Written by Jon Bergan on the 08/11/2007
Which is better – a PC or a Mac? This has been a war that has been raging on for well over ten years and still there is no peace between the two parties involved. From a business perspective however, both players have advantages and disadvantages over one another that make coming to a truce virtually an impossible task. As a business owner who is considering upgrading his entire IT infrastructure to Mac, I have decided to look at both sides of the coin before I make my decision.
Before we begin, I’d like to assure everyone that I have an equal respect for both Mac and PC. Being a PC user for well over 18 years is proof that I completely adore using a PC. This article may seem somewhat one sided at times as I have become quite a fan of the Macintosh computer, however rest easy that I am in quite a good position to give equal consideration to both Mac and PC. With that said, let the showdown begin!
Hardware wise, both machines are quite similar. Since Intel and Apple became partners, the internal hardware that makes up a Mac and a PC is virtually the same. In fact, the hardware is that much alike that you can even run Microsoft Windows XP on your Mac! We’ll get to that a little later though.
Macs primarily consist of Intel Core 2 Duo processors and run on similar memory sticks as your PC. So, if you have any compatible RAM lying around from your PC, chances are you can throw it into your Mac. This might save you some money, however as most of us are aware, there are many different types of RAM out there and some of these may not work.
One important factor to take note of is the iMac and MacBook case. MacBook’s and iMac’s are very similar to PC notebooks in that they cannot be upgraded. Their cases are not easily opened and the hardware inside is definitely not accessible to most of us. So, how can you go about upgrading your Mac? The simple answer is you can’t unless you own a Mac Pro. The only piece of hardware that can be easily upgraded in an iMac or MacBook is the RAM. You need not worry though. The lifespan of your Mac will last twice as long as its PC counterpart thus making it quite a cost effective purchase in the long run.
The obvious advantage a PC has over a Mac is that it can be easily upgraded at any point in time and with virtually any piece of compatible hardware. The downside is that PC’s usually require faster hardware to get the job done and as such, you find yourself constantly upgrading your machine to keep up with the times.
To put it simply, OSX is better than Windows in my books. Some time ago, you wouldn’t have caught me saying so, but with the recent developments in the Mac OS, OSX is now at a point where it can definitely compete with the Microsoft juggernaut.
There are a number of reasons why I consider OSX to be a better operating system for the end user.
First and foremost, it is based on UNIX which is the most stable of operating systems currently in use. To say the Mac OS is for users who don’t have a clue about using a computer is so far from the truth it’s not funny. OSX has a huge amount of power and capabilities under its hood – you just have to look a little harder to find them.
Secondly, the GUI (Graphical User Interface) is much more user friendly and far more logical than its Microsoft counterpart. You’ll find that it takes far less time to complete any given task on a Mac than it does on a PC. This obviously increases your productivity ten fold. The hardest part (which really isn’t all that hard) is getting your head around the new user interface as most of us are Windows veterans and will need to learn our way around the new OS.
Thirdly, being based on UNIX, the Mac OS is as stable and secure as they come. Rarely have I had an application crash under OSX and when I have, a simple force quit closes the application immediately. No longer will you have to put up with viruses, spyware or other malicious software – there simply isn’t any on the Mac.
Don’t get me wrong though, Windows does have its perks. Many users use Windows and thus compatibility issues are less likely to arise when dealing with business associates, clients and suppliers. The point here is that 90% of the market own a PC and most of those users will be running Windows, however if you’re concerned with potential compatibility issues, just assure yourself that regardless of what someone sends you on a PC, chances are you can open it on a Mac.
For those of you concerned about losing Windows completely, you can safely run Windows on any Intel based Mac. Applications have been developed by both Apple and third party agencies to allow users to use Windows natively on a Mac. Programs such as Basecamp by Apple and Parallels by Parallels Inc will seamlessly integrate Windows into your new Mac either by booting into the Microsoft OS or running it in an OSX window.
One of the primary concerns PC users have as they consider going to Mac is the support for popular software packages that they use on a regular basis. These programs, such as Microsoft Office, MYOB and QuickBooks, were not readily available on the Mac and as such presented potential Mac users with a huge problem. Fortunately for these users, the majority of these applications are now available on the Mac and if they’re not, you can still run most of them anyway.
With the merging of Intel and Apple, all Mac’s are now i386 compatible thus allowing versions of Windows XP to run on a Mac. Whether you’re using a windowed version of Windows through an application like Parallels or booting into Windows through Apple Basecamp, you’ll be able to get the job done. This now solves the huge dilemma presented to many of us considering going to Mac and is still quite a cost effective alternative.
As for applications that run natively on the Mac, there are plenty and most are free! Yes, most applications developed for the Mac are open source programs and do not cost a penny. Even if you are considering using them within commercial environments, you still do not have to pay a cent. That being said, there are many good Mac based applications out there that do cost money, however you’ll find that most of these are actually cheaper and more than likely better than their Windows-based competitors.
