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1. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 9, 2010 2:27 PM (in response to bpylant)Upgrade to CS5. The apps will be designed for Intel and she'll stay within the upgrade window for a few more years. With Adobe's 3-versions back upgrade policy, she may not be able to upgrade to CS6 from CS2.
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2. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 9, 2010 2:30 PM (in response to Marian Driscoll)No argument from me... but she doesn't have the budget to upgrade anything right now, so she's looking for anything that might improve her current situation.
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3. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 9, 2010 2:51 PM (in response to bpylant)Budget, schmudget! How does someone afford a nifty new Intel Mac but cannot afford the software upgrade as well? Tell her to go back to PPC. This is not rocket science and it doesn't have to cost like rocket science. An Intel Mac is no upgrade from a PPC Mac if you're just going to run everything via PPC emulation (aka Rosetta).
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4. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 10, 2010 3:46 PM (in response to Marian Driscoll)You're assuming she has a "nifty new Intel Mac" but that is not the case; she is using the first generation Intel iMac (white case).
I know you're trying to be helpful, but she is neither a professional designer nor earning any money from her Photoshop use, she is strictly a hobbyist. There is ZERO chance she will be upgrading soft- or hardware anytime soon, and that was not the advice she (or I) was asking for. For the time being she will continue to use what she has, and she's looking for any advice to improve performance on the system she has.
CS2 runs just fine on PPC machines, but not so well on Intel. Any suggestions to improve that specific arrangement?
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5. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 12, 2010 6:04 AM (in response to bpylant)It does not matter if someone is a professional or a hobbyist. They're still going to be slowed down in an emulated environment. Adobe offered Rosetta as a transitional trick to help people move along. It was not meant for a long term solution.
If a software upgrade is out of the question, the only thing that is going to improve performance is a return to PPC. That should not cost any money. ...or did she contribute it to a landfill already?
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6. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 12, 2010 6:40 AM (in response to Marian Driscoll)It does not matter if someone is a professional or a hobbyist.
This is in regards to spending more money. So yes, it does matter. She doesn't have any. And as a hobbyist, the only concerns she would have regarding upgrading are her own -- unlike many of us, she doesn't have customers forcing her to keep up.
They're still going to be slowed down in an emulated environment. Adobe offered Rosetta as a transitional trick to help people move along. It was not meant for a long term solution
I realize that... all I'm asking is if there are any tips to squeeze any better performance out of a less-than-idea situation. (Again, I realize you're trying to help but I'm not interested in anything else, as it doesn not apply to this particular situation -- your advice is obviously good for others who are able to do as you recommend, which is what I would recommend as well... if it were at all an option.)
I personally don't know of any because we were never in this situation. We're a large prepress/design operation, we upgraded hard- and software throughout -- in fact, we just upgraded all of our older machines again in anticipation of CS5.
So, to get back to the original question: are you saying that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to optimize? It is what it is, and that's that? If so, fair enough, wishful thinking never changes reality... but before I tell her that I want to be sure there are no options I'm missing. She already has her RAM maxed, and runs OS X in the most optimized manner possible. She might have an older setup, but she's not stupid.
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7. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
370H55V Apr 12, 2010 7:12 AM (in response to bpylant)CS2 was built for a PPC architecture. That's why Rosetta helps it run. Intel processors handle data throughput differently. Universal binaries are designed to work with the new architecture. CS2 was designed before that architecture was available to design for.
Since Adobe doesn't "retrofit" older apps for compatibility, the honest answer is that there is nothing you or anyone can do to make CS2 perform better on an Intel iMac.
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8. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 12, 2010 7:31 AM (in response to bpylant)bpylant wrote:
She might have an older setup, but she's not stupid.She might be wiser if she had an even older setup. No personal offense is intended but it is stupid to waste money on hardware on which she has no proper software to run.This is why it would be much cheaper to pull her old PPC out of the closet and stick with that.
Money is an issue for both hobbyists and businesses. While she does not have customers forcing her to keep up, she forced herself into the mess by chasing after whatever shiny object Apple puts in front of her.
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9. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 12, 2010 7:39 AM (in response to Marian Driscoll)I don't know the reasons behind her upgrade to this machine. Her previous machine may have been an original iMac for all I know!
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10. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
370H55V Apr 12, 2010 7:45 AM (in response to bpylant)bpylant wrote:
I don't know the reasons behind her upgrade to this machine. Her previous machine may have been an original iMac for all I know!
Nothing wrong with that.
My first iMac (circa 1998) is still running.
The guy who bought it from me e-mailed me two weeks ago. He's moving and wanted to know if I'd buy it back from him for the $150 I sold it to him for.
I was sorely tempted... but I told him to hang on to it. He might need it.
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11. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 12, 2010 7:47 AM (in response to 370H55V)I have an old Blue & White G3 sitting at home, too. I use it in the workshop.
But I'm sure it wouldn't run CS2 anywhere near as well as an Intel iMac!
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12. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Tom Murray 1 Apr 12, 2010 8:00 AM (in response to bpylant)You could buy her a new version of PS as a nice gift. ;)
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13. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Wade_Zimmerman Apr 12, 2010 10:51 PM (in response to bpylant)What Marian is telling you is the truth she has no choice, better performance equals upgrade.
It is not like anyone here is misleading you or is trying to sell you an upgrade they are simy answering your question the best it can be answered.
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14. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 13, 2010 6:25 AM (in response to Wade_Zimmerman)It is not like anyone here is misleading you or is trying to sell you an upgrade
I never said that... but I didn't ask about upgrading, in fact when that was suggested I replied clearly that it wasn't an option. And then it was suggested again. And then again.
