PMs

This whole last bunch of posts has been a great reminder of why to buy Apple and not buy PC.

The Internet is the greatest threat to the proper working of computers.

How easy is it to transit to Apple after twenty-five years of Microsoft?

markpierce said:

How easy is it to transit to Apple after twenty-five years of Microsoft?

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I've used Apple Macs at home since 1984 (for my first book project I bought the third Mac sold in Seattle) and I've used PC's at work since Boeing standardized on them in the early 90s.

Applications themselves--- Word, Photoshop, Power Point, Google Earth, etc, etc, etc.-- aren't much different at all between the two platforms once you're in them. The main difference is that the Apple operating system and what this makes possible in applications is, in my opinion and experience, much more user-friendly and intuitive.

But I think the ease of changing from one to the other, or in determining which system one prefers, depends entirely on the individual. It's no coincidence that almost every laptop and desktop computer you see being used in TV shows and movies is an Apple. It's because for a whole bunch of reasons, Apple's "environment" is much more appealing and comfortable to people in a creative industry or occupation than Microsoft's.

However, for a whole bunch of reasons, Microsoft's "environment" is more appealing to people in a more analytical occupation like finance or some technical or data-intense field.

So the difficulty or ease of changing from PC to Mac will be more dependent on how your mind likes to do things than on the attributes of the systems themselves.

One I'm in Word, it's pretty much six of one, half dozen of the other except.... the version for Windows is considerably less intuitive to me in its menus and organization than the version for Mac.

I work in a creative organization at Boeing. Back in the late 80s through the mid 90s as the company moved into the desktop computer world we actually were a mostly Mac organization because the professional applications we used for creative work--- video editing, photo treatment, graphics--- were initially developed for Macs. But eventually, initially for financial reasons, Boeing standardized on PC and today the only Macs around anymore are those that run applications that simply aren't available for PCs.

Most of the folks in my organization--- which includes writing, graphics, CGI (computer generated imagery), photography, video, web design, exhibit design, interactive media, etc. are like me and use Macs at home and PCs at work. And to hear most of them talk, they absolutely despise working with Windows-based software even if they are the same applications they use at home on their Macs.

But.... if I go down the hall and talk to the folks in this building who are part of Finance, it's the exact opposite. They love their Windows and PCs (Boeing uses Windows 7 Enterprise) and think Macs are dumb.

If you're seriously contemplating a switch, Mark, I'd suggest you first get some hands-on time with a friend who uses a Mac and who is good at explaining the thinking behind the operating system before you actually decide to buy one. Mac/Apple might click with you and it might not.

PS--- Regarding the attributes that tend to make a person prefer Mac or PC/Windows, ponder this. As of a few years ago and so far as I know still, the company-wide computing system used by Southwest Airlines is Mac.

Marin said:

It's no coincidence that almost every laptop and desktop computer you see being used in TV shows and movies is an Apple.

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You are right, it is no coincidence. It's product placement. Set Dec was meticulous in making sure all the other laptop and desktop computers seen had their badges covered with Gaffer tape.

Iron Man movies were one big Audi commercial.

Suits = Lexus

Transformers = GM

Guardians of the Galaxy; what's the only brand label you remember from that movie? The only product that stands out? Sony.

Captain America; Chevrolet

It's amusing watching a film crew cover the badges and wheel hubs on a Crown Victoria with matt black ovals, when everyone watching the film still knows what it is.

The best windows laptop was a MacBook a couple of years ago. Probably still is.
http://www.cnet.com/news/macbook-pro-declared-best-performing-windows-laptop/

It's amusing watching a film crew cover the badges and wheel hubs on a Crown Victoria with matt black ovals, when everyone watching the film still knows what it is.

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I just directed a shoot with a couple of Seahawks players and a 747 for a video that will shown in the stadium during an upcoming game. In the video the players drive up in one of Boeing's black Chevy Suburbans. In post I had to gray out the big gold Chevy logo in the middle of the Suburban's grill so it wouldn't be so obvious. We debated having one of our CGI designers create an entirely different grill for the vehicle and track it through the shot but it was decided that wasn't necessary in this case.

