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Five Reasons Why Designers Developers are Switching to Mac
Designers and developers have many choices to make when it comes to getting work done, from what frameworks, languages, and image editing software to use, to what platform to run. The latter is an oft debated and controversial topic and the mere mention of it risks setting off flame wars of epic proportions, so in the interest of sanity, we’ll try to avoid any direct comparisons to other operating systems.
It’s no secret that there has been a growing trend in recent years toward developers, especially of the web variety, choosing a Mac as their main dev machine. In this two-part series, we will examine some of the reasons behind this trend, look at some of the pitfalls of switching to the Mac, and go over the must-have software and configurations every switcher should be aware of.
First Reason for Switching: Mac OS X
You may have noticed the rise in the number of colleagues and fellow developers who are choosing a Mac as their next computer. If you haven’t, you’re probably either working for Microsoft or you have an MBA. So why is it so compelling?
If you were to ask a die-hard Windows user why he or she thinks people like Macs, they would almost invariably say the reasons are purely about aesthetics. If you were to ask most web developers why they have switched to a mac, however, the refrain would be loud and unanimous: OSX. To be fair to Windows, in terms of raw capability the two offerings differ very little; with enough elbow grease, both systems can be configured in pretty much any way its users wish.
When pressured to explain why they prefer OSX, Mac users often rest on qualifiable and subjective arguments such as “it feels intuitive” or “I enjoy using it more” or even “I can’t explain why I like it better, I just do.” The Windows user, when presented with these arguments, usually rolls his or her eyes and continues on their way. It isn’t until someone truly makes up their own mind to give OSX an honest chance that they can understand what all the fuss is about.
A Few Quantifiable Benefits of OS X include:
1. Open Source Friendly
As a web developer, if there’s one skill you invariably have to develop, it’s the use of a *NIX terminal. Luckily, because OSX is built on top of UNIX, the terminal is ready and waiting. Every Apple ships with a wide variety of open source programming tools and frameworks built in such as PHP, Apache, and Ruby on Rails. Linux users who have grown tired of dealing with hardware issues, especially on laptops, often choose a Mac as their portable solution because it is UNIX based.
It means that the entire world of open source software out there is pretty much guaranteed to run without much hassle. In a world where open source software is a way of life, web developers need a friendly environment to operate in.
2. Quartz Extreme
Quartz is the OpenGL powered windowing system used by OSX. Quartz extreme utilizes the graphics card exclusively, which means no processor cycles are taxed. This allows for a variety of useful features such as Exposé, which dynamically resizes every window on the screen giving you a bird’s eye view of your entire workspace.
Spaces, a feature introduced in OSX 10.5 (Leopard) takes the bird’s eye view a step further by providing a view of multiple desktops. To further illustrate the point, you can activate Exposé inside Spaces and drag these windows from desktop to desktop – any videos that are playing will continue to play and the windows will dynamically resize to accommodate the extra window. Once you get used to this sort of thing, you wonder how you ever lived without it.
3. Core Animation
Core animation provides a way for developers to produce animated user interfaces via an implicit animation model as well as an ‘explicit’ model. In other words, it means some very flashy and useful features are going to start showing up in OS X applications much like the animated menu help system shown in the graphic above. Prodiving developers with a toolset to implement these types of animated effects means software will become more intuitive.
4. Built-in Tools
There are so many useful tools that are built in to the Mac that come in handy for designers and developers that it’s easy to see OSX was built with developers and creative professionals in mind. Take the built-in screen capturing utility “Grab” for OSX, which has a wide variety of options, from selecting down to the pixel the area you want to screenshot, to providing window captures complete with the window frame, to outputting directly to the desktop as a .PNG file.
In fact, some tools were created specifically for designers because Apple has long catered to the creative professional market (indeed, it sustained Apple during their darkest times). More built in tools include:
- The Digital Color Meter – a tool that allows you to grab the color value of any pixel on your screen.
- Console – Useful for viewing very large log files
- Terminal – Mentioned above, complete with many OSS tools like VIM
- XCode Tools – The Apple development IDE
- Zoom – easy-as-pie down-to-the-pixel zooming
- Safari Debug Mode – Similar to Firebug for Firefox
- Time Machine – dead simple automated backups
5. Unified User Interface
As any student of design knows, consistency is one of the most important principles to adhere to, and it is clear the OSX UI was designed with this in mind. Because of the strict user interface guidelines provided by the Apple software development tools, applications and utilities on a Mac feel like they are all part of the same system.
The menu bar, which for some switchers can be a difficult feature to get used to, adheres to this unification by standardizing the location and layout of the menu options. Drag-and-drop functionality is ubiquitous. Being able to do things like drag an image off your web browser directly into your Photoshop project are a boon to productivity. If it feels as though you should be able to drag-and-drop something, you probably can.
6. Security
Now before you crack your knuckles and start composing your diatribe about why Macs aren’t any more secure than PCs, let me point out a trite but undebatable fact: there’s simply less malware out there for Macs than PCs – a LOT less (partly because Unix is inherently more secure than Windows and partly because Windows is just more wide-spread and Mac users aren’t targeted that often – read more in the article Is The Mac Really More Secure Than Windows?). If you are on a Mac, at least for the next few more years, you can pretty much rest assured your days of worrying about virus and spyware scans are a thing of the past.
7. Textmate, Growl, Quicksilver, and more
There is no shortage of text editors available to developers, but one that seems to keep coming up in recommendation after recommendation is Textmate, the lightweight GUI text editor for OSX. The project management drawer makes it easy to keep track of folders, which for monolithic MVC frameworks like Ruby on Rails and CakePHP is a godsend.
Nested scopes allow users to create their own syntax highlighting which is important in the ever changing world of web development. To speed up the development process, one can utilize “snippets” or pieces of reusable code that can be inserted with a few key strokes. While there aren’t any features that are revolutionary, they are combined in a way that makes for a very unobtrusive coding experience that seems very in tune with the overall feel of a Mac.
In addition to Textmate, there is a whole host of other beloved applications that seem to have been created by people who truly understand and want to emulate the Mac experience, like the quick-launch solution Quicksilver, the system notifications app Growl, and the chat client Adium. These are pieces of software of a caliber that is sometimes difficult to find on Windows. It seems that quality, not quantity, is the best way to describe the Mac software library.
8. Quick Look
OS X not only has icons that display an actual miniature version of the file they are representing, but it’s possible to view the contents of the file in their full glory without having to launch the program they are associated with simply by hitting the space bar. Furthermore, if a group of icons are highlighted, they can be expanded into a gallery view.
9. Virtualization
OSX is the only OS you can get that can virtualize all three major operating systems out of the box. This is a must have for checking browser compatibility. To make life even easier, you can do it right from within OSX using programs like Parallels, Virtualbox, and VMWare Fusion. And if you think web browsers render websites exactly the same regardless of the operating system they’re running on you are sorely mistaken.
Second Reason for Switching: Intel Inside
When Apple made the switch to Intel chips, it upset a lot of Mac fans out there who liked the fact that Apple wasn’t the same as any other X86 box on the market. With the rise in mobile computing, however, Apple was forced to face the fact that the PowerPC wasn’t offering as good a solution as Intel.
They also knew that by offering a system that could run Windows in addition to OS X they would put to rest any compatibility arguments. It turned out to be a good strategical move, and droves of would-be switchers were finally able to take the plunge without being forced to give up their entire libraries of Windows-based software.
OSX can virtualize all three major operating systems out of the box. This is a must have for checking browser compatibility. To make life even easier, you can do it right from within OSX using programs like Parallels, Virtualbox, and VMWare Fusion. And if you think web browsers render websites exactly the same regardless of the operating system they’re running on you are sorely mistaken.
Third Reason for Switching: Less Hassle
Opinionated Software
Some people like hassle. In fact, developers typically love getting their hands dirty customizing, maintaining, and tweaking their operating systems. If you fall under this category, Linux is probably your best fit, followed by Windows. OS X is more opinionated than other platforms. It’s more difficult to customize its look and feel, there’s no easy way to get it to run on anything but Apple hardware, and OS X can be very particular about the way certain things are done.
Opionated software, however, can have its benefits. While it may be more difficult to customize and hack every last aspect of your OS, sometimes it can be nice to have a system where a good many of these choices have already been made for you. Because Apple provides a complete solution, from the operating system to the hardware to a lot of the software that’s bundled in, they have an easier go of making sure the experience is seemless and well tested. Opinionated software can be a very polarizing concept, however.
Take Ruby on Rails for instance, a web development framework where many decisions are made for the developer based on the core contributors’ opinions about best practices. Rails has a preferred javascript framework, database ORM, templating system, and more. You can choose other configurations if you want to, but it shines brightest when you do things the “Rails Way.”
You spend less time customizing and more time actually developing. This hands-off approach can be a major turn off for some developers, but for others it removes a lot of the hassle and reinventing of the wheel. The high rate of Mac ownership among Rails developers could be directly attributed to the analogous nature of Apple and Rails. The analogy is made more apt by any number of PHP vs Ruby on Rails flame wars you can find out there.
Support
Because Apple provides the whole solution, they are obligated to provide support for the whole solution as well. Most developers are perfectly willing to trouble shoot their own computers, but when deadlines need to be met it can be nice knowing that you can offload some of that hassle to people who already know the system inside and out.
Apple has impressive customer service specifically because they support the entire system, rather than just one aspect of the system. It’s also handy to be able to take your machine into an actual brick-and-mortar store rather than deal with outsourced phone support.
Let’s face it, when it comes to a non-technical spouse or family member, we can expect to do a lot of troubleshooting. Just like its nice not to have to worry about troubleshooting your own computer, it’s even nicer not to have to worry as much about other people’s computers. It is reasonable to assume that because Macs typically have less security issues (at least for now), there’s less time spent trying to explain how to avoid malware and actually removing it.
Fourth Reason for Switching: Microsoft
If you like it or not: a big reason why developers have been flocking to Apple is in part due to the fact that it isn’t the big M. When personal computing was still in its infancy, the reverse was true. Microsoft understood that it was the developers (developers developers) that would make their OS successful while Apple’s closed model ended up being a huge mistake.
Once Microsoft started dominating the marketplace, however, the pungent stench of monopoly sparked the open source movement, and more and more developers were starting to wonder if there were better options out there.
Linux is of course the golden child of the open source movement, but despite the efforts of Ubuntu it is still a ways off in terms of being a turnkey solution for most people. Enter Apple: a Unix based system that despite being every bit as closed as Microsoft, is in large part the antithesis of Microsoft.
Microsoft software has the unfortunate feeling of having been designed by committee. Features are packed in with little regard to their usefulness, and aesthetics are seemingly an afterthought. When Vista first launched, the Aero user interface was so flashy it required higher end machines to even run it, somewhat defeating the argument Microsoft was making about the affordability of PCs. OSX was designed to run as well on the most expensive Mac Pro as it would an eight year old Powerbook because they control the solution from hardware to software.
Unfortunately, Windows doesn’t come bundled with PHP, Rails, or any other open-source web development frameworks or languages any time soon. More and more of what we do is in the cloud these days anyways and it is almost starting to feel quaint when you come across new software that runs solely as a desktop client. Microsoft has painted themselves into a corner – they rely on closed formats and standards in a world where open source software, open formats, and open standards are king.
Fifth Reason For Switching: Design and Minimalism
Good design gets out of the way. It doesn’t demand to be seen or appreciated. Most of all, good design is something you don’t even notice at first. Bang & Olufsen understands this, and Apple understands this. As of this writing, there are only two styles of Apple notebook: silver and white, and white is only available in the cheapest configuration. Apple notebooks are free of stickers, screws, vents, buttons, switches, and graphics.
What this leaves is a system with little to look at other than the screen in front of you, which is as it should be. The benefit of the entire product development cycle being done under one house is that Apple creates a system that truly feels as though it was created by one person.
At the heart of Apple’s design philosophy is the concept of minimalism. It is a concept that has worked well for companies such as Google. We all remember the gratuitous placement of links and ads on most search engines before Google came around with its simple search bar. After all, it was the search that was the important part, not the content the provider was hoping we would want. Apple figures if not including a feature angers 1% of their consumer base but makes things easier for the other 99% it’s probably worth doing.
Take, for instance, the lack of a second mouse buttom. It may seem like a glaring omission on Apple’s part, but it has had some unintended consequences: because developers can’t simple throw commands into a bloated right-click menu they are forced to think more about the one-click usability of their applications.
Minimalist design has its downsides too, however. Macs lack card readers, often have 2-3 less USB ports than even low end machines, and are typically difficult to customize. For those of you who value a product that gives you many choices, Apple is going to fall short. It is often pointed out that upgrading a Mac is easy: “Just throw it away and buy a new one.”
Humor aside, this isn’t too far from the truth but the good news is that Macs hold their value better than any computer on the market. Instead of throwing it away, sell it on Ebay for healthy head-start on a new machine.
Mac’s Pitfalls
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows for everyone who switches to a Mac. There are the inevitable bumps in the road that everyone experiences when making a major platform change, and for some people these bumps are outright road blocks. Here’s what to be aware of:
1. Control is now Command
Breaking the habit of using control as the main modifier key on your system can take a bit of time and some people never quite get the hang of it. Old habits die hard and muscle memory dies harder. This is a problem that can be solved by re-mapping command to the control key, but when you are using a system that assumes a certain configuration you may run into confusion later on.
2. No Second Mouse Button
Unless you use an external mouse with your Apple laptop you will have to get used to the lack of a second mouse button. The truth is there is no optimal number of mouse buttons. Luckily, you can enable right-clicking in a number of ways on a mac, such as tapping the track pad with two fingers simultaneously or holding ctrl when clicking.
3. No Maximizing of Windows
This is actually starting to become less true as time goes on as ex-Windows users who develop software for the Mac include the feature (for instance, maximize on firefox for the Mac works as expected). But the typical maximize you are used to in Windows cannot be found on the Mac, and for some this can be extremely frustrating. In fact, the whole “stop-light” window controls can at times feel stale and unintuitive.
4. Lack of an “affordable” Mac
Perhaps the most popular sticking point of non-Mac users, price is always at the heart of the debate. Under $1200 or so, there is no question that byte for byte, ghz for ghz, you can get a better raw value by avoiding Apple. Apple has chosen not to enter the sub $1000 PC not because it doesn’t want to grow sales, but because it wants to avoid the dogfight that Sony, HP, and other brands are in for the lower end market.
Profit margins are razor thin in that range, after all. Apple is certainly catering to the botique style consumer. If you are pinching pennies these days the price issue may just be the one pitfall you can’t bring yourself to overcome.
5. Much Smaller Software Library
While this is somewhat mediated by the fact that you can virtualize Windows on a Mac, it is a far cry from being able to run your favorite programs natively on your system. If you are using software on a regular basis that only runs in the Windows environment, you may want to think hard about whether moving to a Mac is worth the trouble.
6. You Can’t Build a Mac (Easily)
Part of the success of Windows was the fact that they licensed it to run on any PC, anywhere. Apple has been closed since the word go, save a brief period where they allowed Mac clones to exist in what turned out to be a devastatingly bad idea. If you’re the type who loves building your own PC from scratch, a Mac is not going to offer much for you.
