So what sort of business do you run that requires your mac?

5052 Views 35 Replies 30 Participants Last post by Mississauga, Aug 31, 2007

macmac

Discussion Starter · Jul 31, 2007

Just wondering what sort of businessess people run here, and how they use their mac for it. In a lot of threads people often mention their 'offices', 'work', etc...

I myself don't run/own a business, I work for the peel board of education. I could use a pc for everything i do, but prefer the ease of use of the mac. lesson plans on word, keynote presentations, mark calculations, etc.

So, what business do YOU run that requires your mac?

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

CubaMark

· #2 · Jul 31, 2007

This may not be exactly on target with your question, but... to get things started. A friend is opening a Spa, and an iMac will be on the front desk (sure as hell not putting an ugly old Dell out there for clients to see!).

Looking into software that would serve the needs of the front desk, we chanced upon LightSpeed. It's in use by at least one other Spa in Canada (Spruce). It's a POS that seems to be very flexible, adaptable to other retail needs.

M.

duosonic

· #3 · Jul 31, 2007

wow - yeah - a combination of things - for some of the work I pick up, I use a mac because that's what I use (ease of use, familiarity, commitment, why would I use anything else?); but my business - Mainline Graphics & Communications … graphics design & individual tutoring … well I just have no interest in using PCs, & have developed a local reputation as "the mac person". Got into it through graphic desich, publication layout,the "creative" fields … stayed in it because that's where it's at.

PosterBoy

· #4 · Jul 31, 2007

Photography :-D

Macaholic

· #5 · Jul 31, 2007

Aside from music and video production, producing promotional materials, tracking clients, research, issuing invoices, cooking the books.

Here is a website where some Mac using businesses have listed themselves.

macmac

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 31, 2007

I guess my question needs clarification. What sort of businesses do people on here run, that require macs.

Macaholic

· #7 · Jul 31, 2007

Probably a case more of "want" versus "need". You can surely do anything on either platform 9although, some PC users beg to differ onn that). But I'd say it's more a prefernce for the way Mac OS and the apps that run on it DEAL with the user, versus the way Windows does. Plus, there is the )usually) lower maintenance of a mac OS system to benefit from (usually).

DoNotPokeTheScreen

· #8 · Jul 31, 2007

I just started working for a printing firm and the ratio of Mac vs. PC is about 50/50. Luckily, I get to use one of them macs, albeit an older single 867 Quicksilver...

SINC

· #9 · Jul 31, 2007

Writer/photography.

SoyMac

· #10 · Jul 31, 2007

We run the holistic health clinic on Macs because of all the usual reasons.

The website, its maintenance, email for booking appointments and providing information is very important. We need OS stability and very little/no downtime, or we risk inconveniencing and losing clients.
We need ease-of-use, because it's a business and time is important and there are other things that require thinking.
We need low overall cost because, well, first of all, it's a business

.
And we need the machines to look good, because they're in a business setting where clients see them.

We use Macs, because "good enough", isn't.

Lichen Software

· #11 · Jul 31, 2007

I do Filemaker Pro development. I could do it in most cases on either platform. Some of my clients are Mac, some PC and some have mixed environments.

There is a size mix also. For smaller clients I have made single user runtime programs. These are platform specific and must be created on the platform of deployment.

In general, I came to Mac first so that is the platform of comfort. Also, due to this most of my ancillary tools are Mac based - historic legacy.

I have found that I am happy with the minimal maintenance of the Macs and the fairly long life span.

Mississauga

· #12 · Jul 31, 2007

Hardware/software sales, support and training targeted at the graphic arts industry.

singingcrow

· #13 · Jul 31, 2007

I do a form of energy work (alternative healing), and work with clients internationally. I need my mac to maintain my website, create brochures, create workshops, accounting, email, research, scheduling (once Leopard comes out, this will be easier - I'll be able to sync my online scheduling system with my ical).

The ease of use and lack of maintenance is definitely a bonus, but I chose to work on a mac because they work like I do - intuitively. We just work well together!

ChilBear

· #14 · Jul 31, 2007

In the Graphics industry all my life - still have the first 2 computers an SE and Mac Plus with the "whopping" 100MB hard drive. Bought my first Mac in 1985 and grew a printing business around the Macintosh.

Oakbridge

· #15 · Jul 31, 2007

Consultant, helping businesses and sole proprietor's get the most out of their computer systems. Currently specializing in Daylite and FileMaker and looking to add MoneyWorks to the mix.

Daylite handles my contacts, organizations, tasks, schedule, projects, and sales opportunities. I use FileMaker for my billing system and plan on migrating from QuickBooks for Mac to MoneyWorks as my accounting package.

I use Apple Mail (which integrates with Daylite), Safari, MS Office for Mac for opening files from clients, and iWork for creating my own word processing documents and presentations. I also use Billings (another product from the developers of Daylite) to keep track of my billable time.

One of the things that happy to see is that Daylite has just announced a product that will allow them to seamlessly communicate with a FileMaker database through AppleScript. MoneyWorks is already doing this. I'm hoping to use these tools to develop more solutions that take advantage of this and provide more robust solutions for my clients.

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harzack86

· #16 · Jul 31, 2007

I don't run a business that requires a Mac, and I use mine at home for personal needs only.
I like to check this area though with plenty of great ideas on Mac at work:
Apple - Mac at Work

zarquon

· #17 · Jul 31, 2007

Audio Production.Both studio and live. Not amd earth shattering use for a mac, but a good one!

Z.

G

· #18 · Aug 1, 2007

Recording studio (bands and corporate stuff), video editing and production and web development. Wouldn't think about anything else for the audio + video end of things .. the web development I could do without a mac technically, but being a good developer I like to test my work on everything I can .. so I guess I do need a mac for that after all (not to mention that I HATE windows -- it's just not reliable for much of anything).

itaca

· #19 · Aug 1, 2007

I own a company that manufactures fasteners for the OEM (appliances and automotive).

anal-log

· #20 · Aug 1, 2007

Freelance sound editor for Audio Post Production.
I could probably use either Mac or PC but why?

1 - 20 of 36 Posts

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