Any Artists?

[Juanita]

I don't own a Mac.
I like Windows, but I might get a Mac if my parents let me get my own computer. I want a new one so I can use it solely for art programs and files. If I were to get all the programs and stuff I want on our laptop now, it would crash

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

For years now I've been building computers from scratch. Well actually I'll buy the motherboard, CPU, memory, case, power supply, disk drives, etc and just plug and bolt it all together. Then, of course, install the latest version of my current favorite Linux distro. I don't know if it is cheaper to build your own from parts or to buy it off the shelf, but I think you can customize it and get more bang for the buck. Right now I have an AMD Phenom Quad Core at 3.5Ghz with 12GB of ram, and about 1TB of total disk space on two drives. (Might go Intel next time.) Also TWO monitors. Enough power to do some real nice graphics or video (If I only had the talent!)

I know that MAC's are used heavily by the people that do CGI and stuff like that.

[AprilSeven]

I work on both Mac and Windows. The same programs basically run faster on a Windows computer - plus a Windows computer costs less.

I do mostly graphic design and photo manipulation. The first computers to get into art programs seriously were Macs (I've had one since 1984), but they are expensive and aren't as stable as they used to be.

It used to be the opposite - but now (using XP - not so much Windows 7) the Windows platform is much more 'streamlined' - you can do more with less effort, and more quickly). But that is changing too. I have both an XP and 7 machine at work, and the 7 year old XP computer is much more expedient than the 12-core Windows 7 machine.

Used to be you HAD to have a Mac to be a computer-based artist, but that's not true anymore. And I would stay away from "cloud" based software (at least for the time being).

[Juanita]

I'm not too familiar with cloud based software anyway, so I probably won't get any anyway. Thanks for all the info guys! It'll come in handy when looking for a laptop (if my parents say I can have one that is).

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

XP, Ugg. Windows 7 is SO much better than XP. I think it will also hang around as long, because '8' is horrible on a desk top (but a good tablet OS).
I didn't know that Macs had gone downhill so much. My daughters both have Macbook pro's and they love them. Of course we did have to bring one back for repair under warranty (lucked out as it was about to expire). The Apple store had to ship it to Texas for repair, and then back. Even so it was out of our hands for only THREE DAYS! They must have paid big bucks for the shipping!

Of course, these days Mac's actually run on the same hardware as PC's. You can even run mac/os ON A PC with a few hacks and patches (I'd rather run Linux or BSD!)

[Juanita]

Interesting. I'm not too skilled in computer knowledge right now, but I'll be taking some technology classes in my future high school years. That'll help me with a lot!

[Little Brown Fox]

Hmm... hey Penguin, exactly how much "Frankenstein'd" is the computer you gave me? It could affect what can and cannot run on it (like for instance, the Wacom Bamboo Create tablet I've been coveting so only runs on computers with Intel on the inside- not that I'll ever get one anytime soon).

Although, after some research, it looks that running it on Linux could be a problem (it does not say if it will work on Kubuntu, or if it even works for any kind of Linux at all).

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Hmm... hey Penguin, exactly how much "Frankenstein'd" is the computer you gave me? It could affect what can and cannot run on it (like for instance, the Wacom Bamboo Create tablet I've been coveting so only runs on computers with Intel on the inside- not that I'll ever get one anytime soon).

Although, after some research, it looks that running it on Linux could be a problem (it does not say if it will work on Kubuntu, or if it even works for any kind of Linux at all).

That computer has Intel Inside (it's a dual core Intel 32 bit mobile processor). The only hardware mod's I made were to add another GB of ram and the larger hard disk.

There is a program you can install from the software manager called WINE, which will run *some* windows programs. (Wine is sort of a Windows emulator). I'm sure you could find a USB interfaced tablet that will work with Linux.
OH look at this:
https://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/347367-using-a-bamboo-tablet-with-ubuntu-1004

[Little Brown Fox]

Oh yeah, I already found that! Would it work with Kubuntu, though? Or is it essentially the same thing?

Btw, I already downloaded Wine. I used Notepad to pen that little angst-fest everyone seemed to love so much (btw, I'm thinking of another angst!Cobalt fic involving Tenma; I need to figure out how to present it, though- just a heads up).

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Kubuntu is just Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome.
Different desktop environment, but same underpinnings.
Also that article was using an older version of Ubuntu, but it should still work.