Mac or PC? - VOTE NOW (If You’re A Designer)
Written by Jacob Cass on Monday, September 1, 2008 – 12:34 am
The age old debate… to use Mac or PC? I don’t believe a poll has been run amongst the design community for a long long time so let us find out what designers prefer… Mac or PC? Cast your vote below and promote this poll so we can get an accurate result.
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By kristarella (61 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Couldn’t truthfully vote since I’m not a designer, but I use Mac.
Also, “real name please”? I hope that’s just an unclear effort to avoid getting lame keyword names.
kristarella’s last blog post..Buy Thesis & get Cosmo free
By Selene M. Bowlby (6 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a web designer and use a PC. I’ve used both, but always owned PC’s. Old habits I guess - they’re also cheaper than Mac’s LOL.
Really, though - if you can get all the same software (esp Adobe) then what’s the difference?
I’d love a mac someday - esp to help with cross-browser testing. But as far as being a good designer, I don’t see why platform has anything to do with it… I’m interested in the results though!
By Jacob Cass (651 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Kristarella,
I just added two more options for people such as yourself as not everyone is going to be a designer… I wanted to attract mainly designers to this post so we can get an understanding on the percentages in the design industry rather than the whole world
Selene,
Myself? A PC fan however at University I use Mac as that is what they have in the design labs. I also agree about the platform having nothing to do with being a good designer.
By Jayphen (3 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I used to use PCs exclusively, but now it’s the opposite. Since getting my Macbook Pro, I’ve actually sold my PC and now work only with Macs. Whilst it’s true that neither platform generates good design, I honestly just feel more at home designing on a Mac. Things seem to flow better for me on OS X.
By Marnie B (11 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I am a designer (graphic and web) and I use a PC. I find that when I meet other designers, they are taken aback when I say I use a PC. This annoys me a little, as it seems like they think I’m less of a designer because I don’t use a Mac like they do. Really, though, my work isn’t going to come out ANY different if I use a Mac. Same software, same result. I think in this regard it’s just an image thing.
By Brian Yerkes (48 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
My biggest argument for the MAC versus PC debate….with regard to web designers…over 80% of people using the internet are PC users….yet for some stupid reason, over 80% (traditional stats) of web designers use a MAC. Doesn’t it make sense to use the same operating system that the vast majority of your market are using?!
Especially when working with clients…they will most likely be PC users…and so you should match that also to avoid any conflict.
It’s a no brainer in my opinion.
By Daniel Richard (9 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’ve always been a PC user. Haven’t had my hands on a Mac yet. However if I were to get me a new laptop, I should be going for Linux or any open source OS to keep costs low.
Daniel Richard’s last blog post..What Will You Do To Make This World A Better Place?
By Mike Wheaton (3 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this.
Mike Wheaton’s last blog post..Hey, what’s this button do?
By Jacob from JobMob (9 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’ve done all my web design and some graphic design on PCs. I’ve been tempted to switch to Linux but there are still things missing and I don’t feel like spending the time yet.
Macs look great but many users I know seem to have hardware issues just after the guarantee ends. PC users have hardware issues as well, but our hardware has gotten so cheap that it’s more an annoyance than a crisis when it happens.
Use the best tool for your job. Nowadays the OSes aren’t different enough to make the decision for you based on features. If you already know one OS, stick with it until you have a very compelling reason to switch.
Jacob from JobMob’s last blog post..Keep The Light Shining: 3 Unemployment Survival Lessons From Your Canadian English Teacher
By Alex Awesome (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a designer, and I use both Mac and PC.
Alex Awesome’s last blog post..saturday. saturday saturday. saturday.
By Max | Design Shard (5 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Its not what you use, its how you use it! + creativity
Max | Design Shard’s last blog post..Grand Designs - Graphic designers showcase - Rock Sound - pt2
By Peter (22 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Mac all the way!
Peter’s last blog post..Mac or PC?
By Mike Smith (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I am a designer and I use a PC.
Partly because I do not have a MAC
Mike Smith’s last blog post..Say Yes: A simple tip that will help you close more deals
By Arun (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Agreed: the platform has nothing to do with the outcome of design. But designing on Mac feels a lot more natural to me. I’ve used both PCs and Macs extensively, each has it’s own advantages. For design, multimedia and other creative work, I, personally feel more at home on a Mac.
By Eric (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I switched and will never turn back - I’ve also turned down jobs because they work on Windows. That’s how strong I feel about using a Mac.
Eric’s last blog post..Featured on SmashingMagazine.com
By kailoon (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I want to get a macbook soon, just… $ problem …
By NaldzGraphics (10 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
im a designer and i use PC:) coz i dont have mac
hopefully after a month i can buy one
Ronald
By Jonathan (17 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I wonder how the stats would play out if you broke down the poll options into design specialities? I suspect more web designers would use PCs, and more print designers would use Macs, than this poll might suggest.
By Will (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I use a Mac. I use it because it’s what i choose to use, if someone else decides they want to use a PC fine. It really doesn’t matter.
By Simon Potter (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a designer and I use both a PC and Mac Pro. Really feel that should have been an option in this poll.
