Apple Mac Computers

[leon]

Hi guys, I have considered switching to Mac cComputer systems and was wondering, are they as good as I am lead to believe.

Unlike Microsoft XP and the like, what runs these machines and will they play with most of the software out there, like Canon Cameras and Photo editing programes.

I have to admit I know nothing when it comes to this type of machine, but have been told that they perform much bettter than what I have now, would this be true.

Many thanks if you wish to respond.

Leon

[dannat (Daniel)]

Leon..it depends what you mean by runs much better.

Let me say i have been a MAC user for 5yrs - previous to that had only ever touched them occasionally at uni - i was a PC user. Would i ever go back - NO.
Why - several reasons,
startup time for one much better,
you do not get the machine just freezing or the BSOD..malfunctions on a mac like this happen, but only very occasionally.
viruses/trojans - while there are much reduced, as is email spam i have found.
Things just work on a MAC - & the users expect them too - and complain to apple when they don't
The fress software like iphoto/idvd/imovie is very easy to use - you usually don't need to read manuals to start using it

Bad points - some things just aren't mac compatible...all printers/cameras are..but some ccd's don't have mac drivers - some software is only windows based - you do have to search for alternatives (like nebulosity for stacking) usually there is a couple around.

Also internet firms don't offer much assistance..thoguh iwill day mac's are easier to setup anyway

There will be a bit of a learning curve - took me about 2 months on fairly constant use to be really proficient..if you are a casual user might take 6months to really know your way around - it helps if someone close by can offer assistance

Go for it -

[DavidTrap (David)]

Hi Leon,

I've had Macs since about 2001, when OS X came out. This was when the operating system became based on Unix. I have always found them to be extremely stable, and can honestly say that I can count the number of times they have completely crashed on less than both hands in that time.

There is a learning curve to understanding how the system operates, but it is easy if you have conquered Windows.

If you are changing over to Mac, you have to change your software too. This means new copies of Photoshop, Office, etc - the cost of which is not to be ignored.

For astronomy stuff on the Mac - I use Astroplanner and have dabbled a bit with The Sky X SAE. Otherwise I do boot up in Windows to run things like DSS & PHD. Unfortunately, Orion won't release a Mac version of the drivers for the StarShoot Autoguider, so PHD for Mac won't work with the SSAG.

Currently, I have my DSLR set up to download images using "tethering software". I would prefer to use some better tethering software on Mac, but am stuck with using the Windows versions because of the PHD limitation for guiding.

I am not sure about equivalent versions of serious software like Maxim DL - when I take the plunge to buy that, I was planning to use the Windows version.

You can run a virtual PC which boots up within the Mac OS to use Window's software, but I have just stuck with BootCamp which boots the computer up as a mac OR windows.

We now have 3 Macs, 2 iPhones & an Apple TV. The best thing about Mac is the integration between all these devices. It is not just the operating system or the computers themselves, but the Mobile Me site that shares your contacts, calendar & email between these devices. I can put an entry into my phone and within 2 minutes it will appear on my wife's phone, plus all of the other computer when next they are turned on and synced (which happens automatically).

The backup software is brilliant too. As soon as I turn my laptop on within range of my home network, it just starts backing up. I don't have to remember to think about it. You can open up a window and scroll back through time and see your computer as it was on X date and grab that file you deleted (or altered) and drag in back to the present.

All in all, I find they just work. I enjoyed fiddling with network settings, etc when I was at school & uni. Now I just enjoy plugging stuff in and it working - fullstop.

I'm interested to hear other's views on what Astro software is available - I might learn something useful!

Cheers
David T

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Hi leon - I'm using a 24" iMac for all my astro processing needs. I use the Dell laptop for capture etc at the scope - much easier!

After I've got my images on the CF card I import them into the Mac and convert to TIFF with the Canon DPP software (Mac version - on the same Canon disc).

New Macs have an INTEL processor which allows you to run both Mac and PC operating systems side by side thanks to emulation software such as VMware Fusion (approx $120AU). I then drag the TIFFS into the PC enviroment to stack etc in Images Plus which runs no problem - you can run the PC enviroment as a window within the Mac screen or go full screen so your Mac looks like a PC - all works really well, no dramas.
(You'll need a copy of your fave PC operating system also)

Once stacked I drag the Combined Stack into the Mac enviroment to work on with PS4 on the 24" screen - sweet!!!

All very easy and seamless!
PM me if you want, or give me a bell
For imaging I love the Mac.

Doug

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

ps...the iMac is now a 27" screen

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by dugnsuz

ps...the iMac is now a 27" screen

Yep - I have a new i7 iMac with 16GbRAM on order - should arrive Monday!

I'm using Parallels Desktop US$79) to run Windows apps while still running Mac OSX Leon - just like Doug who runs VMware. You don't need to run Windows OR OSX - you can run both at the same time.

http://www.parallels.com/landingpage...FQdJegodw3MDzg

[rat156]

HI Leon,

Well, I'm an unashamed Mac fanboy. I have used them for about the last 20 years. I have a laptop and a MacPro at home. I bought an elcheapo auction PC for the observatory though. I do all my image capture on the PC (mainly because there isn't really alternative Mac based software), then take them to the MacPro. I use VMWare Fusion to emulate a PC environment to stack the images in CCDStack, then pass them over to the Mac version of Photoshop.