In general, even the most jaded Windows user is inevitably going to miss at least a few features or aspects of Windows during their switch to a Mac. The best policy to follow is to keep an open mind during the learning process. Try doing things “the Mac way” for a week and keep your skepticism to a minimum.
Above all, ask questions before you make assumptions. There’s a fervent Apple community out there (in case you haven’t noticed) that have solutions for every issue you find, thanks in part to the fact that most of them are switchers themselves. Remember, if you’re having the issue, chances are good some other switcher experienced it before you and created or found a solution.
Conclusion
While not the right solution for everyone, it’s clear that many people are switching to a Mac these days for a good many reasons. Nevertheless, Macs are expensive and require user’s patience and willingness to adapt his or her behavior to a compltely different interface. Mac is certainly not an option for every user, but it is definitely an option worth considering – particularly for designers or developers.
Join us in Part 2 of this series where we examine some of the must have software, configurations, and tricks that every new Mac user should know about. Please feel free to subscribe to our RSS-feed 
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Mark Nutter runs a web development shop in Minnesota. You can follow him on Twitter where he occasionally says something worthwhile.
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- 251
- 252April 27th, 2009 9:13 am
Too many reasons not to use MAC…
- 253April 27th, 2009 9:13 am
Sorry but this is BULLSHIT! MAC price is OVERPRICED for NO REASON. Windows have EVERYTHING what MAC have all soft and even more then MAC. This is just a commercial.
- 254April 27th, 2009 9:16 am
Macs are good, but you don’t even need a benchmark to see that Photoshop runs faster on Vista machines, and open-source solutions — especially which rely on X11 — are bulky, slow and don’t work “the Mac way” if you know what I mean.
Additionally Mac Pros are way too overpriced. In a nearby shop I can build a machine with Core i7 (why would I want a Xeon edition?!) for a twice less price, and it will work as fine — if not better.
- 255April 27th, 2009 9:21 am
Not that greater article IMO.
Last time I looked, my laptop has a mouse (trackpad, essentially the same), a keyboard, a screen, runs the adobe programs easily and runs everything I need, I look after it and I think in 6 months I’ve had 1 crash. My laptop cost be £400, the nearest Mac laptop is substantially more, and for a student, that’s too much to pay.
Yes I would love a Mac and when I am older and hopefully have more money I will buy one. But the entire MACS ARE MUCH MUCH BETTER argument needs to be given up. It’s not true. And yes I have used Macs before for work – I’ve done various work experience at graphic design companys on Macs, and to be honest maybe they were a little better but certainly not enough to make me want to fork out the extra cash.
- 256April 27th, 2009 9:27 am
Quit yer yappin! All of ya!
- 257April 27th, 2009 9:28 am
The big point everyone missed including the article author is the genius behind Apple’s marketing, and the evidence is shown here. Apple have polarized everyone between OSx and Windows, when in fact Apple is a computer company. A better comparison would be Apple vs. Dell or something, especially when comparing esthetics and stuff like that. My Dell Studio laptop has more features than a Macbook, way more power, runs Adobe stuff fast, and never crashes despite the heavy use it gets. Oh, and it cost half as much. I’d buy a Mac if they were reasonably priced, but they’re not even close.
Yes, some PCs suck. But some don’t. If you get a quality PC from a decent vendor with support, it is every much as stable as a Mac. The problem is some people comparing their old PC with WIndows 98 to their new Mac they bought to replace it. It’s the same as me saying my old blue iMac sucked big time compared to my new 64 bit Vista Dell.
- 258April 27th, 2009 9:32 am
This article is crap – Vista has every single one of those “features” listed under the latest Mac OSX right down to the “per pixel screen capture”. It is called the snipping tool.
I think I’m going to go make some Toast, then head over to the local Safari… where I can eat some breakfast and see some cool animals. Oh wait, for you Mac retards that would mean burn a CD and browse the internet… gay.
Never use a Mac unless you have an attitude and like less in the way of software options. Period.
- 259April 27th, 2009 9:36 am
“there is no optimal number of mouse buttons”
Hahahaaahaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa!
- 260April 27th, 2009 9:45 am
This is probably the worst article here :(
- 261April 27th, 2009 9:46 am
Nice post. I use both. But for myself, I couldn’t buy one because of the price issue when I was shopping for a laptop. I wish that they were just not as pricey.
- 262April 27th, 2009 9:47 am
I’ve used Macs and there isn’t really anything wrong with them, but Windows FTW for me. I also game and can build a stronger computer with the amount of money I would be putting into a Mac.
And with regards to this article’s title, “developing” is no different with these two OSes in my opinion.
- 263April 27th, 2009 10:24 am
PC based designer here. With Adobe Creative Suite, I have no reason to pay the high price of Mac. Instead, I can get the computer AND the software for the price of the Mac.
- 264April 27th, 2009 10:36 am
Not sure if you guys have heard, but a local web expert in Northern Ireland has had enough with high priced PC computers. With his experience with his first generation iPhone he has decided to ask his Tweeter followers and Facebook friends should he get #Mactised?
So with your article in mind you might like to check out his recent posts at http://www.mactised.com and perhaps take part in his online poll to decide. You can tweet him @internetsense
- 265April 27th, 2009 10:42 am
For me as a die-hard Windows user, Mac(=OSX) is just a pain in the ass.
Here’s a link of interest http://www.fictionalhead.com/blog/full/mac-vs-pc-a-designers-take
[quote]A great designer who works on both platforms tells about his MAC-experience compared to windows.[/quote]
I agree completely with him. - 266April 27th, 2009 10:51 am
ok, lemme add something… mac users are cowards (in a good way) They are afraid of viruses. They can’t confront viruses. Pc users get to fight, defend.. and all that cool stuff. PCs are flexible. Mac is like.. ‘we’re all under you – bIG bOSS APPLE! Mac designs are like making everyone wear same uniform. Wont’ you hate to see everybody wearing Banana republic clothing around you?? It’s individual’s choice that matters.
- 267April 27th, 2009 11:10 am
mac versues pc.. it will never end.
Mac and Apple suffer from the titanic syndrom.
After reading through this book: http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596153588/#top
It makes me wonder what Apple Spyware they have installed on all their products..
Who is worse Microsoft or Apple for learning from their mistakes.Apple = No Privacy.
Enjoy
- 268April 27th, 2009 11:33 am
In terms of small amounts of software for the Mac, look no further than VersionTracker or MacUpdate. Really now.
- 269April 27th, 2009 11:41 am
You are missing the most important one. The iphone.
- 270April 27th, 2009 12:12 pm
Oh I didn’t realize you only consider web developers as developers.
Guys grow up C# is the best language and unless and until I get an IDE of VS standard I wont even look for MAC.
As for the web design stuff my PS, Illustrator and Dreamweaver certainly dont come with great features exclusive for mac. (Don’t tell me default re-size on zoom, I can change that in my preferences)
They work as fine on windows.Viruses: Hmm ever head of terrorist attack on mars? Boy they dont care for mac as it has very limited audience. Ruby and other bundled software are just extra baggage you can get for free. Do you think someone spends 1000s more on mac just to use in built Ruby which they can get for free. Hehehe
Last I have used mac as I own one but sorry they are basically alike and moreover if are developing for windows you are developing for larger audience. So sorry mac :P
- 271April 27th, 2009 12:16 pm
I work in a mix enviorment. I have used windows since 3.11. I have used Mac OS since system 7. I uses linux and sun solaris some times.
Mac OS X is my first choice. It´s newer crashes, the interface is not in my face and it has a real colormanagment. Windows has still no colormanagment. it´s sick that the largest company still can´t produce colormanagment…
- 272April 27th, 2009 12:18 pm
It scares me to think that a lot of Mac users don’t have anti-virus protection. Just think of the virus or viruses that start to be written. It’ll be more devestating than windows when that time comes.
- 273April 27th, 2009 12:21 pm
Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics.
Even if you win, you’re still retarded.
- 274April 27th, 2009 12:22 pm
OS X is far more reliable, far better at multi-tasking and using large amounts of memory and multiple processor cores. All things someone using design apps would care about. I don’t know any designer who work solely in one app, most have multiple apps open all of which require large amounts of memory and maximum efficient utilization of processors. You won’t get that in any flavor of Windows. Which is probably why i also don’t know any designers that use Windows.
- 275April 27th, 2009 12:30 pm
Interesting how all the anti-apple people/teenagers can’t spell or write a coherent sentence. As usual they also know nothing about Macs. If daddy can’t afford to buy you a Mac try to be more secure in what you settled for.
- 276April 27th, 2009 12:37 pm
God this argument is old…
and so lame… - 277April 27th, 2009 12:45 pm
developers switched to the mac about 8 years ago – did you only just notice? point #1 is accurate – the rest of the article is made-up waffle and mostly incorrect.
- 278April 27th, 2009 12:53 pm
What on earth is this article? Reasons why developers are switching (which is far from being a given), or reasons why the user thinks OSX is cooler? Done much astroturfing lately?
Some of these points are just absolute rubbish.
“Open source friendly” … and my Windows machine isn’t? That’s news to me, considering how much open source software I actually use, not to mention that I’ve got a Linux(Cygwin) that I can use without any problem, and a full Apache web server with MySQL and PHP installed (thanks to Xampp). Yeah, I had to go to Google, search for them, download and install, but frankly, if someone is too stupid to be able to do that, then they shouldn’t even be thinking of owning a computer.
“Built in tools” … I’ll get a Freeware or Open Source tool when I need it, instead of having built in tools that I may not want.
“Textmate, Growl, Quicksilver, and more” … are you being serious? You’re telling me that I can’t get Windows applications that can do these things? Windows has a built in quick-launch utility: the run Box. Setup shortcuts in c:\windows, name them to one keyword (e.g. “ff” for firefox) then just go Windows-R, type “ff”, hit enter. Doesn’t suit you? Go to lifehacker and find a few freeware ones. There are plenty. For Textmate, use Eclipse (or use Context for something very lightweight). For an IM client use Trillian, Pidgin, or a host of others that are out there.
“Security” … Haven’t had a virus or piece of malware on my machine for many, many years now. A bit of common sense and education goes a lot further than deciding to choose a Mac or PC.
As for the “Switch because it’s Microsoft” argument … if you honestly believe that Apple are somehow going to behave any better as a company should their market power and market share increase, then you’re either delusional, or an Apple fundamentalist. What you should say is switch to something like Ubuntu and go completely Open Source.
Frankly, a good workman NEVER blames his tools. I’m so sick of the “OSX Mac is better than Windows PC” (and vice versa) debate, that I use it now as a good sign that someone is too obsessed with things that just don’t matter.
SM, let’s move away from the fan-boy garbage, and stick to what you do best.
- 279April 27th, 2009 12:58 pm
Photoshop, TextMate, CSS Edit, Leopard’s Expose and Spaces are just a few reasons why working on a Mac – for me – is and continues to be the best, most-professional design/development environment.
On a side note, I have 2 PC’s, 1 with Vista and 1 with XP. I despise both of them, but like many other folks these days, the budget is too tight to have ALL mac machines. But I definitely would if I found a small fortune.
- 280April 27th, 2009 1:16 pm
Ah come on!
Mac OSX and Windows sucks!!Linux is the only reliable OS!!
GIMP is all you need for design!
Anyone who is saying something differentn does conceil the truth!!
- 281April 27th, 2009 1:22 pm
Hahaa… I wonder if some people even read the article, as I see a lot of “OMG, you CAN use Photoshop on Windows!!” arguments.
I think it’s just because the strikethrough for the title font doesn’t come out very clear.
The article is about DEVELOPERS using Macs. ;)
I’ve worked on both, and I can simply say I prefer Macs as they’re less of a hassle (for me) than working on a PC.
But to each their own. You won’t see me running to my PC-using friends thumbing my nose at them or trying to convince them to switch. Just work with what you’re happy with, but it doesn’t hurt to keep an open mind, either.
- 282April 27th, 2009 1:25 pm
@expressions
Don’t express opinions as facts. Stating that C# is the “best language” is a matter of opinion and is not a fact. I’ve written applications using both C# and Objective-C and I prefer to write in Objective-C for Mac OS X and the iPhone. If you’re going to say that one language is the best, at least provide a reason for your answer. I’m sure you’re also aware of the Mono project as well.As far as Adobe applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver – the article never stated that they were any different on Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X. This statement that you provided was unnecessary.
There could be a multitude of reasons as to why most viruses aren’t targeted towards Mac OS X. 1. Perhaps the writer doesn’t know Objective-C or C++; 2. Smaller, but growing, audience; 3. Lack of knowledge in the Mac OS X operating system. Seeing as how you seem to know both operating systems inside and out, I’m sure you’ve thought of these possibilities.
I don’t know of anyone who would buy a Mac specifically because of the support for Ruby or Ruby on Rails. As a Ruby on Rails developer, I would not even purchase a computer just because it ships with support for the framework. However, I would purchase a computer based on the user experience, consistency, and applications. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but most operating systems come with bundled software. Yes, Microsoft does this too.
“if are developing for windows you are developing for larger audience.” Please humor me more. The audience isn’t Microsoft Windows users – it’s who you decide to target. You don’t target users based on the operating system. If I had a designer or developer that had this mindset, the developer would no longer be working for me.
Saying they are alike has some validity. Of course they’re going to be alike – they’re both operating systems. Who knew? Those are the only similarities I can think of.
If you’re going to post statement as if they’re factual, provide reasoning. I had thought that the school systems had taught this in elementary and middle school levels.
- 283April 27th, 2009 1:31 pm
Conclusion:
1. Creative == Computer Illiterate
2. Cool == “I have tons of money to burn”
3. “It just works” == I really dont have a reason
4. Design and Minimalism == Over charge me for upgrades
5. Cant build a Mac (easily) == A lie=> Mac = PC (just another)
- 284April 27th, 2009 1:36 pm
That’s linkbait. Write a praise article and get Mac fanboys to Bash windows users.
It’s as simple as that: a Mac is perfect for basic-medium users and I learned that first hand after switching.
Why there’s no CUT-and paste? Why no editable path or tree view in Finder?
The typical Mac fanboy will reply: because you don’t need it.
Well, I do.@pc2mac on Twitter
- 285April 27th, 2009 1:50 pm
The Digital Color Meter – a tool that allows you to grab the color value of any pixel on your screen.
Really? OMG that’s advanced! And such a fancy name! It’s digital, not analogue like on the crappy PC, where you take photos of the screen, print them and measure the color using a magnifier and a Pantone Book.Because of the strict user interface guidelines provided by the Apple software development tools, applications and utilities on a Mac feel like they are all part of the same system.
Sure, that’s exactly what Stalin thought. Wear uniforms, be part of the system, don’t dare to be different.
PC2Mac on Twitter - 286April 27th, 2009 2:40 pm
@250 DavidA: Watch me in my Mercedes PC biatch! lol
Couldn’t help it to slap it in his face. - 287April 27th, 2009 3:13 pm
Thumbs up for post #281.
- 288April 27th, 2009 3:17 pm
Nothing new here that I haven’t already heard. Basically, what grabbed my attention to the Mac was the interface, Finder’s Structure, Font Displays, Keyboard shortcuts, and the freeware and shareware apps (iBackup, Coda, WireTap, ….).
