[AZ-Observing] Re: question

I too started will personal computers in the early 1980's. I had 
experience with main frames prior to that. What blew me away was the 
Mac when it was introduced in 1984. It was over a decade before the 
PC even had the Mac level of use in 84. Mac has always been several 
years ahead of the PC. I use Windows Pro XP on a couple of Dell 
Laptops. THey work well, but still not as smooth or friendly as the 
Mac.

I use a Mac G4 with OS 9.2.2 for most of my work. It has been working 
great for many years and I have all the software I need on it. I have 
a Mac Mini coming next week that with OSX that I plan to set up to 
replace my G3 with OS 8.6 that has been my web server for over a 
decade and has worked very well.

For spectroscopy processing I use a couple of freeware programs on 
Windows, because they are Windows only. All my single channel 
photometry is processed on my Mac. I like the Dells because I bought 
them used for under $500 (TigerDirect) so if they get damaged it's 
not a big deal. I'm used to the Mac and get very frustrated with the 
PC when what I do on the Mac with ease is a pain in Windows. Also, 
there are several ways to use a Mac with Windows.

Jeff


  At 09:35 -0700 03/29/2009, Dan Heim wrote:
>I use a PC.  The only reason for this (in the face of many claims that MACs
>are superior) is that I started out on PCs way back in the 80s, and now have
>so much time and money invested in PC-specific software that it wouldn't be
>efficient to change.  While I was learning the PC, I also got a chance to
>play around with an Apple IIe, which at the time had far less apps
>available.  For me, based on available apps at the time, it was an obvious
>choice.
>
>Although you asked about OS, I'd also like to note that I've been able to do
>anything I needed in terms of image processing using Corel PhotoPaint rather
>than the usual Adobe PhotoShop.  And the open-source GIMP is just about as
>powerful an image processor.  Again, Corel was available long before
>PhotoShop, so I just stuck with what I knew.
>
>Dan Heim
>President
>Desert Foothills Astronomy Club
>http://www.dfacaz.org

-- 
Jeff Hopkins
HPO SOFT
Counting Photons
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Hopkins Phoenix Observatory
7812 West Clayton Drive
Phoenix, Arizona 85033-2439 U.S.A.
(623)849-5889
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