Time to rethink our dedication to Apple?

[wildmac]

It's clear with Job's lust over his iPhone toy, and iTV, and all the little iPods everywhere, that design professionals are not the bedrock of Apple's plans anymore. (the same could be said for the education market). The lack of attention by Apple to the needs of the graphics industry is really wearing on me. Despite the fact that we are the ones who saved Apple's *ss during the dark days in the 90's, and are the only reason Apple retains a toehold in corporate America, Apple seems to be ignoring us.

I'll be the first one to say that graphics are still easier on a Mac, but I really wonder for how long?... If you are a web designer, you already need a PC anyway to test your pages, and I'm just wondering how long before it just makes more sense to produce on a PC instead?... Half of us are using monitors from someone other than Apple, so, how long before the boxes follow?...

 

[devilot]

If you are a web designer, you already need a PC anyway to test your pages...

I really dunno much about any of this, but I was under the impression that the Intel Macs are capable of running Windows natively. Couldn't you just have a pro Mac machine w/ a partition to boot up Windows to check for compatibility and whatnot?

 

[shecky]

i am not necessarily disagreeing with you, but how exactly do they ignore us?

 

[killmoms]

This same tired argument has been repeated for the last four years.

Tell me, what about the iPhone or the iPod has changed OS X? Have they removed features you love and rely on to make your design workflow easier? Has Apple's attention to the consumer electronics market somehow made Windows better?

Why don't you just write an article about how they're "beleagured" already?

 

[MacBoobsPro]

I think its Adobe that needs to pull its finger out and get CS3 out. Then everything will be back to normal.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I think its Adobe that needs to pull its finger out and get CS3 out. Then everything will be back to normal.

Exactly! If the OP claims that Apple is ignoring us, then what would he have to say about Adobe? Are they ignoring us by not releasing native Intel software yet? Not even a UB for CS2 or anything? Oh my gosh, the world is coming to an end!

If anything, the success of the iPod has increased the awareness of the mac platform, leading to more people using it, leading to more development for OS X.

 

[aricher]

I agree with MacBoobsPro - my 2007 hardware/software budget for my design team is huge but we're not making any purchases until Adobe comes out with CS3. Once CS3 and new Mac Pros are in the picture we'll be buying a minimum of 12 Mac Pros, LCDs & a ton of software as well. Personally I think this is going to be a great year for pro-level Mac users.

 

[yellow]

and are the only reason Apple retains a toehold in corporate America, Apple seems to be ignoring us.

What exactly are they ignoring?

It's fine to post your opinion, but please back it up with some reasoning beyond "because I say so".

 

[janitorC7]

Exactly! If the OP claims that Apple is ignoring us, then what would he have to say about Adobe? Are they ignoring us by not releasing native Intel software yet? Not even a UB for CS2 or anything? Oh my gosh, the world is coming to an end!

If anything, the success of the iPod has increased the awareness of the mac platform, leading to more people using it, leading to more development for OS X.

I'm pretty sure that CS2 will be out soom. As for the UB, Photoshop and Dreamweaver work great and Universal Binaries, and have very cool new features

Sorry guys meant CS3, sorry

 

[miniConvert]

I guess Parallels is really the best fix for web developers needing access to Internet Explorer. It's still a pain that it isn't just available for OS X though, but it's so meshed into Windows these days it's hardly surprising.

Luckily the move to IE7 improves cross-browser compatibility in my experiences. It plays ball much better than IE6 did and I see far fewer differences in a page rendered in IE7 and Firefox than I used to between IE6 and Firefox. So, as IE7 adoption continues to grow things should get a little easier.

 

[desenso]

It's clear with Job's lust over his iPhone toy, and iTV, and all the little iPods everywhere, that design professionals are not the bedrock of Apple's plans anymore. (the same could be said for the education market). The lack of attention by Apple to the needs of the graphics industry is really wearing on me. Despite the fact that we are the ones who saved Apple's *ss during the dark days in the 90's, and are the only reason Apple retains a toehold in corporate America, Apple seems to be ignoring us.

I'll be the first one to say that graphics are still easier on a Mac, but I really wonder for how long?... If you are a web designer, you already need a PC anyway to test your pages, and I'm just wondering how long before it just makes more sense to produce on a PC instead?... Half of us are using monitors from someone other than Apple, so, how long before the boxes follow?...

