Why I Really Prefer Mac Over PC
I’ve been using a PC for around 15 years, with my first experiences dating all the way back to the time of Windows 3.1. I’ve gone through all the stages of being a PC user, from beginner to power user, and have used a PC in many capacities — educational, home, and professional. Thus, in all my experiences, I have learned the PC inside and out.
A little over two months ago I purchased my first Mac, the Macbook that I am typing on this very moment. While Apple loves to run dozens of commercials outlining the many potential reasons to switch from PC to Mac, the biggest one I had at the time was curiosity — I had always wanted a Mac.
I wanted to ignore the hype and just get one because I wanted to, for the same reason we all started on computers back in the day — to explore something new. I believe I was successful in going into the world of Mac with an open mind, not expecting to answer any pre-conceived hypothesis. But what I have found along the way, however, is that Macs truly are better than PCs. Not for any single cheap shot taken against Windows in an Apple commercial, although some of those stereotypes are true, but mainly for one central reason: Macs provide a better overall computing experience.
From the moment I first powered up my Macbook I knew there was something special about it. The installation was remarkably simple in comparison to Windows or even Linux. Once it was installed, I already had all the programs I needed, there was no need to browse through download.com looking for small applications and utilities needed to work with certain files on a daily basis.
When I click on something, it opens, promptly and without a problem. So many times when I’m on Windows I click on something and have to wait 10-20 seconds for it to open. On my Mac, the computer does what I tell it, when I tell it to. Building on that further, the computer is not only able to do what I ask but is able to sustain itself and continue to perform commands. On Windows, I find that programs I’m using freeze constantly, and I’m forced to open the task manager to quit them — that in and of itself only works half the time, and the other half I need to hold down the power button and cold boot the PC. My Mac has had a program freeze on me twice. Both times only the program (Safari) froze, and I was still able to use other programs, and no reboot has been required.
The stability of Mac is far superior to PC. One of the first things I do after installing Windows is download Ad Aware. I have to run it about once a week or else my PC runs down to a grinding halt. And Lord help me if one of the spywares gets on my PC, it totally takes it over and it is pop-up city. This has never happened on my Mac.
When I close the lid on my PC laptop and put it into sleep mode, it takes about 30-45 seconds to finish; on my Macbook it is about 2-3 seconds. Also, when I open the lid back up to resume from sleep mode, my PC laptop takes a good 30-45 seconds, my Mac takes 2-3 seconds. Using a Mac is just so easy, quick and efficient. Even the keyboard feels incredible to type on when compared to any PC laptop I have ever used (Sony, IBM, HP, etc.).
You may see some of the reasons I’ve listed here as petty, or something I’m just being uptight about. But the bottom line is that all computers essentially do the same things for us, so it does in fact come down to all the extra little things. I have been as objective as possible in my comparisons of the two, I still use a PC all day every day at work and enjoy it. But the bottom line is that if you want a better, easier computing experience, you should really go with Mac.
The beachball of death will appear to you. Safari blows. I downloaded Azureus a good p2p for Mac and after a few months and many downloads would crash all the time. I can no longer use the Mac to DL stuff. I have to use the PC for that stuff Shareazza and that actually works good for me. I also don’t like that I can’t resize a window by dragging any edge like on a PC, on a mac you can only do it by dragging the bottom right handle. That is really annoying.
“Macs provide a better overall computing experience”. I’d add to that: Macs make me smile. I actually enjoy using a Mac with OS 10.4, an effect that my previous PCs (even self-built ones) never had on me.
Welcome to the Mac cummunity! Visit http://www.macupdate.com and http://www.versiontracker.com to find great Mac Apps. I was also a Windows user (still use it sometimes) I moved to Mac about 8 years ago and I’m really happy. Truly a great computing experience.
In response to Malcolm – I use Transmission for BitTorrent downloads and it works perfectly, never crashed. Safari is a good browser, much better than IE. FireFox is also a good alternative if you don’t like the style of Safari.
So excited to make the big switch!
Hey Jon — glad to hear you’re enjoying your Mac experience. I’ve been a long-time Windows (and Mac) user, and I, too, find that my overall computing experience is much better on the Mac. There are several good web browsers for MacOS X, I use Camino most of the time, but in addition to Safari and Firefox you may want to check out Shiira, Omniweb, and Opera.