By Bernie (3 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a graphic designer and after getting a Mac my first year of college, I haven’t gone back to PC since. Sure, there are some things PCs have that Macs don’t, but it’s a whole vice versa thing.
By Angie Bowen (13 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a designer and I use a PC. I’ve done a bit on my husband’s Mac but prefer my PC. I’m sure it’s just a matter of what I’m already comfortable with
Angie Bowen’s last blog post..30 Tutorials That Will Teach You Fireworks
By Germán (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Jacob, nice poll
Maybe you should include I’m a designer using PC, but I want to switch to Mac!
Cheers.
Germán’s last blog post..3 sitios para ayudarte a aprender y dominar CSS
By Darius (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
A personal computer (PC) is any computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator.
I believe the true question would be Windows or MacOS?
I’m a designer turned programmer, and happily ended up on Linux.
To me it feels like Windows is just a crappy OS with a decent price tag, while OSX is a pretty nice OS (feels slick, yet limited to me) with an overpriced total package.
I’ll just stick with the free average-to-good alternative and keep laughing at these debates.
By Frederico Gonzalez (2 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Why not build a custom pc with the same specs as macs? I am a graphic / web designer BUT Im also a student a+ tech. The only thing special about macs is there OS. They run Intel chips, which anyone can buy. I suggest just build a custom pc, it is easier
By Mariusz Cie?la (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I answered. And followed up on my blog.
Mariusz Cie?la’s last blog post..‘MAKE THE LOGO BIGGER!’, czyli jak radzi? sobie z klientami z piek?a rodem
By Beaulys (16 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I am a print graphic designer and I use a PC
By Maria (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a graphic designer and I teach graphic design. I’m fluent on both PC and Mac, but I prefer the PC. I always have. However, having solid cross-platform skills gives any designer a huge advantage over anyone who is married to only one OS.
I have to agree with Marnie B, who said that people are sometimes taken aback when I say that I prefer PC. Cost has a lot to do with it. If I can spend equal amounts of money, I get more with a PC than I do with a Mac. There are things I like about both systems, and things I dislike about both systems.
If I ever had a large design firm, I’d want both PC and mac, and I’d only hire people who were comfortable with both.
By Robert (10 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I use PC, and I’ve used mac for some time, and I feel a lot more comfortable in PC, Windows is better than Mac IMO in all except in booting, also it has a lot of more programs and I get to choose not only the color of the computer, but size, brand, etc.
For what I’ve seen, Mac is just advertising, it has good things, but it’s not the best thing in the world like some people say it is.
Robert’s last blog post..Worth a Smile
By Cisco (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a webdesigner, i use MAC
By lol (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
“I don’t believe a poll has been run amongst the design community for a long long time”
At least not since yesterday or so. Also, you forgot “I’m a designer, use both platforms comfortably, and wish people who can’t would quit telling the rest of us about it.”
By Kevin (6 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Brian:
Well Brian, obviously you don’t know your history very well. Years ago when the PC was nothing more than a wordprocessor, the graphics industry standard was Macintosh. You couldn’t do any graphics stuff on a PC, simply because it wasn’t powerful enough, but more importantly, there was no software for the PC platform either.
Nowadays things have changed since you can do everything on a PC that you can do on a Mac, but it hasn’t always been the case. I guess Mac = designer pc stuck.
By kristarella (61 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Jacob, I know you wanted to get designer answered, just thought I’d comment anyway
Saw a comment that said PCs were cheaper – not true, Apple just doesn’t sell cheap gear.
Windows might have a lot more programs to choose them, but most are shoddy work, very crap indeed.
Still, whatever gets the work done for you and you’re happy using is fine.
kristarella’s last blog post..Buy Thesis & get Cosmo free
By Edwin (10 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I have both, but I certainly prefer Mac
By Brian Yerkes (48 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
@Kevin
I’m not sure where exactly I went wrong with my “history”. I simply stated a fact on today’s statistics. Nothing more. You are trying to argue a case that I didn’t even make?
I manage hundreds of websites for clients, and here is a small sample of the stats for visitors/browsers of some general consumer product websites:
Site One:
Windows = 94.3%
Mac = 4.22%
Site Two:
Windows = 95.58%
Mac = 3.6%
Site Three:
Windows = 93.2%
Mac = 6.64%
So, whether or not people started off using Mac’s back in the day to design websites, and graphics etc… it seems pretty clear from the facts that if you are designing a website, you would probably be best off using the same OS over 90% of your visitors use. There’s no argument there.
By Paul (10 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Non-designer on PC (Vista x64 as of the weekend). Considering a Mac in about 12 months when I buy a new computer, but I hear with Adobe planning to release 64-bit versions of their Creative Suite apps would that make Vista x64 the better platform?
NB: understand that platform choice and design skill are not the same thing
By Jamie Le Souef (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
It’s always interesting these votes. I use a Mac now but had used a PC for the last 10 years for design and really - had no issues. I moved to a Mac because my AUD $4,500 PC caused Vista to crash! Happy with the move and don’t think I’ll go back (though i am following Windows 7 closely)
Jamie Le Souef’s last blog post..Vim Editor : 100 commands every admin should know
By LoungeKat (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I use PC as a desktop and Mac as a laptop. I find PC is soooooo much better to patch and fix when something has a bug.