- 289April 27th, 2009 3:25 pm
Im a .NET developer at a company developing enterprise business solutions, I’ve been a professional programmer for 15 years (and a PC user for over 20). Mac isnt an option in our branch, we have a few of them lying around for testing purposes but not even the frontend engineers use them for anything else.
Mac may be an user friendly choice for entry level users and people using the adobe suite and some light web developing (PHP) but if you want to go further than that it falls short due to its lack of flexibility. Today PC based enviroments on Windows and Linux offers far more secure, robust, faster, scalable and more flexible solutions for developers. Its not really even an argument, its a fact.
Theres nothing that a Mac can do that a PC cant – but there is plenty that a PC can do that a Mac cant. I dont hate apple, I have had all the ipods since 1.gen – but I have to say this title is very misleading to people wanting to become professional developers.
- 290April 27th, 2009 3:48 pm
Currently I’m freelancing as a web designer, but I have far more professional experience as a developer. I spent around 5 years working on protocol stacks and OS firmware with another 2 years working on sever side software. I also happened to switch from Windows to OSX earlier this year, and I think your list is not representative of why developers move over to OSX.
I’ll start by saying that I do like OSX better than Windows XP / Vista and I have found the OSX experience to be quite nice. Windows 7 has some nice touches I miss in OSX, but I prefer OSX at this point. The interface is fast and consistent, the integrated tools make everyday life easier, and Apple’s directed tool and API designs have made the vast majority of third party software quite enjoyable to use.
However, none of these things had any bearing on why I switched from Windows to OSX.
To the vast majority of software developers out there, the OS is simply a tool and nothing more. Aesthetics and consistency of design are not a major concern as long as it can efficiently and effectively get the job done. I cannot stress this more. Developers are concerned with getting the job done and the OS is just a means to get there.
Your list is inverted in a sense. Functionality is the main concern for developers, not in the sense of having a solid consistent interface, but rather does the system provide the functionality I need or want. A lot of software developers are educated as either engineers, computer scientists, or mathematicians. We’ve spent years exposed to some of the most arcane finicky software there is and typically have a fairly strong UNIX background. For developers, convoluted or somewhat poorly designed interfaces are sometimes an acceptable trade off for functionality and not even a question if the software is simply not available on OSX.
For instance, hardware designers will not work on OSX simply because the board layout and circuit design tools are not available. There are alternatives, but asking a professional hardware engineer to work with OSX alternatives would be equivalent to asking a graphic designer to use MS Paint instead of Illustrator or Photoshop.
Imagine for a moment that your article is on a special bundle of tools on sale at the local hardware store instead of operating systems. Your article talks about how nice the finish is on the hammers, how there is a solid well thought out toolbox included in the package, and a perfect set of screw drivers with rubberized grips and magnetized heads. If I’m a wood worker looking for a skill saw it doesn’t matter how well designed the toolbox is or what kind of special chrome platting is on the hammers. I’m looking for a skill saw.
Way down at the bottom of your list you mention a small caveat — the fifth caveat to be precise — “Much Smaller Software Library”. This is precisely the reason developers would or would not move to OSX. OSX is a great OS, and it’s a nice balance between aesthetics and functionality, but if it doesn’t provide the functionality a developer wants then none of that matters.
The reason why I switched was because Windows did not provide the functionality that I wanted, which is to say iPhone development and a higher performance more well supported RoR stack. If you ask a developer who moved from OSX from Windows, you’ll often get a very similar response. There are typically specific reasons why they switched and many of those will having nothing to do with the reasons you mentioned.
I’ve avoided addressing the specific points of your article until now, because I feel that it would be somewhat distracting. However, here are some complaints:
Open Source Friendly:
Windows has the vast majority of OSS available either natively or via CygwinQuartz Extreme:
Speed is the primary concern. Remember you’re talking to people who spent half a decade studying engineering or mathematics — alt-tabing is often faster when you have memorized the entire alt-tab order. Especially when Expose is just about useless when you’re looking at a dozen terminals and VIM windows.Core Animation:
Again, it’s a great thing, but you’re talking to people who spent months of their lives writing assembly or using the abysmal stone age mess which is R (a statistical software package) — suffering through software when it provides features that are simply not available on OSX is fineBuilt-in Tools:
Third party alternatives to the ones listed will get the job done whether it’s pretty or not. The claim that VIM is a reason to move is farcical since I’ve been using VIM on Windows for over a decade now. On XCode, frankly Visual Studio is an excellent tool with many features not available in any software on OSX, but again it’s just a tool. If I need to write OS X software I’m not going to use Visual Studio. You mention Time Machine as a reason to switch, but developers use revision control systems such as Perforce, Subversion, GIT, etc. Backups are nice, but I can just as easily get a new machine, image the drive, then grab all the latest code from the repository.Textmate, Growl, Quicksilver, and more:
I use gVIM. Others use Emacs. It will be very difficult to argue that Textmate offers anything that is not available in either of those packages. If anything, Textmate is an effort to make some of the power that’s available in VIM and Emacs accessible. Every feature you mentioned is available in VIM and Emacs, and quite a few of them are available in even MS Dev. Quicksilver and what not is nice, but recall that we’re trying to get a specific job done here. Growl does nothing to help developers get a job done. Furthermore, there are viable alternatives on Windows of which I used to use many.Quick Look:
Great, except it’s useless for code.Virtualization and Intel:
Nice if you’re targeting OSX, otherwise VMWare Workstation is superior since it’s geared towards enterprise deployment, management, and development. If you’re used both Fusion and Workstation you’ll know what I mean. Also, web developers are subset of the development community and not representative of the whole.Support:
On troubleshooting, I don’t think you’re considering the typical developer environment. The reason why developers often diagnose and fix their own issues is usually a pragmatic one: it’s faster. If you have a difficult problem with your system or software, typically technical support will be a massive waste of time on both OSX and Windows. On hardware, if there’s a problem you simply replace it. Corporations stock hardware and if you can’t solve it quickly, just replace the entire system and let IT figure out how to fix your old box. It seems like this article is geared towards solo web developers, which isn’t really the reality for most developers. - 291April 27th, 2009 4:01 pm
Meh! I’m over advertising dressed as journalism. Most GOOD designers/developers are smart enough to work well on either platform. If you’re platform specific then you’re limiting your employment opportunities. 6 and 9 are the only 2 points of merit.
- 292April 27th, 2009 4:19 pm
Where did your fact that developers are switching to Mac?
That sounds like a bunch of garbage that was made up. I’m sick of hearing about Macs this and that. It’s a “trendy cult”.
- 293April 27th, 2009 5:34 pm
Did apple pay for this post?
Alright I owned a 17″ power-book for 2 years the CD drive failed and hardrive dies in 8 months sound card within a year or so then the logic board fries out by 2 years,
And yes i did have apple-care?s and yes they didn’t do a damn thing and wanted to charge me the whole way through.
3600.00 later I will never buy a mac switched back to a PC windows xp pro
and the only difference is the interface my PC will run laps around a mac. I run 6-7 programs at any given time and if anything the performance with hi-res (300dpi) Photoshop is faster on my PC.So mac’s are sleek and fancy but made out of shit I like the OS but i don’t see any real advantage. (and yes the dent easily)
As far as viruses get good anti-virus software and optimize your system, I never get viruses as it is but I am not looking a free porn sites either and jane never emails me.
And if you want osx set it up in spare hard drive on a fast updated pc.
- 294April 27th, 2009 5:58 pm
Interesting. Boxes are not much of an issue, could work on mac, pc or linux box. I believe if mac produce an affordable netbook, all hell breaks loose. Isn’t netbooks the biggy thing right now? Netbooks offer great portability, low cost, low powered and high productivity. When I am home I just dock to my cooler with a huge lcd screen and continue working. I love the fact that I could code anywhere or design something when creativity sparks me. So boxes are not much of an issue, its the work we produce at specific time. I still code with an atom 1.6 with 10 inch screen and I am loving it.
- 295April 27th, 2009 5:58 pm
@David Ma: You sure made my day! thank you for posting a trully amazing response i totally agree with you, i was starting to get pissed by the second while i was reading more and more comments until i read yours, THANK YOU
this is truly weird, im a developer (not just for web ) and i must say that the facts are kinda obscure on this article, im not saying if i prefer a Mac or a Pc because its silly, and i wont say i prefer windows over OsX or Linux, i do know lots of designers that works with OsX and some that works with windows (heck even some that use linux as well) it all comes to what you feel will improve your tools and not wich one is pretier or capable, i have fixed machines with all 3 Os and i have seen all 3 of them crash, i just dont see whats the big deal with all of this comparisions.
in the end you are using a tool to achieve your goal dont try to convince other people to use your tools if they have their own
- 296April 27th, 2009 6:01 pm
I think that #2 on pitfalls is stupid to say the least. I have a “one-button” trackpad and click with two fingers to right click. What do I gain by this? More room to move, surf and do whatever I want on this monsterous trackpad. I think its a plus not a minus.
/end rant - 297April 27th, 2009 6:10 pm
Reading through these comments is more entertaining than reading a political message board during election season.
I have a friend who drives a Lexus and swears he’ll never buy anything else. I drive a 1991 GMC; it’s paid for, is low maintenance and gets me from A to B. Point being, to each his own.
I used Windows from 95-XP and OS X 10.3-10.5. I’ve also played around with Ubuntu.
I prefer Mac.
- 298April 27th, 2009 6:11 pm
I almost switched to a Mac but for the price I paid to get a PC for the same cost ( $2000 ) the PC turned up to have the more powerful components. Until I start getting paid more, it’s not really an option.
- 299April 27th, 2009 6:50 pm
Viruses: Hmm ever head of terrorist attack on mars? Boy they dont care for mac as it has very limited audience. Ruby and other bundled software are just extra baggage you can get for free. Do you think someone spends 1000s more on mac just to use in built Ruby which they can get for free. Hehehe
Last I have used mac as I own one but sorry they are basically alike and moreover if are developing for windows you are developing for larger audience. So sorry mac :P
Thats pretty stupid. No terrorist attacks on Mars because they cant get to Mars. No virus attacks on Macs because they cant spread it as easy as on a PC. Nice spin on your part though.
And developing on a Mac doesnt mean you only develop for Mac users. Thats just dumb too.
Once again to people who have their panties up in a bunch over this article…grow up. Heaven forbid there is an actual civilized Mac vs PC debate without the PC weenies coming here crying like little girls over not getting asked to the prom.
Im writing this on my Sony Vaio laptop, but way tooo many insecure PC users here.
- 300April 27th, 2009 7:00 pm
Once again we have to bring up the car analogy.
Both cars get you to the same spot. Both cars have 300 hp engines. Both cars are convertible, leather seats, chrome wheels, spiffy gauges and high performance tires. Both cars go 0-60 in 4 seconds or less.
PC = Corvette
Mac = FerrariCorvette/PC is more affordable, Mac/Ferrari looks better and has more style.
Which would you rather have?? Its personal preference, and its about image. Do you really make fun of people driving Ferraris?? I know I dont. Do I make absurd arguments like it gets me to point A just as fast, or the road speed limits make it moot?? No. More power to you if you own a Corvette, and more power to you if you own a Ferrari.
If people told you you can get a Ferrari for only 50% more of the cost of a Corvette, you wouldnt want one?? If you say no, I would call you a liar.
- 301April 27th, 2009 7:08 pm
I have used PCs and Macs all my life, my MacBook Pro is a piece of shi__t compared to my PC. Mac laptop are SO slow, if you have $10,000 and buy a mac desktop that’s another story. Imaging spending $10k in a desktop PC?
- 302April 27th, 2009 7:20 pm
mac != .net
Real developers will know what that means.
- 303April 27th, 2009 7:40 pm
.net is a powerful tool and worth it. you can say all you want about windows but .net is it’s saving grace and drags php in the mud in the multi-platform department and security.
- 304April 27th, 2009 10:41 pm
Roland (28), That’s what I want to read. You are right: let’s talk about SO’s, because a Mac is a PC … with an apple as brand, but a PC inside.
- 305April 27th, 2009 11:26 pm
“The other nice thing is that I can do work almost as quickly on my 5-year-old iBook G4 as I can on my brand new 24″ iMac”
Your brand new 24″ iMac must be pretty darn slow then.
I own A PC, a Mac(laptop), and my children use Ubuntu. The all have pro’s and cons, but I am much more productive with my PC.
- 306April 28th, 2009 12:39 am
This starts all wrong and IS all wrong – I am open to all computers and operating system… and a believer than anything can be done on either system.
But I have simply not noticed a swing in developers towards MAC – if anything it is the other way around. Anything Open source – sorry most open source work is donw on Windows.
Fact of life – Windows dominates – switching to Mac means creating difficulties for your self when it comes to making sure it works on Windows.
Finally if Developers were switching to Mac as you say then I would expect an upswing in Mac application out there, this has not happened.
This article is WRONG from start to finish (otherwise it is a good article).
- 307April 28th, 2009 1:44 am
Macs are NOT more expensive, if you count the time you spend with a PC to get rid of all the hassles, failures and incompatibilities. A simple deinstallation in Windows can cost you so much time that its prize would easily amortize a Mac. I know what I am talking about, because my wife has a PC.
- 308April 28th, 2009 2:45 am
I was going through Bruce Tognazzini’s ‘A quiz designed to give you fitt’s’.
http://www.asktog.com/columns/022DesignedToGiveFitts.html
And in Qn 5, he points out why the pull-down menus in Mac are five times faster than Microsoft’s and Sun’s applications. A great deal of intelligence have gone into Mac’s UI/Interaction design which makes it more desirable.Nice Article, loved it. :-)
- 309April 28th, 2009 2:59 am
Why make an article about a point that has been discussed a million times?
In the end the point are the results, the operating system is just a tool. Just like Photoshop is a tool to create or edit graphics (which runs on both platforms and works the same on either).
For a (web) developer it doesn’t matter if he uses Textmate, Coda, Dreamweaver or Notepad++. It’s all code he’s putting out, so the results are based upon the skills of the developer. An OSX user won’t put out different PHP than a Windows-based. - 310
- 311April 28th, 2009 3:01 am
Real smooth fonts on Windows:
http://vladg.com/2009/03/make-windows-fonts-look-as-smooth-as-mac-os-x-fonts/Example (my desktop):
http://volll.com/temp/gdi_desktop.png - 312April 28th, 2009 3:38 am
considering the time we used for all this commenting on winblows related article we could have been builded something usefull in this time. but i have to add, after 5years on mac (now 2nd mbpro) i would NEVER go back to windows, only maybe when gaming is in Q.
- 313April 28th, 2009 4:56 am
I’ve been a developer since (insert ridiculous date here) and I’ve always used (insert irrelevant OS here), even on my old (insert old school computer name that makes you sound cool and knowledgeable here). After (insert huge number here) years as a professional, I can honestly say that (insert irrelevant OS here) is much better than any other OS.
(insert irrelevant OS here) has never given me problem and anyone who says otherwise is just angry and unhappy.Also, check out my article on the “Forty-three and a half reasons why albino Uzbekistanians flatulists are switching to Pepsi” (the answer might surprise you). It’s full of facts and pertinent points.
Buy Pepsi.