I asked specifically if there was anything that could be done to tweak performance, and the confirmation that nothing could be done didn't come until later... that's the info I was looking for, to pass along to my customer. I never felt anyone was misleading me, they just weren't answering the actual question I was asking.
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15. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 13, 2010 6:41 AM (in response to bpylant)The repeated mention of a software upgrade was simply a warning... even if it is not the answer that you want to hear. If your friend expects to ever get Photoshop to run well on Intel, they should be aware of their limited opportunity to upgrade their software. Otherwise, your friend will be stuck with a sluggish program for eternity on that Intel Mac.
I am more of an advocate for downgrading her hardware with whatever she has stored in her closet.
The best advice you can give her is to stop mismatching her hardware and software. I wish I had the spare money to do something as silly as that. It is much cheaper to purchase everything responsibly.
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16. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 13, 2010 7:19 AM (in response to Marian Driscoll)It has nothing to do with what I wanted to hear... it's just that you weren't answering the specific question I asked. That's all. Eventually
Mac+Win=Me confirmed that there was nothing she could do, which is all I was asking.I appreciate the extra information, but that wasn't going to be useful to her so I had to keep reiterating what I/she was looking for so I could get the answer she needs (not wants).As for her setup, once again I'll say that I don't know what prompted her to upgrade to the Intel box. I'm sure she wasn't thinking that it would decreaase her performance (and, depending on what she was coming from, it most likely improved it albeit not to the degree she was hoping for). And she may have simply had no choice, if her old machine died or wouldn't run another piece of software that was more critical to her than Photoshop... I dunno.In a perfect world everyone could have an idea setup, with the most current hardware and up-to-date software. In the real world that is often not the case, especially for hobbyists who can't easily justify the upgrade costs.Again, thanks to everyone for the info. I do appreciate it, as will she next time we speak. -
17. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Wade_Zimmerman Apr 13, 2010 8:05 AM (in response to bpylant)This is a public forum and the OP clearly does not take to be educated and certainly that is their right.
However in the interest of anyone who is in this predicament and does not have clear in their mid what is being communicated to the op here is the odd circumstances you are in.
You do not want to run CS 2 on an Intel Mac, that is not a wise thing if your time is of any value to you.
So either downgrade the equipment or upgrade the software which is the way to get CS 2 to work for you you have a Mac Intel either get rid of the Mac Intel or the CS2.
I am not giving this advice to the OP I understand your difficulties but others can benefit from Marian's excellent approach.
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18. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 13, 2010 8:43 AM (in response to Wade_Zimmerman)Dude, WTF? This has nothing to do with not wanting to be educated, how dare you make such a preposterous accusation...
All I said was no one was answering the question I asked, which was: can CS2 performance be improved on an Intel Mac? I was not asking if a software upgrade would make a difference, I was not asking if a hardware downgrade would make a difference. I already knew that, but those were not applicable to the sitation at hand.
Those suggestions were posted, I said I appreciated them BUT THEY DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION I WAS ASKING. is that so hard to understand?
The situation has been confirmed, there is nothing that can be done with the setup she has, let's all just leave it at that.
Jeez...
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19. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Wade_Zimmerman Apr 13, 2010 8:53 AM (in response to bpylant)I'll state this again this is a public forum.
your question was answer you stated it yourself, now this has to do with other users who might be in the boat and they might be more will to learn.
our suggestions are for them. Your question is still viable but the answer are not acceptable tt you so move over and let someone else benefit form it.
you got your answer there is no answer for you but the answers are for other users.
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20. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 13, 2010 9:07 AM (in response to Wade_Zimmerman)I got the answer I needed... eventually... after I had to re-ask multiple times because the original question wasn't being addressed. That's my only point. I'm not saying the other info wasn't useful... in fact I said exactly the opposite (perhaps you didn't bother to read the whole thread before you attacked me as not wanting to learn?). All I was trying to do was get the info I asked for. That is all. (The only reason I continued to reply is that the posts were still being directed at me, not to the general readership.)
But I'm done now. Thanks to everyone who replied, it was and is much appreciated. Despite what Wade assumes, I love to learn (as well as teach).
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21. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Marian Driscoll Apr 13, 2010 9:13 AM (in response to bpylant)bpylant wrote:
In a perfect world everyone could have an idea setup, with the most current hardware and up-to-date software. In the real world that is often not the case, especially for hobbyists who can't easily justify the upgrade costs.Here's something to blow the mind. One does not need to pair current hardware and up-to-date software. Photoshop 4 (maybe earlier) through Photoshop CS5 can run on Windows XP. Windows XP has been around for a decade and can still run on computers manufactured today. I was not trying to sell a Photoshop upgrade earlier and I'm not trying to sell Windows now. I'm just pointing out that there is always a way to work effectively and economically, regardless of one's position. Hobbyists are absolutely no different than professionals when it comes to budgeting for a computer.
As you have communicated little about the reason for her move to Intel, the type of work she needs to do or the specifics of her system, it may be best to point her to a resource like this forum or a generalized Adobe technical document so that she can figure this out on her own.
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22. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
bpylant Apr 13, 2010 9:34 AM (in response to Marian Driscoll)Unfortunately I really don't know why she upgraded... I know she is not a professional designer or photographer, she helps out her church and few others from time to time (which is how I interface with her on occaison) but that's about it. It all started as a general question, and I told her I didn't know (since we don't have older software around here) and that I'd see if I could find any tips to pass along to her.
I also know that she is not a very technical user, definitely more general-use in regards to computers in general and Photoshop specifically.
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23. Re: Improve CS2 Performance on an Intel Mac?
Tom Murray 1 Apr 13, 2010 12:31 PM (in response to bpylant)If she is on 10.5 or better, check out Pixelmator. Only $50.


