Weighing in on Popular Debates–Apple vs. Microsoft

Ten years ago, this was a much bigger issue then it is now. The compatibility between the rival systems was unreliable, and users could tell at a glance which system a given file was produced on and, if it was the rival to the one they favored, they could honestly reject the file because of compatibility issues. Now, the debate is fading to one simply of preference. With each new version, Microsoft and Apple operating systems come closer and closer together. Most leading applications are available for both platforms and the files produced can be opened on either system. With the advent of open type fonts, the graphic designer is now freely able to choose their preferred system based entirely on personal preference.

Now some of that personal preference has more to do with hardware then software. Macintoshes tend to come with higher rated resources installed–bigger harddrives, larger amounts of memory and video RAM. Those who sit on this side of the debate will state quite boldly that Macs are more reliable and faster than the average Windows-based computer, and if they use the average as their standard, they’d probably be right. The average PC on the market can’t hold a candle to the average Mac, but then there is also a significant difference in price and availability and definitely in the intended market. However, put a comparable PC against a Mac and, in an apple to “apple” comparison, a clear “winner” would be hard to classify. With the increasing popularity of high resolution video games, high-end graphics computers running Windows (and now Vista) are much easier to come by and tend, on average–depending on the manufacturer–to be less expensive then the comparable Mac.

So what about the user-friendliness of the operating system? Apple has claimed for years that it is much easier to use than anything operating MS Windows. And like all marketing claims, there’s a little bit of truth to the statement that is then completely blown out of all proportion. Both systems have learning curbs. Some things are easier on one system then the other and vice versa. Someone who has never touched a Mac would have problems getting around in it just as much as the opposite is true of someone getting on a PC running a MS operating system. Both have quirks that make complete sense to established users but that are not intuitive to the new user.

The next debate issue is security and reliability. Macs are supposedly virus proof and uncrashable. If you believe that, then you might be surprised to find out that it is merely a marketing ploy. Mac OS X does crash–it’s reliability is as much dependent on proper maintenance as a standard Windows computer. If you don’t keep it up properly, it will crash–some times quite frequently and at the worse possible moments. The standard maintenance that must be done is not obvious to the new user and sometimes even established users might not know what is involved. And while it is true that Macs rarely have the problems with viruses that MS computers have, it really establishes a false sense of security for Mac users. The real reason Macs don’t get hit as often is because the user base is so much smaller and represents less of a target to virus instigators. If Apple increases it’s market share overall, it will probably attract more attacks, and its user base might be caught by surprise when their lack of vigilance leaves them open to devastating attacks.

I’m sure it appears to you at this point that I favor the Microsoft side of the debate. To some extent this is true, but not completely. I have yet to use Vista, but I’ve been a cross platform user for over eight years. I can see pros and cons to either platform and pretty much base my final verdict on personal preference. I was raised on Windows computers, they make sense to me. I don’t have the problems on them that most Mac users complain about. The interface does not feel clunky to me–even though there are some navigation aspects of OS X that I much prefer. On comparable hardware, I can’t discern a difference in performance, and the PC computers are much cheaper and easier to find support for. All in all, if I’m spending my own money, I’ll get a Microsoft PC. If the sky’s the limit, I’d invest in a Mac. I’d really like to see the market heat up with a few more competitors. Nothing like competition when you want an excellent product!

A humorous aside. I find Apple’s newest advertising campaign really quite funny, and if someone were to turn the tables and tell the real truth, Apple probably wouldn’t be too amused. With their campaign against Vista, they failed to mention that while an old PC might need some hardware upgraded to run Vista, the older Macs running OS 9 on average had to be tossed out and completely replaced so the user could run OS X. Most upgrades in the Apple environment require a complete replacement of the computer, while many standard PCs can be upgraded a component at a time. Frankly, I’d rather spend my money on software.