- 314April 28th, 2009 5:02 am
So 5 reasons to switch to a Mac and 6 reasons not to…hmmm…seems to me that the 6 reasons are much bigger than the 5, too…
- 315April 28th, 2009 5:27 am
Number one reason not to use a Mac. It is still very much a closed ecosystem, only half open.
Reason no 2: Apples inflated ego. Everything i soo hyperbole in their self description. (O yeah, that is totally an emotional argument…)
Reason no 3: Text based environment sucks! The terminal app is rubbish. The GUI and the CLI do not mirror each other. Not the same names for your folders and files, not the same settings are affected, etc. Power usage is still far away.
And the main reason: Windows is not the other option. GNU/Linux is!
BTW. This is just for balance. I actually use a Mac sometimes, Win XP sometimes, but I prefer Linux for most tasks. Especially development.
- 316April 28th, 2009 5:49 am
I’m also a huge mac fan, since switching to mac about 4 years ago, never want to go back anymore. Lot’s of issues here I recognize.
- 317April 28th, 2009 7:35 am
I’m sorry to say that but this article doesn’t even come close to the quality I’m used to get from Smashing Mag editors. This one is poorly written, clearly the author is just starting his career as a developer and was blinded by the shiny Macs.
My RSS reader is full of starred articles from SM but this one will get deleted. - 318April 28th, 2009 7:49 am
Cars go from A to B but you don’t tell a customer in a Ferrari garage to get a Ford because it’s cheaper, does the same thing and doesn’t have to look nice? It’s all about the experience.
I drive a Mac. :) - 319April 28th, 2009 8:40 am
Mac = fisher price activity centres for adults. Computers for people too scared to learn how real computers work.
- 320April 28th, 2009 9:07 am
This article is annoying.
The eternal fight windows/macosxI’m a designer and I’m using Windows Vista on a Macbook, with a 22 LCD and common mouse/keyboard… and is GREAT for me.
Sometimes I test my sites on the OSX… and that’s fine.
MacOSX have it disadvantages, and you mention it above… That’s why I use Windows.
But again… this article is very unespacted by me… C’mon Smashings!!! Don’t piss off.
- 321April 28th, 2009 10:06 am
Windows advantage = more pirate softwares
Windows disadvantage = 90% pirated softwares you paid for turned on blue screens and key-loggers/ getting sued by MS and you can’t win no matter whatMac advantage = makes designers/ developers “think different”
Mac disadvantage = 90% of designers/ developers think too different, spent more time showing off and admiring the OS than actually working like a machineThe winner? No more Computing, go take a holiday and eat healthy
=P
- 322April 28th, 2009 10:13 am
@Derek: CSS is interface and presentation level, it is not functional development. XHTML is a markup language, still not a programming language. And PHP is well, PHP, but no enterprise worth their salt is going to trust multi-million $$$ applications to opensource. So yea, you stand corrected.
This article more pertains to workflow instead of development. Keep this site revolved around CMS, CSS, and design/interface please. I absolutely love Smashingmagazine for those sorts of topics. If I want coding advice I’ll hit up Codeproject or MSDN, thanks.
PS. My old co-worker had to replace a video card on his MAC, they charged him 650$ for a GeForce 7400, a card from YEARS ago. Absolutely outrageous.
The fact of the matter is, you limit yourself by buying a Mac, and not building a PC.
Apples are great for home use or even design use, but the PC does it all, for less money; there is no reason to spend more $$$$ to accomplish less. And to those touting “my Apple is a Ferrari” or other some such non-sense: Your fools. Wasteful fools.
The last thing this site needs is the Apple vs. PC and kids coming out of the wordwork spouting off “First!”. Just delete this horrid article.
- 323April 28th, 2009 10:20 am
On a side note. Just build your own PC. It’ll be far less expensive, tons more powerful, and you’ll actually learn something.
I would never, ever, buy a PC or Mac off the shelf these days. And as for aesthetics, you build your own, you have 1000s of cases to choose from. For desktop interface, Vista/XP with minimalist skins, RainMeter and Objectdock look beautiful, as seen in this link below:
- 324April 28th, 2009 10:34 am
Hehe, yeah. Go over to msdn or codeproject and declare that “developers are now switching to mac”. lol. Don’t SM have editorial staff that screens the articles before getting posted?
- 325April 28th, 2009 10:43 am
I am a MBP user, I only want to clarify the point that Mac does not have right-click button, that is not true. You only need to go to, System Preferences, Keyboard and Mouse, there you can set up the right-click, it is not by default but it is available.
Please try OSX.
Regards,
- 326April 28th, 2009 10:59 am
““it feels intuitive” or “I enjoy using it more” or even “I can’t explain why I like it better, I just do.””
Those are not valid reasons at all. This article is trash and only makes me more angry the more I read it.
- 327April 28th, 2009 11:00 am
The fact that Itunes is not listed as one of the reasons developers are starting to prefer macs, almost makes the article great. So thanks for that.
- 328April 28th, 2009 11:35 am
Let me deconstruct your horrid article, since you are clearly not a developer or involved in IT:
1. Open Source Friendly
Um. Yea. You can run UNIX VM on a PC, or any other VM. You can even multi boot LINUX + Windows XP etc, using BAT files. If anything, as you stated throughout the article, APPLE is CLOSED! About everything, it’s all licensed; you have to pay more to develop on a Apple then a PC, period. The Open Source movement was anti licensing, exactly the sort of thing Apple does 110%.2. Quartz Extreme
Wow, Direct3D, OpenGL; been on PCs for years; same with 3rd party open source apps that let you switch desktops etc, since Windows 95. The graphics options on PCs is what brought you OpenGL, and all those pretty CGI movie effects you see. They are available now, and more powerful then ever.3. Core Animation
Didn’t you just say that “cloud computing” is the future, yet here you tout a client development feature. You are seriously talking about animations as “flashy”, there are reasons why Gamers who play “flashy” games use PCs.4. Built In Tools
All those tools exist in Windows, and more. Keep calling yourselves “developers” etc. while you are coding in some text program some CSS…5. Unified User Interface
Wow, the interface hasn’t changed in around 20 years! Great job apple, it just got “flashier”. You can drag an image off your Firefox into your Photoshop now, on a PC…sigh6. Security
There is simply less malware out there because malware targets enterprises, who would never, ever, sign contracts for infrastructure for business with Apple.7. Textmate, Growl, Quicksilver, and more
Every one of those apps have multiple free or pay options on Windows or the web. And who in their right mind would develop a multi-million dollar multi-tier application using Textmate…8. Quick Look
Seriously, why is this useful? You probably only have Photoshop and Safari open anyways, since thats pretty much what 99% of all Mac users use. And yes, there is an Alt Tab feature in Windows, its pretty revolutionary, back in the 90s……. ..9. Virtualization
Out of the box, but how much more $$$ for the box? Microsoft offers FREE VM now, for all Windows users. VMWare exists on PC. And yes Browsers most like render the same, and there are sites out there to help with that. And wait, weren’t we on the topic of development? Oh wait, you’ve been talking about “design” since step 1!2nd Reason : Intel
The reason they switched to Intel was because PowerPC chips were trash, period. Plus you repeated your virtualization argument…3rd Reason : Less Hassle
Opinionated Software
How is this a good thing? Every REAL developer wants full control, and understanding of the solution. Also, you can code Ruby on PCs! Also you are touting out of the box solutions and claiming “development”, you might as well call Wordpress “development”. Again, your a designer, clearly, not a developer.Support
LOL, how is this pertinent to development? Are you going to go ask a minimum wage “Gen1us” how you should handle your abstract variables, database queries, page rendering lifecycles? Yea, I thought not. But he’d gladly sell you a new iPhone speaker set for 200$.5th Reason : Microsoft
I don’t think they are perfect. But seriously if you think Apple is NOT designed by committee, then you clearly live in your own little world, or this is your first job. And no, OSX does not run well on an 8 year old Powerbook LOL.And oh man, theres the pot calling the kettle black with “they rely on closed formats and standsrds”. Apple is NOT Open Source, its 110% licensing; look into how much it costs to buy development licenses to create some iPhone apps sometime.
And once again you make yourself look uninformed and NOT a developer, the concept of cloud computing has been here since, well forever, it’s basically just web programming with social networking, get a clue.
Design and Minimalism:
Build your own PC! And why are you saying Google and Yahoo are great designs, have you not looked at the showcases on this site??? Have you not seen the amazing 1000s of PC cases you can get yourself and mod all you want? Have you not seen an Enigma/Rainmeter desktop in all its glory? Probably not.Anyways. This article is horrid, as it doesn’t even touch on what developers CAN do on a MAC, its just an Apple vs. PC article. I really respected Smashing until this nonsense. Please just stick to design and showcases.
I am biased toward PCs, because if you really know what you are doing they are a superior platform, period. But if you are an everyday Joe, Macs are great; they allow easy web surfing and some fun apps.
However. Keep spending $$$ on Apples and PCs, because I like the competition. Microsoft has to try harder now, they were stagnant for a while. And that competition only makes things better for all of us in the end, Apple or Microsoft or w/e.
- 329April 28th, 2009 12:22 pm
Bah, this article is far from bias but it gives some nice points.
Macs are overrated and PCs are underrated really. If you have a good machine, you can do whatever needs to get done. Personally, as a developer, the software tools that can come with a PC outweigh what can come on a Mac.
I have no allegiance to Microsoft, but have no real love for Apple either. I feel like Microsoft is just dogged for being the big guy, this always happens. People like the new kid on the block, and frankly Apple is new because the old Apple (pre-osx) was a terrible company producing terrible things.
I do give props to Apple, and I use my OS X machine for whatever it can do better than my PCs (which isn’t much beside entertaining things, in my opinion).
- 330April 28th, 2009 12:29 pm
Having run a computer consultancy for the last 15 years, which has focused solely on windows software and IE compliant websites for corporate customers wielding huge numbers of windows machines, Vista was the last straw for us.
Viruses, crashes, hardware problems. It all added up. With all the settings, tools etc that needed to be installed to get a developer machine running, we could spend two days rebuilding a workstation for our developers once they crashed. Disk imaging went some way to helping, but Vista was so slow and bug ridden, we spent more time fighting with the machines than producing any work. And as for the automatic updates and reboots on our windows servers you have got to be kidding me!
A year ago just before Xmas I bought a macbook pro. The following march I bought an iMac. Now the entire company uses macs. We have Ubuntu servers, use MySQL instead of SQL Server, and our last windows server is being replaced this month after needing constant attention to update, secure, reboot etc
We also stopped supporting or developing ANY windows application. We spent two months researching and retraining everyone to use Netbeans and Java.
With Icefaces and Netbeans, we can create application like never before, collaboration between teams is like OSX, it just works. No downtime, no problems with backups. We just get our work done.
We tried Microsoft Office 2008 on Mac, found it to be against the mac standards and also it froze up all the time, now we use iWork, iLife and some open source applications and manage to do everything we could do before, without the bloated licence fees and need for hours of tech support.
It just works. Enough said. I realise that not every company could afford to do what we’ve done, but I would rate Mac above anything else for just getting the job done without editing config files or downloading patches all the time.
Sure Mac are more expensive, but the money we’ve saved in tech support, licences and sheer frustration, meaning more productivity, more than pays what some people are calling the apple tax.
Oh, and before some PC guy decides to call me a textedit using CSS designer. I’ve actually been developing in C, C++, Visual C++, Visual Basic, C#, J# etc on a PC for years, I’m Microsoft and Sun certified for development as well as networking, servers etc, as well as using Flash, Photoshop, Adobe Premier/After Effects and the usual multimedia gear, plus I’ve been a PC user since MSDOS first got copied from another well known OS, and flopp disks really were floppy. If someone like me can be productive on Mac and finds that their job is easier and they can get out the door of the office to go home and have a life, then Macs are obviously doing something right. In fact now I use Mac, I actually have time left over to do my gaming on a PC, which there is no doubt is the best supported platform for gaming, although again, hardware and software issues abound… no matter what machine you build yourself.
- 331April 28th, 2009 12:34 pm
I build and maintain Joomla sites. Mostly smaller sites but a few bigger ones (over 1000 articles)… I have been doing this work in Windows for years. In the past year I have been doing it on a pair of 30″ monitors. Very efficient workflow for me. Apps include VMware for old browser testing.. CS3 and recently CS4, CuteFTP and even notepad. I convert a lot of word and excel docs to html and pdf too.
I recently started using OSX on a Macbook air… mostly just a internet computer for around the house or in bed watching tv.
I eventually built a pretty high end hackintosh to attempt to replace the Windows box to do my work. I spent several months on in OSX to find out that it’s a lousy alternative for me. I spent most of my time getting my mouse to feel the same as when in Windows. After buying 2 different programs, I got pretty close. But after about 3 hours I would start getting pains in my wrist. The acceleration curve is just too weird on a Mac.
I was able to find the EXACT same applications on both platforms. And I found all of them to work better under windows.
There are LOTS of inconsistancies in the OSX interface too. The dock always confused me. Some programs minimized to the right side of the dock, and some didn’t. Have multiple windows of the same app opened? It gets even more confusing.
Dual monitor is also very lacking in OSX too. In Windows, your application menus are in the application window. In OSX, your application menus are at the top of the main monitor. Have an application open on the other monitor and you need to go all the way to the other monitor to access the menus.
In the end, I didn’t find OSX any more efficient for MY workflow and have switched back to my Vista box. I’ve got 2 macbooks and only one runs OSX. 2 fingure scroll and the other multi-touch commands make using a notebook VERY efficient.
- 332April 28th, 2009 1:45 pm
Still cracks me up that every pro-mac post spurs PC people to start kicking Macs to the ground. Haha. I thought this post was pretty good. At work I develop on a Dell PC, and at home I develop on a 5 year old PowerBook. Personally i’m just much faster on the Mac. And since I’m a web developer I can work on my sites on any platform I want. All computers can break, you can misuse any computer, but if you can afford a Mac and want to be open minded to try it, I think you’ll find it better for development. (Web at least). Thats all.
- 333April 28th, 2009 2:15 pm
The double mouse button problem can be solved by using a 3rd party mouse with two buttons. The contextual menus are there – it is just that apple doesn’t give you the right click button. But a mouse is a mouse is a mouse as far as a computer is concerned, so you can just plug in the double button logitech that you have lying around.
- 334April 28th, 2009 2:52 pm
It’s funny that no-one has mentioned that Macs have a better font archiving system out-of-the-box, it’s one of the things that impresses me. Unfortunately, the sheer ‘bang for buck’ issue means buying a mac doesn’t make business sense, especially for fledgling businesses. Having both a mac AND PC at home means that I get to play around with both systems, and to be honest after becoming comfortable with the shortcut keys, there’s really negligable difference. If you want to be a creative in an agency, however, then you will need to practice on both. Otherwise, like has been said before, a good artist will create great work regardles of the platform. I’d always avoid any agency that disqualifies a candidate for the sole reason of not working on their preferred system- it shows incredible-close mindedness on their part.
- 335April 28th, 2009 3:11 pm
“PC = Corvette
Mac = FerrariCorvette/PC is more affordable, Mac/Ferrari looks better and has more style.
