Requirements for Macs

[Vandalia]

I am seriously debating the PC vs Mac thing. All I hear is that MAC is the best for graphics. Well I am looking and looking for a deal on a MAC. I am thinking about buying refurbished or out of box MacBook. Does anyone know what speed, storage etc is needed? I will most likely be getting an external hard drive so I am not sure how much storage I will need. HELP! BTW-New to this digital thing and am TOTALLY ADDICTED!

[Vandalia]

Also- I am working on PSE for windows so I am assuming I will have to purchase a version for MAC, right?

[mrichar383]

You can check the Adobe site for recommended settings for the program you are using.

[Raphne]

Hi Vandalia!

I looooove my mac! I have a macbook pro, about a year old now, and am using PSE 6.0and couldn't be happier. iphoto does great basic photo editing, but you'll definitely want PSE or the full version of photoshop for scrapbooking. And yes, you'll need to buy the mac version. The out of the box specs for a new mac should do fine for most users; more RAM will get you a bit faster performance, but the only time I really notice slowish performance is if I'm working on several pages at once, esp. at 300 dpi or larger than 12x12, or if I've neglected to quite the program for a couple days and scrapped several projects. And I'm an impatient person. Now, the macbook pro is a bit of an upgrade over the regular macbook, but I still think you'll be happy with it. Definitely buy the extended protection plan, esp. if you are getting a laptop. They are GREAT about fixing anything that comes up. . . except gross user negligence, like the time I knocked my macbook off the table onto the ground and oddly enough it stopped working, and their tech support is just incredible.

[wndyeliza]

I posted this question on another thread, but I too have a Mac. I bought a Macbook Pro, used, from Apple and I couldn't be happier. I am not trying to figure out which program to get...I am leaning toward PSE. Any ideas? Thoughts, suggestions?

[LindaNPa]

I recently purchased a MacBook Pro and the Mac version of PSCS3 because that was what I was using on my PC and knew how to sort of operate the software. The operating system on the Mac is so different from a PC and I stay in a constent state of confusion. I am taking the One On One classes at the Apple store but I really am having a hard time with making it do what I want and finding my files. If I had it to do over and knew the learning curve of the base system, I would have stayed with the PC.

[omio]

I'm a retired computer teacher and have used Macs since they first came out so I'm definitely pro-Mac. However....I can also use PC, have owned a PC laptop, use the Windows OS on my MacBook Pro, and constantly get my husband out of trouble on Windows XP. So of course I need to stick my 2 cents worth into this thread. :D

I am seriously debating the PC vs Mac thing. All I hear is that MAC is the best for graphics...Does anyone know what speed, storage etc is needed? I will most likely be getting an external hard drive so I am not sure how much storage I will need.

First, PCs also handle graphics beautifully. The movie/tv industry and other professionals use Macs but, at the level of my expertise, I don't think the "Mac is better at graphics" thing applies. :D As for your other questions, the advice -- ALWAYS -- is to buy the fastest processor and highest amount of RAM you can afford. Most of us do use EHDs to store kits and layouts because they're such memory hogs. If you get a MacBook, be sure to find out first about the maximum RAM that can be put into the computer. For either platform, graphics are going to be memory hogs.

I posted this question on another thread, but I too have a Mac. I bought a Macbook Pro, used, from Apple and I couldn't be happier. I am not trying to figure out which program to get...I am leaning toward PSE. Any ideas? Thoughts, suggestions?

I use PSCS3 because I qualify for academic discount. I used PSE for several years before that. As far as I'm concerned PSE is absolutely the best bang for your buck if you're a hobbyist. Main complaint against it is that it doesn't have text on a path. Aside from that -- again, at my level of expertise -- I couldn't justify the expense if I had to upgrade at retail.

I recently purchased a MacBook Pro and the Mac version of PSCS3 because that was what I was using on my PC and knew how to sort of operate the software. The operating system on the Mac is so different from a PC and I stay in a constent state of confusion. I am taking the One On One classes at the Apple store but I really am having a hard time with making it do what I want and finding my files. If I had it to do over and knew the learning curve of the base system, I would have stayed with the PC.

