Now I know that there are drastic and bold arguments out there for each, probably in the programming world, I mean EVERYONE knows that Neo never would have entered the Matrix on an iMac, and I guarantee that Jeff Goldblum could never have launched a virus into the mothership of those alien bastards in Independence Day without his suped up Powerbook. The infinitely advanced aliens were expecting Windows 95, but instead they got the wrath of Mac OS 7! Bwahahaha!

A lot of the argument lies in the functionality and aesthetic differences between the two. But I don’t think they are all that different. I mean they are both computers, they both do the same things with the right software. These childish comparisons are the equivalent of making fun of your fifth grade classmate for having braces. They aren’t even all that different at the most shallow level. Prepare to shield your eyes, Mac users, AS BEHOLD, I GIVE YOU THE NIGHTMARE THAT IS WINDOWS VISTA!

See, that’s not so bad, looks like a desktop. Now let’s get into… oh crap, one second…

Back to the… Uhhg, one second…

OK, well if you look down at… Ah jeez…

You just gotta get through a few things, I’m used to it, it’s no big deal. Now on to… OH C’MON…

I haven’t updated my anti-virus software on my PC yet. That whole virus argument doesn’t mean much to me. I know this annoying security risk stuff is for preventing the INEVITABLE viruses that ALL PCs get, but I don’t really understand that fear of computer viruses on your personal computer. My McAfee virus protection software stopped being on my computer when its 3 month out-of-the-box free trial ended. Hmmm, I still don’t have a virus on my PC…!

My PC tends not to have viruses, without needing working anti-virus software, typically because I do not download Russian-made Photoshop imitation software from shady torrent sites. I also don’t open e-mails from people like “Da3uinis Mcshul0r” who are giving me the subject line “Clixk hre for ultim0te party; girrlz aR the teen0age” CHANCES ARE that is POSSIBLY a SPAM message. I mean, I have a friend from college named Da4uinis Mcshul0r, but NOT Da3uinis Mcshul0r… NICE TRY INTERNET, YOU ALMOST GOT ME!

But these two operating systems essentially have the same functions. They both have a central menu to access the main functions, Windows on the bottom, Mac on the top:

They both have control panels to tweak what you need to:

Macs have a dock at the bottom of the screen that gives you quick access to programs. Well, Windows has an area at the bottom of the screen designed for quick access to programs:

They can both use the keyboard to switch between programs:

Hey, they BOTH even have annoying security questions:

And I don’t like the argument that Macs are easier for beginners to use than Windows, or vice versa. If you sit my Grandpa in front of a computer, he won’t know what the hell is going on, regardless of the operating system. I built a PC in high school (for an electronics class semester credit nonetheless, why hello ladies!?) and when I went to college and had to do all my video work on Macs, it’s not as if I set myself on fire in protest. If you know things about computers, then you should be able to find your way around on the opposing operating system, and if you don’t know anything about computers, then you should equally hate ALL computers.

I don’t want to turn this into a Mac vs. PC bullet pointed comparison, there’s plenty of other places to see that. I want to take the journeyman’s approach, and go right to the source, find out what I can about the actual companies that make them. So I called Microsoft first and asked them if I could have a tour of their factory. The man on the phone was kind of grizzled sounding, which was odd, but he sent me a one way plane ticket to Harbor Canyon, Mississippi, so I could see where Windows was born.

To be honest, this isn’t what I expected. (A homely looking fellow wanders out from behind a rock)

Billy Joe Bob – “Hey, I’m Billy Joe Bob, you dat guy who call asking ’bout my Windas machines?”

Me – “Yes… Yes I am Mr. Bob.”

Billy Joe Bob – “Actually, it’s Mr. McMuddberry. Billy Joe Bob is mah first name. Billy Joe Bob McMuddberry.”

Me – (looks around for possible exit strategies) “I see…”

Billy Joe Bob – “Come ohn intah mah factoray” (points at silver coated log cabin)

Me – “That’s really shiny BJB, what’s your house covered with by the way?”

Billy Joe Bob – “Dat’s alluminum foil. Dat’s so da government can’t access da chip dey put in mah brain back in Nam. And dat ain’t mah houze, yankee, dat’s mah factoray where I build custum Windas computahs. Dat’s why I intercepted yer phone call, I heard you was writin’ an innernet article discussin’ why Windas is the superiah computah. I brought ya hea, so ya could help start up da revolution wit us! We need mo’ proud Windas born Americans in ah organizatun.”

Me – “Wow, I don’t know how to react to this, I’d be honored, but you seem absolutely insane. I’m actually writing about how PCs and Macs are sort of similar.”

Billy Joe Bob – “WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, NAH! What did ya just say to my listin’ holes? You talkin’ ’bout MACS??? In frunt of meee??? You ain’t no… MAC LOVER are ya?!?”