The use of Apple computers is not always product placement. It's because Apple computers, particularly the laptops, are the only things anyone has on the set. I've been in this situation myself on several occasions over the years. The only thing anyone had was a Macbook. On some occasions we blanked out the logo and on some we contacted Apple for permission to use the logo (like they'd ever say no, right?).

It would be just as easy to use PCs and Surfaces in TV shows and movies but in my observation nobody ever does. It's because in the production world Apples are cool and PCs aren't.

But you're correct, Hawg, branding is a major, major deal. In the Seahawks shoot a group of flightline mechanics comes over to watch the action. They were told to wear Seahawks-branded clothing for the shoot. We had just about finished shooting every scene on my storyboard when one of the Seahawks front office reps who was on the set noticed that one of the employees had a non-official logo on the front of her sweatshirt. It didn't matter that this was just a tiny background detail, an unofficial branding item could not appear in a Seahawks-approved video, period.

There was no way we or the players had the time to re-shoot all the scenes in which this shirt appeared. But in looking at it I realized I could remove the logo from the shirt in post. It took several hours of frame-by-frame effects work but I got it off the shirt and no one will be the wiser. But if we couldn't have done this the whole project would have been dead in the water because of this one tiny detail.

None of this was a surprise to me because we are as protective of our branding as the Seahawks are. We have a big book that spells out every single detail of how and when our logos can be used, the colors that can be used, and so on.

We do this with planes all the time. We remove logos and paint schemes, change them to another airline or our company livery, even make up our own logos and liveries and apply them to the planes in the scenes. Thanks to the magic of CGI this has actually become very easy today. Because God forbid you arouse the ire of somebody's Brand Police.

markpierce said:

How easy is it to transit to Apple after twenty-five years of Microsoft?

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Find an Apple Store (normally at a large regional shopping mall) and try one out for as long as you like. Log onto trawlerforum and post photos and such from the store, they are all logged onto the net. The employees are quite knowledgeable and helpful at my local store.

As for short cuts, all windows came with IE where you simply right click then create a shortcut. W10 comes with Edge which dropped that function.

IE is also included in Win 10...you just have to know how to access it:

Click on the start button (window pane icon in lower left corner)...click on All Apps...scroll down to Windows Accessories (the list is alphabetical, you'll find it under W)...click on the down arrow to drop down the list that includes IE... click on it to open it. If you right click on it, you'll get a menu that includes "pin to task bar" (Task bar is at the bottom of the desktop). Do that and you won't have to do all that every time you want to use it...you can just click on the icon in the task bar.

Marin said:

It didn't matter that this was just a tiny background detail...Seahawks front office reps who was on the set noticed...

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On Schwarzenegger's Sixth Day it took 15 hours to shoot 2 pages of dialogue (about 2 minutes of actual film) with Arnold standing at a desk in the precinct. The dailies went to LA, were rejected and the next day the whole exercise was repeated; another 13 hours, with the desk turned 90 degrees. That was about the time "Executive Producers" (anyone with a few bucks in the film) started showing up on set and became a royal PITA.

"Since we are already here, why can't you make it snow and do the winter scene when the summer one is done?" "Can you find a spot for my niece?"

Until about 10 years ago branding, logos, copyrights and sensitivities were non issues. In film, Vancouver was Seattle in dozens and dozens of productions and cops always wore Seattle PD gak. I don't recall exactly when or why but word came across the line, no more SPD.

From then on cops and their cars were always generic; City, Metro, Town etc. No place names. Same with logos and even costumes. Retakes happen now when a bogie crosses the street a block away with the same color hat as the hero.

I could write a book on things missed on the day AND in post. Some funny stuff. Some meant to be fun stuff too, like the multi season TV series that had a hockey puck in every episode. Another where a cast was on a different arm one day, deliberately.

On set of Jet Lee's Romeo Must Die, props put a California rear plate (tag) on a bogie BC car and it drove away. Always wondered how long it was on there and who discovered it.

And now a PMs thread has morphed again.

