What can Apple do for me?

[slitherjef]

I'm a Linux / Windows *shutters slightly* / android user recently rubbernecking Apple...

I've only lightly dabbled with Apple's stuff, actually bought more when I had itunes on an old windows xp box? I've gotten a few Apple items throughout the years, wasn't too into their offerings. A couple iPods (actually dug the scroll wheel) although the interface with itunes was an abomination (seriously, moved a new hard drive into my PC and ended up switching drive letters and next sync with itunes and my pre touch screen ipod, it completely removed my music and just left the listings. Last time I used the ipod).

Later on I got an ipod touch, soon realizing to make the best use of it, wifi or internet was probably needed. Never got much use of it.

Even later. I got frustrated with my windows box because when I went to upgrade some hardware it was so old, I needed basically a new PC. Was using windows 7 by this time (probably the last decent windows os) and windows 8 I wasn't interested in so I got a macbook pro, a 2011(?) pre retina display, 13 inch. Was okay but found it small, so I passed it to my mom and got the 15" and swapped out the HDD for a SSD.

I'm almost sure if I was to plug it in (battery probably gone however) it might actually power up.

Anyway, I used it for a good bit, mostly for browsing, and photography, unfortunately I found it a bit backwards. Did dig the track pad however. I think at the time I wasn't sure how the Apple garden worked as I didn't understand how their software worked with the hardware, meaning I didn't know if a certain piece of software was compatible with my particular laptop.

Also didn't like I couldn't tinker, upgrade components etc.

I eventually ran out of space on the drive (rookie mistake!) And resorted to a thunderbolt external drive that got a bit of a pain to use since I had to wire the drive up power etc so eventually moved on reluctantly to a custom build windows 10 box that I'm having an awful time enjoying due to Windows obtrusiveness.

So, opted to try Linux and it almost works. The issue is my photography. Namely the new .cr3 raw images from the EOS R. It's a pain to work with on Linux (tried both Debian and Arch based system) and have problems opening the files. For a while I used adobe dng converter until something in the system broke.

I don't do enough serious photography to justify adobe suite. Been getting by with Canon DPP on my windows 10 box and when I was using a MBP.

A while ago, I used to like tinkering and playing with hardware and such but nowadays you change a part on a windows box it it might require a new license. I'm kinda at the point I just want stuff to work and not worry about things. Updates or whatnot.

Just come home from a photo excursion and load up the images in Canon DPP and perhaps gimp and do some editing.

Just wondering what Mac could do for me? I've had thoughts on a M1 mac (either air or mini). I've even thought about trying an iphone to replace my galaxy s7 edge. Want something not bloated with garbage ware and actually not sure I'd trust my main phone line with a pixel device (I've got a couple).

Should I stick with what I know? Should I try an Apple device again? Dump photography all together because I don't really want to use adobe?

 

[tonyr6]

I'm only starting using macOS for a few months never used it before. I learned it right away and find it easier and less troubleshooting than with Windows.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Should I stick with what I know? Should I try an Apple device again? Dump photography all together because I don't really want to use adobe?

If you need a Photoshop replacement on a shiny, new Mac, look into Pixelmator Pro. There's a free trial on their website. At the current price of $39.95 - a one-time purchase (h***, the 1.0 to 2.0 upgrade was even free) - it's a steal.

If you want a Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign replacement, check out Affinity, their Photo, Designer and Publisher stands up to anything Adobe makes, IMO. They are also one-time purchases, one for each. (PS! The Affinity apps are available for Mac and Windows.)

 

[hailey bee]

Why Canon DPP doesn't work for you on Linux?

 

[James_C]

If you want a Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign replacement, check out Affinity, their Photo, Designer and Publisher stands up to anything Adobe makes, IMO. They are also one-time purchases, one for each. (PS! The Affinity apps are available for Mac and Windows.)

Good advice, I held on to Photoshop CS5 for as long as MacOS would support it, and then switched to Affinity Photo which has been designed for the Mac UI. Wish I had switched sooner, no regrets making the switch.

 

[slitherjef]

I should clarify, I understand most major software should be available on a Mac, what I'm trying to figure out is what the Apple garden can do for me. I guess in a sense I'm trying to justify trying a Mac again.

Why mac over Windows? Why over Linux? Windows 10 would do it all pretty much in exchange for all it's incessant services running in the background. Mac seems more like Linux should be, minus the games (could use my Linux box for that.

I'm actually wondering if Apple is geared towards me?

 

[The_Interloper]

I'm trying to figure out is what the Apple garden can do for me.

I guess in a sense I'm trying to justify trying a Mac again.

Windows 10 would do it all pretty much

Mac seems more like Linux should be

I'm actually wondering if Apple is geared towards me?

I think you've answered all your own questions above.

The Apple garden, in my opinion, only gets more beneficial the more devices you add to it. But unless you're willing to go all-in, you'll never fully reap those benefits (which are mainly unparalleled interoperability between devices). This comes at a (literal) cost - it's hellish expensive and fairly closed (try watching an Apple TV+ show over Chromecast, for example).