By Barney (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
The debate’s a good one. I like these comments, the PC camp is far less of a minorty than I expected.
I think the majority of people here are web designers — and if you also do any amount of implementation you’re better off with a PC purely for the ability to test on all browsers (a PC can run every major browser, but Macs can’t run IE6/7 — over 50% of the internet’s user base). As far as Vista is concerned, it’s a monstrosity for CS (and, of course, anything else that wants to use any significant amount of RAM). What was the latest as far as Acrobat Pro was concerned? “We know it doesn’t work and we don’t intend to fix it”, I believe.
When I get given the whole “a real designer couldn’t stand to use a PC”, I tend to respond by saying that what sets a designer apart from the layman is their ability to deal with undesigned goods.
By Ysmael (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I used a PC and nothing else back in the day. I went to school and was taught on a Mac. Now i use a Mac. I still have a desktop PC that i use for browser testing and to play the occasional video game.
For me the reason i use a Mac is not to be “cool” or because most designers use it. I use one because i find the OS easier to use and the computer very reliable(i still use a g4 i bought 3 1/2 years ago), I’ve never had a problem with it. I obviously need to upgrade which i will. But costs for a Mac are so expensive.
I personally hate it when people think i’m all “hoity toity” because i use a Mac. Since when did owning a type of computer put you in a class?
By bryan (9 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’ve grown up using MAC. Used both MAC and PC’s at school and work, but still feel more in my element when I’m on a MAC. I agree that the outcome of a design will be the same on either platform, and I also agree that MAC’s are also an image thing, but they don’t make your stuff look good for you.
bryan’s last blog post..Laser Type
By Christine Macabuag (7 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’ve grown up using a Pc, but once I got to Uni, It was a Mac environment. Then when I started working, it was a PC environment. It was hard getting used to all the shortcuts again and was so used to using expose feature OSX has.
By Kevin (6 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Brian:
My bad. I didn’t read your post well enough.
But I have to disagree. As a tool it doesn’t matter if your clients are on the same OS or not. The endresult isn’t platform dependent.
By Marc (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Is it just me or is there a striking resemblance between ” I am a designer and use MAC/PC” and “Hello, my name is xxx and I’m an alcoholic”?
A good platform war always spice up a boring week but alas, this one is really lame so far. Where’s the name calling? Where is the personal insults? Where are the hidden and not-so-hidden threats??? C’mon people! Throw me a frickin’ bone here!
(If I don’t see some quality insults and threats in this thread within a day or two, I’ll start writing posts about Politics and Religion! Just a “friendly” warning. No one wants it to go that far but go ahead and push me… “Do ya feel lucky, Punk? Do ya???”)
Seriously folks, who cares what you use, as long as you’re comfortable with your tool of choice? You can use either platform to create greatness as well as utter crap.
Although, from a marketing point of view, It can be interesting to look at trends. Yesterday, I realized during a conversation with my sister-in-law, that I don’t know a single person who has bought a PC in the last 12-18 months. Instead, each and every one has bought a Mac, even though they might have been using PC’s since the end of the last Ice Age.
This observation is by no mean scientific and I’m sure that many of you have completely different experiences but I do find it fascinating that I see this trend all around me, both in my private life and in my business life.
Oh, BTW. In case y’all wondering what I’m using, I tend to do most of my hardcore graphic work on a Spectrum while I do my programming and gaming on a C64.
Kickin’ it old-skool!
By Jonathan (17 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Kevin/Brian,
I can see where you both are coming from. My view is that a web developer should design a website around web standards, and thus standards compliant browsers such as Firefox (which runs and renders virtually identically on Win/OSX/Linux). Unfortunately IE is not standards compliant as of yet (although improvements are beginning to happen with the beta of IE8), and IE6/7 still exhibit many quirks - I believe the best way to deal with this is primarily to write standards compliant code that renders correctly in standards compliant browsers, and then create workarounds that detect IE and fix the quirky behaviour solely in IE.
A responsible web developer/designer should absolutely test their website in as many browsers on as many platforms as possible. Now of course, IE is still the number one browser by usage (although it’s lead is steadily diminishing in the face of gaining Firefox popularity), therefore a Mac/Linux developer must test their websites in IE running on Windows. I’m a Mac user (having been a Windows user since 3.1), and love the speed/responsiveness, stability and user-interface of Mac OSX, but I do run WindowsXP using Parallels virtualisation on my Mac for those extremely rare times I need to run Windows software, or slightly more commonly, test websites in IE, so this offers the best of both worlds - hey, I can even run OSX, XP, Vista, Ubuntu, etc, all at the same time and just Cmd-Tab in between operating systems!
Before the advent of the web, MacOS attracted quality print design applications when Windows was just learning what GUI meant, and therefore this legacy is one of the most significant reasons why the majority of non-web-designers continue to use MacOS. But in this age where the major applications release for MacOS and Win, it’s largely a matter of personal preference - although it’s probably a good idea career-wise to have a good working knowledge of both platforms.
