Opinions on the \"other\" G5

[PacAce]

I was wondering if anybody out there who has an Apple G5 can comment on it in terms of how it runs compared to whatever machine they had previously and also in terms of the "usability" of the bundled software that comes with it, especially for photo and video editing.

I already have a PC based system with a couple of Adobe's photo and video editing softwares and I just wanted to know if I'll have to duplicate these software on the G5 as well to get the same type of functionality.

Thanks.

[NickC]

iMovie comes bundled on Macs but if you are into high end movie making you have to purchase Premiere or Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Express. Nothing bundled on a Mac even compares to Photoshop or Elements, if you bought those.

So basically I don't see how the bundled software on any off-the-shelf computer is going to compare to some Adobe stuff you had to buy separately.

[arthurb]

PacAce wrote:
I was wondering if anybody out there who has an Apple G5 can comment ......

I already have a PC based system with a couple of Adobe's photo and video editing softwares and I just wanted to know if I'll have to duplicate these software on the G5 as well to get the same type of functionality.

Thanks.

Please understand that I don't want to start the Microsoft-Apple Gehiad here, my questions a based purely to understand.

If you already have a PC setup with software, why would you want to move to an Apple? You will have to purchase new versions of the software for the Apple, and data transfer is a nightmare unless you are a techie...

Years ago Apple had better tools for video and photo editing, but today, the tools are available on both platforms.

Please folks, don't spend wasted bits trying to convince me that one system is better than another, I just want to understand why PacAce wants to make the switch. I would make the same statements if his posting said he had an Apple and wanted to switch to a PC.

[PacAce]

arthurb wrote:
..... unless you are a techie...


Yes, I am a techie and worse, a tech junkie, and that pretty much answers your question.

The G5 is a 64 bit computer. The PC is not. And, to a techie like me, that's reason enough. But, just so you know, I'm not abandoning my PC system. I just want to add another system and there's no reason why I can't have an Apple and an Wintel based system running side by side. Since I'll have to buy new software for the new computer anyway it doesn't really matter to me whether it's Mac software or Wintel software.

:)

[arthurb]

PacAce wrote:
Since I'll have to buy new software for the new computer anyway it doesn't really matter to me whether it's Mac software or Wintel software.

:)

Unless the old software is a real old version and you want to upgrade, or you are selling the old system with the software included, you can load the software on the new computer. (Once you remove it from the old system.)

Do you believe that you will gain any picture quality because of the new sysetem being 64 bit?

[leony]

PacAce: G5 was the 1st 64-bit processor for consumer use. AMD already sells it's Athlon FX processor - which is also 64-bit. The G5 is not longer the fastest processor either. Microsoft is expected to release an "updated" Windows XP version in the Spring which will utilize not only HT but also the full 64-bit powerhouse from AMD, and I'm sure Intel isn't far behind. I have used dual G5 box for photo/video editing and it is faster than the G4. Over-all: my AMD Athlon XP 3200 with 1 gig of DDR 400 ram and a RAID-5 running Win 2K Server functions just as fast as a single G5, and with video my RAID-5 set up is faster than MacOS Panther which only supports RAID-1 which doesn't have morroring or parity check... anything goes wrong and all your files go bye bye.

Decide what you want to do, and then build a box for that. The only real benefit to Mac is that it looks cooler and software/hardware is more standardized so it's easier for non techies.

Take a peek at Fedora from RH if you haven't already - it'll make you want to keep your PC :-)

BTW: RAID-5 is fast for video even with 5400 RPM drives. Someone I know renders VGA resolution motion graphics on RAID-5 set up on 7200 RPM ATA-133 drives with no problems!

Hope this helps.

PS: It's just a tool. The artist is still required.

[CyberDyneSystems]

PacAce wrote:
arthurb wrote:
..... unless you are a techie...


Yes, I am a techie and worse, a tech junkie, and that pretty much answers your question.

