MacNigiriman

I

was surprised and quite flattered by all the comments and suggestions I received for my last post. Computer inquiries can be so boring but the PC vs. Mac debate is enough of a debate to stir opinions from people I haven't heard from in ages. It was nice to hear from some of you.

In any event, I went to work today... er... I mean yesterday--Monday--to turn in my request form for my computer. It was a tough choice. The varying opinions were pulling me in opposite directions. I had heard for quite a while that Macs are better for audio/visual editing. It is usually simpler and more "intuitive"--whatever that means. I had tried my hand at some video editing on my PC but with little success. I could not edit film into clips to show the similarities and differences between two movies, say "The Family Game" and "Tokyo Story". This would entail ripping the film from its DVD--or digitizing analog video tapes--into a computer file, then clipping those portions I could use in a lecture. I could do everything except the editing when clipped files would always seem to lose its audio synchronization. I eventually screened one film and required the other to be seen outside of class, comparing the two in lecture. It is, as you might guess, more effective and convincing with actual clips to show as I discuss the films.

So with the "intuitive" programs and all its extra RAM and superior CPU, I was leaning toward the Mac until I got a number of comments reminding me of possible headaches--learning a new OS, learning new programs, and the biggest thing is buying new programs. I talked with a colleague and she says that the school will only supply basic programs, which include MS Office and iMovies. Well, the cost can be prohibitive, as they don't pay me a lawyer's salary, or even a law professor's salary, or even a law assistant professor's salary. So on Sunday, I started to lean back toward the PC. But I've always wanted to try the Mac. I appreciate and value all of your comments but the opinions on both sides are so convincing that I decided that I just had to become the decider--the addition of this word into our lexicon is the most positive thing I can say about President Bush.

So I've decided on the Mac. I've always wanted to try it, and I can try it on the school's dime. They will foot the bill for the hardware, basic programs and maintenance. If and when I become more familiar with it and want to try some more things, I will buy more programs. This is not too much of an investment to try something new. and I have my other two "older" PCs to fall back on if I get too frustrated. They can't do the video editing, but they sufficient to teach my courses, do my research, and burn DVDs of J-dorama for my family. Also, as one commenter mentioned, there is a program called Bootcamp that will allow the use to upload Windows XP onto the Mac. so I could end up having all the power of a Mac--2.16 GHz Intel core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM and 160 GB harddrive--but with all the convenience of familiar programs. The program is new and will likely have some bugs, but by the time I get my new computer in midsummer, it will have been out for a year, and hopefully most of the issues--if any--will have been resolved.

If all goes well, I may start referring to myself as MacNigiriman.