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Subject:RE: Mac laptops and Tech Comm From:"Al Geist" <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com> To:"'Craig Cardimon'" <craig -dot- cardimon -at- gmail -dot- com> Date:Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:08:47 -0500
Not sure if all come with Firewire. All our laptops have both Firewire and
USB ports with the exception of our Acer netbook, which has three USB ports
only. Then again, we got the netbook for traveling. In addition to technical
writing, my wife and I have a blog (gooterschmeltz.com) and I am a
professional photographer (see website below). We use the netbook to
temporarily store images shot on the road and to back them up to a portable
1GB HD. I used to use Photoshop, but found that Photoshop Elements and Corel
Paintshop Pro X3 do everything Photoshop does for less than half the cost.
We also use Premier Elements for any video productions for the same reason.
It's far less expensive than the full-blown program and I no longer do
commercial video productions.
Firewire is faster than USB 2.0, but USB 3.0 is coming on the scene and it's
as fast as Firewire. (I should add that I am semi-retired, so speed isn't as
important as it used to be in my life.)
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to
create them." (Albert Einstein)
From: Craig Cardimon [mailto:craig -dot- cardimon -at- gmail -dot- com]
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 10:56 AM
To: Al Geist
Cc: techwrl
Subject: Re: Mac laptops and Tech Comm
Hi, Al,
My home PC is at least six years old and has been rebuilt several time. It
doesn't have Firewire. My work PC is six years old and doesn't have Firewire
either.
I seem to be drifiting toward doing more work with video, which is why I'm
asking. No PC I have can handle it. Macs see to do it well.
Do all PCs now come equipped with Firewire?
On Sun, Feb 26, 2012 at 10:32 AM, Al Geist <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
wrote:
HI Craig,
I don't know what PC laptops you were looking at, but all of mine (even my
six year old Gateway) have both USB 2.0 and Firewire ports. While it is true
that Macs have traditionally been geared toward the graphics/video industry
more than PCs, the line has blurred in recent years, especially after Apple
moved from the PowerPC chip to Intel Pentium processors. If you do go MAC,
do not make the mistake of using it like a PC as some have done. If you want
a PC, get a PC. If you want a Mac, get a Mac. The Mac is less prone to virus
attacks (but you still need to protect yourself) and the Mac OS is better
integrated with the hardware.
Just my 2 cents.
Al Geist-Geist Arts, LLC
Fine Art Photography - Exceptional Note Cards
Mobile: 231-301-5770
E-mail: al -at- geistarts -dot- com
Website: www.geistarts.com
Blog: www.gooterschmeltz.com
Facebook: Geist Arts
See Also:
Technical Communication, Help, Documentation Management
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to
create them." (Albert Einstein)
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+al -dot- geist=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al.geist <mailto:techwr-l-bounces%2Bal.geist>
=geistassociates -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Craig Cardimon
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2012 9:55 AM
To: techwrl
Subject: Mac laptops and Tech Comm
Good Morning,
For those of you doing technical writing, do you use PC or Mac machines?
I've been having trouble using PCs for the new work I'm doing with videos
and narration. Seem like Macs are rigged for video from the get-go, but PCs
need to have Firewire ports and all that.
I might be in the market for a laptop one of these years, and I am starting
to think a Mac might be a better investment, but I need to be able to do
technical writing on it.
Comments? Suggestions?
--
Cordially,
Craig Cardimon -- "The Duct Tape Writer"
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