The G5 is a 64 bit computer. The PC is not. And, to a techie like me, that's reason enough. But, just so you know, I'm not abandoning my PC system. I just want to add another system and there's no reason why I can't have an Apple and an Wintel based system running side by side. Since I'll have to buy new software for the new computer anyway it doesn't really matter to me whether it's Mac software or Wintel software.

:)

lol,.. and he said he didn't want to start a PC Vs. Apple war,. and I just can't help myself :D

64 bit is not new to the PC platform,. Intel has had the Itanium since January of 2003, and MS has had a 64 bit XP server just as long.

Even AMD has had 64 bit "Hammer/opteron" proecessors for some time.


On the other hand,. I have allways respected Apple systems and there OS despite there perenial advertising claims to have the fastest systems "in the world" which for the last 4 years at least have been completely false.

It is not the claims of speed that make the Mac so appealing to me,. but the thorough engineering of the complete system,. hardware and OS,.. with the elimination of tired old bottlenecks that seem to allways trouble the PC systems...

I have never bought a PC knowing I was getting a complete package,. the first thing I do is format C: and reinstall Windows to take out all the crap that slows it down.

My take is that MACs are pretty damn nice right out of the box!

[John_T]

...dunno CD, maybe you missed the point.

Being a tech junky myself, I think I can say this:

To be a full-on Tech Junky, you've also gotta be some kind of Masochist with Geek in your blood!

What kind of self-respecting masochistic Geek wants something that works just fine right out of the box?

Apple is dedicated, in every possible way, to obstruct the Second Law of Geekdom:

"If it works just fine, by all means fix it!"

(The First Law of Geekdom is "Nothing works right, so you have to fix everything!")

So in summary, Apple is a frustrating party-pooper for a Tech Junky.

(Mac people also speak New England Yuppie to make themselves feel superior in compensation for their inferiority complexes which is very annoying to a Tech Junky, and secretly in the bottom of his heart every Geek KNOWS he is superior which makes Mac people doubly annoying because Mac people refuse to acknowledge anybody else's superiority for fear of having to confront their own inferiority.)

A Tech Junky wants to lft the hood and bloody his knuckles.
A Mac Yuppie faints at the sight of blood.

...eh?

[PacAce]

Thanks everybody for all your feedback. They were very helpful and very informative.

I've also been doing some research on my own (ain't the internet just great for that? :) ) and I've since learned (and reinforced by your own comments) that:

1) the G5 is NOT the fastest personal computer around and that they may have "cheated" in their benchmark testing to come up with that claim;

2) there are WINTEL type processors, such as AMD's, that are also 64-bit (aamof, they were announced even earlier than Apple's) but I haven't seen any reference to a real 64-bit machine based on these processors yet.

3) the Dell XPS or the Dell Precision 650 will give me more expandability options than the G5 ever will and also give me the speed I need to do my video editing and rendering in much less time than it takes me now.

Well, it looks like my "G5 dream machine" bubble has been burst and reality has set in. But you must admit, Apple did a pretty good PR job on that G5, didn't they?

Thanks again, everybody for your input...much appreciated.

BTW, I'm going to hold off getting that 2nd machine for my video editing since I'm pretty much done with my current project anyway. I am, however, going to keep my eyes open for that 64-bit PC announcement which hopefully will be in the very near future.

[Andy_T]

4) If you're a Tech junkie, you won't exactly love Apple!

Why? Let's come up with an analogy from, say, photography :)

You can take good shots with goth a 10D or with a Canon S400 Digital Ixus.

Difference is that on the Digital Ixus, you have some preset modes and that's about it. No P,T,A modes to creatively control the picture. However, enough for many people who say 'that'S all I need'.

Now ... THOSE are the people that Apple computers are normally targeted to. They try to make everything as easy as possible, while sometimes sacrificing 'flexibility'.

Setting a screen resolution on an Apple PC? Forget it ... It's automatic...

Best regards,
Andy