Which would you rather have?? Its personal preference, and its about image. Do you really make fun of people driving Ferraris?? I know I dont. Do I make absurd arguments like it gets me to point A just as fast, or the road speed limits make it moot?? No. More power to you if you own a Corvette, and more power to you if you own a Ferrari.”
When it’s about fuel economy, using your vehicle as a tool to get the most profit out of your business, i’d use the most economic vehicle available. It’s up to me as the driver to get the actual job done, regardless of what I’m actually driving.
So put me down for a ford transit please.
- 336April 28th, 2009 3:30 pm
wow…. what a horribly biased article. You’re telling me I should spend over $1000 on a Mac when I can just install Linux and get all the benefits you mentioned, with none of the pitfalls, for free?
I like this site, but some of the stuff on it is nuts.
- 337April 28th, 2009 4:11 pm
In response to post #328 from Jessie….
Open Source can be run on both platforms, but for you to say Apple is a closed ecosystem is comical. Winblows is the most closed platform out there. You think that just because majority of computers out there are Winblows makes it open?? MS is all about proprietary technology….directX, asp, direct3d, Explorer. If you do ANY sort of developing or web design for Explorer, you know that MS is NOTORIOUS for NOT following standards.
OpenGL was NOT available on Windows 95, only Windows NT. DIrect3D is Microsoft’s proprietary 3d platform, ONLY available with MS. OpenGL is available on any platform. OpenGL wasnt available on Windows until NT came out, and was not sold mainstream until Win XP.
Apple hasnt changed their UI in 20 years?? Wow you are just dumb.
Of course Apple is designed by committee…but if you think it isnt designed by the top designers in the industry, you are sadly mistaken. Vista is much better design wise, but it still doesnt hold a candle to OSX< and basically, Vista was all copied from OSX. I remember how arrogant and mocking PC weenies were of OSX and its “eye candy”. Now everyone loves the eye candy of Vista. Yawn. Talk about old news. And sorry, but a 2001 Powerbook runs OSX just fine. You need to get a clue.
Malware developers target enterprises?? Oh really?? The ones that have staff of engineers and techies working to secure their system?? Or the every day users who dont have a clue how to use a PC…about 95% of Windows users??? Once again, your logic fails you.
And 99% of Mac users only use PS and Safari?? Really?? I have Dreamweaver, PS, Illustrator, InDesign, Safari, Firefox and Skype all open at once, as well as different folder windows. Most Mac users are designers, isnt that what everyone says?? I know I have always had multiple programs and windows open. I wonder how much more you are going to stick your foot into your mouth….
Oh yeah, here ya go again….foot in mouth. Most browsers render the same?? Obviously you have NEVER developed for the web. Enough said right there.
Apple switched to Intel because Motorola and IBM were more focused on non PC chip applications…mobile phones, servers, etc. The G5’s at the time were just as good as any Intel chips out there. The benchmarks proved it. Intel is able to offer however a better roadmap, cheaper prices, and abundancy.
As for design and minimalism…all the cases for PC are mostly crap, and horribly designed in terms of airflow to hardware. Most PC cases I bought needed to have the entire side of the case left open to allow for air cooling, or the PC will overheat and crash, even with the 4 fans that came with the case. Apple’s cases are BY FAR the best looking cases out there. Their old Quicksilver Mac’s still blow away anything the PC world has to offer. They dont win awards, given by the experts, for nothing.
You are a clueless hater…typical of the jealous PC weenie crowd. The article in no way was bashing your precious Microshaft platform. It merely was stating a trend in the development world. You are the one who took offense and started blabbering about…..nothing.
- 338April 28th, 2009 4:19 pm
I’ve been getting tired of Windows to be honest, but using a Mac feels awkward. I’ll probably keep using a PC because:
1) I like being able to customize things, but I’m also lazy. I’d use linux because I could really customize it, but I feel like it’d be too much work.
2) I like playing games, and I don’t want to deal with the hassle of running VM/dual-booting in order to run some of my favorite older games (Fallout 1 & 2).
3) I already have vista. I don’t feel like buying OSX.
4) I know how to use/build/repair a computer myself.
5) I’m already used to the PC’s interface.Sorry macs :/
- 339April 28th, 2009 4:27 pm
To the people who say that good designers can design and work regardless of the platform including Linux. I disagree, Linux maybe a great productivity platform but as a Graphics Art, video and design platform it is severely lacking. I’m not going to spend all day listing all its shortcomings but the fact Linux does not have an viable alternative high end image editor equivalent to Photoshop makes it fall flat on its face.
To the Linux fanbois, show me a professional design company that entrust Linux for its mission critical work.
None? I thought so.
- 340April 28th, 2009 4:35 pm
Too bad only the people actually working in the Graphics Design biz actually understand the importance and money value of a good workflow. This is what OSX have in spades.
- 341April 28th, 2009 6:51 pm
The major thing that I miss on OSX is the Windows Live Writer equivalent, it’s a god send!
- 342April 28th, 2009 8:27 pm
nice article. MAC rules. :D
- 343April 28th, 2009 8:36 pm
Yes OSX is cool, that is all that has been said in this advertisement conveyed as journalism. Disappointing, not up to SMs regular standard.
- 344April 28th, 2009 10:43 pm
mhhh i know mac is perfect. But the price isn’t perfect for me. :( . I wonder why they cant reduce the price. So i’m so sure every1 will buy mac instead of windows (which is really giving trouble with virus. hate it). I wish the MAC management will listen this. :D
- 345April 28th, 2009 11:01 pm
To reply to post #337 from Steve
OpenGL was available on Windows 95, try doing some research before spouting nonsense!
- 346April 29th, 2009 1:19 am
You guys conviced me, I’m now going to buy a mac, cause every good designer you know uses one. It’s so cool to become a top designer now, cause my creativity was blocked from jealousy so long. Thank you!
- 347April 29th, 2009 1:31 am
wow such a “BALANCE” article.. never thought that SM would publish this kind of “article”
- 348April 29th, 2009 1:43 am
WOW
The writer of this article works for apple!!!
- 349April 29th, 2009 3:07 am
I can’t afford a Mac. I installed OSX on my PC and it works flawlessly. Plus, it’s dual boot so I can go into Windows if I want to play games.
There’s only one piece of Mac software that I really love, and that’s Coda. It’s the best environment I’ve had for developing websites and everything is done from one window – editing, preview, FTP, SVN and file management.
Once I have enough money I’ll buy a Mac, the interface ‘feels’ so good. Everythings so fluid, and it’s NEVER crashed on me. All my favourite applications are there, Songbird, XBMC, Firefox and Thunderbird.
The only Windows software I miss is TodoList by AbstractSpoon, there’s nothing quite like it on Mac.
- 350April 29th, 2009 4:00 am
@348
”The only Windows software I miss is TodoList by AbstractSpoon, there’s nothing quite like it on Mac.”
Have you checked out OmniFocus?
http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnifocus/ - 351
- 352April 29th, 2009 5:18 am
@350
Thanks for the advice. I tried Things but it’s too simple and doesnt really do what I need.
I found WhatToDo which is pretty good for nested tasks, and I also bought The Hit List as part of the MacHeist bundle.I’ll check out OmniFocus.
The main thing I miss from TodoList is how well the tasks could be bested within each other which was great for developing large websites. It also showed a completed percentage which was always a morale boost after spending hours coding
- 353April 29th, 2009 5:18 am
duplicate – delete
- 354April 29th, 2009 5:44 am
@Stevie in Post 337
Wow. You clearly make my arguments stronger. You are either completely illiterate or did not read my counter-arguments.
Back on Open Source, it’s available on all OSs. If it comes to licensing then Apple is as bad as Microsoft if not worse.
Yea you OpenGL knowledge is severely lacking. It’s been out for over a decade.
Apple hasn’t changed their layout in nearly 20 years. UI does not incorporate flashy animations and design. Clearly you don’t know the difference between usability and design.
ROFL. OSX DOES NOT RUN FINE ON 2001 POWERBOOKS. As for “committee”, you proved my point; thanks for making my counter-argument stronger.
“Or the every day users who dont have a clue how to use a PC”, yea that would be Apple users.
“And 99% of Mac users only use PS and Safari?? Really?? I have Dreamweaver, PS, Illustrator, InDesign, Safari, Firefox and Skype all open at once”, LOL, once again; congrats on having some browsers, IMs, and Adobe creative suite open. You proved my point. LOL.
I said most OSs render the same, browsers do not. Thanks though.
LOL, you making excuses for PowerPC chips now, that is out of control.
Yes clearly the Apple original iMacs are so glamorous. If anything you limit yourself to aluminum/steel cases with Apples, building your own PC you can do anything. Thanks for proving my point.
“You are a clueless hater…typical of the jealous PC weenie crowd. The article in no way was bashing your precious Microshaft platform. It merely was stating a trend in the development world. You are the one who took offense and started blabbering about…..nothing.”
Sadly I’m not a clueless hater, this article is clueless. It is not development related at all and mainly tries to make product arguments for workflow related tasks and OSX. This is just a terrible article, it may as well be an Apple ad. And no I don’t hate Macs/Apples, I hate retarded Apple buying pseudo-developers like yourself. I think Apples / Macs and PCs are all great, but its the arrogant nature of the uneducated Apple brand whores that really get me going. 99% of the Development world does not use Apple development products.
Again, this article is stupid. Delete it. And wipe all the Apple fanbois off the face of the planet too while your at it.
- 355April 29th, 2009 5:48 am
It is weird if I switched from Mac OSX to Windows? If it is, then I’m glad I did. I’ve been using Mac since the early 90s when my dad bought our first ever computer home. Since then, we’ve always used Mac. I bought my first two ever Windows based XPS laptop & desktop from Dell a few months ago and I love it.
1. It cost $500 less for the laptop and $1200 less for the desktop with more juice and power not that money is a problem, but $1700 dollars is a nice weekend trip to Disney or about 2/3 for the yankees seasonal ticket.
2. So much more customization.
3. Did I mention Games? Before, whenever I finish working I would only occasionally use the Mac to check emails, reply emails, and what’s not. Now, there are tons of free & beta games to try out. I’m actually looking forward to getting off from work to go home and download some new betas to try out.
4. Upgrade parts without worrying.Overall, I’m very happy with the purchase I made and I definitely would do it again. Windows 7 is a step above from Vista and I will definitely upgrade. The Mac is a nice computer to have, but if you have to use it all day everyday without being able to enjoy it, then it becomes very dull. On Windows, there are some shortcomings but they are replaced by all the fun things you can do with it.
ps: I’ve been using Windows for about 6 months now, and I’ve never experienced the Blue Screen of Death that people talk about all the time. Nor have I ever caught anything harmful.
The key to a good and healthy computer for PC users are: don’t download anything you don’t know (if you do, scan it first), blocks ads, and do not allow incoming connections unless you specify it. Within 3 weeks of using Windows, I was able to figured out all these things to make my PC more secure than my Mac, I don’t see how people are still getting viruses or whatever on their PC unless those people are truly out of it.
- 356April 29th, 2009 6:08 am
@Jesse, 354
While I’m sure there are people with blinkers on in both camps I often think the ”Mac bashers” are even worse than the ”Mac fanbois”.
I’d say that more often than not the ”Apple/Mac bashers” are more ignorant going with the old school talk that ”I need right-clicking” (something that you’ve been able to do since Mac OS 8 which was released in 1997) and ”there are not enough applications for Mac OS X” etc.
- 357April 29th, 2009 7:05 am
@Matt, 355
Tell me how it runs in six months or so… ;)
You have to re-install Windows after some time of extensive use since the Registry gets wacko. Not so on the Mac.
That isn’t to say that a Windows machine is worthless, but it requires more fiddleing from the user.
Another thing that differ the Apple’s computer hardware from most so called PC’s is that the Macs use EFI and the PC’s use BIOS. I just got my motherboard’s BIOS wasted on my PC and I have sent it in for repair. I’ve never hear of a Mac that’s got its EFI broken like that. Most users are more happy with a Mac! I’d say about 99% of the people I’ve heard about that’s done the switch are happy about it.
- 358April 29th, 2009 8:21 am
OMG, what a huge pile of crappy arguments!
You Smashing Magazine guys just really should stick to writing about nice photos, illustrations, designs and whatnot.
Don’t talk about development or OS or platforms or hardware! Just don’t.How many free fancy iPhones did you get for that “article”?
I really hope you didn’t just write it for some free iPhone Apps!P.S. I really do like the design of apple products very much!
I’m not hating anyone! (Well… maybe the timeconsuming calls from designers – working on a mac – who really have absolutely no clue about anything besides their designs. (Not hating the people, just some of their calls))@346 Mike: True that!
@201 Wilmark: Good one. The TomsHardware article, that’s the article this one should’ve been! - 359April 29th, 2009 8:46 am
@339 Palmer
“To the Linux fanbois, show me a professional design company that entrust Linux for its mission critical work.None? I thought so”
What mission critical applications are you developing in photoshop? Or does your safari even render the striketrhrough over the word “designers” in the title?
I won’t deny that Mac is where the heart of the designer is, but this article fails miserably for convincing this developer there is a convincing reason to switch.
- 360April 29th, 2009 9:39 am
I don’t get the “2. No Second Mouse Button”. It’s true older Mac’s don’t have this function in the trackpad, (exept with ctrl + click or two finger + click) but all the new unibodies without an actual button you can both right or left click with the pad. You can even choose the side you want to use as your secondary mouse button. It’s all in there in the system preferences.
I can agree with pretty much everything else, but then i’m also very biased. Worked until a month ago professionally with Windows/PC-support and then it’s nice comming home from work and use a “proper system”. Apple/Mac OS X is just lightyears ahead of the competition in terms of quality and usability.
- 361April 29th, 2009 9:48 am
I like this article because of all the reaction, so kudos to SM for the post. Is it accurate? Mostly misguided if anything, but it makes me pleased to know there are developers and designers who know better, as far as a PC vs Mac scenario really goes.
If you really want to boil it down, and be most productive and accurate as a designer or developer, you should work from a PC. Period. Why? Because only 4% of all internet users are on a Mac OS. It’s really as simple as that. Work for your audience. If not, then have fun designing and trying to be productive for the tiny minority: http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2009/March/browser.php
- 362April 29th, 2009 10:54 am
I disagree most of the points in this article. Mac is only great inside its system. Once you try Macports, you’ll know it doesn’t solve the problem very well.
And I wonder how helpful an IM software such as adium is for a developer?
- 363April 29th, 2009 11:48 am
@a Martin, 356
I’m not against Macs or PCs, they are both great platforms. I am against the radical nature of uneducated Apple fanboi’s. Macs are great for the new PC user (and yes a Mac is still a Personal Computer, PC). But the majority of developers in the real world do not use Macs, period.
And this article doesn’t belong on such a great website like Smashing Magazine; just delete this article else this place turn into an engadget or macrumors or other such nonsense site.
- 364April 29th, 2009 12:01 pm
jesse is right
- 365April 29th, 2009 12:10 pm
Hey Liberation, tell me how this article insults us as readers now? First paragraph was hilarious.
Someone needs a sense of humor, it seems.
- 366April 29th, 2009 2:15 pm
The problem with windows is that it is to driven to answer everyone, it doesn’t really do one thing great. You can you ANYTHING with a windows pc. If you can’t do it with a windows pc, you can’t do it with an other system (I am pretty serious here, you notice;)).
