Mac vs. PC: An Analysis for Normal People
I’m a Mac. I’m a PC. What is it really better to be? Apple or Microsoft? Mac or PC? If you ask a hundred people, the only thing of which you can be certain is that you’ll receive divided opinions. You’re also certain to have a fair amount of diehard Windows and unwavering Mac lobbyists. Each will cite opinions regarding creative ability, security, ease of use, compatibility, and a slew of other reasons. How much of that, though, is really fact and constitutes an “educated” opinion. Much like the so-called liberal left and conservative right factions of political enthusiasts, the polarization is what captures the attention and remains in the memory of the public. This divide has only widened thanks, in part, to the Microsoft and Apple Corporations decision to launch sustained advertising campaigns to minimize each other’s positives and capitalize upon the perceived negatives. This article is not intended to influence users to buy one or the other. I, myself, use both…sometimes simultaneously. For general use, graphic design, videography, photo editing, I use Mac. For work-related tasks that require the use of specialized applications, I often am required to use Windows, which I usually accomplish through the use of a virtual machine (See Software Application Compatibility and Functionality below). Another result of our one-hundred person survey that may surprise you would be that many users don’t really know or, for that fact, even care which one is better or worse. For these users, price and looks (not performance, dependability, or return on investment) are the primary considerations when buying a laptop or desktop computer. For all potential computer consumers, though, It is important to look beyond price and looks, before deciding whether they will be forever (or at least until their next computer purchase) tattooed as a Mac or PC person. The question should not be, “What is better, PC or Mac?” More importantly, it should be, “What is better for you, based on your user habits and specific needs, as a consumer.” To make it easy, I’ll break it down into a few common areas and highlight the differences.