I agree fully with the previous points that platform choice doesn’t dictate one’s ability as a designer - although (warning: controversial point ahead!) from a purely aesthetic perspective, I do still believe that many of those who appreciate good design are attracted to Macs because of the high quality of hardware and user-interface design.
By Jess Hindmarsh (3 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
This was one hard decision for me to vote on! My first introduction with Adobe CS2 was on a brand new Mac with Tiger and growing up as a PC kid i had to put aside all my complaints because i was given such a fantastic graphics traineeship in Newcastle that I was determined to enjoy the mac experience. And boy oh boy i loved it. The problem is that i had a PC at home with Adobe CS2 and so while i worked all day on Mac, I’d come home and work on PC.
The hardest part was trying to figure out how to UN-DO the damage i did with the wrong keyboard shortcuts! Then after my traineeship i got another graphics job, this time based on a PC platform, but i went out and purchased a Macbook Pro so i’ve done another switch.
I prefer Macs for their operating system that PCs just don’t seem to be able to match. Arrowing through menus and opening and closing pages, switching between programs is always quicker for me on Macs becasue of the operating system. But my background in PCs allows me to troubleshoot with alot less stress. A few more years on Mac and that should be okay too.
By Kevin (6 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Actually I run both XP and OSX on my Intel laptop. Best of both worlds!
By Patrick Heck (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I am using Mac since 5 years now but recently I had a problem with my MacBook screen and got it replaced.
The new one (that apparently is used in every new MacBook) is just awfully bad. It seems only to display 256 colors and has all kind of other display problems that one can imagine.
http://tinyurl.com/5qe5dv
The bottomline is that I just can’t buy a Mac again if the quality stays like this. It is just not possible to work professionally as a designer with equipment as bad as this.
By Kerri Jessep (4 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a designer, mainly web, but a little print. I use PC with Adobe software. Adobe started with the Mac platform. I’ve never had the strange competitiveness that people exhibit about their PCs. Is it because many ppl are afraid of learning a new OS? I do enjoy a challenge
My fav laptop is a VAIO, I think the MacBooks look great and I’m sure they’re great to work with too.
My first computer was an Amiga A600, I still have it boxed away, with Design Paint and books (i think that’s the graphics program). If my memory doesn’t fail me, the first cgi movies were created on 6 Amiga A4000 computers. My point is that this debate isn’t new and will probably always generate lots of comments! Isn’t it great that we have the $s to spend on all these cool toys
By AzAkers (13 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
People who still claim MACs to be superior machines for designers are either a) diluted, b) misinformed (easily manipulated by clever advertising), or c) noobs/wannabes trying to boost their designer street cred.
At this point I can’t see any valid argument for Mac over a PC from a designers perspective. The choice seems to be purely personal preference and familiarity.
AzAkers’s last blog post..Introducing Pixlr: The Best Online Image Editor Yet
By AzAkers (13 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Enjoyed the comments so far good post Jacob, Mac vs PC always a favorite heh - Some comments compelled a response…
@ Kevin - arguing that MACs are superior because years ago (a decade actually) MACs were the industry standard is a weak argument given that a decade before that Amigas owned the space, and a decade before that it was tech pens and art board - having had a day in the spotlight doesn’t make these previous methods superior today.
@Brian Yerkes - my stats prove out the same/similar rates of use - I always wonder if the PC numbers are boosted because of people shopping/surfing from work, where most systems are PC based
@Marc - Load “*” ,8,1 C64 ftw!
@Jonathan - Agreed, especially that last point - while neither really holds a specific technical advantage for designers, MACs UIs are particularly visually appealing.
AzAkers’s last blog post..Introducing Pixlr: The Best Online Image Editor Yet
By andy fitzsimon (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a designer using linux exclusively on appl and dell hardware.
By Jacob Cass (651 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Wow, so many responses. I will have to set some time out tonight to read and discuss this further, I never knew it was going to get such a discussion. Thank you everyone for your input.
By nowayjose (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
real designers use macs, PCs are for wannabes
By Graham (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Well I’m a designer and use a PC, but really would rather be using a Mac. So as soon as I can afford one, you bet I’ll buy one.
Mac’s are around 50% - 100% more expensive that a good PC in South Africa.
By munki (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
you say something like ’so let us find out what designers prefer‘…and the question is ‘Do you use Mac or PC?’….huh..something is not clear…decide what is it!!!
By Johan (9 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Voted!
I will always use PC for my workstation (for now anyways) but my lappy is an MacBook
By Nina (2 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I’m a graphic and web designer and I’m comfortable with both platforms but I prefer using PCs. I find them faster to use and certain things about using the interface more manual and free than a Mac. In my personal experience Macs crash a lot more. I also find the Mac mice hurt my hand. However Vista is terrible (it almost made me switch to Mac
) and I went back to XP. I agree that designers should be comfortable with both and that web development has nothing to do with the OS and more with browser compliance standards.
