Indesign And Photoshop For Mac

It’s astounding to me that in 2015 the question of which operating system you should use is still a debate. Many designers find themselves turned down for jobs if they prefer using a PC rather than a Mac. Many designers feel that if they can’t afford a Mac they won’t be taken seriously, so they’ll even invest in buying a used Mac that cost twice as much as a newer Windows PC.

Adobe Photoshop And Indesign
Adobe Indesign Vs Photoshop
Indesign And Photoshop For Mac Os
Indesign And Photoshop Package

InDesign software for Mac allows exporting in JPEG, EPS, INX, PDF (with a huge number of parameters) and other digital formats. It is worth mentioning that the latest versions of Adobe InDesign come with the Publish Online tool, which allows you to publish the final document on any web resource. Integration with Illustrator and Photoshop.Adobe InDesign CS6 provides a unified design environment that doesn’t interrupt the creative process when switching from Illustrator or Photoshop to another program. Accordingly, since the information in the alpha channel when importing PSD is saved, picture masking and text flow control around graphics are available.

In reality these “marketing optics” do matter to some people, even if they shouldn’t. You will in fact be judged by whether or not you use or own a Mac as a Graphic Designer. There is a reason, it’s not a practical one… (in my opinion) but it is a reason. Tradition.

The History of Macs and Graphic Design

In my opinion, the bias towards using Macs today is based on the long-standing history and tradition of Graphic Designers using Macs. It has no technical basis (currently in terms of performance and hardware), since Apple moved to using 3rd party components from Intel and other companies.

Adobe has gone on record via their Adobe Hardware Performance Whitepaper to point out that the performance of their software comes down to specs, not operating system. So there is no real evidence for the old saying “Adobe software runs better on Mac.” Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator etc were not designed to perform better due to OS preference.

Digital Typography was Born on the Mac

In the early days of Graphic Design and Digital Typography (early 1980s) the Apple Macintosh was the first computer to truly allow for Digital Typography. Susan Kare was a pioneer in this field.

Adobe Photoshop Was Born on the Mac

Over 25 Years Ago (1988) John and Thomas Knoll built the first version of Photoshop on a Macintosh Computer, because it was essentially the only computer with a color display and the capacity to handle the program they were building. It was released exclusively for the Mac in 1990 (a Windows version followed over two years later). The Knolls pitched Photoshop to two companies in Silicon Valley, Adobe and Apple… the rest is history.

So What Does That Have To Do With Mac vs PC?

The reason many designers gravitate to buying a Mac and are looked down on in the industry if they don’t is mostly a matter of tradition, not substance. Most people who have been in the industry with 20 years or more of experience have a preference for Mac, because for a very long time it was the only option, and in their minds it still is. Apple has been good to them and good for their careers and they know it works, so they remain loyal.

This culture has been handed down to their “disciples”, because they respect the experience of their mentors and then it becomes their experience as well, and the cycle continues.

You also have to remember that until recently, technology was a mystery to the people using it. Most computer users no matter how intelligent, didn’t have a clue about how things work under the hood, many still don’t. They just know how to use them to get their job done.

Mac vs. PC Today in Graphic Design

Due to changes in how users understand and relate to technology there are many graphic designers today who use Windows-based PCs to get their work done. I use both Mac and PC myself and see very little difference in my ability to get my work done if both machines have similar hardware.

Part of the shift is that many designers also are gamers or video editors and want to take advantage of the ability to customize their hardware and get more power for the price, something they can’t easily do with a Mac.

As a result, more designers are dropping the bias towards Mac, having experienced a certain degree of freedom in choosing what components and hardware they use, and having more options based on their budgets.

Legitimate Reasons to Prefer a Mac:

Of course, there are legitimate technical reasons why some people should choose a Mac for their design workflow. Here are a few.

Using Thunderbolt 2 for large file transfers or connecting to 4K monitors, especially when using laptops
Integrating a workflow that uses other Apple devices such as the iPad and iPhone.
You’re a Motion Graphic Designer that uses Apple Motion and Final Cut Pro in addition to your Adobe applications.
Operating System preference for usability and minor features.

Legitimate Reasons to Prefer a Windows PC:

Likewise, here are some important reasons you might opt for a PC.

Windows Computers cost dramatically less for the same performance specs, particularly in laptops.
Access to Windows-only productivity and business software.
System compatibility with your business clients, especially if they are outside the creative services industry (90% Windows Users).
The ability to upgrade and customize hardware to specific needs.
You’re doing high-end animation or video production in addition to design and need to leverage multiple hard drives and graphics cards in your workflow.
Operating System preference for usability and minor features.

Adobe Photoshop And Indesign

In The End It’s a Matter of Preference

Adobe Indesign Vs Photoshop

Ultimately, it’s up to each person to choose the tools they feel help them get their job done and will be reliable. Quality tools are quality tools regardless of the brand.

Those of you who are photographers in your spare time may remember there are similar debates between Canon and Nikon users, but at the end of the day you can’t tell if a picture was shot on one or the other just by looking.