HeadMistress said:

...you just have to know how to access it:
Click on...click on...scroll down...you'll find it under W)...click on the down... click on it to open it...right click on it..."pin to task bar"

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All that just to save a page by Peggy. If I didn't know better I might think you were trying to talk me out of 10.

Having issues with my Android phone and now Windows 10, I too may consider making a switch. Man, I hope I don't start dreaming about sailboats.

If I didn't know better I might think you were trying to talk me out of 10.

No...I'm trying to teach you how to use it! I don't use IE or Edge if I can help it, so I had to hunt it down for you. Win 10 is just enough different from Win 7 that there is a bit of a learning curve...ignoring that is what causes problems with it. (That also accounts for most problems with marine toilets!)

I can't help you with Android, though...my mobile devices are an iPhone 6+ and an iPad Air 2. I installed the new Firefox app on my ipad (also available for Android) tonight...enough different from the full computer version to require a bit of a learning curve too, but really cool.

HeadMistress said:

No...I'm trying to teach you how to use it!

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I know that and I do appreciate your efforts. Sometimes I think I'm just ready for something different, for a change.

FWIW, with only minor exceptions, I've not found it particularly useful to change to a newer version of an operating system.


In general, the hardware won't take advantage -- or at least enough advantage -- of the new opsys to make the hassle worthwhile.


The exceptions were Win 3.0 to 3.1 (not really much of a deal), and Win 8.1 to Win 10 on a relatively new combo notebook/tablet.


The latter makes a good example about capabilities. Win 8/8.1/10 offer some touch screen capabilities... but those are only useful if the monitor understands touch screen. A typical desktop/laptop -- without touch screen -- won't benefit much if any from changing from Win 7 to Win 10.


OTOH, we didn't care much for Win 8.1 anyway, only just got the thing a few months before Win 10 release, that was an easy enough change -- no user interaction required other than to say "yes."


-Chris

Word o' caution


Via close business connections... In 2013 I purchased a 2012 top end, super capable Apple laptop from a computer beta test company working for Apple. It had tested good on all accounts. They cleaned everything off of it to regain complete virgin condition. I went to Apple experts, Apple computer company itself, and even began relationship with a retired Apple programmer. NO Body could get too large a number of my PC files loaded onto the Apple. I would have lost way too many important legal documents, programs, drawings, math, and photos of proprietary items that I'm hooked up with. These items are to me very important and must stay available at the drop of a hat. I've been building my file base on PC's since early 90's.


Some people said... well... why don't you just use a PC and an Apple; that way you can have the best of both worlds. My answer - Too much of a PIA! My mornings already start at 4:30 to 5 and I've not time to fk around with separate computer types. I've not the band-width nor desire to PC and Apple simultaneously. That said - I hope PC's (Microsoft specifically) doesn't shoot itself (me or you too) in the foot with all these "new" Windows efforts that their geeks in cubicles on 100,000 sq. ft. operations floors spend their life modifying... for the good of everyone - of course!

Hawgwash said:

I like to write my posts in word so I canproof and edit before hitting the publish button.

Almost always, when I copy andpaste from word toforum, words jam up, some paragraphs get double spaced and somelines duplicate. It can take up to 4 save-edit-save tries before it is all fixed up.

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You can use notepad (on windows) to do responses. That will let you cut and paste the text into TF with no formatting problems. Just don't use fonts or other text formatting in notepad.

I used to use it all day on Cisco programming code and configs. It does not add hard CR/LF characters, even if you use the word wrap function.

stu

Art said:

Word o' caution


Via close business connections... In 2013 I purchased a 2012 top end, super capable Apple laptop from a computer beta test company working for Apple. It had tested good on all accounts. They cleaned everything off of it to regain complete virgin condition. I went to Apple experts, Apple computer company itself, and even began relationship with a retired Apple programmer. NO Body could get too large a number of my PC files loaded onto the Apple. I would have lost way too many important legal documents, programs, drawings, math, and photos of proprietary items that I'm hooked up with. These items are to me very important and must stay available at the drop of a hat. I've been building my file base on PC's since early 90's.