I’ve worked for a few years repairing, configuring and maintaining pc’s. I was so SICK of windows, being such a incapable program, so not thought trough, it discusts me. I hated windows lack of shortcuts, windows bullshit with wizards, windows’ ‘there is always something not optimal syndrome’.
I wanted a system that i could do my thing on and not to make a hobby of maintaining and organizing my own data. c’mon windows didn’t even have (vista has, ok ok) a descent downloads folder?!
Mac does a lot of handy things that make working easier and it has to be less of a hobby to maintain my system.
One thing of absolute notice, the mail client is absolutely awesome in concept. It is simple, intuitive and in depth. The problem is that the mail client is just buggy.
- 367April 29th, 2009 8:43 pm
Mission accomplished. Most posts ever. :)
I use both OSX and Windows XP and Vista…but I use them on a Mac. I totally agree that both systems work just fine and the software running on both now is basically the same. As many have said on here, my Macs have always outlasted my PCs…in fact I have to give them to other people because they just…won’t…die. To those who claim Apple’s standards are slipping…go touch a MacBook Pro at Best Buy (because we know you’d never be caught dead in an Apple Sotre, right?) and tell me you still feel the same.
I buy Macs because I like spending time improving my work, not fiddling with my computer. But I can see why gamers and those who like to tinker buy PCs. Each to their own. I prefer console gaming and am psyched about OnLive. I think it will totally eliminate the line between consoles and PCs…and give PC-users one less reason for buying a PC. Ha!
Oh…I also think people who say things like “people who can’t afford to buy a Mac aren’t real designers” or those who have never touched a Mac and repeat things they’ve seen published about Macs from 1980 (double button mouse BS!)….are all equally full of crap!
- 368April 30th, 2009 1:16 am
Great article, except for one small error – every shipping Apple mouse and trackpad does include a either a second mouse button, or right click feature. http://skitch.com/askegg/bpwr1/trackpad
- 369April 30th, 2009 6:02 am
I use windows xp at work and vista at home. I used a macs in college (10 years ago), I think they were g4s at the time. That was back when I was young and overly opinionated because i thought that made me cooler… it didn’t. I always contended that Macs were overrated and I still believe they were at that point, Times have changed but my major complaints still holds true (both of which are mentioned above)… i need the software support and need the ability to easily custom build desktops. it would take a great deal for Apple to get me over the hump. And, to be honest, i’d much rather be friends with the PC than that pompas hipster Mac in those commercial. PC seems like a nice dude.
- 370April 30th, 2009 6:03 am
I work with PC and MAC…
They are good.. but MAC is too expensive and bouth can do the same (actually only person do things – computer is only tool)…Choice is yours…
- 371April 30th, 2009 6:46 am
@ 356 Martin:
“the ”Mac bashers” are even worse than the ”Mac fanbois””See, I think this is where you’re absolutely wrong!
Me personally – I do use a PC in business and at home. I’ve used alot of OS eventually… Windows 3.x, 95, 98, Me, XP, NT, 2000, Vista (using it right now). Every now and then I had to use a Mac for a couple of minutes, when showing coworkers something (which just drove me crazy, because of all this nonsense happening on their screen – but I’m just not used to it, so that’s not a problem). And I certainly did not judge any one of them – I just let them be. They can use anything they want, they can work on whatever makes them happy. I have never ever tried to convince some brainwashed Apple-User to switch to PC! The emotional bond to their brushed-surface-shit is just too strong – and I just don’t care. I’ve seen Macs crashing on a regular basis (like every 120 minutes) and the person using that piece of shit was still loving it! Can you imagine that? That’s when I realized, that there is no need for arguments – it’s an emotional thing. Sometimes I experience that too! I have things that do not work at all, and I’m still keeping them and I still love them. On the other hand this ‘macs-are-better-articles’ pop up every now and then, trying to convince me. And that’s where I really have to say: ‘Guys, don’t try to sell me that crap. Being able to work better, because of better coding apps? Who are kidding?’Here’s something to think about: the mac fanbois is out there and thinking they are using higher value technology, that’s better designed and make them look/work better.
While there is no real pc fanbois – we just use the stupid machines. We do our work, design, code, play games, watch tv, edit our photos, cut our media, you name it – we just use them. When they break we fix them. When they are old we throw ‘em away. We don’t cover the keyboards with fluffy little blankets – we don’t bond with them. Sometimes we like them, sometimes we hate ‘em – but love them? Absolutely not! - 372April 30th, 2009 9:57 pm
@357 ” ??? Reinstall Windows? Seriously, I don’t know where people get this stuff. All my PC’s have run fine. I have never had to reinstall and have rarely suffered hangs/crashes. I had more crashes on my G5 MacPro than any PC I have had.
If you keep your computer (Mac or PC) clean, you should rarely run into problems. Issues usually turn up with muppets downloading and installing every freeware app and game that pops up in firefox.
In any event, I like my Macbook Pro for most things, but Macs are definitely second tier when it comes to 3D graphics
- 373May 1st, 2009 10:32 am
God… I do not know much about the real power of MAC nor of PC… (I am a PC user by default, by the way… because MAC is just too expensive here). As a designer though, I could not live without ADOBE (at least for anything digital… I’m well okay with pen and paper, really).
So, say, given my situation: Do we get a better CS4 or an elearning suite with a MAC/PC? For as long as they run my suite, I’m fine with it. The ire here, it seems, is when someone claimed supremacy over the other, when PC and MAC are just two different mindsets. No right or wrong. PC has gaming aside from doing real business and designing. MAC is virus-resistant, does designing and keeping lifestyle well, aside from looking really good. Intuitiveness is pretty subjective. I find PC intuitive and MAC kinda confusing, and another would say the opposite, coming from a MAC perspective.
Take it from #46: Show us your work, not your computer.
@ #119: How could having both a MAC and PC at home a lie? Unfortunately dear, either MACS nor PCS are “be-all, end-all” machines… Applications dictate that. How could you could you call someone a liar by the mere basis that you own a MAC and you find it oh-so-amazing?
To everyone, the lesson here is: Don’t think that you’re better just because you find your side of the fence better. Sometimes, the patch is indeed greener on the other side. To each his own… and other cliche stuff applicable.
and to the author…. er… the strikeouts and edits proves to show that 1) you haven’t done your research well before publishing and 2) you don’t seem to have the maturity to back up your initial article… And I thought you’re all up for this? Kudos for getting so many hits in your infamy.
- 374May 1st, 2009 2:02 pm
Hey look! The Santa Monica Apple Store! nice.
- 375May 2nd, 2009 12:02 pm
um ye you forgot to put a requirements section at the bottom
You need to be gay - 376May 2nd, 2009 8:06 pm
HEY! I do have an MBA. I still love my mac. Some of us have decided to get a little more experience and education beyond our technical and/or creative expertise. Seems to me that’s commendable and makes us better developers/designers… not worse.
- 377May 4th, 2009 2:28 am
If OSX’s mouse acceleration wasn’t as shit as it is I’d probably switch.
- 378May 4th, 2009 4:33 pm
Im a recently mac user switched from pc world. I like mac better now in almost everyway possible. Only two things i really think could be better.
1. Mac Mighty Mouse is really uncomfortable and in every mac i’ve touched seems rather not that precise as other mice out there. I had to switch to my beloved microsoft optical mouse.
2. Finder is good but not as good as Windows Explorer. Maybe a matter of getting used to this but windows explorer is much more efficient to use… sorting and grouping files by type, date, etc etc. Finder only orders by those criteria but does not group or sort.
- 379May 5th, 2009 7:13 am
I agree with DavidA above in saying that half the commenters here are downright idiots.
I graduated a few years ago from a tech school (New Media Design & Imaging degree) and the first thing I noticed was the growing number of Mac users – not within my (mostly design-oriented) major (that’s always been the case) but among my IT and programmer friends. Mac OS X being Unix based is HUGE, and this article is spot on in that regard.
I grew up as a Mac hater, and hated all the snobbery like the haters here. As a college student, I couldn’t even afford a new Mac (nor would I have wanted one.) At that time though, a friend was selling his old G4 iBook to to buy a Powerbook. He asked me if I wanted to buy it from him and my reply was “hell no”. His reply: “why don’t you borrow it for a few weeks…”. In the end, I had that laptop for years until it died (incidentally, of a logic board error).
As a lifehacker productivitist and real web developer (not a designer or CSS webpage styler) working on both the Mac hardware and OS is a dream. Quicksilver is hands down the best app in existence. Adium is hands down the best instant messenger (AOL, MSN, Jabber, completely skinnable via css/javascript, etc) in existence. TextMate is hands down the best text-editor in existence. Then there’s Transmit, Grow, and Screenflow. Seriously folks – you can’t make apps in those categories better. Throw in built in support for Ruby, PHP, Apache (and this stuff works just like it would on your real web server, not some weird emulation) and for me, it’s all over.
(And for the strong at heart: While most Mac users are fine sticking with the silky top half of the OS X interface (read: regular desktop applications) there’s a whole world of features deep inside the operating system accessible via the command line. For instance, I can set up a cron job to regularly SSH into my websites, download the server logs, parse them for certain information, and alert me (via Growl or email) of any issues (this coming from a guy who graduated with a design degree). As a 6 year veteran of the Mac, I am still learning extra little things that I wasn’t aware of.)
I could care less about the magic glow around Apple. I think it’s retarded that I can’t sync my iphone to more than one itunes library. I agree with a commenter above that the rounded-shape puck mouse was the worse invention in history – something that Apple should cover their faces in shame about (I myself will never forget it) – but what they’ve created in the end can be summed up in two words personally, a joy. I really don’t care that it costs a few hundred dollars more – computers are at the center of my profession, my job, and my life – I own two macs (a 17″ I keep one work and a 13″ for travel). I really think for most of you, that if a computer is as much a part of your life as I think they are, the “too expensive” argument is moot. It was different in the past, but these days you can get a Mac for as cheap as $999 or a Apple refurb for $849 (I’ve bought Apple Certified reburbs before with no problem.)
I also still have a PC, too. It’s top of the line and I built it myself. The video card on it costs $400 – and Left 4 Dead is awesome on it. But these days, the only thing I mainly do on it is remote desktop in to it to check my torrents – it’s essentially reduced to just being a server.
Saying that, I don’t expect you to hop on the Mac bandwagon – and also if you did there’s no guarantee that you’d like it. I’m beginning to think, like learning a new language, that after a certain age it’s just really hard to switch. My good friend and coworker at work is a bonifide Window IT guy. He decided to see what all this Mac buzz was about and had work get him a 15″ Macbook Pro. He’s in love with the hardware (from the shell, LCD, long battery life, to the fatigue-reducing keyboard) but couldn’t get used to the OS. After three weeks, he ended up formatting and installing Windows on it (he dislikes Vista and upgraded to a prerelease of Windows 7). To this day he still says the hardware is the best he’s ever used and still uses it.
So in the end, I’d have to say there are a few quirks about the Mac that I don’t like, but generally, they are insignificant compared to the joy and productivity it gives me. It may be different for you like it was for Bryan, but I’ll be sticking with it until the next best thing comes along (which I don’t forsee unless Google makes an amazing OS [most likely also based on Unix] or some flavor of Linux really hits mainstream.)
Other thoughts:
I agree that the Mac Mighty Mouse is annoying. Not many non-Mac users know that if you plug-in a cheap 3rd-party mouse to a Mac the right click will work like normal. I love the Kensington 72121 ($17 MSRP). I program the extra left-side click to show my desktop and the right-side click to show all open apps.) - 380May 5th, 2009 12:11 pm
Personally, I’d advise against switching the modifier key, in that there is a good reason for it (consider the finger distance between Command/Windows key and Z,X,C,V as opposed to the CTRL-V strech).
The other reason, of course, is that Unix apps tend to be CTRL sensitive (which was the whole reason that Command key was introduced back in the 80s – the need for a new shortcut key, while still supporting existing CTRL shortcuts.
However, Windows had to support the millions of existing PCs out there so had to go with a key that could be found on existing keyboards . . . then by the time most keyboards had the extra optional Windows key it was all too late).Personally, I’ve got to the point where I can easily swap between the two systems without often making an error (especially since the Citrix and Parallels apps allow Command to be mapped to CTRL in Windows when running from an OS X host).
The same applies to maximising windows – it’s interesting to note people new to OS X try and do this, even when there is no logical reason (for instance, Safari has opened to the actual size of the web page). When I first encountered OS X I couldn’t understand why my brother had a complete mess of open windows all over the place, but now I often find myself frustrated with how difficult it is to get the same view on Windows, or trying to drag a piece of text directly to the Outlook icon to create a new mail.
Do I like it 100%? No – there are a lot of areas I hope they improve – I really like the ability to do single app ‘expose’ on Windows 7 from the Taskbar.
As for expense – if you are a software developer or designer, you should be using whatever makes you the most productive. I’m not saying Macs necessarily are – if your main thing is Photoshop work you may get better performance on a Windows box, for a web server running mySQL and Apache, Linux is a better choice. But it’s a foolish bargain to save $500 now, but pay for it in 15 minutes lost productivity per week (work out how long that will really take to pay back at your commercial rate).
Far too many IT decisions are made that way, often because IT capital costs are in a completely different budget – even when it’s our own (we often decide what we can afford, and then see what we can get, rather than what we require, and how cheap we can get it).
- 381May 5th, 2009 12:41 pm
I prefer Mac because I like it better.
- 382May 6th, 2009 2:45 am
just computers…
the talent is in your brains… to be fair; most competitive developers and designers just need a computer, no matter the OS. - 383May 6th, 2009 4:56 am
to Mauvis
I just can’t understand why You need 3 computers ? I have 15.4 laptop with vista and can do all Your described thinks.
- 384May 6th, 2009 5:30 am
mikemike said it all already.
I’m a PC proudly running Windows 7 – and Apple sucks. Thanks for the stupid article, couldn’t be more useless..
- 385May 6th, 2009 5:41 am
I’m a software engineer – I work mostly on server-side enterprise Java systems.. and I don’t know of a single engineer that uses a MAC. Servers are mostly Linux, or else Windows – users out there on the web are practically all on Windows machines.. And while this is true:
“..despite the efforts of Ubuntu it is still a ways off in terms of being a turnkey solution for most people..”
The title of this article is why developers are supposedly switching to using Macs – not most people. The “genius bars” and beautiful design are wonderful – but for developers? Professional technologists? Who cares about genius bars – they don’t even exist in the vast majority of the world – who cares about the beauty of the machine or the zippy graphical tools when you’re going to be mounting your finished masterpiece onto a command-line managed Dell-box in a rack someplace.
In my experience, the reality is that developers try to use whatever is most similar to the server in order to develop (to try to limit surprises during deployment), and/or whatever most users are using in order to test during development (to try minimise errors on the most popular platform). This just makes for the most efficient development process. Since Mac on both the server and client sides constitute just a tiny proportion of the market – it makes no sense to introduce a Mac into your environment – it’s just unnecessary extra complexity. - 386May 6th, 2009 1:50 pm
The Cake is a lie…and your Macs are PCs too.
