Differences between ArchiCad on Mac vs PC

[Anonymous]

I understand that ArchiCad is available for both the Mac & PC and am wondering if there are any differences between running ArchiCad on a Mac vs a PC? I assume that the program is functionally the same but am more interested in if the Mac OS/computer does things differently, better or worse than the PC OS/computer?

If things are basically the same why would someone chose a Mac over a PC?

[Anonymous]

Because of system and hardware

The only one advantage to choose window system:
You can buy much cheaper older hardware from ebay (really big advantage without joke).
If I want to buy new workstation with high performance equipped with Xeon, I would buy MacPro.
Compared to HP or Dell workstation MacPro is simply too good with own systemsoftware.

[Ralph Wessel]

Mark wrote:
If things are basically the same why would someone chose a Mac over a PC?

The functionality of ArchiCAD on Mac and Windows is basically the same, so no buying advice from that point of view. However:

• - If you buy a new PC, it will come with Vista. The developers at GS still do not recommend Vista for use with ArchiCAD (although it will work).
  - Apple always scores highly in consumer reviews for support and recommendation of product
  - Macs enjoy excellent integration between hardware and software
  - The Mac OS has a huge level of attention to detail and ease-of-use. Something like the difference between an iPod and a typical MP3 player.
  - The Mac still has no virus/malware problems.
  - If you're interested in add-on development, you get all the software you need free with the Mac OS
  - You can run any OS you like on a Mac

[Karl Ottenstein]

I switched to Mac this year after 18 years of Windows. I agree with everything that Ralph said. There are lots of other things that I like about OS X vs Windows and only about 1 or 2 things that I miss from Windows. I could go on about dozens of productivity features, stability, and the value of all of the included software vs what you would have to pay extra for with Windows. But, you asked about AC....

For your specific question on AC - Expose on Mac is a big productivity improver for me. On Windows, you have to close/minimize or go to a menu to find and display hidden windows. On Mac, Expose instantly tiles your screen with open windows letting you choose what you want to switch to - plan, section, GDL, etc.

There are lots of OS X features that make one more productive IMHO. In Leopard (10.5) and ArchiCAD, one such feature is that the Help menu of every application - including ArchiCAD - includes a spotlight-like search which not only searches the entire menu hierarchy of the application- but even highlights the searched-for menu item. A single click does the action. So, if you can't remember where Align 3D Texture is - if you just type Align 3D, up pops the proper menu to tell you where it is (if you care) and a single click invokes the command.

One small change in the switch to Mac is that I did use function keys F8 through F12 (and variants) to do things inside AC under Windows. I prefer to keep the standard Mac OS global settings for those keys now, and so have redefined my shortcuts for those old tasks - only 3 of which I ever used much anyway.

Cheers,
Karl

[Dwight]

Karl:

Could you please compare the machine experience between Mac and PC?

The feel, the ease of changes - RAM insertion, etc?

Adding new devices, etc?

Exactly how much better is the MAc?

[Thomas Holm]

Dwight wrote:
Exactly how much better is the MAc?

Exactly 8.

or was it 25?

To be honest. There are a couple of Archicad things missing on the Mac. The Google Sketchup and Google warehouse connections, for example. They might come eventually. And Giovanni's 'Vitruvian Studio' viewer that uses the VRML format. Maybe some more.

But since it's possible to install Windows on the Mac, either virtualized (so you can run it at the same time) with Parallells or Fusion, or in a bootable hard disk partition with Apple's Boot Camp, you can have Archicad's windows version installed as well, for the occassions when you need those options. It will run with the same Wibu key and license.

[Anonymous]

Anyway we can install in Window and in Apple with one dongle, with ONE CD!
This is very big advantage.
I have many Adobe programms but in Window version.
They can not run in OS system.
The hardware is not so expensive compared to software.

[Brett Brown]

Karl wrote:
For your specific question on AC - Expose on Mac is a big productivity improver for me. On Windows, you have to close/minimize or go to a menu to find and display hidden windows. On Mac, Expose instantly tiles your screen with open windows letting you choose what you want to switch to - plan, section, GDL, etc.

Karl,just to clarify the mac expose, all the open tiled windows stay on screen when working on the active one? Do they each keep there own layer combo when activating each window?
Also has OXS the ability to drag one or more of those tiled windows onto a second monitor?
I imagine a 30" monitor would be better for tiled views? Any recommendations on 30" monitors. I see the HP one has been discontinued. I think Mathew recommends these.

[Brett Brown]

Any Mac user explain how Expose works and answer the above questions please?

[Karl Barker]

Expose is a method of quickly changing windows in either an application or through all windows currently open on your computer.
If you are working in AC in a section and want to quickly get to the detail that you were just working on, hit F10 and all the windows currently open in AC will tile across your screen. You can then click on the window you wish to work in, the detail window, and the screen will return to normal.
For more, go to:
http://www.apple.com/nz/macosx/what-is-macosx/expose.html

Far better than alt tab.