Are Mac and PC files fully compatible/exchangable???

[Digi-Learner]

Hi all.

I may want to adopt a Mac platform in the future, but is worried about files compatibility between Macs and PCs. I need to verify the followings:

1. Can files from (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Lightroom, Capture One etc) which are processed on Macs be further processed/edited on a PC? What about the other way round - PC to Mac?

2. Will image quality suffer as a result of the exchanges?

I am afraid that all my existing digital photos can't be used on Macs should I decide to buy a Mac some day.

Digi-Learner

 

[ortega]

an image file is an image file
it will be cross platform compatible

 

[iceprojeckt]

better save in EPS format.. just my experience in printing artwork..

 

[firestone]

Just be careful if burning to disk, they're not as compatible.

 

[ortega]

1. Can files from (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Lightroom, Capture One etc) which are processed on Macs be further processed/edited on a PC? What about the other way round - PC to Mac?

Yes Mac to PC and PC to Mac
You need to know what char to avoid when nameing the files on a mac as some chars cannot be used on a PC

also to maintain full compatibility with the PC always name your files with the extension

2. Will image quality suffer as a result of the exchanges?

I am afraid that all my existing digital photos can't be used on Macs should I decide to buy a Mac some day.

Digi-Learner

No picture quality will not suffer as a result of the exchange, but you need to know that the mac uses a default gamma of 2.2 while the PC uses 1.8

Just as long as the exhisting digital photos files that you have are saved in standard formats, like jpeg, tiff, psd, eps...

 

[sabbatical]

Hi all.

I may want to adopt a Mac platform in the future, but is worried about files compatibility between Macs and PCs. I need to verify the followings:

1. Can files from (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Lightroom, Capture One etc) which are processed on Macs be further processed/edited on a PC? What about the other way round - PC to Mac?

Digi-Learner

As long as there is a Mac and PC version of the same software, all your files relating to the software will be cross platform compatible.
Image files and quality, everyone else is already right on the dot

 

[jcho]

Good move, just make sure your portable hard drive is formatted in Fat 32

 

[Watcher]

No picture quality will not suffer as a result of the exchange, but you need to know that the mac uses a default gamma of 2.2 while the PC uses 1.8

You got it the other way round. PC is using Gamma 2.2, older macs 1.8 but newer ones are now correctly at 2.2.

In any case, NTFS can handle multistream data so at most, writing over network will work but watchout for incompatible names. No COM, NUL, LPT, etc Try it out and see...

 

[ortega]

me getting old already

 

[theRBK]

I use NTFS for external hard drive that is used for PC and Mac and have no prob as well...transfer of PS files and image files between systems should be ok...

 

[ah.zeep]

I use NTFS for external hard drive that is used for PC and Mac and have no prob as well...transfer of PS files and image files between systems should be ok...

Hi,

My impression is that the Mac OSX will only read from your NTFS HD, but won't be able to write to it...

 

[frenchbean]

Hi,

My impression is that the Mac OSX will only read from your NTFS HD, but won't be able to write to it...

yup... Mac OS X will only read NTFS HDD. For read/write gotta format it in FAT32.

 

[theRBK]

really...my external harddrive must be faulty then...cause its formated in NTFS (I did it so I know it is for a fact) and my boss is writing stuff to it from his G5...