Re: [APML] computer video card

[Duncan <dmunro@sfu.ca>]

Your PC is probably running out of RAM and is using the swap file on 
your HDD as virtual memory. Photoshop seems to need about 4x as much RAM 
as your largest image to keep from hitting the swap file.  If you don't 
have at least a gig of RAM you don't have enough...

I use an E-Mac at work. Generally Macs are slower than an equivalent PC 
( cause the PC have much faster CPUs for the same money) but Macs have 
excellent integration with their OS (especially with OS-X) and are 
generally more stable (with OS-X) than an PC and Windoze. Macs are still 
almost a standard in professional graphics shops as well. The Power PC 
has an excellent math co-processor and this tends to reduce the 
difference in performance vs a PC.

I would still get a PC for personal use but I'd  be quite happy if I had 
a Mac with OS-X and lots of RAM.  I'm guessing that a Mac is better 
built than a PC as well.


Duncan Munro

Kirk Carbo wrote:

>Hello Bobby & Jerry,
>
>I have been meaning to ask about this topic.  I have an older PC similar to
>Bobby's.  I am thinking about getting the Artixscan 120 format scanner in
>the future.  I currently use the Polaroid 35plus with a USB connection.  My
>computer doesn't have a fire wire connection because Windows 98 doesn't
>support it (that's according to the directions with the fire wire card that
>came with the Polaroid machine and trying it anyway).  So I am talking to my
>wife about leaving the existing computer for her use and having a dedicated
>imaging machine for me.  I have asked our computer guy here at work and our
>graphics person for recommendations and they are both steering me towards a
>Mac.  I have noticed that my PC really slows down when I start working on
>files over 100mb.  I don't need any files that large for internet stuff but
>I like to make prints and that's where I am trying to go with this.  I want
>to get into the digital darkroom to process land based photos and
>astrophotos.  I will initially send the files out for printing.  Doing my
>own printing may or may not happen in the future.  I am not really
>interested in games.  What are the advantages of the Mac over the type of
>machine Bobby has found at Dell?
>
>Kirk Carbo
>
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Jerry Lodriguss [mailto:jerryapml@astropix.com]
>>Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 12:29 PM
>>To: Discussion of Film Astrophotography
>>Subject: Re: [APML] computer video card
>>
>>
>>Hi Bobby,
>>
>>The integrated video on the motherboard will probably be fine for 
>>Photoshop. If you play games, it would be a different story. 
>>You can always 
>>try it and then add a video card later, but if all you need it for is 
>>Photoshop, you probably won't need to.
>>
>>The 2.8 gigahertz machine should be much faster for Photoshop 
>>tasks (and 
>>everything else) than your 500 megahertz machine.
>>
>>Jerry
>>
>>
>>
>>At 12:13 PM 1/29/2004 -0600, you wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>Dell has a pretty good offer on a Deminsion 4600. Here's 
>>>      
>>>
>>what's included:
>>    
>>
>>>DimensionTM  4600
>>> Intel ® Pentium® 4 Processor 2.8GHz w/533MHz FSB
>>>  Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition
>>>  SPECIAL OFFER! 512MB at 333Mhz DDR SDRAM for the price of 256MB
>>>  FREE UPGRADE! 80GB Ultra ATA/100 7200RPM Hard Drive
>>>$399 after rebate but sale ends today (no monitor; includes 
>>>      
>>>
>>DVD player and
>>    
>>
>>>2nd
>>>Bay CD Burner    Free shipping.
>>>
>>>Here's my question: Will the native video card (Extreme graphics card;
>>>integrated) be just a good for Photoshop work as the $70 
>>>      
>>>
>>upgrade to a 128MB
>>    
>>
>>>nvida GForce 4 graphics card. This machine will be networked 
>>>      
>>>
>>to my other
>>    
>>
>>>desktop which has all my scanners going and I will not use 
>>>      
>>>
>>this machine for
>>    
>>
>>>anything except image editing.
>>>Also, will  this machine be much faster than my Dell Pentium 
>>>      
>>>
>>III XPS T500
>>    
>>
>>>with 512 MB ram?
>>>Bobby Middleton
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Astro-Photo mailing list
>>>Astro-Photo@seds.org
>>>http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
>>>      
>>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Astro-Photo mailing list
>>Astro-Photo@seds.org
>>http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
>>
>>    
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Astro-Photo mailing list
>Astro-Photo@seds.org
>http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
>
>
>  
>

_______________________________________________
Astro-Photo mailing list
Astro-Photo@seds.org
http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo