PC? Mac? PC? Mac? You're not likely to go wrong
Posted on Mon, May. 27, 2002
ATLANTA - I am typing this on a Macintosh computer. My Mac is usually reliable. There are times when it breaks my heart. But there are times when I prefer it to the PC.
The keyboard for my PC sits 3 inches from the Mac keyboard. My PC is usually reliable. There are times when it breaks my heart. But there are times when I prefer it to the Mac.
The first computer I owned was a Mac classic. At that time, I believed it was superior to anything in the PC world. My second computer was a PC. At the time, I believed it was superior to anything in the Mac world.
Today? Well, I'm eternally grateful neither platform is used to run heart/lung machines. I'm also pleased both platforms are better than they've ever been.
In the past year or so, the operating systems in both the Windows world (with Windows XP) and in the Mac world (with OS X) are more stable than ever. Since an operating system is the software that does the heavy lifting when it comes to computing, that's been a major improvement.
The question of Mac vs. PC has been a running debate for as long as I've messed with computers (way too long). The debate is usually ugly, filled with passion, partisanship and bias. If you've ever heard an argument like that -- no matter the topic -- remember how you kept thinking: Don't these people have any life at all?
Computers have been part of my life for a long time, and my passion for the debate is gone. I look on computers as tools -- no different than hammers in my workshop. You won't find people throwing insults around when discussing the merits of hammers.
You buy a hammer based on the kind of work you plan to do, your pocketbook and your personal opinions. While some people care about brands, the real craftsmen know the quality of the finished product depends more on their own ability than any magic transferred to the job by the tool. It's the same with computers. This Mac won't save a poorly written column, nor will the PC make me sound smarter.
I'm not at all interested in whether you have a Mac or a PC, nor do I care if you use a Craftsman hammer or one from Stanley. I am interested in what you do with these tools.
For most of us, the choice of which system to use has long been answered. If you've been using a computer for a while, you've gradually spent as much money on the software as on the computer itself. What's more important is you've spent time learning about how your machine works, and you've picked up a few tricks along the way.
If that's the case for you, there is really no reason to change. If you switch from a Mac to a PC, or a PC to a Mac, the change will briefly feel uncomfortable -- like hopping into a too-hot bath -- and gradually feel natural. But why go through the expense of buying new software and spending a few weeks getting comfortable with a new platform?
For those few of you who have neither a Mac or a PC, then making the choice for your first computer is still very simple. Ask yourself these questions: ¹ What system do you use at work? ² What system does your most technologically savvy friend use? ³ What do you plan to do with the computer?
If you have a computer at work, it makes sense to use the same platform at home. While Macs can read files created with PCs and vice versa (I do that all the time), why not make things easy? You have already spent time with that platform, and the learning curve will be less steep if you stick with it. Besides, there may be computer whizzes at work who can help you if you get stuck at home.
Since it's likely a new computer user will have questions and problems, getting help is important. If you have a friend who is a wizard with Macs, get one. If your best friend is a genius with PCs, get one. (If you don't have any friends at all, forget about this computer stuff and get out more.)
The question of what you plan to do with the computer is an important one. Most artists tend to prefer Macs. The differences between graphics on a PC and a Mac have narrowed, but you might as well go with the choice of most professional artists: the Mac.
Most game players tend to prefer PCs. For one thing, there are more game titles available for the PC and -- when you're building the type of power computer that game players prefer -- it'll be a less-expensive task on the PC. Also, you'll get more free advice, because the PC seems to be the platform of choice for gamers.
Finally, since there aren't any huge gotchas in choosing either a Mac or a PC, be guided by your heart. This column is the result of a call I got from a friend, who is a professor at Emory. She shopped for a new laptop computer and was told by the salesperson that the Dell was slightly better built in his opinion. But my friend liked the way the Apple looked. She is a person known for logic and was bothered by the fact that she still wanted the Apple machine.
I urged her to go with her heart. It's your money -- a lot of it -- and there's no law that says every decision has to be based purely on logic. If there were a huge gap between the two systems, it would be another matter. But any gap that once existed now lives on only in the demented souls of the brand zealots.
Finally, if after reading all this, you wonder: What's the big deal? ... I can just say one thing: Congratulations.
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