EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 42, Issue 12 This issue's topics: Mac contra IBM-pc. (4 messages) Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1992 09:18:04 MET From: Doumen Jan Subject: Mac contra IBM-pc. Hi all, A friend of mine wants to buy a computer. He is going to use it for text-edting and the use of spreadsheets. But since he also has a few synthesisers, he will also use it for sequencing and perhaps also for editing. Now my question is, what does he have to buy, an IBM-pc or a Mac. I'am asking this question also because I want to know if there are any sequencing or editing programs free-ware or share-ware available on the net somewhere. Can someone give me some sites, i.e. dot-adress + name-adress, so that we can have a look of what is available. And then we can dicide what is the best. De Jean. p.s. If possible correspond to me directly since I'am not subscribed to the list. (I get the digest, but with a few days delay.) -- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1992 08:46:17 EDT From: "Joseph D. McMahon" Subject: Re: Mac contra IBM-pc. Doumen Jan writes: > > A friend of mine wants to buy a computer. He is going to use it for > text-edting and the use of spreadsheets. > But since he also has a few synthesisers, he will also use it > for sequencing and perhaps also for editing. Now my question > is, what does he have to buy, an IBM-pc or a Mac. > I'am asking this question also because I want to know if there are > any sequencing or editing programs free-ware or share-ware available... > Just as general recommendations (your mileage may vary, and all that): - Have your friend go out and try the software he will be using first and decide what he prefers. If this machine is primarily for something other than music, and he prefers PC packages for his work, then he should stick with the PC. The same argument applies for the Mac. This is the most important thing one can do when deciding to buy a new machine. If you don't like it in the store, you probably won't like it any better at home. - Generally speaking, a PC package will probably cost less than a Mac package. However, the Mac has a lot of system functionality already bundled in that the PC does not (AppleTalk for networking, two builtin serial ports with drivers, multiprogramming, integrated software environment, window-based interface). If you want any of this (especially the last two), the Mac may be a better choice. (Note, Windows fans: I am speaking about a *basic* machine, and am assuming straight DOS. OK?) - If you're doing a lot of printing and want really high-quality output, but can't afford a laser printer, the Mac StyleWriter is an ink-jet printer which produces truly strikingly nice output for around $325 US street price. There are probably similar babies for the PC, but I don't know about them. (BTW, the imaging software, TrueType, is included in the base Mac system as well.) - The Mac can run PC software, with SoftPC/SoftAT. This gives you both worlds. It would be quite possible for your friend to run (say) WordPerfect PC under SoftAT and Excel native in the Mac -- at the same time (given sufficient memory)! I suppose you could even run Windows, though Lord knows *why*... - Free music software, in general, tends to not be worth much. This is because writing a good sequencer is about on the same level of complexity as writing a decent page-layout program. There's a lot to keep track of and a lot of code to write, especially if one is providing several different modes of editing, quantization, and whatnot. Buy something instead. My personal, terribly prejudiced opinion is that you will do better in the long run with the Mac. If you're low on bucks and need a machine *right now*, go ahead and get a PC. You can get a lot of work done on either. It really comes down to personal preference. --- Joe M. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1992 14:01:54 CDT From: Mario Kefalopoulos Subject: Re: Mac contra IBM-pc. In article <9207061246.AA03302@twinpeaks.gsfc.nasa.gov>, "Joseph D. McMahon" says: > > [...] > - If you're doing a lot of printing and want really high-quality output, > but can't afford a laser printer, the Mac StyleWriter is an ink-jet > printer which produces truly strikingly nice output for around $325 > US street price. There are probably similar babies for the PC, but I > don't know about them. (BTW, the imaging software, TrueType, is included > in the base Mac system as well.) > [...] > > --- Joe M. The "similar babies" for the PC is the Hewlett Packard DeskJet, DeskJet 500 and DeskJet 500C which has color capabilities. A friend bought the DeskJet about a year ago for $330. I think they work with Macs too. Amazing output. As for the rest of Joe's comments, I totally agree. Choosing a computer platform is solely a matter of preference. The only point I'd like to stress is the great difference in pure computational power between a PC and a Mac of the same price. This difference might not be enough of a decisive factor for some people who prefer the so-called ease and functionality of Mac software, , but for others it might be sufficient to make them choose a PC just for that. I've seen a Mac Classic run Finale and I've redefined my understanding of "time" :-) Good luck. [:> Mario ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1992 11:54:03 GMT From: Martin Liebl Subject: Re: Mac contra IBM-pc. my opinion: if you can afford, buy a Mac (this was brought to you by an experienced pc user. Try following: ucsd.edu 128.54.16.1 louie.udel.edu 128.175.1.3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&& Martin J. Liebl &&&&& &&&&& Hartstr.17, D-8057 Eching, Germany &&&&& &&&&& Email: lieblm@sunbode12.informatik.tu-muenchen.de &&&&& &&&&& Project: Practical Experiments On Murphy's Law ... &&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************