Why do I use a Mac? Like the others have said, they just work. I have had to rebuild the Observatory PC on a couple of occasions, not something I enjoy doing. I have had the system drive die on the Mac, which I then replaced with a new one and told Time Machine to rebuild my Mac, a few hours later all was good. It's also quite powerful, 8 cores, 10Gb RAM, four HDD slots and a 30" monitor to top it all off.

I just bought two of the 27" IMacs for work (to run instruments using XP) as we were trying to save space, all-in-one PC's were what we were after, but they only come with Windows 7 and aren't backward compatible because of hardware driver issues, something that doesn't happen with the internals of a Mac.

Cheers
Stuart

[iceman (Mike)]

At work they replaced all of our Dell laptops with MacBook Pro's.

They're dual boot, can run Mac OSX or Win XP, or as others have said, you can run Mac OSX and have Win XP inside a VM window.

As a piece of hardware, I absolutely LOVE the macbook pro. The huge touch pad, two finger right click, two finger scrolling, all great. Took some getting used to not having home/end keys etc, but there are other shortcuts.

I have to admit not taking the time to learn MacOSX, so I pretty much use Win XP all the time. There are some issues running Win XP on a Mac machine, even though they're supposed to be compatible. Speaking with our desktop support person (after my HD died), a LOT of people at work have had issues with the macbook pro's running WinXP.

I'm currently on a loaner Dell laptop. It's big, clunky, boxy, heavy, battery life is less, etc.

As a piece of hardware, the macbook pro is brilliant.

[leon]

Many thanks for your very quick responses, you have nearly sold me, and I was actually looking at the 27" screen one today at JB, HI FI, they were selling that one with Dule Core, 4 Gig Ram, T Bite Hard Drive plus the usual extras for $2200.00, and the Quad Core for $2495.00.

Anyway I will research some more and see how we go.

Thanks for the offer Doug, I have PM'ed you mate.

leon

[DavidTrap (David)]

Not a problem Leon,

I will never disagree with anyone who says Macs are more expensive than PCs. Changing over will cost you a lot of dollars if you upgrade your software too.

But if you consider the quote in your signature line, "Life is too short to look through bad glass" - one could justify the Mac vs PC arguement on that alone!

Cheers
DT

[Wavytone]

Hi Leon, Another Apple household here; for many years my workhorse at home has been a mac of one kind or another, while at work a PC.

A lot of my professional time has been spent designing and building large computer systems and at home the last thing I want to do is fiddle with another one at home, I just want one that works reliably like an appliance - turn it on and do what I want with a minimum of fuss.

Yes there is a premium but in my view it is easily worth it to have something that does work like an appliance. The tight, seamless integration with an iPhone, AppleTV and a backup drive with Time Machine all make it well worth having, and the synchronisation of accounts across multiple macs also works a lot more reliably than the Windows equivalents in the long run. Sure its not flawless - nothing is, these days, but sitting down to use my mac is usually a pleasure, rarely a chore. The analogy with"Life is too short to look through bad glass" is quite valid.

At work some of my colleagues are inveterate tinkerers - yet the Linux and windows tyros mostly seem to have a collection of ageing PC's at home in various states of disrepair and yet none that are actually fully functional.

Lastly, on a few occasions I have given macs to people who were really struggling to keep a PC working; in each case they have loved their mac for its dependability, and never looked back.

[Analog6 (Odille)]

I've used Macs since the Lisa and owned them since the Se (I still have my SE (upgraded to an amazing 4Mb RAM!!) and the carry case and all the programs). You won't regret switching over.

Currently I use a 24" iMac for all my work, the PC I bought just before I got this has never been turned on (I must sell it).

For photo editing you can't go past them, the only better monitors, IMHO, are the Eizo which are $2500 and upwards. I use Aperture 2, CS4, and download via media card reader. As my astronomy interest is photography at the moment I don't have any astronomical software, but it is on the line down the track.

I have a wireless setup using Airport Extreme and also have a 15" MacBook Pro and an old Titanium laptop, all work seamlessly within range.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Thanks to Leon for posting this. I too, am seriously considering moving to a Mac this year, and becoming completely removed from MS products.

My iPhone/iPod/iTunes setup just works seemlessly. So simple to use. I have at two people at work who have swiched to Mac, who were dedicated PC people, and they say they will never go back.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

This will pump you up a bit - a video from a guy that bought a 27 inch iMac and that is using a Mac for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEpPC...eature=related

[leon]

Just about gives you goose bumps Chris, and the desire to run out as we speak and get it all happening.

Leon

[tonybarry (Tony)]

I'd add that I use a Mac, and have found Nebulosity 2 a very good tool for astro image acq / stacking. I also use AstroPlanner - very good software.

The PC does have some adherents, and there are (in general) more applications available for it. This has not bothered me - what I need I have, and I have a compiler to make the stuff I don't have if I need it really badly.

Regards,
Tony Barry

[mercedes_sl1970]

Leon - ditto to pretty much everything said above except I can't comment on astro-imaging. We're on our second mac - "just a Macbook" (latest version) and prior to that an iBook G4. In summary - they just work and do what they do very, very well.

Good luck

Andrew

[leon]

Thanks Andrew, I'm not to worried about astro stuff at the moment I have the lappy for that if need be, just thought it would be a good main machine.

leon

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by leon

Thanks Andrew, I'm not to worried about astro stuff at the moment I have the lappy for that if need be, just thought it would be a good main machine.

leon

Then we're decided then!!??

[dannat (Daniel)]

if you like Leon next time i go to snake valley i can come around & give you a play..or seeing as how you have bought yours it seems show you some of the shortcuts