Mac vs Windows PC for Illustrator

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Hi guys.

I'm new here. I'm trying to find technical justification for why my team should be using CS4 on a MAC, rather than on a PC. And I know it's slower on a PC. :) My issue is that if my team uses PCs and then their artwork output goes over to a printer who is going to be using a MAC that something might go amiss. I'm mainly worried about loss of text, particularly in unusual languages/scripts. Has anyone seen major issues with this?

Many thanks!

maat1976
 
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I would love to tell you that you have to use a mac or else, but I can't. The fact is that most the time your art work or InDesign files will be sent to a printer as a PDF so thats a non issue. Even if you don't the printer will still have compatibility with it if its made on a pc or mac (also the printer will work with you to iron out any compatibility problems if there are any). The biggest problem is going between versions, say Illustrator 10 to CS2, that has been a huge headache.
That being said, a large portion of graphic artists, design houses, publishers and printers use macs so go with the flow :)

That's my 2 cents :)

Matt
 
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Hi guys.

I'm new here. I'm trying to find technical justification for why my team should be using CS4 on a MAC, rather than on a PC. And I know it's slower on a PC.
Not so.
I use a Mac at home and a Windows PC at work.
There is no discernable difference between the two.
My issue is that if my team uses PCs and then their artwork output goes over to a printer who is going to be using a MAC that something might go amiss.
Again, nothing to worry about. An .ai file is a .ai file, regardless of what OS was used.
I'm mainly worried about loss of text, particularly in unusual languages/scripts. Has anyone seen major issues with this?
No, because if you are sending an .ai file to print and it has a custom/odd font, all of the text should be converted to outlines anyway.

In short, there is no advantage to using one OS over the other.
 
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I have read about there being font issues with files when opened on a MAC but created on a PC. Our files are heavily text based (think patient information leaflets) in dozens of scripts (Hebrew, Chinese, Cyrrillic) and we can't chance any content loss or font change.

If we create our files on a PC, when our printers start doing their pre-press work, we shouldn't have issues?

Thanks.
 
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The only reason you'd choose OS X or Windows here would be purely personal preference. The software runs exactly the same on both OS's and I can assure you that there is no performance difference.
 
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I have read about there being font issues with files when opened on a MAC but created on a PC. Our files are heavily text based (think patient information leaflets) in dozens of scripts (Hebrew, Chinese, Cyrrillic) and we can't chance any content loss or font change.

If we create our files on a PC, when our printers start doing their pre-press work, we shouldn't have issues?

Thanks.
.....

...
No, because if you are sending an .ai file to print and it has a custom/odd font, all of the text should be converted to outlines anyway.
 
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only font issues that arise are when the correct fonts are not installed on the machine viewing them. When in doubt, make sure the printers have the font or send it along ;)
 
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Most print houses nowadays use an Acrobat based workflow.

So most of the time the Mac PC issue is mute since a majority of printers would prefer you to supply a press ready PDF file
 

CrimsonRequiem


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Either have the fonts on hand when you send it to the printers, or just outline all your text. Problem solved.
 
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I completely forgot that we already outline all our text anyway. Now I feel silly. :) Thanks!
 
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What about old files that were created on a MAC and now need to be updated on a PC? Would the Adobe feature be able to pick up slight changes in location, font size, or text?

Thanks.
 
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What about old files that were created on a MAC and now need to be updated on a PC? Would the Adobe feature be able to pick up slight changes in location, font size, or text?

Thanks.
Wouldn't matter in the slightest.
The application is the exact same for each OS.
As I said:

...An .ai file is a .ai file, regardless of what OS was used....
 
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Well, this is one I have examples on. My team had created some files in Illustrator for a variable printing mat. It was created on a MAC, and when the file was opened on the PC, the font size had changed dramatically and had to be readjusted. It was a font common to both versions of Illustrator. I can't have printers, some of whom do require live files not just outline ones, having to mess around with readjusting font size. Let see if I can dig up the images.

Thanks.
 
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Well, this is one I have examples on. My team had created some files in Illustrator for a variable printing mat. It was created on a MAC, and when the file was opened on the PC, the font size had changed dramatically and had to be readjusted. It was a font common to both versions of Illustrator. I can't have printers, some of whom do require live files not just outline ones, having to mess around with readjusting font size. Let see if I can dig up the images.

Thanks.

What you're experiencing can happen between versions of AI. What version are you opening and what version was used to create it originally?
 
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CS4 on a MAC and CS4 on a PC. We originally thought it was happening between CS2 and CS4 but I had one of the operators create something on her MAC and on her PC and there was a definite different in the size of the font when using the same font, same size, on both platforms. Really odd.
 
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So the font was actually a different size across platforms? Say Caslon 11pt was Caslon 14pt when opened on the PC?
 
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The operator printed out a file with a Times New Roman font 6 pt from CS4 on the MAC and a file with a Times New Roman font 6 pt on the PC.

We overlaid them and they are clearly not the same dimensions. They were both printed out at 100% size.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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My guess would be different font foundries? Are you guys using some kind of font manager?
 

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