Mac versus PC is an eternal debate among technology geeks, and the department of graphic design at the University has chosen its side — Mac.

“In our industry, the Macintosh is by far the most dominant platform — about 90 percent use it,” said Lanny Webb, graphic design chair at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. “It doesn’t make sense to train on a PC.”

Webb said because graphic design is a technology-based art, a computer is required for the classes. 

The program, which consists of 14 students this semester, has been requiring students to purchase a Mac book for the past eight years.

“When the Mac first came out, it was an iconographic interface,” Webb said. “It was the first consumer-based and art-based operating system.”

Mac and Adobe, a software company, partnered and created a number of programs important to the graphic design industry, such as Photoshop and Dreamweaver.

Webb said Mac’s programs and operating system allow users to have “WYSIWYG” — which stands for “what you see is what you get” and allows designers to see how their designs will look on a computer screen.

“It’s a tool we use to train on. Why wouldn’t we want students using it for class?” Webb said.

Although most students already have a laptop, graphic design students are only required to purchase a Mac once they have been accepted into the program. Webb said students usually do not complain about having to make the extra purchase.

“For the most part, students are delighted because they get to tell their parents they have to have one,” Webb said.

A similar program at the University of Florida will require all UF journalism students to purchase a Mac computer beginning this fall.

Although the UF journalism department and the graphic design department at the University have implemented computer requirements, most University programs do not require students to purchase a specific computer.

“We never decided on a universal software program, so we don’t have a specific computer requirement,” said Sid Thompson, professor of biological and agricultural engineering.

At the University, it is up to specific departments if they want to require a certain computer or other device, said David Noah, coordinator of emerging technologies at the University.

“There’s no overall University policy,” Noah said. “Some classes require clickers, but that’s it.”

For now, the University recommends incoming freshmen purchase a computer, but the University makes it clear that any computer requirements will be left up to specific departments.

According to the Enterprise Information Technology Services Web site, “Given that computing demands can vary widely from discipline to discipline, students are strongly encouraged to ask whether their school or department has made any specific recommendations.”