Some people said... well... why don't you just use a PC and an Apple; that way you can have the best of both worlds. My answer - Too much of a PIA! My mornings already start at 4:30 to 5 and I've not time to fk around with separate computer types. I've not the band-width nor desire to PC and Apple simultaneously. That said - I hope PC's (Microsoft specifically) doesn't shoot itself (me or you too) in the foot with all these "new" Windows efforts that their geeks in cubicles on 100,000 sq. ft. operations floors spend their life modifying... for the good of everyone - of course!

Click to expand...

As a fellow programmer, you can use Fusion for the Mac to run both Windows, Linux and Mac OS at the same time. It has a function to import stuff from windows onto your mac, so all you need is to link the two and start the import.

I guess you didn't talk to the right xspurts

Stu

CPseudonym said:

Mark, just buy an Apple. You'll only regret spending the money once.

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OMG! That's the first thing that popped into my mind!

stubones99 said:

As a fellow programmer, you can use Fusion for the Mac to run both Windows, Linux and Mac OS at the same time. It has a function to import stuff from windows onto your mac, so all you need is to link the two and start the import.

I guess you didn't talk to the right xspurts

Stu

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Stu


That and more was tried. Some items on some of my files are severely encrypted... such as from Sandia National Labs, Stanford Research Institute, and engineers I invent/further-perfect things with.

Art said:

Stu


That and more was tried. Some items on some of my files are severely encrypted... such as from Sandia National Labs, Stanford Research Institute, and engineers I invent/further-perfect things with.

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There is a lot of financial software that is strictly PC and will not run on Apple even using Fusion and other methods. Now, much of this same software won't initially run well on new versions of Windows until they upgrade the software.

My policy on Windows upgrades has always been to upgrade but never to be among the first. I will never convert to any software until it's been in relatively problem free use for at least 6 months. For some that's meant six months after release and for some that's meant 2 years.

As mentioned by ranger, we don't find an urgency. We just want to upgrade before we start running into software and hardware (peripherals primarily) not supported fully on the old. Also, in time to settle in before the next upgrade.

Marin said:

It's no coincidence that almost every laptop and desktop computer you see being used in TV shows and movies is an Apple. It's because for a whole bunch of reasons, Apple's "environment" is much more appealing and comfortable to people in a creative industry...

Click to expand...

Part two...
Those Apples you see in a film are not there because cast and crew use nothing else. Production doesn't care what they use.

It's Hollywood not real life. Use and placement are negotiated months in advance and placed with way too much consultation and wasted meeting time. Continuity can reach anal, ridiculous proportions. Quite often vehicles occupy more preproduction time than scripting, especially if there are crashes. Corporate and entertainment lawyers make millions negotiating standard, blanket documents of use, liability and waiver.

Almost any "brand" that appears in film and TV is either pre approved, supplied gratis or is a paid for placement by the copyright holder. A huge amount of set dec is generic and isn't even real or necessarily current.

Otherwise there are warehouses full of and industries creating, props and set dec items and so much of it is just plane fake. It doesn't matter how many times a Grip tosses a brick at you, you always react like it's 5 pounds not 5 ounces.

Also, the really good crew members who build, shop for and dress sets, along with makeup and prosthetic artists, are more than just film school grads; they have tremendous natural talents.

Marin, you chose the wrong field, a sought after wig maker can often earn more than a camera op.

But then you already know this stuff...

Another shift in the PMs thread...
How come some posted replies to a subscribed thread get to my inbox within minutes while others can take several hours? And please, don't blame gmail or how I have it configured.

Hawgwash said:

Marin, you chose the wrong field, a sought after wig maker can often earn more than a camera op.

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i'm not a camera op, I'm a producer/director. I worked in commercial television production until moving to Seattle and Boeing made me an offer I couldn't refuse to come produce films (now videos) for them. What I learned at that point is that while working in the commercial movie/TV industry is fun and pays pretty good, doing the same work in the corporate world is far, far more rewarding in terms of pay. Over the years I had offers from acquaintances to go back to working in the entertainment side of the business but none of them came close to the pay and benefits of what I've been doing.

