But I digress….

Before I get into all the scanning and computer coloring for this MAD job, let’s get something out of the way. I use a PC. That’s right, a PC. I have a G4 Powerbook also and years ago had a Mac Power PC, so no one can accuse me of not having tried both platforms. Macs are fine computers but I can tell you from vast personal experience that they are no better than a PC, and only personal preferences and what you find easiest and most effective for the tasks you specifically have to do make any difference. I have a fire breathing Dell Workstation with 2 GB of ram and a 3 GHz processor, with a buttload of graphics processing power and ram, and it does what I need it to do fast and well. I leave it up and running for days at a time without rebooting, and it never crashes.

One of the principal problems I have with Macs is that Steve Jobs and company seem to think they know what is best for me, whether I like it or not, and allow me no options to decide for myself. For example, take doing screen captures from DVDs. Apparently Mr. Jobs has decided there is no legal reason why anyone should need to do screen captures from a DVD, purchased or otherwise. So he and the kids at Apple have altered the code in their Mac OS so there is no option to do a screen capture using their DVD player, and have made sure their “Grab” utility only gives you a blank area where the DVD window is when trying to do a full screen capture. I’ve got news for Mr. Jobs… there are perfectly legal reasons why someone should be allowed to do a screen capture of a DVD. I use them all the time as reference to create legal artwork for publication, protected by the first amendment. That’s called “fair use”, Mr. Jobs, but thanks for telling me what I can and can’t do with my computer.

With a PC, if a program won’t do what you want it to do, you can just go out and get one of a dozen other programs what will. Your options are extremely limited with the Mac. The only remotely reasonable option I’ve found with the Mac is a program called VLC, which will allow screen captures but in a very clunky and inefficient way. I use a program on the PC called WinDVD. It has a one button screen capture that launches a side palette with thumbnails of the captures you have done, allowing me to discard ones I don’t like and saves ones I do in any folder I choose. Perfect.

Please nobody write me ranting about your fabulous Mac. If you like Mac’s, good for you and more power to you. Like I said they are good computers and can do everything a computer needs to do. I’ll stick with my PC, thanks. In fact, I have a Powerbook I’m willing to sell for cheap!