Glen Pfeifer and Ryan Gibbons
The Mac vs. PC debate is an embittered battle with ardent supporters on each side. Operating system warriors fight each other with facts about features, but it’s also one of the greatest flame wars of all time. We are here to try and settle the score without emotions running high and give you, the buyer, the necessary facts to make a fair decision about what type of system you would be happy with. So let’s check our biases at the door and start cutting through the B.S.!
the right mindset
Before we begin, the importance of going into this discussion with the right mindset must be reiterated. We do not have enough space to cover every aspect of the user experience of Macs or PCs. We will be giving an honest assessment of each system, from the perspective of two students – one of whom is primarily a Mac user and the other primarily a PC user. We are trying to clarify the issue, not insult the other system. Linux users please note: This is not a Mac vs. PC vs. Linux debate.
mac
Apple has put together quite a brand for its line of sleek computers. It has garnered a reputation as being the go-to machine for artists, musicians and creative types. Many people consider the image of a student toting a Mac around campus to be “hip.”
So what is it about these expensive, well-designed machines that cause their owners to rave about them so much?
Hardware aside, Apple’s operating system, Mac OS X, currently known as Snow Leopard, is an innovative and easy-to-use system. Mac OS X is very intuitive because it works the way you expect it to. If you wanted to open a file in a program other than the default, you can just drag the file to the icon of the desired program and it will open. The whole system is tricked out like that, but try doing that in Windows!
Apple programs aren’t short on features either. Leopard introduced Quick Look, which allows files to be viewed or heard without opening it in a program. It has a built-in video screen capture function, and a built-in hard drive backup program called Time Machine. The system is constantly defragmenting your hard drive to keep it clean and smooth running.
Leopard has a streamlined suite of programs built in, including iLife, which includes iPhoto, Garageband, iMovie and iWeb. Even better is what it doesn’t come with – a whole bunch of promos and free trials of programs that Windows hardware manufacturers include.
Apple’s market share is also an advantage. It only just topped 10 percent this year, while Windows holds about 88 percent. What does this mean for the Mac owner? It means that it isn’t worth spammers’ time to write viruses for the Mac, which is an inherent natural defense system. The idea of viruses is to gain access to as many computers as possible, so it makes sense to target computers running Windows. It isn’t that Macs are more protected. It’s just that there are thousands more viruses out there for Windows.
Another benefit of the Mac is one not often thought of – the same company develops both the hardware and the software! Apple has full control over both aspects and is able to develop the two in unison. This is the reason why Macs generally boot up faster than PCs. Windows generally has to perform hardware checks to ensure compatibility with the system as it boots, while the Mac can bypass most of that.
pc
Merriam-Webster defines the word “vista” as “a distant view through or along an avenue or opening.” Ask anyone on campus for a definition and you’ll likely hear things like, “fail,” “headache,” “waste of time,” or just uncontrollable laughter.
Having said that, it looks like Microsoft may have learned its lesson. As this magazine hits the racks, Microsoft will be shipping Windows 7, which looks to be Vista minus the headaches. So what is it that compels buyers toward a PC purchase?
If you walk into nearly any computer lab on campus, odds are you’ll find Windows computers staring back at you. Sure, Macs are used in many businesses, but the standard is PC. This means somewhere down the road, it may be quite advantageous for your career goals to be well versed in Windows.
For gaming needs, the answer is usually Windows. Most computer games run exclusively on Windows. Sure, you can play Guitar Hero, Spore and even World of Warcraft on a Mac, but more games are PC-only. Mac OS X usually comes second when developers are doing their thing. As the number of Mac users continues to rise that trend could change.
Third-party hardware favors PCs as well. Just like viruses and games, most manufacturers choose compatibility with Windows first and Mac second. It’s simple economics. When you add hardware to your Mac you’ll usually find less frequent driver updates and limited tech support for your system.
It’s a cliché that any video or graphic artist needs a Mac to get the job done. A Mac is no more optimized for such projects than a Windows computer, but it all comes down to software, and that’s where the industry is split. Quark and Adobe both run on Windows and Mac and each system has a top-of-the-line video editing system in Final Cut Studio and Avid.
Windows wins in customizability as well. Sure, when you order your Mac you can choose how much RAM or how big your hard drive is, but on Windows the possibilities are virtually endless. That means you get to take advantage of things such as TV tuners, which allow you to watch and record cable TV. Many people, including ourselves, have built their own PCs from scratch and these hand built computers aren’t Mac friendly. While Apple can avoid bad user experiences due to poor hardware, they’ve also shut the door on many exotic features.
Viruses are undoubtedly the biggest downside of the PC, and avoiding them is no cakewalk. You’ll have to have antivirus and antispyware software and be conscious of what you do on the Internet. In many hacking competitions, (Yes, they exist. Yes, we pay attention to them) the Mac has been compromised before the PC. Unfortunately, you just have to work harder to keep your Windows safe.
verdict
As with any decision to buy anything, this one may come down to your budget. Of course, Macs are notoriously expensive, but some PCs cost a pretty penny to get the same specs. The difference is that PCs offer cheaper, low-end computers and Apple does not. So if money is your No. 1 priority, PC may be the way to go. If not, consider carefully what we have discussed, and focus on what you will be using your computer for now and in your future employment. Happy computing!
Tags: Volume 5 Issue 1