But the benefits are real. macOS is very nice indeed, without the blunt edges of Windows, and software for the platform in general has a level of polish you don't always see on the PC side. You'll also find that that expensive hardware will retain its value and actually be worth something when it comes time to upgrade, taking the edge off both initial and upgrade costs.

Stuff still does "just work", for the most part. Constant Windows updates will be a welcome thing of the past and you'll generally find the OS just gets out of the way. There is a reason creatives love it. For photography, if you don't want to go the Adobe route, Apple's built-in Photos app is pretty good for basic cataloguing and editing and the Affinity suite and Pixelmator programs are excellent. PDF handling and Quick Look baked into macOS is also superb.

The new M1 Macs offer outstanding silent performance and battery life for their form factor and price point. The downside? It's effectively a proprietary platform and hardware is completely non-upgradeable.

Whether it's for you is something only you can determine once you've tried it so it's probably a perfectly viable strategy to take advantage of any return period to make a decision, especially now you cannot try things physically in an Apple Store (e.g. they are all shut in the UK at the moment, due to Covid).

 

[nothingtoseehere]

I'm actually wondering if Apple is geared towards me?

When it is about working out of the box, and no bloatware, Apple should be great for you.

What I wonder is why no one so far has chimed in concerning photography. I cannot really help because that is not my piece of cake but here or somewhere in the Internet should know how good your camera (and its software?) works with Macs, especially the M1 Macs. A fanless Macbook Air could work, for photography with an external monitor that I suppose you already have, or a Mac mini.

There is one very useful thing Apple can do for you: It offers you the option to buy a machine and to return it within 14 days if you don't want to keep it. You could get yourself a Macbook Air and try if it works well for your own needs. Otherwise, give it back.

 

[James_C]

Apple make a number of best in class products, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch and the M1 Macs. While each of these products are great in their own right, as part of Apple’s ecosystem they also work better together. As a couple of examples you can be looking at a web page on your phone, and will then pop up as an icon on your Mac, click at it will take you to the same page. You can be looking at directions in Apple Maps on your iPad and then transfer your directions to your iPhone. Airpods can automatically switch to the Apple device you are using. If you have a Homepod you can use it to make and receive phone calls with your iPhone. Apple’s advantage is that it makes its own hardware and software.

This walled garden is not for everyone. If you like to tinker with your PC, or you want to be able to put any App you want on your phone, and forgo the additional security of Apple’s walled garden, then there are other options out there.

 

[The_Interloper]

Apple make a number of best in class products, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch and the M1 Macs. While each of these products are great in their own right, as part of Apple’s ecosystem they also work better together.

This can't be understated. Earlier tonight, I went out for a run with only my LTE Apple Watch (iPhone left at home), streaming music to my AirPods connected to it. Now, tonight, I am dictating this message on an M1 MacBook Pro through those same AirPods. The level of near-effortless hardware interoperability is insane compared to other platforms.

 

[tonyr6]

Apple make a number of best in class products, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch and the M1 Macs. While each of these products are great in their own right, as part of Apple’s ecosystem they also work better together. As a couple of examples you can be looking at a web page on your phone, and will then pop up as an icon on your Mac, click at it will take you to the same page. You can be looking at directions in Apple Maps on your iPad and then transfer your directions to your iPhone. Airpods can automatically switch to the Apple device you are using. If you have a Homepod you can use it to make and receive phone calls with your iPhone. Apple’s advantage is that it makes its own hardware and software.

This walled garden is not for everyone. If you like to tinker with your PC, or you want to be able to put any App you want on your phone, and forgo the additional security of Apple’s walled garden, then there are other options out there.

That's why I have a Android phone. You can customize macos but ios is way too restricted for me. That is why I only use my iPad for music and video playback. Web browsing is a no no on ios for me as I can't use extensions in Safari "and no I don't use it on macos either" or any browser. On Android Kiwi and Yandex support Chrome extensions. On macos I use Firefox and Chromium Edge which supports the same extensions.

 

[MBAir2010]

Apple is just plain fun!
the experience is fun and everything syncs well
i can take a photo and that appears on everything apple Automatically without the parasitic effect google implores.
I cant download an app for my wifi without google play on windows or android
but could on my apple devices, which is safe and securer.
although im streaming hockey on a dell xps to a hdmi tv and typing on an ipad
i prefer the apple ecosystem over windows 10 which i like, but misses that apple syncing and fun!
i started using apple computers at work in 1990 for a newspaper and stopped briefly in 2018 And returned when i patched Mojave that worked on a 2010 macbook air.

 

[svanstrom]

I'm only starting using macOS for a few months never used it before. I learned it right away and find it easier and less troubleshooting than with Windows.

As a long time user I've had to introduce a person or two to Macs; gfs, people visiting, when it's the computer playing music at a party etc.

Nowadays people mostly just get the same old (web) interface as they would on Windows, and a lot more people use Macs anyways; but over the years I've never met anyone that started out in a "I don't know Mac"-panic that didn't instantly like it once that panic of the unknown went away.

It takes a lil while to get used to where things are, but after that I've never seen anyone by choice going back to Windows.

OTOH, if you're a professional… well… do a professional evaluation of the pros/cons as they apply to you.

So… hey… when in doubt just Get A Mac. 🎉