I suppose if you're catering to a retirement homes and want to test the efficacy of your new virus you may want PC to 'test' your pages, but for the rest of us there's a tool called Parallels. Parallels is lovely because you can run Windows (I know!) as an Application within Mac OS X. Add the new 'Coherence' feature to this and you're seamlessly testing your pages in Internet Explorer within Mac OS X. Problem solved... you can thank me later for the money I just saved you by not having to buy a whole windows machine just to run IE!

Of course, you already know this, and I'm being facetious because I think it serves to mock your inflamatory post. As a web designer, I feel no compulsion WHATSOEVER to switch to a 'PC' because the tools on the Mac remain, without a doubt, superior to the equivalent options in Windows.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I'm pretty sure that CS2 will be out soom. As for the UB, Photoshop and Dreamweaver work great and Universal Binaries, and have very cool new features

I was just trying to point out the fact that Apple has this wonderful hardware sitting in inventory, waiting to be sold, and, perhaps, the real company ignoring designers is Adobe. After all, it's been how long since Apple announced they were moving to Intel? Adobe has been the one slacking...if anyone has.

As for the CS2/CS3 error, there's a lovely feature for that: the edit button. Learn it, use it, love it.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'll be the first one to say that graphics are still easier on a Mac, but I really wonder for how long?... If you are a web designer, you already need a PC anyway to test your pages, and I'm just wondering how long before it just makes more sense to produce on a PC instead?... Half of us are using monitors from someone other than Apple, so, how long before the boxes follow?...

As long as Apple makes computers that meet my needs, I will buy them.

 

[janitorC7]

I was just trying to point out the fact that Apple has this wonderful hardware sitting in inventory, waiting to be sold, and, perhaps, the real company ignoring designers is Adobe. After all, it's been how long since Apple announced they were moving to Intel? Adobe has been the one slacking...if anyone has.

As for the CS2/CS3 error, there's a lovely feature for that: the edit button. Learn it, use it, love it.

I get what your saying. However take into account that the adobe suite of what like 10 apps that are in the CS series are like millions of lines of code each. and all of these have to be ported from CodeWarrior into XCode to be a a UB. Considering how much work they have to do, plus converting Macromedia's old apps, I think that they are doing a pretty good job. and lets not forget the free beta of the UB for CS2 users, If you ask me they actually seem to be trying to make us happy. and speaking as (and I hope adobe does not get me for this legally) a beta tester for Hanzo (Dreamweaver 9) I can tell you that its much better than 8 and that I;m amazed with the UB speed and the many new features that have been added to it, including much cleaner code.

I get what you are talking about but I'm pretty happy with them.

oh what do you know there is a edit button on here

 

[smueboy]

As long as Apple makes computers that meet my needs, I will buy them.

Exactly. And the current and upcoming MacPro line-up certainly seems great (to me, anyway) for the graphics/designer industry. Plus, you can easily run windows for testing; and it makes little difference to your computing experience whether you have an Apple monitor or not.

 

[mkrishnan]

Plus, you can easily run windows for testing

*cough* not to mention that any respectable designer developing for the web in Windows needs to be testing on non-Windows clients as well. That argument goes both ways.

 

[smueboy]

*cough* not to mention that any respectable designer developing for the web in Windows needs to be testing on non-Windows clients as well. That argument goes both ways.

So everyone should use a mac, in order to easily test on both systems.

 

[RacerX]

The lack of attention by Apple to the needs of the graphics industry is really wearing on me. Despite the fact that we are the ones who saved Apple's *ss during the dark days in the 90's, and are the only reason Apple retains a toehold in corporate America, Apple seems to be ignoring us.

Dedication to Apple?

Beyond seeing people who are addicted to new releases (constantly asking when are we going to see the next whatever), I don't know of anyone who is unhappy. But even more important, I don't know of anyone who is dedicated to Apple.

I don't buy Apple products because they come from Apple, I buy them because they are the best solution for me. I'm a dedicated Mac user, but I'm not dedicated to a corporation.

Even more important, in the 90s it was much of the graphics industry that bought clones and not Apple computers causing some of Apple's pain. If someone else started making Macs and Apple stopped, I'd be buying from someone else.

More importantly, if I don't care for an Apple product, I don't use it. I use OmniWeb rather than Safari, Curator rather than iPhoto, OmniDictionary and Nisus Thesaurus rather than Dictionary, Create rather than iWork, etc.

I don't see any of the people I know writing Apple a blank check. Infact, most don't follow Apple's day to day stuff until they need something that only Apple supplies... Macs. As long as their Macs are working and they are productive with them, they are happy. When they need something more, there is always something much better being offered by Apple (mainly because they usually go a few years between replacing systems).

