Advice and experience

Hi

At the moment I’m running OSX 10.4 and CS2 on a PowerPC G5 (Dual 1.8) and happy enough with the set up – everything works and, as a freelance, reliability is the most important thing. So, I’m reluctant to change. However, I’m also aware that I can’t stay like this forever and I’ve got to take the plunge at some stage. Trouble is, I’ve fallen off the information branch a bit and so I’m not certain about what I may or may not need or what may or may not work.

I guess the questions are:
• If I upgrade, would my G5 cope with 10.6 OK or would it run slower?
• If I upgrade to the latest OS will I still be able to run my existing CS2 suite?
• Also, I have a growing thought of working away from home for a couple of months next year and was considering buying a laptop for that purpose – if CS2 doesn’t run well on the latest OS could I install 10.4 on a Macbook without it crumbling to the ground?

My instinct is that any change will probably result in other changes and expending shed loads of money but I’d be grateful for any thoughts/answers/ideas based on the above.

Cheers
Del

Snow Leopard is Intel only, so you can't upgrade your G5 beyond Leopard (10.5).

CS2 technically works on Leopard, but there are some unresolved issues. See this PDF

You'll have the same CS2 issues with Snow Leopard as you do with Leopard, but with one caveat. Rosetta isn't installed by default on Snow Leopard, so you'll have to pop in the restore discs and install Rosetta before you can install CS2. As for whether you can install Tiger on a new Macbook, I think it's highly unlikely, mostly due to the lack of driver support. If you get a new Macbook and you're facing trouble with CS2, the only option you really have is to upgrade to CS3 or CS4.

To be honest, I don't really see a need for you to upgrade. If everything is working great for you with Tiger and CS2, then no point in upgrading just for the sake of upgrading. I'd say just stick with your current setup and worry about all this later when it's time to upgrade your hardware.

Kash said:

Snow Leopard is Intel only, so you can't upgrade your G5 beyond Leopard (10.5).

CS2 technically works on Leopard, but there are some unresolved issues. See this PDF

You'll have the same CS2 issues with Snow Leopard as you do with Leopard, but with one caveat. Rosetta isn't installed by default on Snow Leopard, so you'll have to pop in the restore discs and install Rosetta before you can install CS2. As for whether you can install Tiger on a new Macbook, I think it's highly unlikely, mostly due to the lack of driver support. If you get a new Macbook and you're facing trouble with CS2, the only option you really have is to upgrade to CS3 or CS4.

To be honest, I don't really see a need for you to upgrade. If everything is working great for you with Tiger and CS2, then no point in upgrading just for the sake of upgrading. I'd say just stick with your current setup and worry about all this later when it's time to upgrade your hardware.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. I thought it wouldn't be simple or cheap! I guess it would be easy to stay as I am, but I just started thinking about what I would need if I do end up getting a Macbook, and it sounds like everything!

delsutton said:

• Also, I have a growing thought of working away from home for a couple of months next year and was considering buying a laptop for that purpose –

My instinct is that any change will probably result in other changes and expending shed loads of money but I’d be grateful for any thoughts/answers/ideas based on the above.

Click to expand...

If your thinking of working away from home, then to get yourself a MB or MBP seems to be on the cards for you. You dont need to spend shed loads of money. If you buy new, yes the are a little hefty in price in some peoples eyes.
Then again there are some, (like myself) see that the $ i have just spent is a sound investment. I know for what i do with my MB, it will be hanging around in my back pocket for the next 4-5 yrs.

If you look at getting 2nd hand, the price is variable, BUT in the end Mac's do hold there value and still to this day have a good re-sale value.

I run CS4 on my Late 2008 White MB running SL and have never had a issue.
Its portable and runs really well.

When it comes to the crunch, its really going to come down to your personal choice.
Do you really need to work away from home, and can you justify going mobile ?????
The ball is in your court

Cheers

tattooedmac said:

Do you really need to work away from home, and can you justify going mobile ?????
The ball is in your court

Cheers

Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for the info. No, I don't actually "need" to work away from home... I just fancy spending a month or so in sunnier, warmer climes next year and do it while working And at the moment, thankfully, work is still coming in so I have a little bit of money set aside for upgrades etc. I'll ponder more on my options before plunging anywhere.

The second hand idea sounds good in theory but I guess I'd be worried about being sold a duff machine.

Kash - No need for disks to get Rosetta if u choose not to install initially and then attempt to open an app that needs it you will be asked if you want it installed and then it will be downloaded and installed at the time. It is an optional install in customise on Leopard disk.