Pages '09 4.1 is so painfully slow - it takes over my entire computer and everything just drags.... I need this app for my business but I don't know what to do. I am mostly touching up photographs using the Alpha Mask. I absolutely cannot have iPhoto and Pages open at the same time. I end up having to shut everything down in order for it to work. I am in version Mac OSX 10.7.2
iMac, Mac OS X (10.3.x)
If you must do a lot of alpha masking, it would be better to do this in another Photoshop or similar application devoted to bitmap editing.
You seem to have used it to excess.
Peter
I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by having used it to excess. Could you clarify?
I have Photoshop Elements and I do not think there is alpha masking on the program.
Thanks.
Not totally familiar with Photoshop Elements but it is a cut down Photoshop, and would think it has some form of background removal, but probably not as easy to use as in Pages.
You haven't said what iMac you have or how much memory but it sounds like not enough you are simply overtaxing what you have.
Use features like Alpha Mask sparingly, they need the computers processing power just to generate what you see on screen. If you can do the job elsewhere, Pixelmator is nice, then it is done once and for all and it is just an image.
I think you may also be using Wrap around the masked images which also requires processing power, particularly as the document gets longer.
Peter
Hi Peter. Thanks. I'm on an iMac with :
Memory 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
I forgot to mention the problem started when I installed Lion.
2 Gb is not much, 4gb is much more comfortable and best to max it out for your model, RAM is cheap.
Lion is more demanding and slower than Snow Leopard.
It sounds like you have an iMac 20" early 2008. Installation is very easy:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1423#2
Apple reports that you can add up to 4Gb (2x2) of RAM but you can go to 6Gb.
You need 2GB + 4GB Kit DDR2 SODIMM PC2-6400 800Mhz Unbuffered Non ECC
Make sure you tell the supplier it is for the Mac, which is quite picky.
Double check I have identified your Mac correctly:
Menu > Apple > About this Mac > More Info… > Hardware > Model Identifier: iMac 8,1
Peter
Thanks so much, Peter. Yes, that is exactly that iMAC I have. I will look into this.
Thanks for taking the time!
Dear Peter,
Per your advice, I brought in my Mac today and put in 4GB RAM. Pages and alpha are now working perfectly!!! Thank you so, so much for your help. You are your own "Genius Bar!"
Best,
Joanie
Just picture me in a blue T-shirt. 🙂
Peter
Pages 4.1 is so painfully slow
