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Why Macintosh?

VS has standardized on the Apple Macintosh, the platform of choice for creative exploration and expression. Although PCs and Macs are comparable in power and price, PCs are generally more difficult and costly to setup, maintain, and secure against viruses and spyware. The Mac OS is impervious to most forms of intrusion. Apple includes advanced hardware and software that would cost hundreds of dollars more as options on a similarly priced PC. All new Macs include high speed networking and wireless connectivity, CD/DVD drives, high-quality audio and video, and the award-winning iLife suite of digital media applications.

Macs can easily be used in courses outside of Visual Studies, integrating seamlessly with UNIX and Windows networks. Popular applications are available for both Mac and PC, and Macs can read and write to PC disks. All new Macs can also boot into Microsoft Windows, to run applications previously only available for the PC.

1. Curricular integration. Within the Department of Visual Studies, computer labs, lecture rooms and faculty offices are equipped with Macintosh. Foundations courses, emerging practices, communication design, photography, printmaking and sculpture curriculum include some use the Mac. Technical reference materials and departmental support are aimed at the Mac platform. Assignments are viewed and graded with Macs.

2. Industry standard. Creative professionals - artists, designers, musicians and filmakers - are drawn to the Macintosh for its ease of use, productivity, stability and security benefits. With the Macintosh, we believe that students will gain relevant skills and be better equipped for creative expression in their carreers ahead.

3. Lower cost of ownership, easier to maintain. Macs are competitively priced feature-for-feature against PCs, much easier to set up and cheaper to maintain. Viruses, which cripple Windows-based PCs on a regular basis, are practically nonexistent on the Mac platform. Every Mac comes fully equipped with firewall security, high speed network capabilities, multimedia authoring tools, CD or DVD burners, high quality audio and video, and the award-winning iLife suite of digital media applications.

4. Performance. The new Macs are among the fastest personal computers in the world. They outperform similarly priced Pentium computers in many graphics tasks. Also, since Apple controls its hardware as well as the operating system, integration of plug-and-play components is simple, consistent and reliable.

5. Mac OS X, UNIX and Open Source Standards. Apple's operating system, Mac OS X (ten), places the user friendly Macintosh interface on the power, stability and connectivity of the standards-based UNIX platform. Without any UNIX experience required, the Mac user will combine forces with over half of all computers worldwide.

6. Compatibility. Macs integrate seamlessly into the Windows, UNIX and Linux worlds:

• Most major software packages are available for both Mac and PC.

• The new Intel based Macs can boot into Windows, and run as well as any PC.

• All Macs can read PC formatted disks. Files created on one platform with programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and Word on the PC can be opened and edited on the Mac.

• Macs running OS X utilize open source and cross-platform technologies such as PDF, Java, OpenGL and QuickTime.

7. Switch. Are you a PC user thinking about buying a Mac? Check out Apple's Get a Mac site for answers to questions about crossing platforms and hear from others who've made the leap.