Why Are Macs Better for Graphic Design?
Mac is still the industry standard for print design. Since 1985 and the invention of Aldus Pagemaker and the LaserWriter, Macs have always been on the forefront of innovation in the graphics industry. Though the rise in popularity of the Internet and the accessibility of graphic design programs to untrained users has made the PC a worthy opponent, most designers must go cross-platform in order to meet the design needs of their customers.
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History
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Before computers, graphic designers drew elements by hand and pasted lines of type onto boards. A large camera took a picture of the board, which created film that was burned onto plates for the printing press in a process called stripping.
In 1984, the first Mac released was the only machine with a Graphic User Interface, or GUI, and a mouse. Even though it contained less memory than its PC counterparts, it used RAM more efficiently.
In 1985, Apple created the LaserWriter printer, which allowed high-end output, as well as Postscript compatibility. Aldus also released Pagemaker exclusively for the Mac, the first desktop publishing program. This eliminated manual cutting and pasting, allowing designers to assemble and print an entire page with the computer. The printing industry responded by making output devices and RIPs for Macs.
As the Internet grew in popularity and sophistication, graphic design shifted focus to websites and multimedia. PCs became more powerful with faster processors and graphic cards that competed with the ultra-efficient Mac. For quality control reasons, web designers used PCs as they needed to view the finished product on the same machines as the end user.
Today many designers work cross-platform. Print designers usually prefer the Mac, while web designers prefer the PC.
Considerations
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The type of designing you will be doing will dictate which machine is right for you.
Print designers working with major commercial printers will naturally use the Mac, the industry standard since 1985. However, if you are working with and accepting files from clients, have a PC also. Converting files from one platform to another is easier than in previous years, but still occasionally presents problems.
Web designers will need to preview their finished products, and would be wise to use a PC, or at least have one for quality control. The same graphics programs available for the Mac are now on the PC also.
Multimedia designers use both Macs and pcs. Movie editors and television producers lean towards Mac, so if you plan on working in film, Mac is the industry standard here as well.
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Benefits
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Many designers prefer Macs. In addition to being the first computer to employ both a GUI and a mouse, the Mac operating system is written in a different programming language than Windows, making it less succeptible to viruses, spyware and other security issues. Apple has a long history of innovation, starting with the first Macintosh in 1984, continuing to the invention of the parallel hard drive, which allows engineers to create larger hard drives in less space. Wi-Fi is simpler, allowing you to instantly connect to the Internet, no configuration required. Apples are also assembled locally. Mac users prefer the asthetics of the machine. While a pretty machine doesn't affect performance, it looks much better in your home office.
Warning
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While Macs may seem to be the way to go for your design studio, its important to remember that this is mainly a PC world, and it's important to have at least one PC to receive and check customer files. If cost is a factor, Macs are significantly more expensive, so think carefully about what kind of designing you will do before making a purchase. While most Mac programs are available on the PC, it doesn't always work the other way around. Some webpages and applications may also be unavailable for Mac, though this is becoming a rare occurrence.
Types
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There are a variety of Macs from which to choose. As of 2009, these Macs are available:
MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro. While the MacBook Air, iMac and Mac Mini look nice, less room means less power and a much more difficult time upgrading or troubleshooting hardware. Most graphic designers choose the Mac Pro with a Quad-Processor.
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