cptexas
01-30-2010, 08:52 AM
EDIT: Sorry for the bump. Please see second page...
Hi Folks,
I know, I know, it's been a while since my last post (like... over a year!), but here I am!
So I'm thinking that it's time for a new notebook computer and I could use advisement from people who know more than me. I've got a wonderful 4 year-old home-built desktop PC running Win XP Pro and is still running strong. I love it, but now that I'm at University I could really use a notebook for portability, as I seem to be on the move a lot. The fundamental question here is PC or Mac. Yeah, I know, I've read a lot of postings on this one and I don't want to start a battle, but I'm having trouble figuring out which one is better for me so I thought I'd turn to people who have done this before. :)
To keep things tidy I'll make a numbered list of my questions/concerns:
Longevity is a major concern. It was of major concern also when I built my desktop and I think I was successful. After four years I havn't had any major problems! Can I attribute this to the hand-picked quality components? Or the fact that it doesn't have any anti-virus software and has spent most of its life disconnected from the internet? Or that Win XP Pro is a solid platform? Do PC and Mac notebooks have quality components too? It seems that Macs are designed more for the long run, but there's probably more to it, which brings me to my next question.
Maintenence is also a concern. I'm the type of guy that likes to do it once, do it right, and forget about it. This includes frequent updates and so fourth. So far I've been successful at that with my home-built PC (as you will see below my outdated software). It seems that Macs are designed with this in mind more so than PCs. I do plan on having this new one on the internet, so the fact that Macs are immune to most viruses makes me very happy.
I've heard that Mac notebooks tend to be better quality (components) than PC notebooks. Is this true?
If I got a Mac I would probably partition part of the drive and install Win XP Pro so that I could at least have Sonar and Giga there if I need it. That way I could also install my copy of MS office and not have to buy a new one for Mac. Does this seem sensible?
If I got a PC I would probably reformat drive C and install XP Pro so that I could still use my Sonar and Giga (compatibility with Win 7 seems questionable--anybody know for surre?). Does this seem sensible?
Is there an upgrade path for GPO that takes me from the old Windows version (the one using Kontakt with wet/dry samples and instruments not in score order on 3 CDs...remember that??:D) to GPO4 for Mac without buying the whole thing over again?
I've heard that music software tends to be designed on Macs so it tends to work more smoothly on Macs. Is this true?
Further considerations:
My gut wants a Mac really badly, but probably because I see all of the Macs at school are rock-solid and the PCs are always crashing and needing repair. I am also minding the fact that the Macs are top-of-the-line new iMacs and the PCs are rather old. My home PC is rock solid, but it hasn't been on the internet that much and it's made of hand-picked quality components.
Currently my workflow consists of some windows-only stuff: Sonar 4, Gigastudio 3, and GPO (Kontakt flavor). I know, I need an update. This is part of the plan too. GPO4 is on the list along with Sibelius 6. I am expecting a change in workflow with this new system, Mac or PC, because of the addition of Sibelius. I find myself wanting more pretty sheet music and less pretty audio files, so Sonar probably won't be used all that much after this upgrade.
I can part with Sonar and Giga if I have to on my new system. I'll still have them at home on my PC if I need them, but it sure would be nice to have it all on one machine even if I can't use them at the same time.
Macs are expensive, but I'm willing to fork it over if it means I can have a reliable, low-maintenance notebook for years to come.
Thanks for the help!
-Chris
EDIT: I also see that 7200 RPM hard disks are recommended. The first Mac notebook with this speed hard disk as an option is pretty expensive. Will 5400 do? Is 7200 worth the extra $$? Thanks!
Hi Folks,
I know, I know, it's been a while since my last post (like... over a year!), but here I am!
So I'm thinking that it's time for a new notebook computer and I could use advisement from people who know more than me. I've got a wonderful 4 year-old home-built desktop PC running Win XP Pro and is still running strong. I love it, but now that I'm at University I could really use a notebook for portability, as I seem to be on the move a lot. The fundamental question here is PC or Mac. Yeah, I know, I've read a lot of postings on this one and I don't want to start a battle, but I'm having trouble figuring out which one is better for me so I thought I'd turn to people who have done this before. :)
To keep things tidy I'll make a numbered list of my questions/concerns:
Longevity is a major concern. It was of major concern also when I built my desktop and I think I was successful. After four years I havn't had any major problems! Can I attribute this to the hand-picked quality components? Or the fact that it doesn't have any anti-virus software and has spent most of its life disconnected from the internet? Or that Win XP Pro is a solid platform? Do PC and Mac notebooks have quality components too? It seems that Macs are designed more for the long run, but there's probably more to it, which brings me to my next question.
Maintenence is also a concern. I'm the type of guy that likes to do it once, do it right, and forget about it. This includes frequent updates and so fourth. So far I've been successful at that with my home-built PC (as you will see below my outdated software). It seems that Macs are designed with this in mind more so than PCs. I do plan on having this new one on the internet, so the fact that Macs are immune to most viruses makes me very happy.
I've heard that Mac notebooks tend to be better quality (components) than PC notebooks. Is this true?
If I got a Mac I would probably partition part of the drive and install Win XP Pro so that I could at least have Sonar and Giga there if I need it. That way I could also install my copy of MS office and not have to buy a new one for Mac. Does this seem sensible?
If I got a PC I would probably reformat drive C and install XP Pro so that I could still use my Sonar and Giga (compatibility with Win 7 seems questionable--anybody know for surre?). Does this seem sensible?
Is there an upgrade path for GPO that takes me from the old Windows version (the one using Kontakt with wet/dry samples and instruments not in score order on 3 CDs...remember that??:D) to GPO4 for Mac without buying the whole thing over again?
I've heard that music software tends to be designed on Macs so it tends to work more smoothly on Macs. Is this true?
Further considerations:
My gut wants a Mac really badly, but probably because I see all of the Macs at school are rock-solid and the PCs are always crashing and needing repair. I am also minding the fact that the Macs are top-of-the-line new iMacs and the PCs are rather old. My home PC is rock solid, but it hasn't been on the internet that much and it's made of hand-picked quality components.
Currently my workflow consists of some windows-only stuff: Sonar 4, Gigastudio 3, and GPO (Kontakt flavor). I know, I need an update. This is part of the plan too. GPO4 is on the list along with Sibelius 6. I am expecting a change in workflow with this new system, Mac or PC, because of the addition of Sibelius. I find myself wanting more pretty sheet music and less pretty audio files, so Sonar probably won't be used all that much after this upgrade.
I can part with Sonar and Giga if I have to on my new system. I'll still have them at home on my PC if I need them, but it sure would be nice to have it all on one machine even if I can't use them at the same time.
Macs are expensive, but I'm willing to fork it over if it means I can have a reliable, low-maintenance notebook for years to come.
Thanks for the help!
-Chris
EDIT: I also see that 7200 RPM hard disks are recommended. The first Mac notebook with this speed hard disk as an option is pretty expensive. Will 5400 do? Is 7200 worth the extra $$? Thanks!