Design: Why Do Graphic Designers Use Macs?

Often people ask "Why do graphic designers use macs?" Most of the time a short answer is given and they walk away not knowing why they use macs and not pcs. Sometimes the graphic designer you ask doesn't even know why they have to use macs, and will be honest and tell you that. Sure, macs and pcs both have there strong points, so why do graphic designers use macs?

There was one critical reason why all graphic designers only used macs for there profession. Long ago Macomedia and Adobe both made there products (Photoshop, Fireworks, etc) for Apple Macs way before the pc version. These companies often released the pc version well after the mac, almost a complete 6 months later! Now anyone who knows anything about the graphic design field would know you have to have the newest programs when they come out and learn how to fully use them or your already behind everyone else. Sure, there are a lot of pc graphic designers then too but macs gave that time edge.

Apple was very smart with its approach to computers. Macs had quite a few edges over PCs that made them the ideal choice for designers. These include:

• Safer - Macs are less prone to viruses. Graphic designs are stolen quite often off Pcs that connect to the internet somehow, and often many of the thieves profit off it.
• Better Graphics - Apple often put in high end graphic cards in macs. The way macs are programed, these graphic programs run easier and quicker on a mac. They also made a lot of Mac specific things to help designers.
• Less Crashes - Macs run in a way that keep them from running into errors easier then pcs. This means when you save to the hard drive you won't lose your data more often. (Designers often back up there files on external drives now, this wasnt always the case.)
• Brighter - Apple again, pulls thought with an often brighter built in laptop screen.
• Portable - Macs portability is much higher then Pcs, which require both a tower and a monitor. Macs always weighted less then pcs and always preformed.
• Capable - All macs are compatible with other Macs with the same similar OS. I have dragon naturally speaking upstairs for windows 98 and it will not work with windows xp+
  

With all a Mac had over a PC, even though some didnt pull a lot of ram or had slightly slower processors - the only downside for an Apple Mac computer was the high price. This high price is easily pushed aside because the computer is the tool of the graphic designer. Thats like saying your not gonna pay the price for a set of long Spark Plug ratchet extentions being a mechanic that offers car engine tune ups.

Most graphic designers now are versed and use both Macs and PCs. Macs are great and pcs are powerful but both have a weakness and both have strengths. Lucky, the shortcuts for both programs are dam close to each other making it easier to use macs or pcs and they both are compatible with each other (.psd).