I have no idea what exactly you think Apple should be doing or what you feel you are missing.



Maybe we could get Jobs to do a monkey dance around the stage during his next keynote shouting "graphics industry, graphics industry, graphics industry!"

 

[FleurDuMal]

But by that logic MS have given up on you too. They're also venturing into 'toys' like the Zune and Xbox.

 

[maxrobertson]

How exactly are they ignoring us? I mean, they've done a major transition to a different chip architecture that was pretty risky if you think about it. Sure there are some problems now, but those are mostly Adobe's issues and not Apple's (Although it's really ridiculous to think that Adobe could have made a universal binary of CS2, considering the insane amount of legacy code contained there.) If they were still sticking with PowerPC, I'd be pretending they weren't ignoring us, but the fact that Apple has undergone this change shows that the Mac is still at the forefront of their business.

 

[SMM]

It's clear with Job's lust over his iPhone toy, and iTV, and all the little iPods everywhere, that design professionals are not the bedrock of Apple's plans anymore. (the same could be said for the education market). The lack of attention by Apple to the needs of the graphics industry is really wearing on me. Despite the fact that we are the ones who saved Apple's *ss during the dark days in the 90's, and are the only reason Apple retains a toehold in corporate America, Apple seems to be ignoring us.

I'll be the first one to say that graphics are still easier on a Mac, but I really wonder for how long?... If you are a web designer, you already need a PC anyway to test your pages, and I'm just wondering how long before it just makes more sense to produce on a PC instead?... Half of us are using monitors from someone other than Apple, so, how long before the boxes follow?...

The only thing clear is your lack of ability to provide substance to your assertions. Your are one major announcement away from having your whole balloon popped.

You should know very well that a major upgrade to FCP has been in the works for over a year. It is one of the best kept secrets at Apple.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Quite possibly the lamest attempt at an "Apple doesn't love me" thread to date.


Lethal

 

[Blue Velvet]

The OP does have a small point to make. Not in the sense of designers being pushed from the platform, but Apple can't thrive from serving the needs of the pro market alone. Any increase in Apple's relevance bodes well for us as long as they keep making computers.

Still, as someone else has pointed out, we are far more at threat from the neglect of developers and software vendors than Apple. From Adobe's crippling of Mac versions of software (e.g. Acrobat) to Fred Ebrahimi's (Quark) well-known hostility towards the platform.

Personally speaking, assuming the same evolution of Windows, my dedication to this platform would have been sorely tested if OS X hadn't happened when it did.

 

[mlochm]

All you dang web developers are recent switchers- admit it!!!!

The only thing clear is your lack of ability to provide substance to your assertions. Your are one major announcement away from having your whole balloon popped.

You should know very well that a major upgrade to FCP has been in the works for over a year. It is one of the best kept secrets at Apple.

HAHAHA! This is quite possibly the funniest post on Macrumors- I do hope you were intending this to be funny...

As for the thread, I suppose you can expect the people cruising MACrumors to be a bit defensive about Apple, Macs, Whatever- BUT- The OP makes a point even if it was presented in such a sensational way- I for one have noticed Alot of quality control issues from bith myself and everyone I know concerning new Mac equipment. This is particularly difficult for the pro to forgive, given the reliance they have on their machine- There are a few annoying things about new product announcements recently as well- I think they were a little skimpy with the Airport Extreme, and the iPhone while cool is missing some key features- And while I'm venting- The secrecy regarding the product updates are a little annoying when you consider the rapid turnover of Intel Chips. I think the whole 802.11n situation is rather annoying (why can't I even change out my laptops airport card?- and currently there is a bit of speculation as to whether Apples current 802.11n Airport cards will be compatible with a non Apple 802.11n network...)

I think rather than bashing the OP for not providing any of his own examples, perhaps you should provide a few quams YOU have with apple.
Unless they are absolutely perfect in your eyes- you little fanboy you...

 

[LethalWolfe]

I think rather than bashing the OP for not providing any of his own examples, perhaps you should provide a few quams YOU have with apple.
Unless they are absolutely perfect in your eyes- you little fanboy you...

If the OP wouldn't have gone down the drama-queen-martyr road to communicate that he thinks Apple is doing less for the gfx pro today than it did 10 years ago then people would've responded to this thread differently. But he didn't so his attempted rant is blowing up in his face.

Honestly though, how many reactionary, Chicken Little type threads have been started since the announcement of the iPhone? Do we really need another one? And it's not like iPods and iPhones are the first non-desktop/laptop hardware Apple has released (Newton or Pippin anyone?).


Lethal