Should Editing Computer Be Used Only for Editing?

[Sean Oneil]

99% of Mac apps are just apps. They don’t run in the background, they don’t alter the kernel, etc. So technically it makes no difference the vast majority of the time. If an application isn’t launched, then it’s the same as if you never installed it in the first place.

[Dylan Reeve]

I can’t make any comment specific to Macs/FCP as I don’t have one just yet, but in the past few years, I’ve only edited in one suite that didn’t have at least a browser and email client on the editing computer, and that’s because it was a Linear online suite and didn’t even have an OS. However the character gen machine had browser, email and a few other apps.

On the suites I’ve installed an managed, I always install (beyond necessary editing stuff)
– Browser (typically Firefox)
– Email Client (typically Thunderbird)
– Office Suite (typically OpenOffice.org)
– CD/DVD Burning apps (typically Nero)
– Instant Messenger (typically MSN/Live Messenger)
– Virtual CD device (typically MagicISO thing)
– Media Player (typically VLC)

Also, anti-virus and such.

I no-longer see browsing as a huge security risk (at least not with MSIE), nor email. But I also set Windows to disallow Outlook Express and MSIE from operation, as I don’t trust either of them.

As for viruses and other such nasties, I’ve found we’re far more at risk from client USB drives and the like than from email or web browsing. That should be even less of a concern on OS X with a properly implemented permission system.

I find it too difficult in a work environment to not have most of these things. While it is possible to setup another computer for these activities, it can be a pain.

I don’t think it’s a great idea to install any old thing, but at the same time, I don’t think you need to go overboard. Even Avid, which has been known for been picky about what it resides with, seems to have no major problems with anything I tend to install these days.

[Dylan Reeve]

Personally I feel that this is very much a left over from the PC editing world. I’ve edited on Avids for years and would suggest that they are only used for editing as they are way more sensitive in my experience.

I don’t think that is a realistic criticism any longer. Aside from a few specific conflicts, Avid is pretty resilient to other applications. I’ve had no problems with the majority of apps that you might reasonably want to use in this sort of situation.

There are a few gotchas (Avid can be pretty picky about graphics drivers and Quicktime versions) but mostly it’ll play happily with others (kind of like my two-year-old).

Certainly applications within reason should cause no problems. Perhaps games and things (likely to mess with things like graphics drivers) should be avoided, but general workstation apps are fine. I’ve run the full Adobe CS suite with Avid, no problems (even with Avid, AE, Photoshop and Encore open at once). I can even use Avid and Edius at the same time (as long as I start Edius first).

Don’t get carried away with it, but don’t freak out either I’d say. There’s plenty of GB and GHz to do around 🙂

[Dylan Reeve]

But MacBooks are pretty cheap now. just getting one of those for everything but editing isn’t so bad, again if you’re getting paid to do this.

Silly as it might sound here – why not buy a ‘PC’? A fairly grunty Windows (XP, don’t punish yourself with Vista just yet) machine with a half-decent monitor is cheap as chips. For the types of things we’re talking about here, it’s hardly going to make a difference to anyone (email and web is the same on anything) – plus it gives you a little more diversity for those times when it’s just handy to have other systems.

Personally I wouldn’t be shelling out the extra $$$ for a Mac if I didn’t have to (obviously FCP is a ‘have to’ situation) but for all the other stuff, it’s all pretty much the same.

[Justin Coleman]

Yes you are correct, Im not suggesting that macs have somehow revolutionised editing. Both platforms have become astonishingly stable over the past decade and I thank Apple enormously for making the market a more competitive place as Im sure that has helped the progression.

One issue for Avid, I feel, is that they have to keep longer term users working with the systems today to see how stable they are and what they are capable of so we dont simply remember NT platform machines. For me thats mostly about pricing. Certainly in the UK I think Avid is hugely overpriced on the hardware side of things, in comparison to Blackmagic or AJA powered FCP suites. Im increasingly using FCP simply because they are cheaper for companies to kit out edit suites with.

In the UK an Avid with Adrenaline box with the HD option is still