Overall, the user experience on both platforms is usually quite a pleasant one. With Windows Vista now hitting the market, users can finally experience a completely 3D accelerated version of Windows. The new window selection routines such as Aero and the dynamic ALT+TAB capabilities introduced in Vista have made the overall Windows experience even better for the end user.
Unfortunately Windows has a few things that let it down especially at Vista’s level. Windows Vista does require an extremely solid/fast machine and is still prone to the many security threats and software flaws that were found in Windows XP. As such, user’s tend to spend half their time chatting to technical support representatives instead of actually working.
OSX on the other hand, being developed from a rock solid UNIX platform, rarely falls on its knees and also operates in a completely 3D accelerated environment. Viruses are a no show and software flaws are definitely few and far between. In fact, I don’t think I have come across any to date, however there are bound to be a few little bugs in there if you’re keen enough to find them. The point here is that OSX is a much more stable and thus a much more enjoyable operating system to use.
Hardware wise, both machines are quite user friendly and the input devices (mouse and keyboard) are quite the same. I would have to say that the one letdown on the Mac is the Mighty Mouse. It’s a great idea but it just doesn’t serve its purpose as well as it should. The keyboard’s on the new iMac’s and the MacBook’s are phenomenal though. If you love the slim yet stylish keyboards found on most laptops, you’ll definitely love the new iMac keyboard. Both systems also support all of the popular peripherals and third party devices and most devices now come with a Mac compatible driver.
As most of us know, there are a number of myths that seem to creep up on us whenever we contemplate the idea of going to Mac. If you’ve ever met a die hard PC enthusiast, chances are he/she has rattled off of these myths to you. I’ve tried my best to break these myths once and for all to ensure that the Mac gets a fair run in this race.
This isn’t exactly true. Despite sometimes having a slightly higher initial purchase cost, Macintosh computers have substantially lower total cost of ownership. Overtime, you will spend less money upgrading the software on a Mac and you’ll also find that you won’t need to upgrade your Mac half as often as you would your PC.
There are immensely big differences between the two. For instance, compared to Windows PC’s, the Mac OS is easier to learn, requires fewer keystrokes for similar tasks and results in much higher user productivity. From a hardware perspective, they are quite similar but this only works to Mac’s advantage in that you can now run versions of Windows on your new iMac/MacBook/Mac Pro.
I agree that some Windows experience could be worthwhile, but educating students or new employees on computers involves much more than exposing them to Windows. Macs can also run a Windows or Linux operating system simultaneously.
Macs are very reliable. Compared to Windows PC’s, Macs are much easier to support and when properly maintained, they experience far fewer problems. Furthermore, Macs are more secure and stable both at a software and a hardware level as the software and hardware has been specifically designed to work together. There are no compatibility issues or other similar problems. Everything just works.
First of all, in a business setting, speed is hardly paramount. Secondly, for business and school related application usage, the performance of Mac’s is equal to or better than most high end PCs.
Once upon a time, there was a huge difference in price between a Mac and a PC. With the G5 Power Mac’s and Mac Pro’s, you really had to spend a few thousand dollars to get a decent machine, however times have changed. Mac’s are now quite affordable with the low end iMac’s coming in at around $1699 AUD. That being said, the Mac’s still hold true in retaining their durable life span and will still be quite decent machines for a number of years to come.
The main issue with PC’s when it comes to cost is that they require continual upgrading to ensure they’ll still be efficient machines in the months or years to come. Some power hungry users upgrade their PC’s on a monthly basis just to ensure they have the latest and greatest hardware. With a Mac, what you purchase is what you get – similar to a notebook – except with Mac’s, you won’t need to upgrade it anytime soon anyway.
Both PC and Mac are quite versatile and straight forward approaches to getting the job done. Both are fairly cost effective depending on how you look at it and both are friendly enough that most users can jump on either and get their head around the operating system in no time. Windows is a very well known and established operating system and many users have become accustomed to its ways though.
Sure, Mac’s are user friendly, cost effective and extremely powerful machines that will definitely increase productivity, but can you afford to train the majority of your staff members on how to use a Mac? That’s the dilemma here. As 90% of the market share own Windows PC’s, chances are 99% of your staff have never used or seen a Mac before. If they have, they have probably only seen it on display in Dick Smith or David Jones.
In my opinion, if you’re willing to spend the time and ultimately the money in training your staff on how to use a Mac, then you’re going to benefit from this investment. Mac’s are much more logical and user friendly machines and statistics show that employees who use Mac’s are far more productive than those who don’t. With a little perseverance and determination, you might just find that Mac’s truly are a decent alternative to a PC in the business world. Can you take the leap? I’m definitely considering it.
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