I don't use my Mac professionally but I sure wish I could! Would be better than the crap we use at work now.
Same here. If I could keep my MacBook from walking away, and could connect to an Exchange server, I'd probably use mine at work. My stupid work PC's keyboard doesn't have command or option buttons!
Use mine everyday in an all PC environment. Use my work supplied PC for mail and a proprietary timesheet setup. Do all of my writing, photoshop, calendar (yeah, that drives em crazy) and control my contacts and projects on my Powerbook. Use it exclusively when I travel.
I am somewhat surprised by the numbers, I thought the majority of people here were just home users. I know some of you have said what you use them for, what does everyone else use theirs for?
Well, some people I would assume use them for both (eg: I use it professionally over the summer, since I preferred to use my own laptop at work rather than the computer they were offering, but it's also my home/uni computer)
Edit: In the poll, I said professional since there was no option for both.
The primary focus of lab I work in is NMR, and until I came along, every new member got two PC's: a windows machine for daily work, and a Linux box for processing NMR data.
I told my PI that all I needed was a Mac, as it could do both. It took a little doing, but I eventually convinced him. In any case, it sure beats a KVM or XWindows solution.
At my office-job, it's Windows only, which is a gigantic mistake -- for any of you entrepreneurs out there, don't get a windows network. It is always having problems.
But I'm also a consultant and I use an iMac G5 to do things that at least a few people think requires a PMG5 or MacPro. The iMac would actually make a nearly-perfect office machine. It doesn't have much wire clutter, doesn't take up much desk space, is quiet, and is quite capable. In a few years when I hopefully start up my own business, it's going to be iMacs all around.
I use mine professionally video editing with FCP and AfterEffects. I bought the 17" MacBook Pro for shooting directly in DV Rack. I just started on windows today, so, the whole process with that system is new to me. Been a Mac guy from the beginning~!
I have a startup video production company that's all Mac. We edit on an iMac G5, an iMac Core Duo, and a MacBook. When we've got enough of a workload to justify and pay for it we'll be getting a Mac Pro. We have enough of a workload now, but not all of it is paid work. We're actually doing quite well for having just passed our 9 month birthday, but it still feels like we're behind where I want to be.
I'm a software engineering researcher. I've found that, using my trusty ol' PowerBook, I have more flexibility in accessible languages, tools, and methodologies than either my Windows or Linux using colleagues. I'm constantly being asked "What tool is that?" "How did you do that?" "Why does that look so nice?"... so far this year alone I think I've converted four people to MacBook Pros.
My wife and I run our law office on networked macs. (She has an iBook, I have an iMac. Our paralegal has a G4 iMac.) I keep an old iBook at home and hope to buy a mini for a home theater after Macworld. A friend and his wife have a photgraphy/videography business they run out of their home on two G5s. (He purchased the second days before the PowerMac went Intel).
Comments
We have tons of Macs, Xserves and Xserve RAIDs.
I don't use my Mac professionally but I sure wish I could! Would be better than the crap we use at work now.
Same here. If I could keep my MacBook from walking away, and could connect to an Exchange server, I'd probably use mine at work. My stupid work PC's keyboard doesn't have command or option buttons!
Edit: In the poll, I said professional since there was no option for both.
Professionally (I tend to be pretty busy):
- creating textbooks (English as a Foreign Language) (Pages, iPhoto, InDesign, Illustrator, Frameforge3D)
- maintaining a staff photo album (iPhoto, Pages)
- creating staff training materials (DVD, texts, videos on iPod, Keynote)
- presentations at work (Keynote, Garageband))
- creating listening CDs for my students (Garageband, Peak, Soundsoap, Toast, Jam)
- homepage for my classes (iWeb)
- scheduling with my coworkers (Entourage)
- reading crap made on PCs (Word)
- planning refurbishments to our facilities (SketchUp Pro)
- making DVDs of programs held at work monthly (iMovie, iDVD, Final Cut Express)
- general planning (Curio, ConceptDraw MindMap Pro)
- just plain old note-taking and organizing: VoodooPad
- chatting (iChat AV)
Private Use (don't have too much free time other than that spent on AI):
- Simple homepage (iWeb)
- photography (iPhoto, Aperture)
I told my PI that all I needed was a Mac, as it could do both. It took a little doing, but I eventually convinced him. In any case, it sure beats a KVM or XWindows solution.
But I'm also a consultant and I use an iMac G5 to do things that at least a few people think requires a PMG5 or MacPro. The iMac would actually make a nearly-perfect office machine. It doesn't have much wire clutter, doesn't take up much desk space, is quiet, and is quite capable. In a few years when I hopefully start up my own business, it's going to be iMacs all around.
Alright, maybe a MacPro or two also.
I got a Mac because of my profession, originally. I do Pre-press & design work, at a t-shirt printing shop, amongst other things.
Same here!