As to the use of Apple branded stuff, you're correct to a large degree, especially today. But friends who currently work in television/movie production like the woman I hire for prop work when i need someone like that are the ones who told me what I related earlier. Like I (and she) said, they could use Surfaces instead of MacBooks if they wanted to. Microsoft would love to get and pay for that kind of product placement. But more often than not the producers and directors don't want to use those products in their shows because, like me, they despise them just on general principle.. Of course now the relationship between Apple and the industry is well established so it's become the norm to use their stuff because the process is so easy.

It's why when we need a "private" vehicle for a particular production we always get one from the same dealer because the relationship's long established and the process is fast and easy even though I'd sometimes prefer to use a "cooler" car than what this dealer carries.

As to the PC vs Apple thing, while the company forced us to give up our office Macs a long time ago, we have standardized on iPads for tablets. For example I recently produced some marketing videos aimed at the airlines about new applications that tie an iPad wirelessly into an airplane's flight management system and allow the flight crew to perform real time optimization of the plane's fuel burn throughout the course of a flight. Very cool stuff and Apple's iOS makes it very intuitive to use.

Marin said:

Over the years I had offers from acquaintances to go back to working in the entertainment side of the business but none of them came close to the pay and benefits of what I've been doing.

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The biggest benefit being happiness and an intact personal life.
MacGyver was fun.
Supernatural; just another stressful job.

Art said:

Sandia National Labs, Stanford Research Institute, and engineers.

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Aren't they the ones that stole the ultra wideband technology and eventually got found out and had to refund the best selling technology they ever didn't invent?

Nice..

Hawgwash said:

The biggest benefit being.... an intact personal life.

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Not necessarily. We're on the road in other countries a lot. By benefits I mean just that-- medical, pension, vacation, sick leave, etc.

BandB said:

There is a lot of financial software that is strictly PC and will not run on Apple even using Fusion and other methods. Now, much of this same software won't initially run well on new versions of Windows until they upgrade the software.

My policy on Windows upgrades has always been to upgrade but never to be among the first. I will never convert to any software until it's been in relatively problem free use for at least 6 months. For some that's meant six months after release and for some that's meant 2 years.

As mentioned by ranger, we don't find an urgency. We just want to upgrade before we start running into software and hardware (peripherals primarily) not supported fully on the old. Also, in time to settle in before the next upgrade.

Click to expand...

B - All three paragraphs are spot on. Last two are/is exactly how I operate... TY for eloquent attrition description... my good boat and U.S. life... buddy!!

Marin said:

Not necessarily. We're on the road in other countries a lot. By benefits I mean just that-- medical, pension, vacation, sick leave, etc.

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Oh, I knew what you meant.
The fringes are good via the various unions but the modern commercial film industry can be and often is a home wrecker.

If you can manage your life and finances, you can have lots of quality time away from it but most don't do the manage part well.

The last prolonged downturn in Vancouver wiped out a lot of people who either had a lot of money tied up in equipment or had not planned for the hard times. Much like a lot of folks in Alberta right now. Which, by the way, might mean some nice boats coming back on the market.

jwnall said:

Even after the time limit is up, if you will just go to your post and click on the "report" icon (the little triangle at the bottom left of the post), then say that you need to edit it, one of the moderators will be more than happy to accommodate you. Helpful, we are.

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Good to know. Thanks

If I may. Relating to much on this thread.

This is my comment on such a great statement from Da Vinci... with Nickair's posts often reminding us of its clear importance!

[/QUOTE] from bottom of Nickair posts... on TF

"Simplicity, is the ultimate sophistication. Leonardo Da Vinci"

End [/QUOTE]

I say, truer words were never spoken.

This is one reason why all the deep, ongoing, and much unnecessary changes/alterations in communication procedures are bothersome and so very un sophisticated. The other main reason for un sophistication in these many instances is unrelenting marketing hype for reasons of never-ending sales to create "throw away products" cash flow.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, while first we practice to deceive!"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Art
Sandia National Labs, Stanford Research Institute, and engineers.

stubones99 said:

Aren't they the ones that stole the ultra wideband technology and eventually got found out and had to refund the best selling technology they ever didn't invent?

Nice..

Click to expand...

Of the three items... please specify your target.