Photoshop CS4 to Favor Vista for 64-Bit

[Dashken]

For graphic design professionals it's that time again. Adobe is readying a new version of its Creative Suite, the software bundle that includes Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and other applications for print and Web design. Only this time there's a twist: The new version of Photoshop will support 64-bit memory addressing for the first time --but only if you're running Windows.

Simply put, more bits means you can access more memory, which means you can work with bigger files. By taking advantage of 64-bit CPUs, Adobe is making it possible for designers and photo manipulators to work with really, really big images at high resolutions. Think posters, advertising displays, or even billboards.

So why not on Macs? As it turns out, Photoshop for Mac OS is written using older APIs that don't allow access to all the latest Mac OS X features. To bring the software up to speed will require a total rewrite, a time-consuming process that could leave Mac users in the cold for some time.

It won't be the first time that Mac-based graphic designers have looked to Adobe with unease. Illustrator 7, released in 1997, was the first version of Adobe's drawing software that offered the same feature set on both Mac OS and Windows. Given Apple's troubles at the time -- Gil Amelio was still CEO, and Apple had wasted untold millions on repeated, failed attempts to reinvent its aging OS -- many in the graphic arts community wondered openly whether the PC port of Illustrator 7 signaled a wholesale move to Windows as Adobe's platform of choice.

It didn't, of course, and in hindsight the idea sounds a little crazy. Designers like their Macs, period. Adobe would be nuts to shoot itself in the foot by abandoning the platform, no matter how fragile Apple's market position appeared to be.

But stranger things have happened. Look at QuarkXPress. Despite being the leading software for print layout professionals -- another almost exclusively Mac-based market -- it took Quark three years to release a version that supported Mac OS X. Fed up with Quark's foot-dragging, many design shops jumped ship to Adobe InDesign (and others are still transitioning).

Designers had an alternative to Illustrator 7, too: Macromedia Freehand. It wasn't as popular, but it existed. And that's the thing; there really is no professional alternative to Photoshop.

Will the extra power of Photoshop CS4 for Windows cause designers to jump ship? It seems unlikely. Only a very tiny segment of Photoshop users works with files big enough to warrant 64-bit capability -- and designers still like their Macs.

But then again, I can't help but be stricken by how much today's Windows platform gives graphic designers an experience comparable to that on the Mac. It really is almost the same on either system -- so does platform allegiance still matter in the design world? Or, at the end of the day, is getting the work done what matters most? Sound off in the PC World Community Comments.

Source: washingtonpost.com

[Mac Daddy]

Actually I think this is a smart move by Adobe. We are approaching a time where quad core processors and 4G + of memory are pretty much becoming the norm. So why not use this extra power makes sense doesn't it ?

The only thing that concerns me about 64 bit Vista(Ultimate) is future support. One OS I have found over the years that reports the most frequent driver issues or lack of driver support. This isn't Linux or even MacOS X that title is held by XP64 so lets hope 64 bit Vista doesn't suffer the same fate ....

[Chai]

It won't be norm so soon yet. I say another year, at least.

[Zenphic]

holy snaps! Photoshop is already at CS4! And I'm still at CS

[Mac Daddy]

Using CS2 here still and loving it

Originally Posted by Chai

It won't be norm so soon yet. I say another year, at least.

I think your right Chai but I think its a good idea to start working on compatability issues they may have not a bad idea overall by Adobe I think

[Adrian Wong]

I think they are looking at the future. Eventually, everyone will start moving to 64-bit OS even if they do not really need to work with large files / datasets. With RAM so cheap... it's really a matter of time before we all migrate to 64-bit Vista just to make use of the extra RAM.

[j.messeder]

I have been searching for LCD Flat panel reviews from Photoshop/CS users with little success. I am particularly interested in the Dell E248WFP monitor. I will use it with CS3 for photography work, making large frameable prints, etc.
I also am considering a Samsung 2253BW, which apparently has superseded the Samsung 226BW (the latter had been highly recommended to me, but seems no longer available).
Before I put any money out, I'd like to find some people who have actually used either - or both - the E248WFP or the Samsung 2253BW for photo work.
Budget is a bit limited right now, but these two monitors would fit. I know there are likely better monitors, but their higher prices rule them out, at least for now. My computer is an Inspiron 6000. I am a working journalist doing mostly print with still photography, and some video editing. A sideline is creating historical photo prints.

[Chai]

Originally Posted by j.messeder

I have been searching for LCD Flat panel reviews from Photoshop/CS users with little success. I am particularly interested in the Dell E248WFP monitor. I will use it with CS3 for photography work, making large frameable prints, etc.
I also am considering a Samsung 2253BW, which apparently has superseded the Samsung 226BW (the latter had been highly recommended to me, but seems no longer available).
Before I put any money out, I'd like to find some people who have actually used either - or both - the E248WFP or the Samsung 2253BW for photo work.
Budget is a bit limited right now, but these two monitors would fit. I know there are likely better monitors, but their higher prices rule them out, at least for now. My computer is an Inspiron 6000. I am a working journalist doing mostly print with still photography, and some video editing. A sideline is creating historical photo prints.

If you do a lot of photography, you should consider higher end panel with S-IPS or SPVA based with 8 bit color, instead of 6 bit on TN panels.

[j.messeder]

Originally Posted by Chai

If you do a lot of photography, you should consider higher end panel with S-IPS or SPVA based with 8 bit color, instead of 6 bit on TN panels.

I'm beginning to suspect that. I noticed Dashken has the Dell E248WFP 24" Widescreen listed at the bottom of his note, and come mentions of Photoshop, and the E248WFP recently was touted as a good deal and maybe he'd have some comments about the combination.
$600 is a bit out of my price range right now, but all the glowing reviews on lesser-priced monitors seem to come from gamers and business users, whose needs are not the same as a budding digital artist who wants to see on the screen what will be seen on the print.
I started noticing the 6-bit/8-bit difference and got wondering what I'm seeing on my Inspiron 6000 laptop, which is my only computer.

[Chai]

Originally Posted by j.messeder

I'm beginning to suspect that. I noticed Dashken has the Dell E248WFP 24" Widescreen listed at the bottom of his note, and come mentions of Photoshop, and the E248WFP recently was touted as a good deal and maybe he'd have some comments about the combination.
$600 is a bit out of my price range right now, but all the glowing reviews on lesser-priced monitors seem to come from gamers and business users, whose needs are not the same as a budding digital artist who wants to see on the screen what will be seen on the print.
I started noticing the 6-bit/8-bit difference and got wondering what I'm seeing on my Inspiron 6000 laptop, which is my only computer.

You saw Dashken's comment? I'm sure it's not from this thread!