11/27/2009 1:23:00 PM Should you buy a PC or a Mac?
By Craig Crossman. MCT
The question of whether to buy a Windows PC or an Apple Macintosh has raged on throughout the decades. The definitive answer won't be answered in this short column. That's mainly because the cumputing world is complex one. That said, let me highlight what experts typically point out regarding each platform.
On the Windows side: There are many more PCs running Windows than any other personal operating system. Because there's strength in numbers, more software is written for Windows so you will be able to find virtually any application you need. There are more games for Windows, more business applications written for it, scientific software, you name it.
There are more hardware devices made for PCs. These include video cards, networking products, even exotic peripherals. Bottom line is that if you are a hardware or software developer, you want to make it available to the largest audience and that is still, hands down, a Windows PC.
Windows computers and products cost less than Macs. Apple owners will argue that two systems comparably equipped will be more evenly priced but I've seen some pretty cheap PC configurations out there that are hard to beat. Of course Apple pundits will further argue that you get what you pay for.
On the Macintosh side: You can be fairly sure that whatever you plug into or load onto a Mac is just going to work right out of the box. I'm not implying that Windows products don't work out of the box. They usually do but because Mac products have to be more compliant with each other, that results in a better user experience when adding something new to the system.
There's a lot less malware (viruses, spyware, etc.) for the Mac.
A new PC will come with Windows 7 installed so you're going to have to learn a newer OS anyway. Why not visit an Apple store if there's one in your area or if not, it's a great reason to plan a little fun trip. Get some hands on time with a Mac at the store. Ask more questions. Then make your choice. Whatever your decision, it's going to be a big, powerful and fun step. n up from what you have now.
