Mac vs. PC: Why It Still Matters in Print and Design
I wish I could say that in 2016 it didn’t matter whether you used a Mac or a PC for design and print work. But that just wouldn’t be true.
We recently worked on a project for a customer with artwork set up in two different languages. They had carefully arranged everything on their PC just the way they wanted. But when the file came to us and we opened it on a Mac—things went sideways.
Literally.
The layout shifted. The fonts reflowed. But the biggest issue? One of the languages read right to left. The text actually reversed completely. It looked fine at first glance, but a deeper look revealed that nothing made sense anymore.
Now, if you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know I’m no tech expert. So fixing this wasn’t quick. After a lot of trial and error, we brought the file to a PC in our office. From there, we converted it to a PDF and then dropped it into the final print layout. That workaround saved the day.
So what’s the takeaway?
Always double-check your artwork when moving between Mac and PC. Don’t assume everything will stay where you left it. Text can shift. Fonts can substitute. Alignments can break. And languages that read right to left can flip completely.
This doesn’t mean you need to fear switching systems. It just means you need to look closely before sending anything to print. Open the file. Review every page. Check both languages if you’re working with more than one.
No matter how good the design looks on your screen, test it on the other system if you can. It might save you—and your customer—a lot of stress.
In print and design, the little things matter. And cross-platform differences are still one of those things.