Me – “Well, I actually use both and I – “

(Billy Joe Bob pulls out enormous hunting knife)

Billy Joe Bob – “I can’t believe I let some NO GOOD, MAC LOVIN’, LEOPARD HUGGIN’, DOWN-AND-DIRTY APPLE EATIN’ SON OF A GUN IN MAH FACTORAY!!!! NAH YA GONNA DIE!!”

(I start running)

Me – “NOT COOL! NOT COOL!”

Billy Joe Bob – “Git ‘em boys!”

I’m now running through the woods of Mississippi, a gang of Windows enthusiasts with pitchforks and torches chasing me. I dodge between the trees, only thinking in my head “What the hell is going on with these people?” I enter a clearing, oh no, it’s on the edge of a cliff! I’m doomed!

Billy Joe Bob – “We got ya nah, ya Quicktime supportin’ scoundrel…!”

So this is how I meet my end, at the hands of rednecks…! Then a flash happens to my left, almost blinding me momentarily.

Teleporting Woman – “Take my hand, Scott!”

I look over at the hillbillies and realize that crazy teleporting future woman is the better option, so I grab her hand, she types in something into her watch we jump into some sort of Kubrick-esk black hole!

Me – “Whoa, seriously, what is going on, who are you, and why did you save me?”

Tarmacia – “I am Tarmacia, and we’ve been watching you from afar. I traveled to Earth in order to prevent your death at the hands of Windows.”

Me – “Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… Did you say traveled TO Earth, implying that you aren’t actually FROM Earth…?

Tarmacia – “That is correct, Scott. In fact YOU are no longer on Earth. You are now aboard the Apple-9 Millennia, a floating space station in which all Apple products are developed.”

Me – “I gotta say, I’d be a little freaked out right now, but this is actually pretty awesome! But how did you know that I was going to be assaulted by those Windows people?”

Tarmacia – “We heard about your internet article on the Macintosh system, and were watching you closely.”

Me – “Why does everyone care so much about my internet article?”

Tarmacia – “Apple follows all news about Apple, regardless of importance. The fact of the matter is we value your stance, and would like to introduce you to Emperor Jobs.”

Me – “Well, I’d kinda rather just go back to Earth, I’m not really in a state of mind to-”

Tarmacia – “And I find you very attractive.”

Me – “OK, I’ll follow you.”

(as she leads me down a hallway, a man forcefully pulls me into an adjacent room)

Hermac – “Shhhhhhh. Don’t scream, I’m here to help you! I’m Hermac, I work in the iTravel development sector.”

Me – “What’s iTravel, I’ve never heard of that?”

Hermac – “It’s an Apple brand time-travel machine, it won’t be released to the public until 2052. Apple develops all of their products decades in advance, but deprives the awesome technology to the public until Emperor Jobs feels they deserve it. The iPod was actually created in 1963, but an early model got leaked by accident to one John F. Kennedy during a routine Earth mission, by a developer working here on the Apple-9 named Lee Harvey Oswald. But Emperor Jobs declared the public wasn’t ready for it yet, so we, well, we did what we had to do…”

Me – “I feel like you had to tell me something about my current situation, and you’re wasting a lot of time with this boring story.”

Hermac – “Right! You’re in grave danger, we have to get out of here!”

Me – “What?! No way! I’m about to meet Steve Jobs, and I’m pretty sure that that Tarmacia chick has the hots for me.”

Hermac – “The Great iCouncil of Elders know that you’ve been to the Windows development facility, they’ve been trying to penetrate it for years, but the Windows developers can smell a pure blood Mac user from a mile away!”

Me – “Whoa, really? That was the ACTUAL Windows development facility? That tin foil covered log cabin with Billy Joe Bob?”

Hermac – “Indeed it was, and now the Elders will use an iScrambler to reduce your brain to pure information to be dumped on an iBrain for visualization. They want your knowledge of the Windows factory. They don’t really care about your internet article.”

Me – “But I was planning on writing a clear, focused blog post this time! I wasn’t going to go off into any bizarre tangents full of nonsense, they should be interested in it for once! Wait, why should I trust you anyway? Aren’t you one of these people?”

Hermac – “Tomorrow is my 27th birthday, after that I will no longer be cool enough to develop products for Apple. They take everyone older than 27 to the iShrine, for which they supposedly go to iParadise for an eternity of iRelaxation, but I learned the true secret, do you want to hear it?”

Me – “Not really, maybe we should go…”

Hermac – “They convert us into iPhone Apps. They melt us down with an iMelt, and turn us into iPhone Apps! THE APP STORE IS MADE OF PEOPLE!”

Me – “Yeah, whatever, I believe you, blah-blah-blah, let’s just get out of here, alright?” (I start to run away with Hermac)

Tarmacia – “STOP THEM!!! Set iLasers to KILL!!!”

Hermac – “QUICK SCOTT, GET IN HERE! IT’S AN iTRANSPORTER, IT WILL TAKE US BACK TO EARTH!”

Me – “OK cool I guess, let’s do it!”

Me – “HERMMMAAAAAAC, NOOOOOOOOOOO!” (I fall backwards into iTransporter)

Me – “W-Where am I?”

