Wilson's Meat Market

[gwpriester]

(Not you Ross!)

Jack

The graphics community use Macs. It is the same around the world.

Why?

Becasue back in the days when we PC users were typing commands from the C:\ prompt, Apply created a visual and friendy, mouse driven way for people to use a computer. And so the first software that graphics professionals adopted to help in their tasks was written for, and performed better on the Mac.

Today there is virtually no difference between the two platforms and both OS X and Windows XP have many fine features to recommend them. Just about every major piece of graphics software written for the Mac is avaialable for Windows and documents can be easily exchanged between platforms rather seamlessly.

An editor for a local publication sent me three files recently that were created on a Mac, a QuarkXPress document, a plain ASCII text file, and a Microsoft Word file. All opened effortlessly in Windows XP. And I was able to open the Quark file in both Quark 5 and Adobe InDesign 2.

But the graphics community use their computers as a tool to do their design tasks. They are not enthusiasts about computers or software. They do now spend hours at home creating with their computers and software, nor do they read computer magazines in bed. They use the software and computer platforms they learned on, and are loathe to learn anything new, let alone go anywhere near the dreaded Windows platform, (sign of the cross) which Apple tells them is nice if not terribly backward and not near as cool as the Macintosh.

But as one who reviews graphics software for a living, I have to tell you it's all a myth. There is very little difference anymore. Just perception.

Diatribe finished, you have come a very long way in a very short period of time, Jack. You are much more facile with the computer after a few years than I was after five years. And I sincerely mean that.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

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XaraXone

[Soquili]

Hi Gary,

I agree with everything you said except that Apple created the graphics interface used on the first Macs. Actually it was created by Atari just as they decided to pull out of the computer market. Apple bought it to use on their "New" MAC, which was actually a redesigned Lisa.

Just some useless triva picked up in a long history of working with computers before Apple and IBM started making them ;-)


Soquili

[RTK]

... Old Dog.

You did great with your store! Charm and soul goes goes a long way, and I think you have both!

Super job!

Risto

risto@ristoklint.com

Visit my web site!

[Old Dog]

Computers, to the younger generation, are almost second nature. They grew up with them. Me, I'm late compared to the rest of the world at getting acclimated, but I'm trying to learn as much, and as fast as I can.

I've been considering going back into the printing trade, in the pre-press area, where I was when I left. Friends keep telling me all these horror stories, how nothing I know about PC's will be of much good, and that I have to, now go out a buy all Mac stuff. Of course, being from Missouri (the show me state) I argue endlessly with them, that I can't imagine it's that bad. They all tell me that I can't put things on a disc with the PC and then take it to a printer and have them use it successfully!

This artistic end of the computer is for my own pleasure, when I was still in the trade I wasn't doing artwork. I was in pre-press, and did mostly layout and assembly work. Now, all this is done on computers and I'm wondering just what courses I need to take in order to bring myself up to speed with all the new people in the trade, and if I need to buy a Mac system to learn on.

I've talked with the head of the graphic communications department at one of our local community colleges, that has the strongest graphic program. So far, I haven't gotten really straight forward answers, they keep trying to get me to look into getting a degree. Which I really am not interested in at 54. I'd just like to get back in the trade. There aren't many large shops here that haven't gone to the computer, so without these skill, I'm out of luck.

So many in my generation have been passed by with all the technology advances. I for one, don't want to stay in the dark, I'm just having trouble getting nice, straight forward answers.

I guess that's why I've fallen in love with this site. Everyone's so willing to help, no matter who it is they are helping.

I didn't mean to get this topic started on this thread. If you'd like, you could start a new thread if you think there are more out there with the same questions I have about a business that's only slightly related to this forum.

Thanks,

Jack

[gwpriester]

The GUI was created at PARC by Xerox as was the mouse as a pointing device. And that was a long time before the Atari or the Apple computers.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

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XaraXone

[This message was edited by Gary W. Priester on March 15, 2002 at 13:10.]

[Ross Macintosh]

didn't persue their research because they didn't see any commercial potential in it. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Soquili]

Thanks Gary and Ross! Xerox is usually very good at making the call on new ways of doing things. I guess they never thought computers in the home would become such a widespread concept. I remember Xerox inventing the mouse and a GUI that wasn't developed further.

I knew that Atari had invented the GEM operating system that was bought by Apple for use on the Mac. Atari had decided to pull out of the home computer market after going through several generations of their models.

Apple had the short lived Lisa as a buisness computer. It came with built in wordprocessing, database management, and spreadsheet software. It didn't sell, so they kept the screen format (taller than it was wider, with light blue background and blacktext) Changed to the GEM... ooops the "Mac" operating system. And history was made :-)


Soquili

[This message was edited by Soquili on March 14, 2002 at 08:47.]