still dealing with his photos on his laptop. And when you are doing that.....with all those palletes you use in photoshop....size matters.Quote:
Originally Posted by bossass
Apple posts $430M profit on strong iPod, Mac growth ...
Apple today reported the highest revenue and earnings in the company's history, posting a $430 million quaterly profit ($0.50 per diluted share) on increased revenues of $3.68 billion--a more than 50 percent increase from the year-ago revenues ($2.35 billion) and 400 percent increase over the year-ago quarterly profits of $106 million ($0.13 per diluted share). Apple shipped 1,236,000 Mac units and 6,451,000 iPods during the quarter, representing 48 percent growth in Macs and 220 percent growth in iPods over the year-ago quarter. "We're thrilled to have concluded the best year in Apple's history, with 68 percent year-over-year revenue growth and 384 percent net profit growth," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "This is the direct result of our focus on innovation and the immense talent and creativity at Apple. We could not be more excited about the new products we're working on for 2006."
Apple calls iPod nano demand "staggering" ...
Apple today held a conference call with investors to discuss the company's record-setting fourth quarter financial results. Apple said it shipped 634,000 laptops and 602,000 desktops, an overall increase of 58 percent in Mac sales. Apple is "very happy" with Mac sales, which do not seem to be affected by the impending Intel transition. Apple experienced a "fantastic overall back-to-school" season in terms of Mac and iPod sales.