To understand where this all stems from, you got to understanding that this debate is about hardware and software. This brings into focus the two main companies involved in the battle.
Apple is one stop shop. Their products and software are designed by Apple. So everything released by them has their stamp of approval on it when it comes to usability, performance and quality. Apple sells a premium product to a premium market. “Our goal is not to build the most computers. It’s to build the best.” - Apple COO Tim Cook.
Microsoft is an operating system (OS) developer. Though they have diversified into gaming and web, their main focus is operating systems that run on Intel based architecture. They do not design hardware like Apple.
If you recognize what each of these platform developers do, then it starts to make sense why there are shortcomings and advantages in both the software and hardware technologies. Then we can get on to nit picking why the technologies have their shortcomings and advantages.
Apple’s strategic focus to develop their operating systems and choice of hardware components for their products has resulted in products that are superior in design, performance and quality. This will always be the case. When you have full control over what components are used and how they interact with the OS then you will always have control over the quality, performance, design and integration of those components into a product.
Microsoft falls short and always will as they only build the OS. Their OS is designed to work with components form 1000’s of different manufactures like DELL, HP, Acer and Lenovo. This requirement for a wide field of compatibility will always expose short comings in the Microsoft product (operating systems).
The Mac vs PC debate is actually more like a comparison between apples and oranges. Apple products are a premium product aimed a premium market. That mean they not only have to perform but they need to look the part and be desirable. This is evident in the Zen like design of their products (iPhone, Mac Book Pros and iPods).
However Microsoft and PC are mass market and maintain a share of over 90% of the computer market. The PC is designed to be low cost and mass market. With these design criteria in mind it is evident that there will be limitations in quality, performance stability etc.
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Apples vs oranges? Both the PC and Mac hardware platform are designed to best run with their own operation systems respectively. So it’s difficult to compare the two on an even plain in terms of performance. But each operating system be it Snow Leopard or Windows 7 have their strengths and weakness. Snow leopard is design to handle multi-core processing more efficiently then windows. But there are very few applications that take advantage of this.
Windows 7 which is based on Vista platform is less memory intensive then Snow Leopard. With Windows 7 new graphic user interface (GUI) the two are very similar. Though Windows may have taken design concept form Apple. The same has been done by apple. It’s like comparing BMW with Mercedes. Both are good cars, it just comes down to personal taste.
Macs are for people who don’t want to know how their computers work. Flexibility, up-gradability and configurability is what the PC format offers. That’s why the whole gaming environment is primarily PC and Microsoft based. It comes down to which platform one relates too and what one needs from a computer. If I like to think of myself as edgy, all about sleek cutting edge design and ahead of the curve, I will identify with “iLife” and got the way of the Mac. If I just need a PC because I need something to send emails, write a word document and surf the web. Then what’s wrong with an entry level PC? Why should I pay more? Do I need to right click with a mouse?
If Mac is as amazing as all the Mac users say it is. Then why has the world not changed? From some it’s just a functional tool, for others it’s something that reflect on their personality and for some I guess it's a fear of the unknown.
That just the point! Use whatever you want. They all have pros and cons. And in the end you can do anything on any of them. Just don’t be smug about your choice!
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