Nice debate though
By Christian (2 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Having a Mac doesn’t mean you can do better design. It really has nothing to do with the tool you are using, despite all the trendy Mac people are thinking.
The real difference is price. With the money I spare buying a PC instead of a Mac, I can afford way better hardware for my workstation.
By Peter (22 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
@ Graham, you said it! Macs are expensive in SA but sooo worth it!
Peter’s last blog post..Mac or PC?
By CLeay Perham (1 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
How can any designer with a sense for the aesthetic work on a beige box? I’ve yet to see a PC that I’d allow in my office.
By Jonathan (17 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
@CLeay,
How’s about these ‘beige boxes’?:
http://www.voodoopc.com/#/productsomen
http://www.voodoopc.com/#/productsenvy
Drooooooooool
By Chaitanya VRK (13 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
I think that MAC is a must try and every designer want to put hands on…!
But here in INDIA it’s very difficult to maintain a MAC. If any problem arises, you are finished. You need to wait atleast 2-4 weeks before it gets solved and returned back from the service center (Since we had only 2-3 centers in our country).
Chaitanya VRK’s last blog post..First look at ThemeForest
By Jacob Cass (651 comments) on Sep 1, 2008 | Reply
Jayphen,
I suppose it is where you get most experience and for how long you have been using them to how comfortable you feel on them. I use PC more and more comfortable on that than Mac.
Marnie,
I also here that but I would say 80% of my class at university come from a PC background so they have trouble converting as did I when I first started to use Mac. The only thing different that may come from using one or another is the speed of the workflow which is dependant on your understanding of each OS.
Brian,
Interesting stats… and thanks for coming back and replying to Kevin. My stats actually are the reverse however (but I am a blog). 70% FF and 19% IE.
Daniel,
Most laptops come bundled with free OS’s these days.
Mike,
Well there has been many votes so far, I am surprised at how close it is.
Jacob,
I agree about having a “very compelling reason to switch”. Personally I use both and I prefer PC as I am more comfortable with it.
Max,
Well said.
Alex, Peter, Mike,
Thanks for your feedback.
Arun,
What is the reason you feel more comfortable?
Eric,
Strange you turn down jobs based on an OS but each to their own.
Kailoon,
Good luck saving
Ronald,
So you are making the switch? Your reasoning?
Jonathan,
Yeah that would have been good however a bit more time consuming… maybe we would have not get as many votes?
I also checked my stats for my 9 months online, in total 70% were Firefox users, 19% IE users 8% Safari users.
I believe your quote sums up this discussion quite well.
Will,
Thanks for your feedback.
Simon,
Maybe I should have phrased the question “What do you prefer”?
Germán,
Haha yeah would have been interesting.
Darius,
Thanks for the rephrase and your feedback. Each to their own OS I suppose!
Frederico,
I built a custom PC but not everyone is so technically inclined.
Marius,
Thank you for the follow up.
Beaulys,
Thanks for the vote.
Maria,
I also agree, having skills on both PC and Mac is a huge advantage. It is great that I have the opportunity of working on Mac’s at university and my PC at home.
Robert,
You must have liked the cartoon at the top of the page I presume?
Kevin,
Have you seen the Mac vs PC Comic before? - One guy asks what can a PC do that a Mac can’t? and the other guy goes “Right Click”. Hehe, gotta love that one.
Kristarella,
In comparison, stats wise, PC’s are cheaper than Macs.
Edwin,
Thanks for your input but why do you prefer Mac over PC?
Paul,
Understanding the platform can increase your workflow speed however.
Jamie,
I hadn’t seen a poll like this for a long time so I thought it would be interesting to run one. Windows 7 ahh, I am still yet to move from XP.
Loungekat,
Thanks for your input… the thing is that Windows need more patches and fixes than Macs.
Barney,
You can run Windows on a Mac now so you can test ie too. But Brian Yerkes commented previously stating how nearly 80% of visitors to his clients websites are ie users which is quite interesting.
Ysmael,
As we have outlined, there are pros and cons for each one and yes expense is one con of a Mac but there are many things to argue.
Bryan,
Whatever works best I suppose.
Christine,
I also have that problem but to a lesser extent. I am on a PC 75% of the time and Mac 25% so it does get confusing.
Marc,
This wasn’t actually meant to be a debate, it was just to find out the rough percentage breakup of each plus I do not condone fights or threats on my blog but thank you for your feedback.
Jess,
When I originally started using Mac I really hated it. The main reason? I didn’t know any of the keyboard shortcuts. However once learnt it is great.!
Patrick,
Interesting you say that… is it possible you have just been unlucky?
Kerri,
Old skool
Azakers,
There are so many pros and cons of each one though which is why this discussion is never ending. Thanks for your other feedback too.
Andy,
Thanks for your input.
Graham,
Enjoy your Mac and enjoy saving.
Munki,
It is what designers prefer. You could phrase it many ways and have a similar outcome.
Johan,
Why do use PC for work and laptop for misc?