- 387May 6th, 2009 5:03 pm
I think if you are a designer or a just normal computer user, Mac may be good to switch to. But like P. Anjout on post no.386 said, Mac is not a good platform or not even a platform for most Coders. and it is not good for people like trying new softwares frenquently as so far the number of Windows/Linux softwares is much much larger than the number of software for Mac.
Some people I know why use Mac is for following reasons:
1. He/she is a (graphics/web) designer.
2. Treating Mac product is a Fashion icon. It is COOL using a Mac in public place.
3. Working for Apple or Adobe : – ) - 388May 6th, 2009 11:24 pm
I’m a graphic designer and professional developer and don’t get this.
I’ve built a Q6660 with 4GB of Ram 2 years ago for like 1000 bucks. Why the fuck would I want a mac? With the saved money I bought an 24″ tft from EIZO. Luxology Modo runs, Maya runs, Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator / InDesign etc. runs, Git runs, Ruby runs, Visual Studio runs, Mercurial runs, Postgres runs, SQL Server runs, I can boot into Ubuntu, can actually install a GTX 260 and easily upgrade my box (unlike the iMac), can virtualize Mac OSX / hackintosh with VMWare.
Why the fuck would I want to buy on overpriced piece of INTEL hardware?
Windows 7 is fast and stable. I’ve a Mac / PC setup at work and the Mac is nowhere near as reliable as you guys claim.
My iPhone is slow as fuck and regularly crashes.
Aesthetics and functionality should be an integrated approach and Apple overdid it with removing the anti-glare option on most Macs. What a graphic designer would want to work without anti-glare?
- 389May 8th, 2009 1:50 pm
I know this is geared toward more static design but I started using a Mac for one simple reason . . . Final Cut Pro. This is simply the most powerful complete Film Video package around. Not every app within FCP is top-of-the-line but they are getting better all the time. The fact that such a powerful color grading program is included in this package is unbelievable.
Again, there are other ways to accomplish these jobs but a Mac looks downright cheap when it’s used extensively in Film/Video. I was forced to switch to Mac for my job but I haven’t really looked back since.
- 390May 11th, 2009 1:32 pm
FrankG (comment 54.)
What are you talking about!?! The reason why you got burnt was because you hired the wrong designer. I agree with Milos (comment 11.) “Good designers deliver good work no matter what tool they use.”
- 391May 12th, 2009 7:39 pm
Since many uses Windows in my country, it will be so difficult when Mac gets a hardware problem. You never realize how hard to deal with the machine problem unless you get one. I tended to switch to Mac so many times but I finally stay with PC cos of the above reason. And of course, Mac is far more expensive than PC, though.
- 392May 12th, 2009 8:58 pm
For me, not being able to resize the windows from all edges is a single most frustrating thing about OSX. The lack of keyboard support to move and resize windows is even more frustrating. For an OS that touts usability this is just annoying. I was so frustrated that I even wrote a tool to solve these issue. See MoveResize tool.
Secondly, inconsistent behavior of maximize button is inexplicable for an OS that claims consistency.
In fact, if you read many of the reasons above, closely, they are in fact limitations or inconsistencies of Mac OS – which some how become “advantages” – strange.
Plainly, I like the sleek “look” of Mac OS. I do not like the “feel” of Mac OS – which IMHO – for getting the real work done is more important. I simply customize my Linux or Windows to look like Mac OS and enjoy the “feel” of Linux and Mac – which by the way is easy to do on Linux and Mac.
I have to say that drag and drop is applied quite well in places on Mac OSX. However, it is starting to be applied equally well in Windows and Linux.
- 393May 13th, 2009 11:38 am
Errr… I meant to say “enjoy the “feel” of Linux and Windows – which by the way is easy to do on Linux and Windows.”
- 394May 13th, 2009 1:48 pm
I am PC although I love Mac and would love to have one. But it is absolutely disgraceful how much a mac costs. For $1890 I can get a LATPTOP with Dual Core 2 with 8 Gig Ram, 512 MB N Videa grpahics card, 2TB Harddrive and everything my heart desires. And for that matter it will be cheaper than $1400. But, then, even with my state of the art machine I will be looking at mac and downloading window blinds to transform vista so it looks like a mac. And even with all my customization and transformation having it look and sound just a like Leopard, I will still realize that it is so far from that wonderful Leopard experience.
Please somebody. Buy me a mac.
- 395May 13th, 2009 2:56 pm
very good point on #8.
you got the point Dieter!!
- 396May 13th, 2009 2:57 pm
very good point on #8.
you got the point Dieter!!
- 397May 16th, 2009 6:29 am
I’m currently studying Graphic Design in University, and they keep hassling us to convert to Macs, yet none of them can really give me a better reason to do so than “it’s industry standard” or “it’s more efficient.”
From my experience I’ve used a PC all my life, and have only recently started using Macs at University (however, only because that’s what they have available for the Graphic Design school). And I must say, yes, Macs can multitask better, though a PC can overcome this by having some extra RAM. From my experience using both, the Adobe Suite works exactly the same apart from the shortcut keys, as I constantly save work to a USB, take it home to my PC, work on it, take it back to the Mac while I’m at University, work on it some more etc… I have no hassles there.
I admit the Macs look heavenly, and I get jelous of their beautiful designs, they really win with aesthetics, but then the price makes my aggrivated. I almost bought the top-end MacBookPro, only to realise for the same price I could buy a descent car to get me going, or two Full HD LCD televisions. I suddenly realised how much money it would cost and turned sour on the whole idea.
They are more expensive because they are better designed, yes, but it’s obvious they make it so much more expensive then it needs to be. They have the design market brainwashed, making them think they are “real designers” if they have a Mac.
Being hassled to buy a Mac has really done my head in, but I continue to look at it logically (as in, not just follow the craze as a designer). At the end of the day, there is no perfect reason why all designers should migrate to the Mac. At the end of the day designers need the Adobe Creative Suite, and as long as they do the same thing on both systems you can make your own choice whether to buy one or not.
As for me, I’d rather keep my PC, and upgrade it once a year rather than being totally annoyed by buying a brand new Mac, only for a new model to come out a few months later and have to lose $1000 or so by selling it and buying anew for something slightly better, mostly aesthetic to be sure. If I do end up doing so, it would be beause I will be doing Web Designing and I’ll probably buy something like the Mac Mini (cheapest of the bunch, yet still overpriced for what’s inside) to test things on.
I personally don’t like the way the Mac OS X displays windows, giving the program’s panel up the top of the screen. It really gets me confused as to what is currently open or not. And not being able to make programs full screen such as web browsers and Photoshop is frustrating. I am more comfortable working with Windows (I work with XP), and with Windows 7 coming soon, I’m sure it will give me an offering of some of the eye candy that Mac OS X offers too.
That’s my 2 cents worth anyway from experience with both platforms.
- 398May 20th, 2009 9:37 am
Stupid motivations for stupid people. You’re a Mac fanboy not a developer or designer.
- 399May 22nd, 2009 10:10 pm
lol this is awesome, has anyone read the thing about it being for Developers and not for Designers. Noobs
- 400May 23rd, 2009 3:02 am
What a discussion… I think many people who say mac is worse have never used one.
Mac is way better than Windows, it’s not because YOU mac haters can’t afford one that it isn’t as good as a Windows. Cause every mac user knows that it’s a thousand times better!
- 401May 24th, 2009 5:31 pm
I’ve used both Mac and Windows, and I must say I feel more at home with Windows. Though I’m not a Mac hater.
I’ve heard the only real solid argument against Windows for Designers (away from all this “I prefer…” and subjective choices) is that Mac OS X handles fonts better, which is why printing presses use them etc. I’ve heard that they won’t accept files sent to them from a PC, is this true?
- 402May 24th, 2009 6:30 pm
Well, I believe this article has caused once again the infamous Mac Vs. PC turmoil it usually does. I’m starting to think that you guys write these articles just to get more comments.
I worked with Windows for 3 years, learning Photoshop, Flash. Then, one faithful day my mother came home with an iMac. At first I was mystified by the thing. Why did the windows not maximize properly, where the hell was the file bar, where did my minimized window go?
After a few days of playing around with it, I was addicted to that thing.
It runs a whole lot smoother than Vista, looks better and has a lot more productive features, particularly Expose and Spaces.
Bash on me, PC haters. Go go go!
- 403May 25th, 2009 12:43 pm
Zitat from:
8. Dieter Mueller (April 26th, 2009, 2:30 pm)
“How lame.
I am a freelancer since 1989 – using both Macs & PC. Maybe five but certainly ten years ago there were REAL reasons to use a Mac: better fonts, better applications, better hardware (how that has changed – Macs are basically Intel clones today and Apple’s production standards have slipped in some products) more stable production environment. Today Photoshop is Photoshop (or any other important design tool) – no matter on which box you run it on.
A good designer delivers good work NO MATTER which tool he uses – even when it’s only pen and paper. Stop that techno & brand fetishism – do some good work instead.”
now its me:
Really lame, its just about the image. Apple has a nice clean Design. For shure! You love it as an Designer or developer or whatever. But i use windows at home. Its more flexible and developers can do every job on this platform. i think the macDesign is really good and the biggest point why you love it. My windows pc is build up from single parts by my own i installed an customized windows and that feels really personal to me. Why do you say my mac? he looks the same like all the other once :-) Why should i pay alot of money for a brandname. I dont trust both of them but apple looks more like the big company wich closes the doors for other companys. i hate ipods! :-D i hate the i muhahaha and the cake is a lie!!! So for every one a piece of cake!
- 404May 25th, 2009 8:41 pm
Juliany, do you have problems sending files from a PC to offeset printers and printing presses etc? Because it is what I fear, sure you are paying more for a Mac because they are built better, but a large some of that price is just the brand, hence you are paying for the brand name.
A friend of mine at uni bought one, $4000 AUS, and she’ll be paying it off for the next 2 years! It’s too much money. Instead of buying a Mac I upgraded my computer to 3.12Ghz Intel Core Duo, 4 GB RAM (3 actually, until Windows 7 comes out and can recognize more than XP) and bought a Wacom Cintiq 12WX Graphics Tablet, still for much cheaper than a decent Mac Book Pro.
I still have to buy a laptop at the end of the year, and while I’ve recently found some laptops from Dell that look great too and at half the price. Tt the back of my mind I’m wondering if not getting a Mac is a smart decision. How many problems will I encounter in the future using a PC (like fonts especially) or is it basically designer fetishism?
I really believe a designer will produce better work with what he is comfortable with. Heck, traditional pen and paper designers are still out there and produce fantastic work that could beat digital based stuff.
- 405June 2nd, 2009 6:44 am
I recently made the switch – sorta. I have a MacPro and run mac os, vista, and linux on separate hard drives. Currently I switch between the tools depending on what I am doing. I design in Mac because photoshop and illustrator are simply faster especially when I am doing billboard graphics. However, I code in windows. I prefer my current set of tools and they aren’t available in Mac. Linux is my playground :)
- 406June 3rd, 2009 10:46 am
I feel like I’m the only person who dislikes the interface with Macs. I strongly dislike the one-button mouse (especially years ago when the mouse was perfectly circular), the GUI, and the location of various aspects of the system. I don’t find them intuitive at all! I do like the operating system base, but I’ve done web development/design on Windows machines for years and even after almost a year of using a Mac at work/at school, I still won’t make the change.
I’m of the same opinion as a lot of the responders that Mac is the “hip” and “trendy” thing to do. At my college a lot of our programmers call it “trendy garbage”. Not worth the price for the small benefit.
I’m also a gamer and most games are not compatible with Macs, unfortunately. Further fueling the fire for me NOT to get one.
- 407June 4th, 2009 9:48 am
I don’t see your point of claiming Mac’s security. The number of exposed (publicly known) bugs does not represent how many bugs are actually inside the OS. It might be simply because Windows (for example) has a larger user base and received more attention on its security, thus more bugs are found. There have had been projects like the Month of Apple Bugs, Month of Kernel Bugs that reveals a lot of bugs in a month. All I am saying is you need statistical references to support your reasoning unless you are an expert of this particular domain.
- 408June 4th, 2009 4:29 pm
Ah, the PC vs. Mac debate.
I have both. I don’t think I’ll ever buy an Apple desktop, and I don’t think I’ll ever buy a Windows-based notebook. Apple knows how to make good notebook machines – well-designed cases, useful function buttons and decent aesthetics. But the standards are slipping a lot – what the hell is up with this glossy obsession. I can see more of my face than I can the screen, unless I start burning my eyes with the ridiculous backlight.
For me, the Mac OS (7..8,9,X) has always been a long way behind windows in terms of pure utilitarian usability. With the one exception of the Expose task switcher – that’s been a godsend on my portable use. But Expose isn’t anywhere near perfect. It’s always been a lot slower than Windows, the features you list up there are largely useless to me, or superficial. OSX doesn’t have a unified UI and you know it. Quartz Extreme isn’t a big deal – Vista/Win7 have the same class of compositing UI engine – and you really don’t gain much other than eye candy (which, coincidentally, slows one down). Security is a non-issue – Mac OS has issues, Windows has issues, and neither is more or less open-source friendly than the other.
When it comes to third party apps, if you’re a home or hobby user, Apple’s got your back – TextMate is neat, Growl is great, and Adium is smooth as butter. But for bigger apps, Windows is many years ahead. The Adobe Creative Suite runs better on Windows – and you can downgrade to CS1 or 2 for some apps if you’re sick of Adobe’s UI & performance bullshit. Try that on an Intel Mac – yeah, didn’t think so. Java apps run better on windows. IDEs on Mac OS X are terrible compared to their windows counterparts. Even multiplatform Java-based IDEs like Eclipse and NetBeans just work a lot better on Windows (thanks to Java on OSX…).
Really though, the biggest motivating factor for me right now is the fact that on the desktop, I can get almost twice the performance for half the price, and I’m not locked down to Apple’s hardware, so a year later I double my performance again for a quarter the price of a new mac. Notebooks are different – you’re locked in either way, and Apple makes a superior machine – or at least, they used to – I’m not so sure anymore.
- 409June 4th, 2009 6:34 pm
Kim, you’re not the only one who feels that way. I hate the mouse (I mean, it feels nice in your hand but the lack of the right click is frustrating, meaning you have to always have your left hand at the Control button unless you activate the second click which isn’t always 100% accurate. Not to mention those side buttons that get clicked accidentally at least once every hour.)
I really like the look of OSX but hate all the windows piled up on each other and it gets messy. I still love Windows and can’t wait for 7 to be released so we can finally have some eye candy of our own.
I agree they make some sexy notebooks, and I’d expect to pay a little more for the sturdy build, but I just can’t see the justice in an extra $1000 AUS for something I can get in another laptop. Everybody at my uni is buying macs because the lecturers are leading them to believe it’s 100% neccessary, and these kids are only getting it because they like using the OSX and they want in on the Mac craze so they ‘feel’ like a designer. I personally like the look of the Mac laptops but won’t buy one because I cannot justify spending $4000 AUS for a decent Macbook Pro.
I’m gonna do a flip and buy a Dell laptop cause I still can’t get used to OSX and hate the idea of it all just being a craze. I like the look of Dell laptops, as they seem to be catching up (slowly) to Macbook’s aesthetics and I can get a better one for almost half the price. Though I wish laptop manufacturers would stop making their laptops glossy, as it just looks like a smudgy mess after a while.
