Converting from PC to Mac

[MikeCornwell]

I've been using a PC for 20+ years but I'm seriously considering converting to Mac. Several reasons; I now have an Apple Cinema Display, my new company may buy me a new Mac Book Pro and I'd opt for the 17" even though it is big - I've been using a several year old 15" Mac Book Pro recently more and more.

But, I have CS2, BB and DLPro on my PC and am very used to it. Workflow is pretty much as Artie describes in Digital Basics.

I've been buying the upgrade versions of PS and the install of PS7, CS then CS2 is going to break somewhere along the way someday so am considering buying a full version of CS5 for the Mac.

What should I be looking at to replace BB and DLPro? I really like those apps and they make it very simple. If this has already been discussed please just point me to the thread.

I know very little about the Mac so anything that is just basic info would help.

Thanks

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I switched 2 years ago and never looked back. I also use an ACD and use CS5, Bridge and ACR 6.1, which works well for me. You should be able to call Adobe and transfer your license to Mac for free and you could then probably get an upgrade to CS5 for much less than full retail price.

[MikeCornwell]

Thanks. And thanks for the tip that I can switch the license and that continuing to upgrade would still work. I was worried about the upgrade path since I'm starting with PS 7.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Thanks. And thanks for the tip that I can switch the license and that continuing to upgrade would still work. I was worried about the upgrade path since I'm starting with PS 7.

If you currently have PS 7, you might not be able to upgrade to CS5, if I remember correctly, in this case there is a $350 upgrade available but better double-check.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Mike From PS7 you won't be able to upgrade but do call Adobe, they are easy to deal with, very accommodating people.

Will like the OS system and get used to fast !! btw if you live near an Apple Supper Store do take advantage of the training. Can get on hour a weed for a year with an Apple Genius on any Apple application ... I think for $100 Great deal.

[William Malacarne]

Mike
quote from OP...."I've been buying the upgrade versions of PS and the install of PS7, CS then CS2 is going to break somewhere along the way someday so am considering buying a full version of CS5 for the Mac."

Are you saying you now have CS2?

Bill

[John Chardine]

Mike- Photo Mechanic is an excellent program that would take the place of BB on the Mac side. I have looked at and used several Digitial Asset Management programs and Photo Mechanic is the best IMO.

[MikeCornwell]

Thanks all. I called Adobe and they switched my platform from PC to Mac and CS2 can still be upgraded so for $199 I now have a full version of CS5 and don't have to start with PS7 anymore. While I'm waiting for the license key to arrive (they mail it with a set of CD's) I just downloaded the trial version and will use it. Once I get the real copy all I have to do is enter the license key since I already have the software installed. I'll also look into the training at the Apple store. I've been there a couple of times, mainly to just ask dumb questions and they are VERY helpful. I'll also see about the classes. I'm really not used to people in a computer store being helpful and knowledgeable. Apple will take some getting used to :-)

Thanks for the tip on Photo Mechanic. BB was kind of a pricey deal to just browse and download but it was well worth the cost as it made it so easy.

[Roger Clark]

I am a Unix man.

Hi Peter,
Me too, and linux.

I don't use a virus scanner (don't even know if one exists): the MacOS is pretty well shielded (multiuser OS).

Peter,
Don't be lulled into a false sense of security. There are multiple issues with every operating system, and the software loaded on it. In a recent hacker test at a big conference, 3 laptops were set up: one with windows, one linux and a mac. The prize for the first break-in was 25K plus the laptop. Each day 3rd party software was added, and the prize money decreased. The guy who broke in said he "targeted the Mac because it is easiest to break in to." That was last year. The same guy has won 3 years in a row. This year he wouldn't reveal his strategy saying he was saddened by the manufacturer's lack of progress and that they need to learn how to fix their own software. He said the break in was trivial and took a couple of minutes (I'm paraphrasing here--don't remember the exact number of minutes, but it was impressively short).

Some of his comments were targeted at 3rd party software.

The point is, one can never be to careful, regardless of the OS. But just because Mac OSX is unix doesn't mean it is shipped locked down well, nor that it is free of vulnerabilities. Same with linux, unix, and especially windows. I was surprised at some of the settings in the mac OSX when my wife got a mac desktop--I didn't like the security holes opened up.

(Not trying to start an OS ware here--none are perfect--so one must be careful with every one.)

Roger

[John Chardine]

I'm a Unix man too (I use a Mac running Mac OS X). In fact all of the Mac using BPNers are Unix "men" whether they know it or not.

[John Chardine]

But you know Roger, I have used Macs every day since 1984 and I rarely give a thought to viruses, security, "malware" (whatever that is), and I have only ever had one "virus", about 20 years ago. It was a MS Word Macro virus, and I easily got rid of it on my own. BTW I have never, ever run any anti-virus software routinely. The odd time I have, it has always come back saying that there were no problems. The only time I even think about this subject is when some paranoid IT person tells me that Macs are a target. But the end of the world never happens, like 2012 won't happen of course.

And one other thing, you CAN be too careful with all this- when it ends up being stressful and causes worry. Life is short and it's simply not worth it. I don't know how Windows users tolerate all this. They must be made of stronger stuff. And then there is an easy solution if you worry too much- buy a Mac and stop worrying. I may be naive about all this but the weight of statistical evidence is mounting- 26 years of daily use, that's 9490 days, and only one innocuous virus with no virus software ever run. Strange though, my hair has still got grey over this time.

[Roger Clark]

A simple google search showed plenty of attacks. Again, not trying to start an OS war, just trying to say be careful!


On my own linux system I was getting thousands of attempted breakins PER DAY! I installed some active monitoring and permanently block IP numbers of attacking sites, and after a month or so, the attacks per day significantly dropped. It's pretty scary how many people/computers are attempting to break in to other computers.

Roger

Myth crushed as hacker shows Mac break-in

http://www.infoworld.com/d/security-central/myth-crushed-hacker-shows-mac-break-in-694


Quick tips to foil Mac break-in attempts

http://www.macworld.com/article/151756/2010/06/security_thoughts.html

World's first OS X virus hits Apple (Feb. 2006)

http://news.techworld.com/security/5392/worlds-first-os-x-virus-hits-apple/

Mac OS X malware posing as fake video codec discovered

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/mac-os-x-malware-posing-as-fake-video-codec-discovered/3575