Nina,
It is always good to be proficient in both. I also find that Macs crash more often than PC and that is strange because I am on PC’s 75% of the time. Mac Mice are terrible… what were they thinking? No scroll or right click? I am not a fan of Vista either… I switched back to XP.
Christian,
Yes it is true, stats wise, PC’s you get more “value” than a Mac depending on how you determine value.
Cleay,
Beige box? There are many nice aesthetic looking boxes, monitors out there… some even nicer than Macs.
Chaitanya,
I find it frustrating when people people praise and hail something when they have not tried other alternatives. Too bad about the Mac Center situation.
WOW - Longest reply ever - 5200 characters! Thank you everyone for your comments and feedback.
By Craig Farrall (3 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I am a designer, who uses a PC, but I am unhappy at this, I really want a mac, and have used them in the past and loved them, it just all boils down to the money side of things, they are abit to much for me at the moment!
By Mike (10 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I am a designer who has been successfully using a rock solid hackntosh install for 2 years.
http://www.insanelymac.com/
By Jonathan (17 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
Jacob - interesting browser stats - I think that these are very much indicative of the type of user your site attracts, and I suspect these would be relatively inline with other sites that attract a technologically more adept user. Interesting list of statistics over at Wikipedia offer Firefox a usage of between 13%-19% for general population, rising to 29% for the W3 site which is visited primarly by web developers/technologists.
Have you an operating system statistical breakdown for the same 9month period?
By Brian Yerkes (48 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
Jacob, this argument will never end!! I have been thru this 1,000 times at my previous job, where there were 2 mac guys, and 2 pc guys. Work lunches were always ruined by mac vs pc debates!
Here’s my opinion summed up in a video!
http://www.brianyerkes.com/video-worth-a-look-1/
Brian Yerkes’s last blog post..Logo Design Case Study | Bayfront Bistro
By Albert (1 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
Is there another option missing? I am a designer and I use Mac & Pc?
However as there was not both options, I opted for the Mac over the PC as my preference. The Adobe suite is both for Mac and pc so I dont see an advatages over either. I do however like using the Pc to x browser test.
By Andrew Kelsall (33 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I use 2 macs, but have an old laptop PC just for cross-browser testing, although now, for testing, I use http://www.Browsershots.org instead.
For me, Macs are the only way, as the interface truely makes working on tasks easy. + I get to use iMovie, etc.
By Steve (13 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I use my Dell notebook for all my design work nowadays. As soon as I can scrounge together enough money I’ll be purchasing a MacBook, though. :p
Steve
Steve’s last blog post..GC 2008: Fable 2 Gameplay Video
By Nicola Rushman (1 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I can’t live without Spotlight and switching applications effectively and quickly means that I will stick with a Mac. I cannot be doing with security pop-ups that plague my boyfriend’s PC.
By rico (1 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
When windows has tools like cssedit or coda, might try the pc platform out again. But windows feels so much like a frankenstein OS. Drag and drop support is terrible. ftp apps are awful and the look and feel is so windows 95ish. Typography in windows is ugly. Generally, you have to work harder to perform mundane tasks in windows. It’s a pos. As a designer, I spend many hours in front of the computer and when designing modern interfaces, it’s hard to be inspired by an operating system that looks like a throwback from the 90’s. I also like the stability of osx. Never once considered linux for design. Don’t make me laugh. Gimp isn’t called gimp for nothin.
By Wardell (1 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I’m a web designer and developer I work with both Mac’s and PC’s but I own and prefer to use a PC.
In the end there really isn’t anything you can do on one that you cant accomplish on the other,it’s just a matter of personal taste, preferences, and marketing influences
By Nick (11 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I use my PC over my MacBook, probably because the screen is infinitely bigger, I can game at the same time
and it’s way faster, photoshop in about a second, compared to MacBooks minute startup time…
By Roy Nottage (11 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
Some people I know use Mac simply because they were taught and told to use them. Tutors at my college swore by Macs and heavily discouraged people in the design groups from using PCs.
I think there are a lot of people who are simply stuck in their ways and fail to see how things have changed over the years. To me, they are both pretty much the same computer now.
Each has its perks and cons, but ultimately a computer is just a tool.
Roy Nottage’s last blog post..Is this a design blogroll Royzy? Well…look at my new shoes.
By Jake (2 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I chose PC because I use primarily x86 hardware (also x86_64 and arm) with Linux and FreeBSD. Then again, OS X is remotely based off of FreeBSD, and it runs on x86, so prehaps I should’ve choose Mac…
Way to go for ambigious wording!
Jake’s last blog post..PC World - Really free Linux takes hold
By Brian Yerkes (48 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
One reason to be a PC user (fresh argument)
Tomorrow, you get to test out the new Google Internet Browser called “Google Chrome”!
Mac users…..well…they are working hard to get it ready for you someday also. Keep your panties on
Brian Yerkes’s last blog post..Logo Design Case Study | Bayfront Bistro
By chim3ra (1 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
here is my thoughts on this post:
i go for mac though: read more on the link below related post.
http://www.bestwebbuzz.com/?p=19
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By Kevin (6 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
@ AzAkers - “arguing that MACs are superior because years ago (a decade actually) MACs were the industry standard is a weak argument”
Who said anything about Macs being superior? I was merely pointing out the fact that Macs were industry standard at a given point in time, and that probably was the start of the association with graphics/design.
