I'm having problems with Macs

[John D Harris]

Originally posted by WOLFGIR: Er.. Postscript and font handling is no advantage on the Mac anymore. Was until win2k came out though. Nowadays, bah no problem with either, and with the ICC file color managment you don´t need to bother. What built in? What kind of products do you use man.. You need to constantly check everything when you do desktop publishing regardless on what OS or puter you sit with.. Biggest problem has been that many PC users havent had the knowledge of all the desktop publishing technics and requirements, and as you said, graphic (print at least) orientated publications have been using Mac´s to almost 95%, but this is changing as well. Here in Sweden we are a bit divided, I still sit in a 80% Mac city, whereas other places are becomming more and more 50/50. And crossover between Mac and PC is only a limitation if you don´t know what you are doing. I prefer my PC to the Macintosh for most programs, but I work mostly with Multimedia and webdesign on it and I haven´t got Quark for it. Need to work with Quark, make it on a Mac, need to make PDF files, I make the PS file on a Mac, distills on my PC. No problemo. There are only advantages to how you like to work. The machines are just machines, doing what you tell them to do. The best machine is the machine that lets you do what you need to do, and that is usually the machine you understand to work with. Photoshop and Illustrator work exactly the same for both Mac and PC, as do InDesign, Quark etc etc. The Mac isn´t better for color correction, not anymore, it used to be but isn´t. As long as you are aware of the color curves and the color correction profiles, you can use any monitor you like and any computer that you can change the colors on. I know, I work professionally making print and web on both platforms. No problemo. Only problem is that sooo many people like Powerpoint..

I'll have to defer to you on the Web stuff, I'm in the print media field (screenprinting) I use my eye and experiance, more then what the computer tells me the seps should be. Screenprinting we have pain in the rear factors we have to deal with, Massive dot gain (as much as 50%), 4 differing oppurtunities for moires (traditional line screen, pattern of mesh fabric, pattern of shirt fabric, patern of previvious print on back of screen), Wet on wet printing.

[WOLFGIR]

Well John D, I don´t know what you defered from but, comming directly this morning from a meeting at the print company we work with, I got the input I need to secure print regardless if it is Mac PC or Unix, PM, Quark InDesign..

They work with both PC´s and Mac´s for both Offset and digital print. Most screen printers here in Gothenburg actually use PC´s.

Colorsync is easy to use, but it still doesn´t give you the right color unless you use the specific colormanagement from the printers you print with. Basta!

I work withboth Preset material and design, and have seen crap for all systems, and today we got a little applaude from the printers, we have the best material to work with for them. Images, illustrations and documents are very very seldom flawed.

Knowledge is all you need.

Edit note.
The one thing that is usually easier, is the fontmanagment for Mac´s and working with Quark 3 on Mac and PC, the Mac wins everytime. Also, the PDF workflow between programs is generally quicker on Mac´s. But it is a preference in the end regardless.

[ 09-17-2002, 04:32 AM: Message edited by: WOLFGIR ]

[Leonis]

Deathbringer, I went to Wollongong Uni a number of years ago and if your Uni is anything like it (probably worse considering budget cuts since) the problem is not Mac or PC specifically but how they're set up, how the entire networks are set up, and also intranet/internet and bandwidth issues - particularly as they are probably "always connected". (always meant to be!)
I used to find that the Macs faired a lot worse from the abuse students could dish out upon both types and Uni tech support is notoriously sloppy. Unless you get solid techs you're never going to win with Uni computers - Mac or PC.

Must agree with you and Wolfgir about the design industry too. A close relative was Creative Director of ACP (Australia's largest magazine publishers) and they have tried everything and stick with PCs.
It's just part of the design that you know that the screens and printers in the office aren't showing what the printed product will look like. - It's like recording a song knowing that it will be mastered later.