I'm so sorry you're having trouble -- please feel free to PM me with any questions.

The main thing to remember when you're switching from PC to Mac is not to over-analyze everything. My adult son, who is now in love with Macs after refusing even to try them for years, was frustrated at first. After about 5 days he called, admitted he had fallen for the Mac I sent, and said he quit being frustrated when he quit trying to use it as a PC.

Remember that Windows is an attempt to copy the Mac OS (no PC bashing there; it's open information) so Mac's OS is a more user-friendly system than Windows. My son solved the frustration by asking himself what was logical every time he got stuck. At the end of the week, he called and said, "As much as I hate to admit it, Mom, logic works 99% of the time -- what a slick OS." BTW, he's 38 and has been a Mac hater since his teens, so this was a HUGE concession on his part. :lol:

So, as far as where to put your files. The icon of your hard drive is equivalent to "My Computer" on PC. If you double-click on it, you should see a sidebar on the left side of the window that opens. It should show your Desktop, a little house icon with your user name on it (that's Home), Applications, Documents, Pictures, Movies, Music, etc. Each of those is a folder that contains just what it says and Mac will try to save in the proper folder unless you tell it to do something different. Documents and Pictures are my largest folders so I create sub-folders within those two.

Handle the Mac exactly the way you would handle a real filing cabinet. The entire cabinet is your computer system; each drawer is a user account so you have one drawer of your own. If you open the drawer with your user name (the little house icon), there are dividers inside. The dividers are labeled Documents, Pictures, Movies, etc. Inside each divider there can be a huge number of file folders named to suit your needs. Inside each file folder are the actual documents, pictures or whatever you would store in a 3-dimensional file folder. If you want to put sub-folders inside your file folder, you can also do that. It would be like gathering a group of similar documents and stapling them together but keeping them in the parent folder. To move documents or folders around, just drag them into the folder you want them to be in; "drag and drop" was originally an Apple concept.

So, the location of a single file on my computer might look like this:



Mac HD (the entire filing cabinet)
Users (all of the cabinet drawers)
Omiof5 (the drawer that contains all of my personal information; shortcut is the little house icon in the left sidebar in a Finder window)
Documents (one of the "dividers" named by Mac OS)
Receipts folder (an actual file folder created and named by me)
2008 folder (an actual sub-folder, also created and named by me)
DSP Kit Receipt (the actual file or document)


I hope that makes sense -- it's sometimes harder to explain in writing. Please feel free to PM me, though, and I'll give you my email and phone number. If you can just hang in there during this steep learning curve, you will learn to absolutely LOVE Macs -- I PROMISE. :tup:

[idtwinmom]

omiof5 really said it all! I too used to teach software classes. I worked on a PC all day and would come home every night and sigh because I knew when I turned on my Mac it would work. No crashes, no viruses, no blue screen of death. I bought my first one about 5 1/2 years ago and just purchased my 2nd this spring. I will never go back if I don't have too.

So sad that with Vista, most software now has to be written for either Mac or PC and some manufacturers are opting out of the Macs. (Like Corel). However, what is available is the very best even when you don't spend a lot on it.

You can also use much of your PC software on a Mac by running Bootcamp or other software such as Parallels (I'm drawing a blank on the name of the really good one). This does presuppose that you are on an Intel-based Mac though. The older PowerPC based Macs, this was problematic at best. Not having any need to run such software, I do not do this myself, but know that the newer computers are much better at handling this.

For those who have Mac questions, please feel free to PM me. I will do my best to answer them.

One last word about Macs: If you plan to go refurbished, make sure you buy from Apple not a 3rd party. Make sure with any Mac to buy the Extended Warranty. And don't buy too much new software right off the bat. Much of what comes with the machine will do what you want (this does not apply to PSE as iPhoto just doesn't do what you need for digiscrapping, but iMovie outstrips Premiere by far imho).

PS: Finding files is as easy as typing it into Spotlight. If you really need to know where it is, just check 'Get Info' for path.

[omio]

And idtwinmom really finished it up! :D

Yes, yes, yes on AppleCare Extended Warranty -- it's the only warranty I ever buy and I've ALWAYS gotten my money's worth in support.

