We’ve seen the commercials, and their matching stores. We understand, in this great war you must choose: Mac or PC. There is no safe neutral zone. Although the advertisers are certainly set on convincing you that PCs are actually tools of the devil meant to draw you in with their conniving ads, and that Macs are commie propaganda, out there to lure you in to a world of horrors, the real truth of the matter is that both systems are good for completely different reasons. However, you do sort of have to choose a side; although converters are now more common, most software does not translate before the two. So, a few things to consider as you look at your options:
Mac - Visual Thinkers
Apple computers have long touted their user-friendly and easy to navigate operating system. As PCs are finally joining in, Apple has focused more on marketing to visual oriented groups. Their programs are designed to be easy to learn for a first-time computer user, because it is all right in front of you. Of course, if you have been a PC person, the transition can be more than jarring. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be worth it. A large number of graphic designers and people in other visual professions prefer Macs, because they have been a targeted audience for years. The same applies if you are addicted to a lot of movies/visual media: Macs have been doing it best, for a very long time.
P.C. - Versatility
PC’s greatest advantage is their sheer versatility. It is only in recent years that they have focused on improving the user-friendliness and visual aspects of their systems, because it hasn’t been necessary before. PCs acknowledge that every computer user is different and is going to be looking for different things in a computer. PCs offer a variety that Mac computers simply cannot match, though they are working on it. If you want a computer that is perfectly matched to your specific goals, it can be hard to best a custom made PC. They have a greater range to their mix-and-match style that makes them appealing to a wide variety of people.
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| A typical computer station at the Kate Edger Information Commons. There are PCs like this on level 0, 2 and 3 available to all students at the University of Auckland. They all have Windows operating systems and LCD monitors. Three sides of the room have walls of glass. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Price Range
There is no arguing that there is a price difference between comparable Mac and PC systems. Macs are consistently more expensive across the board. If you have a limited budget and certain system requirements, a PC may be your only option. Of course, Mac computers aren’t expensive just because they can be. Mac computers tend to last longer and have fewer repair needs than PC systems. It didn’t take Windows Vista for PC users to get frustrated, but it certainly makes a great example of what it is like. Partly because Macs were unpopular for so many years, there are fewer viruses and security issues with a Mac computer. Of course, in current years Mac computer prices are coming closer to that of PCs, and PC systems are coming closer to that of Macs, but today, there is still a price/reliability trade off.
About the Author
Haddie A. is a writer for BecomeaPoliceOfficer.com.Becoming a police officer is tough work, use this site to help you when it comes to learning more about this career.
