5 stars (Sleek Tiger) - The finest OS to date. I was haapy with Paanthere, but Tiger is a steop above. 5 stars (From PC to Mac forever, this OS is amazing.) - I have used Windows for years and used a Mac at my work, I always liked the way the Mac handled graphics and also appreciated their ease of use. Mac OS X is so simple to use compared to Windows XP, it is by far the best OS I have ever used. I have not run into one single glitch, my powerbook has not crashed on me once. It had crashed on me a few times with OS 9, but this one seems to be a lot more stable. I like the dashboard also, you can quickly check the weather, stocks, dictionary or calendar all with a push of a button and built into the OS. You can also download many others for free from the Apple website. Itunes is a great application also and it is something I use all day long. Safari is far more superior in just about every-way compared to Microsoft Explorer, in fact it would take to long to list the benefits. I also liked the ability to run OS 9 in classic mode, so you can keep all your older software and still use them within OS X. If you are sick and tired of the Windows fatal exception errors or sending Windows error reports, then buy yourself an Apple and enjoy stress free living with OS X. 1 stars (Stick with Panther) - I get the spinning beachball and Microsoft Office application crashes about as often as I did in 10.1! I reformatted my hard disk and reinstalled Panther after trying the 10.4.1 and 10.4.2 updates. For my needs Panther (10.3.8+) is a much more robust and stable operating system. ... Apple Computer :: mac :: os :: x :: 10 :: 4 :: tiger :: [dvd] :: apple :: computer :: software :: operating :: sys :: macosx10 4tiger[dvd] 29 april :: 2005 :: Mac OS X 10 4 Tiger [DVD]
5 stars (Great Program!!) - This is a great program for your mac... I've used it in a film class the previous year and it took me a year to really get the hang of it. Because it has no tutorial I recomend you find someone who has used this and get them to give you a few lessons. 4 stars (Just starting out -- and it's daunting, but feature rich.) - I've used iMovie for several projects over the last year and a half and decided to upgrade to Final Cut Express HD when working on video of my wife's niece's wedding. Apple sells it as an a step up in features from iMovie, but -- wow! -- it give you a lot more flexibility but at a huge cost in complexity too! The Apple magic of making something simple enough to let you concentrate on the creativity and not the mechanics of the project seems missing here. IMPORTANT: An employee at the Apple Store near me confided to me that there is very little difference between Final Cut Pro HD and Final Cut Express HD. The extra $700 for the Pro version allows outputting your movie in broadcast quality -- if you don't need that, he said, you can save $700 and buy the Express version. I had just seen the employee give a short in-store class on Final Cut Pro and he said I could do EVERYTHING he did in the class EXACTLY the same way in Final Cut Express! He said the only way you could tell which is which is by the name in the menu bar! (Maybe this is common knowledge in the Final Cut Pro/Express community, but I couldn't find out exactly what was different on Apple's website.) IMPORTANT: There is NO TUTORIAL included for Final Cut Express -- and if you've never worked with "pro" video editing software, you'll probably need to buy a how-to book. I'm currently reading the Peachpit Press "Final Cut Express" book by Lisa Brenneis (ISBN: 0-321-35026-X). There are a few scattered examples in the online help, but I haven't tried them yet.... 2 stars (Unduly complex, hideous browser) - After experiencing virtually every editing product ... Apple Computer :: apple :: final :: cut :: express :: hd :: mac :: apple :: computer :: multimedia :: design :: video :: applefinalcutexpresshd(mac) 15 february :: 20 :: Apple Final Cut Express HD (Mac)
3 stars (ok Apps EXCEPT iMovie HD!! Avoid) - All works great except iMovie HD. If you try timeline editing it seems to leave some invisible footage at the end of your video. Makes editing small clips or small videos very difficult. The invisible footage does not get exported but it just feels more flaky than a fully updated iMovie 4 (as long as you remember to SAVE PROJECT before emptying trash). Would only buy for the new iDVD, so if you don't have a superdrive, iLife5.0 will be a waste of money as iPhoto will be your only useable app. 5 stars (superb!) - Great new features in iPhoto andd iMovie HD. Nice new themes in iDVD. 4 stars (A nice upgrade) - We upgraded our old iLife (`04) to `05 