Who cares what is better? They both get the job done.
By linda (3 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
I am a designer.I use PC for a long time,but I would buy a Mac lately. Just to try if the using experience will be better or not.
By pete (10 comments) on Sep 2, 2008 | Reply
both
By Edward (1 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I think they are nice machines inside and out and like them just as much as PC’s, but they are just downright over priced. Gaming also goes towards the PC too.
By Steve Brown (11 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I am not a designer and have little formal education, PCs allowed me access to computers, as they were affordable, price is key for me as I believe everyone should have access to technology, Macs always seemed a bit out of reach when I started out so I guess I see PCs as the leveller, and possibly responsible for the super fast growth in computer use by goat herders, refuse collectors and coal miners.
Steve Brown’s last blog post..Waterbased T Shirt Printing | Part1
By Kevin (6 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
My day job requires that I use a PC to design on. But at home I own two macs. I prefer a mac because I am more comfortable with the operating system.
By Juha Jukarainen (1 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I use PC at home and Mac at work and school. I can manage both but if I have to choose… I’d say Mac because of lack of viruses. But I dont like mac’s os so I prefer windows for os.
By Dainis Graveris (36 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I use WINDOWS now - but I`m really going to use MAC as soon as I can afford it
My opinion is that every professional designer works on MAC.
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By JP (1 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
I can honestly say switching to a mac improved my work as a designer!
Does anyone share this opinion? Mac OS (specially Leopard) is so well designed its an inspiration for any designer to work in (IMHO)!
2 years ago I had 4 PCs, Now I have 4 Macs!
By Michael Katindig (1 comments) on Sep 3, 2008 | Reply
once you go MAC, you never go back! lol.
By mistermax (1 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
I MAC contracts. Since 5 years working on the PC and I am satisfied. I am also a designer.
By Pete (10 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your back!
Pete’s last blog post..Chadwick
By The Hardcore Freelancer (1 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
The question that you fail to ask is which would you LIKE to own? I’m a writer who owns a PC (laptop), but I hope to switch over to a MAC in the next year.
I kind of got stuck with the PC since it was a gift. It’s not bad. It has served me well for the past four years. However, what I’m really afraid of when I upgrade to a new laptop is Vista. I’ve heard stories and I don’t want to get stuck with that crappy system.
By Zach LeBar (9 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
wow. the old mac vs. c debate. sure to generate a lot of discussion and traffic. always fun to bring it up.
(disclaimer: i didn’t read every one of the following posts, there’s almost 100, so sorry if im repeating someone and not giving credit
).
I’m a MAC user, for all of 2 days, though I’ve used them for years for school, and am really more comfortable in them. While I agree, the tools you use do not dictate how good of a designer you are, more often than not, people who have good design sense and are professional designers, are drawn to the MAC platform because it exhibits such good design throughout, from hardware to software. Price can be a big barrier to entry when it comes to a beginner designer buying a computer. After all, the Creative Suite is a good chunk of change, what it’s running on can be less important.
I strongly disagree that as a god web designer I should be using the operating system that the majority of the world uses. Frankly I find that rather a stupid idea. Just because the rest of the world is too ignorant to try other options, or that there even are other options available to them doesn’t mean that I, who am well aware of the problems with IE 6/7 and choose to not use that platform, shouldn’t make the choice not to use them. As I believe was mentioned, a competent web designer write standards compatible code. THAT”S WHY THERE ARE STANDARDS! To allow a person to run whatever operating system they want, whatever browser they want, and for them to get the same user experience. Bowing to the will of the majority is not a smart move, especially when the majority is wrong.
By Trent Watherston (1 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
I’m a web designer and developer, and from my own perspectives i prefer to use a PC. I think though that this is due to my long background with using IBM based platforms and the Windows Operating System.
I remember using an old school mac many a year ago, but my first real experience with a mac would have been at UNI, and i felt like a fish out of water. Don’t get me wrong after working out the kinks i found it a great platform to use, but i still prefer to use a PC.
By Bijuno (1 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
I am a Designer, and I use both. It shouldn´t be “Mac vs. PC”… it should be “OSX vs. Windows” since a PC with Linux runs as good as a Mac, and is just as stable.
But cheaper.
I think that if Adobe released their products for Linux, EVERY designer would switch to PC and start using linux…
By Ed (4 comments) on Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
I’ve worked on both over the years and Mac wins on usability everytime. I’m currently using a PC at work and it’s terrible, even though it’s higher spec than my iMac at home it’s slower, can have less programs open, crashes much more frequently and is a pain to use.
The worst aspect of PCs though is the font rendering. Completely unrealistic.
By Roy Nottage (11 comments) on Sep 5, 2008 | Reply
Even though Mac is supposed to be better at rendering fonts, it is wasted anyway if your designing for web … since most people own PCs.
Roy Nottage’s last blog post..Is this a design blogroll Royzy? Well…look at my new shoes.
