[substrata]

Hi,

I work at a University, mostly with exchange students. For the next year I'm going to travel to around 100 different universities. My job will be to look at what sort of exchange programmes they offer, and if my university should join the network.

Basically, I will have to build an online site while on the road, and add reports and pictures as I move around. I've received a budget of around $1500 for purchasing a notebook and a digital camera. Also, I will receive a copy of the Macromedia Studio MX 2004 suite.

So, my problem now is to pick the right tool for the job. Windows or Mac, I can make my own choice. But I can get a 2kg iBook for the same price as a 3kg Windows PC. I know I will appreciate the lighter weight.

But is the iBook capable of running the Macromedia suite? I've read that it is really slow on Mac's. And that is the one thing that I know will kill me - having to hike my way through Europe with a annoyingly slow computer...

So, I would really like input from those of you that use the iBook/Macromedia combination.

And also, if anyone have alternatives, I would appreciate it if you could post them here.

I have to buy this *new*. So I cannot pick up a cheaper, used iBook/PowerBook.

Thanks,

substrata

[mgl]

Originally posted by substrata:
Hi,

I work at a University, mostly with exchange students. For the next year I'm going to travel to around 100 different universities. My job will be to look at what sort of exchange programmes they offer, and if my university should join the network.

Basically, I will have to build an online site while on the road, and add reports and pictures as I move around. I've received a budget of around $1500 for purchasing a notebook and a digital camera. Also, I will receive a copy of the Macromedia Studio MX 2004 suite.

So, my problem now is to pick the right tool for the job. Windows or Mac, I can make my own choice. But I can get a 2kg iBook for the same price as a 3kg Windows PC. I know I will appreciate the lighter weight.

But is the iBook capable of running the Macromedia suite? I've read that it is really slow on Mac's. And that is the one thing that I know will kill me - having to hike my way through Europe with a annoyingly slow computer...

So, I would really like input from those of you that use the iBook/Macromedia combination.

And also, if anyone have alternatives, I would appreciate it if you could post them here.

I have to buy this *new*. So I cannot pick up a cheaper, used iBook/PowerBook.

Thanks,

substrata

I use Macromedia Dreamweaver MX and Adobe Photoshop 7 on my iBook G4 and they're better than on my Toshiba P4 laptop. In the Toshiba's defence, it needs more RAM but still. I used to run them on my iBook G3 600 and they were slow but usable on it.

[stefls]

Dreamweaver MX runs fine, even on my iBook G3 600 mhz. Fireworks MX is also doing fine. The only thing I'd really appreciate is more screen estate. 1024*768 Really is bare minimum. That would be a reason to shop for a PC-solution. If you are satisfied with a 1024 screen, an iBook G4 would really suffice.

[jasong]

While I don't find Dreamweaver MX to be fast on my 1Ghz TiBook, it is certainly acceptable and compares nicely with my 1.4Ghz Pentium IV machine at work (and the PC has 2x the RAM as my Mac).

I think you'll be fine. Studio MX is pokey no matter what machine you run it on.

-- Jason

[kayam1977]

dreamweaver 2004 is slow on the g4 laptop, MX version 6 is like almost 40 times faster
with just 256 megs of ram, i sure 640 or 1 gb will make a difference..