Yes also on the Apple dealer and not a third party.

I used Parallels on my Intel Mac. At the time, I needed to run a program that was only available for Windows so I bought the Windows operating system. Good part is that you can switch between the two platforms at will. Bad part is that I spent the money and rarely, if ever, use Windows. :lol:

Good point also about not buying too much software until you see what you have. Apple is very good about providing many software applications along with its OS. I do agree, though, that iPhoto is not enough for scrapping.

[Raphne]

PS: Finding files is as easy as typing it into Spotlight. If you really need to know where it is, just check 'Get Info' for path.

And, if you just want to use the darn file, select "find" from the drop down menu under file, type in what you're looking for, and double click on what comes up! If you click once, you'll see the "path" in the light blue bar at the bottom of the window.

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time; really and truly I think you'll learn to love it. My MIL converted, kicking and screaming, after YEARS of being a PC person, because she finally had to-- all the rest of us were mac people and having trouble helping her when she had a problem. After 6 months, guess what? Despite the fact that we all *could* help her now, she doesn't *need* our help!

Granted, she isn't doing anything terribly intense, but the point is that the platform just really works.

Otherwise, "ditto" to the beautiful explainations already given!

And my vote: PSE. I'd been waffling about buying CS3 for about 6 months when I impulse bought PSE6 this spring just before I really got into digital scrapbooking. Honestly, the *only* thing I'd like to do that I haven't easily been able to is text on a path. So I agree, PSE6 is just fine for most of us, although if I came across a really good deal I wouldn't turn it down!

[LindaNPa]

Thank you for the information and I will not give up. It is nice to know that there is a community of people that can really help and that alone makes me feel much better.
I go for another One On One tomorrow morning and I usually come home all charged up then I try what I learned and get confused. BUT NOW I have this group of wonderful ladies to help and I am thankful.

[wndyeliza]

Thanks for the information Ladies!! Brains, beauty, scrapaholics..you have it all!
One more question then...what does the term "text on a path" mean? I'm one of those that when I am paper-scrapping, I can really fill up a space with text. Does this mean that I am going to have problems with PSE?

[wndyeliza]

Ok, my dears, I downloaded the 30 day trial version of PSE 6. I am hoping that you and DSP in general can help me navigate this one before I buy it!

[HeatherL]

I am not sure where I read this and hope that this is factual. I think it was in a photoshop beginner group. Someone said that if you own a version of an adobe program for the PC they will swap it for the same version for a mac for free. Something to check out at least. I am pretty sure you can't have both.
I have the macbook pro laptop and a PC desktop. Dh just purchased the new imac 20 inch and I no longer hear bad language coming from his office and let me tell you he is techno challenged. Like anything new you have to be patient and go with the learning curve. I have VMware fusion as my virtual machine on my mac but I have to say I am on the mac side 99% of the time. There is also a program called CORD that lets me connect from my mac laptop to my PC and actually work on my PC from my mac laptop. Isn't technology absolutely amazing.

[idtwinmom]

I have never heard of the swap program thing before. If you pay for both versions, you can own and run both versions (mac and pc that is). I actually run PSE v4 (long story about a Christmas present then v6 arrived in March) on my Mac. Since my Mac laptop lost it's monitor (after 5 years of using no other computer) I moved my PSE v2 which was both PC and Mac compatible to an old PC laptop my DH got from work. Most my LO's go back and forth between the two without much hassle unless the text is done on the v4.

what does the term "text on a path" mean?

This is text that can follow the path of an image or shape. If you see LO's with the text following a swirl or something like that, the text was not done in PSE. I'm not sure about other programs (PaintShopPro, etc), but Photoshop will do this. I also know that even if I am lucky enough to afford Photoshop some day, I will keep my PSE as it actually does things that Photoshop will not (stitching photos to make panaramas for one). So it is a great place to start.

Hope all this helps!

[wndyeliza]

Thanks Lisa, it actually does help. That is what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure.

[idtwinmom]

Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any other questions! Always glad to help where I can.