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Deciding whether to swith to PremierePro CS6
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We can all argue this PC vs Mac thing forever.
I for one have way too many years with both and have to side on the Apple part for creative.
I use Windows for 3D and Digital Signage/Touch Screen projects.
For 3D, our DELL/BOXX systems have started to show its age after only 2 years.
For Digital Signage/Touch Screen…horrendous in so many levels.
The good thing is that its deemed as a player and not mission critical for creative.
Now since we are on the subject of creative options, Macs have outlasted our PCs in so many ways.
Is it my fault? Maybe Im not geek enough to tweak the BIOS?
The fact that I dont have to deal with that on the Apple side of things is enough to make me stick with the Mac. -
[Eric Santiago] “Now since we are on the subject of creative options, Macs have outlasted our PCs in so many ways.”
That’s great! I’m still on the Windows desktop I built back in 2005.
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These days anyone who argues the superiority of macs over pcs or vice versa is either a fan boy or a moron. Take your pick. Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive.
David
AllinOneFilms.com -
Haha….I was afraid I would break loose a Win-OSX discussion.
Again, my experience is on Windows machines I have more downtime. It is true Macs are not the fastest machines technically, but in the process of a year´s-production it is in MY environment more effective to run Macs.
Limitations in hardware or software don´t bother me as long as the software I need runs on a Mac.
Let´s end this Win-Mac discussion. The OP wants to know about PP6. -
[alban egger] “Let´s end this Win-Mac discussion. The OP wants to know about PP6.”
Danny originally said he wanted to head toward HD and do more with motion graphics.
His laptop is 5 years old; that’s fine for SD editorial, but won’t cut it anymore for HD editorial or graphics. He must replace his system anyway, so since he is considering an Adobe workflow, PCs are a new option that he didn’t have before. With apps like Premiere Pro and After Effects which are able to use as much processing power as you can provide them and leverage modern NVIDIA graphics cards for improved performance, they’re worth talking about.
“The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it.” There are a handful of people on this forum, such as yourself, Alban, who are showing that FCPX is a serious option for professional use — over the objections of the many who have not tried it.
My intent here is not to start any flame war about computer platform, but rather to share my own experience with “the impossible” — daily creative work on the PC platform. As a long time Mac die-hard, the fact that I’m working happily and very productively on PCs now, too, is shocking to folks who know me.
There are certainly reasons for Danny not to switch to a PC. There’s the whole Apple Mac/iPhone/iCloud ecosystem, there’s his minimum of five years of familiarity with the platform, there’s unique, innovative, Apple-only software like FCPX.
There are also things to dislike about Windows. I don’t like the menu bar at the top of the window instead of the top of the screen (Fitt’s Law and all). I think drive letters are bonkers in 2012. Some of the control panel layouts are more or less arranged like they were in Windows 3.1, so they’re functional but require a couple clicks more than the better-designed Mac equivalents. There’s the fact that it’s not UNIX under the hood so all those cool command-line tools and knowledge of system internals don’t transfer.
Mainly, just as with FCP7/Pr/FCPX, there’s a slightly different way of thinking to learn before Windows makes sense. Some concepts have different names, and some similar things are in different places.
My argument is that most of the traditional Mac-user reasons not to use Windows (cheap, poorly built machines, system instability, poor system security, the need for an IT degree and constant tweaking of system internals to keep the computer running) are outdated and do not apply to Windows 7 running on workstation-grade hardware.
I haven’t had to tweak my BIOS. High-end systems don’t come pre-loaded with all the lousy shovelware common on lower-end Windows systems that increase boot times and sap system performance and reliability. The build quality is marvelous, and the Z-series internals are actually better-designed than a Mac Pro’s. My system is connected 24/7 to the Internet, but Windows 7’s security model is totally overhauled compared with XP, and Microsoft Security Essentials (a free download) is sufficient; meanwhile, Mac threats are on the rise, and Apple (declared “10 years behind Microsoft on security” by one security firm) has had to improve security in Mountain Lion, too.
Whether you’re on a PC or a Mac, having a cloned system drive ready to go in case of a disastrous update or crash is a good idea. In fact, it’s absolutely nonsensical not to have one. You don’t want to spend any time futzing with settings trying to get the system working on either platform. You just boot from the spare and go about your work so you don’t miss deadlines.
Whether you’re on a PC or a Mac, you’ll have to be careful not to install too many applications that automatically start with the computer to avoid possible gradual degradation of performance that people tend to associate only with PCs. On a PC, it’s actually easier to uninstall an application like this because any application can be uninstalled from the same control panel.
Whether you’re on a PC or a Mac, you’ll need to download the latest drivers from NVIDIA for best performance with Pr CS6; on a Mac, you actually even need two separate driver downloads (one for graphics, one for CUDA).
I am only suggesting that Danny consider the strengths and weaknesses of all his options as he makes his choice, so I’m presenting the strengths and weaknesses of the PC platform (and trying to debunk some of what are falsely considered weaknesses) for consideration.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
I’m with you David – they’re both a tool to do a job. You like the Mac? Use it. You prefere the PC? Use that. How about using both for their strengths? I’m writing this on my 7 year old PC, and it’s still running like a champ! That doesn’t make it better or worse than a Mac – it’s just working.
I don’t trust evangalists for either platform; they’re usually just trying to pick your pocket.
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com -
[Walter Soyka] “My intent here is not to start any flame war about computer platform, but rather to share my own experience with “the impossible” — daily creative work on the PC platform.”
I find it amusing the way you phrased this. My first thought was, “I’ve been doing the impossible since 1999 and I didn’t even realize it?!?!”
[Walter Soyka] “I am only suggesting that Danny consider the strengths and weaknesses of all his options as he makes his choice, so I’m presenting the strengths and weaknesses of the PC platform (and trying to debunk some of what are falsely considered weaknesses) for consideration.”
Absolutely. Both Windows/OSX are incredibly viable platforms for doing creative work, each has their pluses and minuses.
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[Joseph W. Bourke] “I don’t trust evangalists for either platform; they’re usually just trying to pick your pocket.”
I just hate the snide asides, usually dropping in some technical term being used in the wrong context to boot.
To be fair, I hear this far more from the Apple fanboys than the Windows fanboys.
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[Gary Huff] “I find it amusing the way you phrased this. My first thought was, “I’ve been doing the impossible since 1999 and I didn’t even realize it?!?!””
lol – I had the same thought. I’ve also been doing creative work on Windows since the WinNT days.
[Walter Soyka] “I am only suggesting that Danny consider the strengths and weaknesses of all his options as he makes his choice, so I’m presenting the strengths and weaknesses of the PC platform (and trying to debunk some of what are falsely considered weaknesses) for consideration.”
I think Walter hits the nail on the head here (as usual). Windows isn’t perfect by any stretch, but the PC universe offers some great rewards for those who are willing to do some reseach and keep an open mind. Best of all, you can still run as many Macs as you want, it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition.
Shawn
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[Shawn Miller] “Best of all, you can still run as many Macs as you want, it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition.”
Exactly. I routinely switch between a custom built desktop Windows system and my MacBook Pro with no problems.
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