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I've got a project that was created on a PC. I ran into font issues when trying to use my G5.
Rather than battle this, I've thought about buying an Intel based Mac Mini, install Parallels and Win XP and use this to work on the project out of my studio. Currently, I use a PC at the office of this publication.
My thinking is...if the project ends; I've still got a computer that I can run OS X with.
My question is...
Will a Core Duo 1.66 Mac Mini with the Intel GMA 950 graphics processor run Quark 7 and Photoshop CS well enough for this project (120 page pub)?
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I would just fix the font issues if this is a one time deal. Otherwise, I would sell your G5 and grab one of the refurb Mac Pros. You are looking at about $500 for a mini. If you can get $1600 for your G5 you should break even. Also, don't forget to factor in the cost of parallels and XP(around $300 probably).
If you can't get their fonts to work on your G5, perhaps sugest that they buy new versions that are cross platform.
EDIT: I just saw that 120 page pub note.... The mini will handle it ok, you are going to want to max out the ram in the mini. Add another couple hundred bucks for that.
Your best bet it to get through this production cycle of the product and then work on making it work cross platform for the next issue.
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Yeah, I'd try to migrate the project over to OpenType versions of your fonts, if possible. That should largely resolve the cross-platform font problems right there.
And I do agree with Chris that going the Mac Pro route is a better idea.
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I've got a DP G5 2.0 (June 2004) model with 4.5 gigs of RAM, ATI 9600 vid. card with 128 megs of VRAM.
I am not sure what I could get for the G5. Should be in the neighborhood of $1100-1300? That would leave me about $800-900 to come up with to buy a refurb 2.66 GHz MacPro.
I've already tried to work on the magazine using my G5 and the font issue was a nightmare. If it was a question of just using OpenType fonts; I can build new ads that way but converting the older ads will be time consuming.
I am also concerned about what color profiles they were using on the PC.
I was thinking the easiest way to do this would be to have an intel powered computer and clone the PC hard drive onto the computer I will have.
Maybe I should look for a cheaper PC that will be used strictly for the magazine and discarded when I am finished with it.
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[quote MacArtist] I've got a DP G5 2.0 (June 2004) model with 4.5 gigs of RAM, ATI 9600 vid. card with 128 megs of VRAM.
I am not sure what I could get for the G5. Should be in the neighborhood of $1100-1300?
That sounds like a reasonable expectation. You might even be able to get up to $1500 because of the extra upgrades if you find the right buyer or sell them off separately.
[quote MacArtist]
I've already tried to work on the magazine using my G5 and the font issue was a nightmare. If it was a question of just using OpenType fonts; I can build new ads that way but converting the older ads will be time consuming.
You could just make PDFs of all their older ads, that should get rid of any font problems. Then as you make new ads or changes to the ads use the new fonts.
[quote MacArtist]
I am also concerned about what color profiles they were using on the PC.
Color profiles are in the documents, not on the PC.
[quote MacArtist]
I was thinking the easiest way to do this would be to have an intel powered computer and clone the PC hard drive onto the computer I will have.
Maybe I should look for a cheaper PC that will be used strictly for the magazine and discarded when I am finished with it.
You can't just clone a PC hard drive onto another machine. The exception being if the hardware is EXACTLY the same down to the very last component. PCs don't work like Macs where you can boot most models from one image. You will have to do a fresh install of XP and all the applications on whatever you end up with.
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Depending on how much PC work you do or will do, you might consider buying and/ or renting a cheap or used PC with a deal, if you can find it, on the software you need.
I'm seeing more and more work being done in ID and Quark on PCs lately and if you pick up a project or two, it'll pay for itself and give you less hassles (time) when you pick up these gigs.
Most businesses are still not buying their guys a Mac to do business DTP.
JoeM
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The publisher has offered to to let me install and use the necessary Windows software I would require for this project. That alone will save me a bundle.
I've got to figure something out in the next 10 days.
It amounts to working in his office about 9-11 days a month. If I were to work out of my studio, I would save some additional money is on gas money for the commute (40 miles roundtrip) and the time could be spent working instead of driving.