primarily because of the new version's ability to deal with wide screen dv. Everything is just as simple as before - there are no surprises. Garageband seems like a powerful application, but nothing that is essential to our life. iPhoto is a solid upgrade that has better editiing tools - if a bit cryptic for newcomers to video editing. I would suggest adding features like the old Metacreations Photosoap; of course that would infringe on Photoshop's area and that isn't likely to happen. I expect iDVD to be every bit as good as the previous version, though I haven't had a chance to use it yet. All in all this is a solid upgrade. I recommend it for anyone with a newer (any G5 with DVD player) Power Mac, a digital camera, and a dv recorder. ... Apple Computer :: apple :: ilife :: -05 :: mac :: apple :: computer :: multimedia :: design :: video :: appleilife-05(mac) 22 january :: 200 :: Apple iLife -05 (Mac)
5 stars (User-friendly, efficient editing software) - After working in Adobe Premiere for a couple of years, I switched to Sony Vegas Video for a while and worked with Avid for a few years also. I liked Vegas and Avid much better than Premiere, but once I learned Final Cut Pro, I haven't gone back. It's easily my favorite of the non-linear editing software I've used. Of the 2 negative comments I've seen so far, one had to do with the fact that he had mistakenly been sent only the handbooks and no software. I'm sure that's quite frustrating, but I don't see how he can rate the software 1-star when he DOESN'T EVEN HAVE IT! And the other guy apparently doesn't know too much about Final Cut Pro either. For example, he says that when you place a clip in the timeline it WRITES OVER other clips automatically. In actuality, there is a horizontal line passing through each track in the timeline - if you drag the clip into the timeline and release the mouse when the pointer is UNDER the line (and looks like a DOWN arrow), then the clip will be edited to the timeline as an OVERWRITE edit; if you release the mouse when the pointer is ABOVE the line (and looks like a RIGHT arrow), then the clip will be edited as an INSERT edit, and the clips after it remain intact. It's as simple as that. If that is what James S. Dodds meant when he says you have to "THINK HARD" to use this software... well James, either I'm really good at "thinking hard" or you're in for a long and difficult life, full of puzzles. Plus, the additional software in this Studio package is worth the money many times over - Motion is awesome (though I have Shake and I am more comfortable in that so I tend to use it more than motion), LiveType is incredibly easy to work with and produces quality titles, I don't use Soundtrack too much, and DVD Studio Pro is pretty good also (and easy to learn, especially if you know Sony DVD Architect; at least I picked it up pretty quickly) Overall, this is an incredible pack... Apple Computer :: apple :: final :: cut :: studio :: mac :: dvd :: [final :: cut :: 5 :: motion :: 2 :: dvd :: studio :: pro :: 4 :: soundtrack :: pro] :: apple :: computer :: multimedia :: design :: video :: applefinalcutstudio(macdv :: Apple Final Cut Studio (Mac DVD) [Final Cut 5- Motion 2- DVD Studio Pro 4- Soundtrack Pro]
5 stars (Yay, no second guessing!) - This is just about the perfect graphic design program for the non-professional or the professional who needs help occasionally. It provides the tools and a few templates just in case but lets you do the design work all the way. It is like a streamlined version of MS Publisher. Love it. ... Apple Computer :: Editing :: Video :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Apple iWork -05 Family Pack (Mac)
4 stars (Very Useful) - This product is amazing. IT allows you to do so many different things. You can mix and match loops to make virtually any sound. And if you want to make original music, the variety of instruments at your fingertips is almost endless. I've been using this product with garageband 2, and whether your composing music for a film or just messing around, this product is for you. I especially enjoy the brass and woodwind instruments they give you. It allows for a huge grand score, similar to a John Williams song. You can also do some awesome solo pieces. The violin is my favorite for solo stuff. It has such a beautiful sound! I can't really say anything negative about this product, except I wanted more instruments to use. They give you a lot, but I still wanted more. The thousands of loops and many instruments makes this pack well worth the money. 5 stars (garageband) - This is so cool! I really recommend it. It is so fun to make your own music with this program. It has all kinds of genres and all kinds of instruments. When you start making a song it is so fun that you can't stop. This a really fun passtime. ... Apple Computer :: Sound Libraries :: Sound Editing :: Midi :: Sequencing :: Creation :: audio :: Music :: Computer software (programs) :: Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple :: :: Apple GarageBand Jam Pack 4- Symphony Orchestra (Mac)
