Post #157238 by BarkerBird on Sun, May 8, 2005 1:11 PM

Chip and Andy,

I would also respond that it depends on what you call a "good" pc vs a "good mac."

For example, someone at work was asking what a good piece of software was on the PC for DVD mastering. He wanted to make DVD's of his home movies of his children. He wanted a program on the PC that would do nice animated opening menus, and author the DVD.

Someone recommended Adobe Encore that costs $350.

I countered that for that price, you could almost get the new MacMini.

The MacMini is just $600 with the SuperDrive (DVDRW, CDRW). And it comes with iLife. So you're able to use iTunes, and iPhoto, and create custom slideshows and burn them to DVD, or import them into iMovie to edit them and your home videos, and then burn them to DVD with iDVD, and compose your own music to accompany them on Garage Band.

The closest thing to all of those programs is the adobe suite of tools, premiere elements and photoshop elements. Those don't include the music portion, but even those programs together you're talking $150.

To do the kinds of things you get out of the box with the MacMini, you're talking about a good deal more money. And it still won't be as elegant and interesting and fun.

Anyway, it all depends on what you want to do. I wanted a creative little tool to manage all the fun parts of my family's life.

I'll leave the spreadsheets to the pc!