Ableton Forum

Only reason I went MAC was because my old Inspiron was urinated on by either myself, or my housemate. The insurance company said I could either have a VAIO (with a celeron processor), a replacement Inspiron or a Coreduo 2.00ghz MacBook. I choose the MacBook purely on specifications. Subsequently, I got to see the latest Inspiron design at first hand and I've honestly never seen a more cheap looking and poorly constructed computer. My new MacBook on the other hand is spectacular in every respect. The only thing at the moment that's dragging me down is the fact that I need to get my head round the new software. Add this to the fact that most developers (NI) have been slow to compile new coding for programs, I've mostly just been staring at ableton and scratching my head. That said, I've installed a copy of Logic 7.2 Express and I'm currently enjoying the synths etc that ships with, which are excellent. Once Battery and Vanguard ship UB, I'll be happy.

Also, OS X is a better operating system than Windows. It looks, feels and works better imo. It's like your using it and think 'It would be easier if I could just drag this here' etc and it works as though the thing read your mind.

Vista will be so pro-audio unfriendly it will make the move to Macs even larger....

knotkranky wrote:

hoffman2k wrote:Not to mention:

- Inter Application MIDI

- Built-in audio networking plugins

- The fact that you can plug and play anything while live is running. Like midi controllers or software.

- And soon we'll have the ability to combine all that stuff with ichat.
So i can work with somebody on a track in Live, we can stream the audio to each other and take control of each others desktop (feature of the next osx)
Not without latency. But everytime you made a change that you both like. You just send over the .als file...

Ah yes, are macs more suited for networked Live collaborations ?

.

Currently not any less then pc's I imagine. But with the addition of OSX 10.5. Mac users will be able to assume control over a mac on the other side of the world from the built-in IM client.
This will make it dead easy to illustrate a point or teach a trick.

Osx 10.4 did ship with built-in networking tools. But Live does not support AU generators. You can send from Live. But you need to receive audio from a host that supports AU generators. Such a host is included on the developer tools disc though.

I would also mention how great AU's are. But in reality they are a pain in the butt for most plugin developers (or so i've heard)
On the other hand. Automat 1.0 will hit the streets in a few months. That plugin is already a legend before it goes on sale. Stiwi will be rich, biatch
Only comes as AudioUnit at the moment.

How so?

Regarding VISTA not being pro-audio app. friendly?

Mac users will be able to assume control over a mac on the other side of the world from the built-in IM client.

Doesn't Windows XP allow this, already? Remote Desktop?

subterFUSE wrote:

Mac users will be able to assume control over a mac on the other side of the world from the built-in IM client.

Doesn't Windows XP allow this, already? Remote Desktop?

Remote desktop is an apple app. And yes, you can do it now.
But it'll be built into Ichat

What do you mean it's an Apple app? Remote Desktop is built into Windows XP. You saying Apple wrote it?

subterFUSE wrote:What do you mean it's an Apple app? Remote Desktop is built into Windows XP. You saying Apple wrote it?

I wasn't aware of that in xp. Anyway, there's an Apple app called "remote desktop".
Used in schools for large networks and stuff like that.

Ah.

Well there is also Remote Desktop built into Windows XP.

It allows control of your computer from another computer.

subterFUSE wrote:iPods basically kept Apple alive for years while they waited and waited for the next gen processors from IBM. When they didn't come, they switched to Intel. But iPods have been the cash cow.

That's simply not true. The bulk of Apple's profits have always come from hardware sales. The margins on ipods are much smaller and I think in the big picture they are still a drop in the bucket in terms of Apple's overall profits. Ipods are a useful tool in getting people to switch to the mac platform though.

I use both platforms all the time since 1995. If I had all the apps I need for mac I would throw PC out of the window. Windows is such a pain of OP system and has got worse after 2000 in every SP. XP is rather frustration to use.
I just feel very at home with OSX. Its logic and clean especially after I got rid of all trendy widgets. And works like a charm. I get freezups some times, mainly because of crappy USB2 card. But after restart it is happy again.
Windows in other hand I have to repair ALL THE TIME (and I am not even in the windows business)
So mac use trend as a marketing tool. It has been very successful and produced good mashines at affordable price and OP system that flies. Windows is still messing with crappy basecode and sadly seems not to give up. Vista seems to be another bucket with really unfriendly securety system.
But in a way mac is a trend. Like wearing mac tells something cool about you to the world. There is a good saying I read somewhere:
Don't ask a man, what computer he uses. If it is a Mac he'll tell you without asking - othewise why embarrace a person.

this remote desktop software is (free and) handy cos it works cross-plaform.

http://www.realvnc.com/what.html

melocoton wrote:

subterFUSE wrote:iPods basically kept Apple alive for years while they waited and waited for the next gen processors from IBM. When they didn't come, they switched to Intel. But iPods have been the cash cow.

That's simply not true. The bulk of Apple's profits have always come from hardware sales. The margins on ipods are much smaller and I think in the big picture they are still a drop in the bucket in terms of Apple's overall profits. Ipods are a useful tool in getting people to switch to the mac platform though.

It is true.

iPods & iTunes sales have been the driving force for Apple's profit for the past few years. Where have you been?

Tarekith wrote:One thing I will say about Apple, is that while their specs may be equal to or less than XP based system, Apple know how to make nice looking computers, with new physical features. They put a lot more effort into the design aspect. You don't see very many PC laptops with self-illuminating keys, less than 1" thick, slot load DVD/CD-RWs, glossy screens, innovative (or frustrating, depending on your experience) power connectors, etc.

So if you go by specs along, then yes, it's hard to justify the cost. But when you factor in the design (which doesn't matter at all to some people I realize), then it's a little easier to see why they cost so much.

Oh yeah, I'm a Windows user btw, though once the Meroms start shipping in MBP's, I plan on switching to see what all the OSX fuss is about.

The illuminated keys on the laptop is one of the best features ever!