5 stars (Boundless Enjoyment) - As a hobbyist, I wondered if Logic Pro would be worth the money. After a few weeks of pure enjoyment, I can say that is. The synth tools are incredible. Ultrabeat has enabled me to produce percussion tracks that are far, far better than what I was using w/ Garage Band and Deck. Sculpture makes some of the most unique sounds I've ever heard. I recommend Logic Pro if you want to build something cool and have the time, smarts, and will power to get it done. Not for spectators or the unmotivated though, there's a lot to learn. 3 stars (Here's the deal) - You had better have a serious machine to make this software go. My machine is a quicksilver 1ghz G4 with one gig of ram. Not nearly enough to make logic stable. I run Ivory, Stylus RMX, Trilogy and all are useable, barely. Latency, which was acceptable with logic 6.4.3 using MOTU PCI-424 hardware, is now completely unuseable. I'm only working on sessions I did in the past with my buffer at 1024 samples (!). That's the only way the computer can function with Logic 7.1 without clicks and pops all over the place Logic, especially using the specrasonics plug-in's crashes about 5 times a day. I've learned to save every move I make. I've been using logic since it was notator on the atari so I KNOW this software. what I'm saying is, you'd better have a kick-butt G5 with many gigs of ram if you even want to entertain the idea of using logic 7. If you have that kind of machine, then go for it, i guess. 5 stars (By Far the Best) - Logic Pro 7 is --hands down-- the best digital production and mastering tool on the market. It is easy to use, after about two weeks of getting used to it, and with its interface simplicity, leaves the user free to focus on creating music, not trying to figure out how to use the software. The price does seem steep, but nothing else on the market can compare. ... Apple Computer :: apple :: logic :: pro :: 7 :: apple :: computer :: multimedia :: design :: video :: applelogicpro7 07 october :: 200 :: Apple Logic Pro 7
5 stars (Another Apple Home Run) - Apple has been releasing great applications for consumers in the past few years with the iLife suite. With iWork, Apple has refocused their efforts on mainstream businesspeople. iWork's word processing program, called Pages, has an interface reminicient of MacWrite Pro, a program that was easy to use yet powerful. However, this program offers much more than MacWrite Pro. It has many great built in templates and is great for desktop publishing as well as simple letter writing. Easier to use than Word, it has nearly as much power in the document department. For publishing, though, this one beats Word in every respect, and is a great alternative for those who don't want to deal with a high end publishing program such as Quark XPress. Like iMovie, professional results can be produced with consumer software. Keynote is far superior to PowerPoint. The PowerPoint templates have been around since 1997 or so, and are starting to get old and boring. Since nobody wants to use hackneyed slides, Keynote offers completely new templates. Like the iLife templates they are very well thought out. QuickTime integration is a real plus. The program itself is easy to use and can be used as a basic drawing program in some respects. This suite is gradually replacing AppleWorks 6, which has not been updated since 2001 and can trace its roots back to ClarisWorks, which debuted in 1991. AppleWorks isn't much more powerful than the original ClarisWorks and is definitely showing its age. The only module that this does not have is a spreadsheet. If you're looking for an Excel replacement here, you're out of luck. Fortunately the Mac version of Excel is quite good. AppleWorks has a spreadsheet but the interface is somewhat old-fashioned. Given the power of Keynote and Pages, this is something every Mac user should own. 4 stars (iWork Works Like A Dream) - iWork contains both Pages (a word processing/page layout application) and Keynote (a presentation appli... Apple Computer :: Presentation (Presentational) :: Document Management :: Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple :: wordprocessing (wordprocessors) :: Spell Checkers (Spelling Check) :: :: Apple iWork -05 (Mac)