But yeah, Kim, it does seem like just the “craze” for designers, making you feel like you’re not a designer unless you have a Mac. But I must say this, it’s us who are the designers, not the machines. ;) Stay strong, fight the current.
- 410June 5th, 2009 11:42 am
I’d like to offer a few additional points that I feel the article missed on.
1. The mouse: I use a regular Logitech mouse and it works just fine. I left/right click just like on my Windows machines. There is no difference. The apple mouse my Macs came with had the single click thing, but you don’t have to use them. And I’d ask, why would anyone anyway?
Don’t know why people keep talking about one-button mouses.
2. About the price point. I have a Dual G5 w/4 gigs ram I bought in 2008 for $700 (in fact, I bought a 2nd one too). It’s an old system of course, yet I do all my Adobe CS 3 work on it, edit videos, produce audio via GarageBand and more—all without issue. I’ve even played WoW (thankfully, I’ve broke that addiction). Unlike with PCs, you really don’t need to upgrade Macs that often.
Personally, I prefer Macs, but have both. Before OS X, Macs weren’t even on my radar, but since then it’s been heavenly. :)
BTW, I’m also a professional writer/editor and switched from Word to Pages. It’s much, much better overall. That program has really come along. Pages 09 is a dream–from writing/editing books to creating newsletters.
However, debates on which is better is a pointless waste of time.
Use the system you feel comfortable with and go with that.
- 411
- 412June 11th, 2009 3:45 am
One problem I have with this, and so many other “Macs-are-better-than-PCs” articles is that the writers can’t seem to distinguish between the operating system and the software that the manufacturer bundles with the operating system. The “built-ins” are not the operating system. They should more accurately be described as “add-ons.”
- 413June 11th, 2009 4:10 am
Are you correct in stating “OSX is the only OS you can get that can virtualize all three major operating systems out of the box.”?
My understanding is that OSX does not virtualize operating systems out of the box, you have to install software to do it. Parallels and VMWare fusion are commercial products, although Virtualbox is a free download, nontheless they require downloading and installing – this is not really considered to be out of the box in techy circles.
MIcrosoft and Linux based operating systems can both do this with freely downloadable software so I fail to understand why you say OSX is the ONLY OS that can do this?
If you mean Bootcamp then this is not really virtualization since it is dual booting the system, again this is not new or exclusive to OSX since you can dual boot any system to run operating systems compatible with the hardware.
So all in all I really don’t see why this is an advantage over other operating systems since the process of virtualizing a different operating system is essentially the same on all (I’ve done this on Windows, OSX and Ubuntu).
Other that this I like the artcle and I’m enjoying my recent mac conversion!
- 414June 11th, 2009 6:44 am
An article that lists five reasons why WEB DEVELOPERS are switching to Mac ought to pertain to developing websites. Simply stating the core animation is better in OS X than Windows is not a good reason to switch!
Here, I’ll give you three good reasons to get you started:
1) Native POSIX compliant filesystem
2) Native GNU userland tools, i.e. SSH, rsync and the like
3) Ability to run Apache, MySQL and PHP locally - 415June 11th, 2009 10:22 pm
I agree with mallchin for those three points above, although number 3 is debatable :)
Every platform has its own quirk and strength, and which one you love most is yours to choose, but then, what matters most is the usability of the tool not what the tool is, IMHO.
I’m a designer/developer for 15 years, working on projects ranging from websites, multiplatform desktop application, mobile application, to embedded devices. I even had a taste of SGI Irix back in its heyday, so i guess i can call myself a developer, am i ? so then here is my thoughts :
if you want the power of POSIX/UNIX, but couldn’t care less for those make files, get a Mac
if you want stable but cheap platform, get Linux.
if you think command line and terminal is cool and powerful, get Linux or Mac.
if you are IT pros but want to sneak up and slacking behind your boss playing games, get Windows.
if you are IT pros want to be busy cleaning up viruses and spyware all day for the rest of your career, you must love Windows unconditionally.
If you call yourself designer/developer/IT professional but still fighting over which platform is better than the other… just get a life.as for me :
I love my Mac
I don’t use Quicksilver, as i’m happy as long Mail, Firefox, Terminal, Eclipse, Textmate, Expose and Spaces can get along nicely
I’m using USB 3 buttons mouse on my Mac
I use Linux on my server, and company servers as well, along with those virtualization bells and whistles to optimally utilize redundant server resources.
The company I work for sells mostly Windows only devices.
I still use Windows because multiplatform software i created needs to be tested on it, and also because that family PC needs something everybody is familiar with
Nothing is wrong with Windows, it’s bloated, but most people can live with such bloat, so i can not say that they are wrong either, they just don’t have as many choices as i have.And the reason I love Mac the most : I can have a house and a Mercedes from all those work I did on my Mac, and oh… add to those a great family… then i couldn’t ask for more reason why I shouldn’t switch to ( and love ) Mac :)
- 416June 12th, 2009 7:58 am
I personally use both windows and mac daily. I prefer mac, but it’s not for everyone or every project for that matter…
The big picture here is that we use these machines for work, entertainment, etc. Windows and Mac are excellent tools that help us all tremendously to achieve our everyday tasks. I may be a mac fanboy, but give Windows credit they have a good ad campaign going and you cannot beat the price.
- 417June 18th, 2009 10:24 am
Hi there, i wanted to switch to mac about 3 month ago. Sold my Windows system and bought a Mac Pro with 2 Graphic Cards installed so i can run my 3 Screens. I need these because i got many apps running at the same time. After the first day i found the biggest problem that actualy made me install Windows on my Mac and switchback. If you have your app on diffrent screens the menubar of the app will allways stay on the primery screen, witch make you run back and forward between your screen and loos precoius time! i have not found any patches either to make the menubar stick to the app window. the solutions avaliable are far from aceptable.
SO NOW I AM RUNNING VISTA 64BIT ON E VERRY VERRY EXPENSIVE MAC PRO :-(
If there will ever bee a solution for that problem i will deffinetly start using OSX !
Greetings from germany— GIO - 418June 23rd, 2009 12:53 am
Few more things to add:-
1) AppleScript
2) Keyboard shortcuts - 419June 23rd, 2009 2:09 pm
Marketing 101 – How to turn your product’s downside into a selling point
Problem:
There’s lock-in and broken things by designSolution:
Turn into a selling point claiming it’s “Opinionated Software” - 420June 28th, 2009 11:59 pm
Hi dudes!
I am designer and I use VIsta 64 Ultimate.
I love it.
I wanted to buy a mac, because I was sick of this boring XP icons and pixels around, but for really small cash I upgraded my PC and I put Vista on it and I love it. And i just forgot about expensive macs.
I have 8 gigs of Ram, the vista is running so smooth, so good, no problems, everythig is just perfect.
I don’t mind mac, but all the programs I have are for windows, I feel more free to go deeper in the stuff and make whatever I want from my windows and guys, it is stupid to make from Vista Leopard Looking shit. Just use your vista.
- 421June 29th, 2009 12:02 am
And in fact, these are just MACHINES!!!!
Its a crap, u just need to make your work, get your money and go out with your family, analog family I mean, analog wife, girlfriend.
thats all.
- 422July 8th, 2009 10:05 am
I love MAC!!!
- 423July 8th, 2009 12:20 pm
I am a Mac lover, ( im french sorry for my english )
But ! Im working in the Digital film industries. Im doing video etiting whit 4k raw footage ( 4096 x 2160 each frame at 24p ) Full hd is 1920-1080 …
I need a special acquistion card , 8core, 16g or ram, 3 HD output minitoring and 4terrabytes hard drive. A mac would cost me around 7000-10 000$can and a pc whit the same specs …. around 3000$, i can build it myself.
Just for the tower, im not including monitoring screen … I will go whit pc even if i like mac … i cant affort it.
- 424July 9th, 2009 4:26 pm
Simply put macs are for people who want to jerk off without using porn. Linux is for people with no money and all the rest just put up with Windows.
OSX is actually a pretty awful interface – sure it looks good but its slow as hell. On the other extreme linux is butt ugly and looks like it was designed by someone who goes to 1 hour classes in graphics at nightschool.
- 425July 29th, 2009 11:26 pm
excellent article , i love to work on mac. People should come out of MS word
Thanks ,http://ansblog.com - 426August 4th, 2009 5:43 pm
when i switched from mac to pc about a decade ago, the speed of my output/workflow more than doubled. this was primarily due to the two-button mouse, windows keyboard shortcuts, windows explorer, and the speed of working in DOS mode. all i care about is how quickly i can get from point A to point B. the only thing the mac does (and yes, I have worked on a mac in recent years), is slow me down. why? it just takes a longer to do all the same things. and i really don’t give a crap about what it looks like since i spend 99% of my time in the same looking applications anyway. photoshop on a pc looks the same on a mac. FF in a pc looks the same on a mac. PHP in a text editor looks the same on a pc as it does on a mac. i just don’t get why some people are actually proud of the fact that they’ve got a mac for which they’ve paid nearly twice as much! kind-of reminds me of my jr-high days when i actually felt better about myself because of the Polo shirts that I wore which cost twice as much as ordinary shirts. at the end of the day, it was just a shirt, and Polo was the one smiling. (maybe the same is true for Diesel jeans… I mean c’mon!!! now who’s kidding who?)
- 427August 31st, 2009 9:07 am
Nice article, comments are revealing as well: PC apologists seem rabid AND cheap (an unhealthy but apparently necessary combo, IMHO).
Both are just electrified Boxes, after all… and if you want to word process, mail, surf, play games or other office or consumer-oriented functions, either box will serve (and truly, the cheaper the better). If you play games, or like to electronically tinker under the hood, you will be better served by the cheaper boxes… or even if you want to BE the geek to support friends and family: building, cleaning, maintaining and fixing everyones box. Just recognize what your motivation is…
If, on the other hand, you have evolved a “Digital Lifestyle” of Digital music, video, and photos, and want to actually CREATE your own mashes of Digital stuff (not just consume other’s creations) perhaps, look at the boxes Designed (from the ground up-since ‘98) to do digital work…to work with digital software, Macs.
This is not to say that you can’t build an open PC box to do digital work, by custom picking appropriate software that will integrate well together… (ie Adobe) just don’t expect an integrated experience out of the box without considerable effort AND expense, But it CAN be done!!! (witness the above comments- especially if you primarily want to code)
It is just NOT how I want to spend my time, nor can I afford it. I get paid much more as a Designer, than an electronic technician, plus I ENJOY designing much more than ‘fixing’. I just want the system to work… NOT to spend time or money maintaining my box from viruses, and trying to figure out which formats work together. I want functionality, AND I want form… to work together and well, and So Far, Apple has made that its mission statement in ALL of its products, and while not perfect, It is at least heading in the right direction.
The tools never make the craftsman, and just by buying a mac Does NOT make you a better Designer. But just like a carpenter doesn’t want to fight himself by using cheaper tools, and will pay more for a “Hammer” with better Form & Function, because it gets out of the way and allows him to WORK faster and more accurately… so an artist will pay more for better brushes… So should Designers. But not just for better Form, or not just for faster Function, it is the two in conjunction that matters… in our own work, as well as in the tools we choose to use.
Yes, you can design on a PC, but to pretend that you are ‘better’ for the less money (or more) that you spend on your tools is silly. Are you enjoying how you spend your time, are you being well compensated for your time? If so… Great! It is the pretension of both sides of the argument that infuriates. The self-congratulatory smug Mac owner, who thinks he is a designer, or the embittered & angry PC owner who has something to prove about their bargain.
- 428September 1st, 2009 6:20 am
I stopped using Windows 3 years ago when Vista came out. I was a Windows enthusiast, excited for Vista, but lets face it; Windows sucks. Its been Ubuntu for the past 3 years. Ubuntu is amazing, and at this point, I could never give up having the *nix terminal. However, I am so sick of the annoyances of having a real os. I miss Illustrator. Running Photoshop over Wine is pathetic. I can’t stream Netflix. The list goes on. After years of waiting, I get my Mackbook Pro today, and I am never going back!
- 429September 23rd, 2009 10:06 am
What this article misses is that while Windows Vista isn’t that great the Microsoft Server solutions including their ASP.NET framework and languages are quite good. The Microsoft database solution Sql Server is top notch and actually heads above the MySql solution in terms of features and ease of development.
The Microsoft development environment Visual Studio is one of the best environments out there.
And finally Microsoft gives you continuity across platforms. For most purposes there isn’t a reasonable Apple server solution. However ASP.NET runs across all of the Microsoft environments from developer machine to server environment.
With Apple and open source solutions you’re deployment platform is different from your development environment. With ASP.NET you’re deploying into a WIndows Server environment. As for as bad as Vista is Microsoft’s server OSes are good solid reliable workhorses.
I’m fairly certain that the author has never experienced the Visual Studio tools or the Microsoft server environments.
- 430September 27th, 2009 12:20 pm
the mac vs. windows debate is old news… none of this matters anyway! Its all personal preference. And the tools DO make the designer. Would a painter be a painter without a paintbrush? I don’t think so. But its up to the painter to choose the type of paintbrush he/she feels comfortable using. I’ve used both platforms windows and macintosh… personally, I’m more comfortable on a mac. It’s not the aesthetics or the price… its all in how the tools and programs are set up… i can navigate a mac with ease… i know the commands like the back of my hand and I have less problems running the programs I need… reiterating… THE PROGRAMS I NEED! Now if you’re a designer and you don’t use a mac… cool beans… I’m happy for you. Whatever floats your boat is fine with me. I prefer mac… its easier for me to use! So stop calling ppl lame just bc they like one better than the other! its so childish!
- 431September 27th, 2009 12:25 pm
A computer is a computer! It breaks down the same way no matter how you look at it! Its all in whats in the brain my friends! The GUA are coming!!!
Believe the Unbelievable!
- 432November 2nd, 2009 12:26 pm
if GUA than i can stop working now.. nice. ;)
- 432
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- @HrvojeKC yes, that's an interesting idea. Maybe when the waiting is over, we'll write a detailed post about it.
- @benbeltran thanks, Ben, your support means a lot to us.
- @dandenney thanks for the nice words, Dan - really appreciate it.
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Odd, I know not one developer that uses a Mac, open source user or otherwise.
Mac is no more open source friendly that Windows, in fact there is probably more open source software that will only run in Windows.
I wonder if the percentage of malware on Apples vs Windows matches the install base. In my mind why bother targeting a smaller base of users if you have a larger market to attack ?
Textmate – wow one editor like most major pieces of software on the market for a Mac – I can’t even count the number of editors I haved tried over time, all probably just as good
Windows has been doing system virtualisation long before Apple ever dreamed of it. Again, not just one choice of software to do it. Many!
I am wondering when Apple are going to be hit with the same anti-trust lawsuits for including all that software they do with the operating system. Same set of rules should apply to them that apply to Microsoft!!!
As for Apple support – in South Africa it’s non-existant – watching my designer friends silly enough to use it trying to get a RAM module swapped in warranty has been extremely entertaining – the local distributor is a crook.
This article is written by a typical Microsoft basher – get a life…
I wonder how much Apple paid Smashing Magazine for this fluff piece ? I think this is the last time I visit this site. RSS reader (yes one of many on Windows) – DELETE!