Why use a G4?

[hoffman2k]

But here's the kicker. If you buy a Mac, you WILL be more likely to spend time focusing on your creativity. If you use Windows, there is a much higher percentage chance that you will have longer downtime if you have a problem. With newer PCs, when everything is working they function great, but run into a problem and see you next week unless you're a Windows geek.

The whole argument about cheaper is pretty much void at this point if you are looking at performance. To get an preconfigured "Audio PC" you're going to spend as much as a G5.

This is such nonsense...

As a fellow g5 user i agree. You gonna spend twice as much on a fully pre-configured g5 for audio then a pc.
I payed 2500€ for mine. And that was with 256mb ram.
Could have gotten 5 minimacs for that. (i probably would have gone for 2 mini's and a new PB)

I've been broke ever since, so don't see it as a golden solution. All i'm saying is that i don't mind. Because a g5 makes you forget.

[Sandor Vennink]

But here's the kicker. If you buy a Mac, you WILL be more likely to spend time focusing on your creativity. If you use Windows, there is a much higher percentage chance that you will have longer downtime if you have a problem. With newer PCs, when everything is working they function great, but run into a problem and see you next week unless you're a Windows geek.

The whole argument about cheaper is pretty much void at this point if you are looking at performance. To get an preconfigured "Audio PC" you're going to spend as much as a G5.

This is such nonsense...

I agree..

[skiptracer]

i really do agree that the aesthetics of macintosh are enough to justify it. i use a PC, but am going to switch to mac because of the simplicity: not only the hardware, but OSX.

also nobody has mentioned Soundhack and Agreiphontes Lyre, not to mention MAXMSP.

all the good geeky DSP stuff is Macintosh (except PD) is native to mac, as well as the scene.

it is easy to justify aesthetics as more important than raw power. how do you think people made wonderful music before 1Ghz?

[atomic]

just had to throw my two cents in here. I have not spent more than a few days on a mac and when I did it crashed all the time. It was a G4 with cubase on it. But that is not my point here at all, nor do I put much stake in that.

I personaly take the stand that computers in kick ass..... when they work. Now I have been using pc's since 95 to make music with and they have made me as happy as a clam but they have also caused me to throw things into the wall. I have learned that when dealing with PC's it rely pays to be very informed and to never scrimp when buying hardware. For example I spent the extra cash when buying a laptop and got myself a IBM and well all I can say is that it has NEVER crashed running ableton. I can have all my background tasks running with no problems, in fact I usaly just forget to turn off things like antivirus and so on most of the time now.

I dont know who said it earlier but I will agree that if live was ported to linux i would be there in a second! ABLETON FOR LINUX! lets have some realy progress!

[FaX-01]

i really do agree that the aesthetics of macintosh are enough to justify it. i use a PC, but am going to switch to mac because of the simplicity: not only the hardware, but OSX.

also nobody has mentioned Soundhack and Agreiphontes Lyre, not to mention MAXMSP.

all the good geeky DSP stuff is Macintosh (except PD) is native to mac, as well as the scene.

it is easy to justify aesthetics as more important than raw power. how do you think people made wonderful music before 1Ghz?

Ummmm excuse me ...

MaX/MSP is available for Windows.
PureData - Windows
AudioMulch - Windows
Pluggo - Windows
Mode - Windows
Reaktor - Windows
SynthMaker - Windows
Tassman - Windows
PlogueBidule - Windows
Energy Xt - Windows

etc etc - even Zebra is currently being Coded for XP and Gleetchplugs "The lab" is being coded for XP also.

Apart from the marvelous Metasynth and Logic 7's Sculpture I would say windows uses have a wealth of damn good software choices that can be as geeky as you want IMHO.

Included a wealth of hosts from Live to Orion , Fruity 5 , Ext , Bidule , AudioMulch , Sonar , Nuendo , Traktion , SAW , Pro-Tools ,Project 5 etc etc etc....
Not to mention a hell of a lot of decent freeware FX and VSTi's also.

And the Vaio's and top end Tosihiba's of this world are easily as aesthetically pleasing as any Mac notebook.

[skiptracer]

MAX/MSP is extremely fast on a Mac.

and i was refering to OSX. when i use OSX it completely changes the computer process. somebody in another thread mentioned that it makes you feel like you're no longer using a computer. this feeling is worth it to me.

[bitmap]

And the Vaio's and top end Tosihiba's of this world are easily as aesthetically pleasing as any Mac notebook.

i can see what you are saying with the points you made except this one..

you must not enjoy design.

[AdamJay]

this thread is still alive?

[Komplex]

yes. its very sad isn't it. like a bunch of nerds arguing over what computer is better. oh wait...

[Angstrom]

isn't it about time Ableton released another too-expensive softsynth to put us out of our misery

[Pitch Black]

Oh behave!