By Ed (4 comments) on Sep 5, 2008 | Reply
#Roy Nottage
“Even though Mac is supposed to be better at rendering fonts, it is wasted anyway if your designing for web … since most people own PCs.”
Designing in CSS & XHTML only makes a difference when it comes to IE - obviously you always need to check your sites on a PC to make sure they are working fine. I still prefer to work on a mac, inspite of having to do this; for me, I just find it quicker & easier
By RaShell (5 comments) on Sep 5, 2008 | Reply
I personally don’t think it matters that much at this point… I’ve worked on a Mac my entire working life, and used a PC at home. No big deal
RaShell’s last blog post..We Will, WeeWillDoodle!
By Jacob Cass (651 comments) on Sep 8, 2008 | Reply
As of August the 7th, the results stand at:
# I am a designer and use MAC. (47%, 1,641 Votes)
# I am a designer and use PC. (36%, 1,261 Votes)
# I am NOT a designer and use PC (9%, 305 Votes)
# I am NOT a designer and use MAC (8%, 297 Votes)
Pretty close, only 380 apart for the designers and only 8 for non designers.
Thank you everyone for your votes.
By Nina-B (1 comments) on Sep 8, 2008 | Reply
Wow. I agree with a lot of you on both the PC and MAC aspects. But I will have to say I’m a MAC user til the day I die. I grew up using both PC and MACs. PCs to me were good for gaming and other office duties (my opinion). MACs are visual and have a ease about them when using programs (especially designing). I had PCs crash on me while in college to a point I just saved up my money and bought a MAC. Funny though, my lil sister bought a brand new HP laptop built especially for her. My mom owns an old iMac and I own an eMac. How about her laptop blew up merely after only owning it in like 6 months,lol. For the people on here mentioning web design, even though a good number of web users are pc users, I belive MACs are essential since like the web they too are visual. So far I’ve converted my mom, baby sister and a few friends. Call me the MAC-activist. No matter the tool, talent is talent and creativity is creativity. It all depends on how you want to get there!
(p.s. I’ve turned down design gigs due to their use to pcs like someone mentioned before. I won’t design on a pc even if you paid me.)
Nina-B’s last blog post..A Tribe Called Quest: Typography Experiment
By Peter (22 comments) on Sep 8, 2008 | Reply
Mac for work (designing) and PC for games (cos the hardware is awesome…provided you can buy it!)
Peter’s last blog post..Mac or PC?
By Paul Perdue (2 comments) on Sep 10, 2008 | Reply
I work full time for the AJC as a designer and we all use Mac’s. I run an agency on the side http://www.perduevision.com and have 3 Macs at home. I started out on a PC but after all the viruses, formats, crashes and just garbage processing speeds, I switched to Mac. I never went back. I have never had a virus or problem period in 7 years with any of my Mac’s. I realize many of you are web designers. Website design is 72 dpi and large art intensive files do not often cross your path. For print media and all around design, Mac is where its at. VIVA MAC!!!
p.s. Sorry but someone had to represent…
By Keane (5 comments) on Sep 10, 2008 | Reply
I use PC. Fellow designers that I know, like people from the same college use PC. Though there are a few Mac users, usually graphic design professors, that think they are elite because they use Mac. Hahaha… It seems like it’s a status quo thing, eh?
By yeghia (1 comments) on Sep 10, 2008 | Reply
a computer is a tool; it’s a simple non-sensical argument. which platform you use is a non-issue with regards to design; (and here comes the but), “but” windows, and a PC platform is drastically limited as far as form and function when it comes to certain kinds of design. yes, web, 3-d, industrial use PC, but when you are sitting behind a desk for 14hrs a day fucking around, the last thing i want is to mess with is the operating system. when you’ve worked at a high paced firm for a lenghth of time you’ll know what i mean. I’ve worked on both PC and mac and still have to use Windows for powerpoint crap, and other minor stuff, but i do it all on a mac now. the last time i actually had to sit at a PC workstation at frank gehry’s firm my fingers would kill me after only a few hours; it was hell. Unless i’m using Auto-cad or 3d-max i don’t see the point of using windows to design. especially since vista is a little better than mac os x.1 when it first came out and xp is like 5-6 yrs old; fonts and how to deal with them are different, and a slew of other complaints. how can you beat 64-bit processing(out soon), 32gigs ram; a few terras HD, a nice graphics card, 9×12 wacom, and multiple monitors. works beautifully for me. now if only photoshop would use more than 3gigs ram, the damn mouse wasn’t so cumbersome, art directors and marketing directors weren’t morons; life would be perfect. to conclude- u can use a freaking etch-a-sketch for all that matters if you want to design computers are just tools; the mac though is a better tool for design professionals. It’s not a elitist thing guys it’s just the way things are now. if you want to be a scientist do you argue what’s better the metric system or the “american system” for measurement? no; you just use the metric system. both will get you the same results in the end, but ask any pro scientist what they use; they’ll say metric. mac is the metric system of design right now. peace.
By Designer YES! (2 comments) on Sep 11, 2008 | Reply
Real Designers use Macs, that has been since