Kimoto – “You are safe now, friend. The Windows society and the Mac civilization can harm you no more.”

Me – “Yeah, what was with those people? They were really freaking out back there…”

Kimoto – “Yes, your journeys have shown you the real truth. It is not one or the other that is better, both Windows and Macs are equally crazy in their genius. They both create great products, but their insanity towards one another will only lead to a path of utter destruction.”

Me – “Yeah, great message Bono… But what are you all about? Why do you know so much?”

Kimoto – “BECAUSE I WORSHIP THE MIGHTY GOD LINUX!!!”

Me – (gulp)

Ok ok, the title may be a little mis-leading but what’s the harm in trying to drive a little Google search traffic? The windows that I am referring to are the Final Cut Pro kind, not the Microsoft kind. I’ve always made a big case for workflow and editing efficiency here and no detail is too small when it comes to working smoothly. In fact, I’ve found that it’s often the little things that help the most when they are streamlined or annoy the most when they are clunky and rigid. If you never take the time to experiment and rearrange your FCP window layout and button bar arrangements you’re probably missing out on workflow efficiency gains. Here is my window layout and button bar arrangement and why I have things the way they are.

The first thing you’ll notice is that my window arrangement isn’t all that different from the default standard FCP window layout. All I have done is to move a few windows around, resize them, and add an area that contains some additional tools.

My Standard Window Layout

Let’s move from left to right. The most prominent window on my screen is the Browser window. Rarely is there a project that I edit where there are fewer than 100 clips and other items in my browser. One of my biggest time wasters is scrolling up and down back and fourth through windows. I like to be able to see as many of my browser items as possible all at once. By making my browser the full height of the screen I can maximize my viewable clips and minimize scrolling. Also since the item names are often short the browser doesn’t need to be long horizontally therefor leaving me plenty of room for everything else.

My Very Tall Browser Window

At this point I should specify that I use an Apple 23″ display. If you use a bigger or smaller size, or 2 displays, the best solution for you may be different. For instance, when I used 2 displays I always made one entire display the browser window. Also depending on the arrangement of you desk you may want to flip flop these windows and have the browser on the right if that suits your taste better.

Moving on, the balance I have struck between my timeline, viewer, and canvas windows has to do with my preference for external monitoring. I rely heavily on my external monitor to judge my edits, color, and composites. Because of this I feel that my viewer and canvas windows can be on the small side and give that extra space to my timeline. Just like with my browser I want to be able to see as much of my timeline as possible all at once and minimize scrolling and zooming.

My Rather Small-ish Viewer and Canvas

A Big-ish Timeline

The last bit of space is occupied by the tool bench that contains the frame viewer, scopes, and audio mixer. In the course of an edit I always follow a pattern to come to the final piece. I make several passes through the video to arrive at the final and rarely co-mingle tasks from different passes. For example, I make an A-roll pass then a B-roll pass, then an audio pass, a color correction pass and so on. Since I usually use the scopes and audio mixer in very segmented passes I don’t need them to both be available at the same time. I can switch to one and leave it there while I’m working with it then switch again when I’m done.

Alas - The Toolbench

My button bars are based on a little simpler philosophy. I pretty much choose to add buttons that I use the function of often but simply never memorized the key commands to or that had awkward key commands like Shift-Option-Backslash. I’ve pretty much filled up my custom keyboard with all of the most common commands I use and there are really no more simple commands left to map these functions to, so I made buttons. Of course I placed the buttons in the appropriate windows that the function effects. I won’t go through ever one but I’ll name a few.

First, in the timeline I have Export and Export using Quicktime Conversion. I use these functions several times a day and since they’re usually used as a final step and not a editing function I felt that a button would be best. One simple click and my sequence is output. Others are the pan audio left right and center and toggle stereo pair. I use these often and finding them in the menus is usually tedious. I can quickly and easily click em while mixing audio on the fly. My browser has a Set Logging Bin button and a close project button, all come in handy from time to time.

My Various Timeline Related Buttons

A few Straggling Browser Buttons

I should also point out that I tend to use both the buttons, menus, and key commands for all of these functions. It usually depends on where my brain is at while I’m furiously editing and trying to meet a deadline. I may be chugging along and all of a sudden completely blank on the key command for I have mapped for Close Gap, well, never fear because the button is right there waiting to be clicked. I think it’s pretty safe to say that clicking buttons is faster than drilling down into the menu bar.

I’ve experimented with lots and lots of deferent window layouts and button bars over the years and am really glad that I finally came up with these. The window layout maximizes the viewable area of important items and minimizes areas that are less important. Depending on your screen size and desk arrangement you’ll probably want to make a few tweaks, but just trust that by using a default arrangement you are probably missing out on some valuable efficiency. My button bars make up for what could be considered a bit of laziness in not learning certain key commands but also serve as a valuable backup when I just can’t remember them either.

The SuiteTake Take:
There’s a lot of nifty little features all over FCP like these and they’re there for a reason, to make you a better editor. You should definitely take advantage of them.