“power user”, suuuure. “In Windows, I find that programs I’m using freeze constantly” “my PC runs down to a grinding halt”… Interesting, I used XP systems with heavy apps like Photoshop for years without halting or freezing, it needs just a minimal common sense (install a antivirus app and use a decent browser like Firefox). You are a moron, so Apple is the perfect choice for you.
@ Malcolm – you know I use Firefox
@ Erika – get on with it already
@ Victor – I’m currently using Firefox most of the time on my Mac, I’ve used Opera on Windows and Linux but never on a Mac so that may be worth looking into, and I have browsed through the Shiira Web site but never got around to actually installing it..
@ Kula – appreciate the moron comment. You don’t know my experience with PCs so I’ll forgive your ignorance, but yes you are right about needing an antivirus application and a good web browser. On my windows PC I run Symantec and use Firefox as much as possible — you’re not holding any trade secrets, anyone whose used a PC for a while knows these are essential. Also, I feel like you’re taking this as PC bashing, which it is not, if you recall at the end I said “I still use a PC all day every day at work and enjoy it.” I was merely pointing out the reasons why I personally prefer Mac over PC.
Congrats! ps The spinning beachball is usually indicative of a shortage of RAM.
Great commentary.
If the laptop sleep and wake time is true for most Windows laptops, then Apple is really missing the boat in its advertising.
Can’t you just see one of those “Hi, I’m a Mac” ads, with the PC guy taking forever to wake up?!
It could be accompanied by actually showing two laptops, perhaps the two guys next to each other trying to get something done– they both agree to put their laptops to sleep and go off somewhere… The PC guy twiddles his thumbs waiting for his laptop to FINALLY go to sleep, while the Mac guy is able to put his to sleep and wake it up, add an extra item (say send an e-mail), and then put it back to sleep– even before the PC guy’s laptop has gone to sleep.
Eventually, the PC guy falls asleep waiting for his laptop to go to sleep– the Mac guy tries waking him up, gives up, and walks off the stage. A denouement could be the PC guy wakes up–slowly– but wonders where he is– and then wonders where the Mac guy went!
(The only glitch in this is that Mac laptops are fickle about sleeping in some cases!)
Sorry to rant but I didn’t read any of your blog post. White text over black backgrounds is very irritating.
http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200608/light_text_on_dark_background_vs_readability/
Without “bashing” macs (no, really I like them).
I can’t understand why you are having so much trouble with PC’s.
My home/work PC’s -never- get spyware. I don’t do anything special, they just don’t. I struggle to work out where exactly that is coming from on your systems, escpecially if you are a firefox user.
When I put my notebook to sleep, it takes 2-3 seconds as well (and it’s just a base model Dell 6400), and takes 2-3 seconds to wake up. Perhaps you’re thinking of “hibernate” which indeed takes longer, but isn’t the same as “sleeping”.
Unless you’re using an underpowered machine, apps never randomly freeze, you can very easily kill just about anything from the task manager (try end process if you’re having trouble), and I certainly don’t have problems with multitasking, everything is flawlessly smooth.
I have experienced crashes on mac systems, and PC systems – and I wouldn’t say a properly setup winXP system is any worse than a newer Mac OS.
@ macMan – that is a phenomenal idea for a Mac vs. PC commercial, I can just picture the Windows guy on that cart passed out like a light unable to come to
@ chris – actually I will agree with you that black text over a white background is much better for readability, unfortunately I haven’t come across a theme with such a color scheme the satisfies me, maybe it’s time to hack away at this one…
@ g4b – it’s not that I routinely have trouble with PCs, it’s just that I have more problems than with my Mac. Sure, the task manager is a wonderful tool, but the problem is it doesn’t work have the time. As far as the sleeping, you’re very lucky, since the day I got my Sony Vaio it has never fallen asleep or woken up in a matter of seconds. Maybe our expectations of computers have just gotten too great and the technology cannot keep up. I remember a time when getting only one BSOD a day could be considered a blessing. If you compare the Macs/PCs of today with 5-10 years ago, they have both come a very long way.
@is “White text over black background…” Hold down ctrl-option-apple and press the “8″ key. Gives you a “negative” view of your screen. You may have to enable it in System Preferences/Universal Access. In other words, “is” is right. (Are you listening Looprumors?)
i’m so proud of you my Love
Congrats on the switch. I also have used both and and find the mac more pleasant to use. That said, there are a number of long time Windoze users that find the simplicity intimidating and will curse their experience on a mac. Another issue with macs is the Unix roots. There are some things that power users do, like maintenance that do not seem apparent to novice users. A mac will become flaky without doing these simple scripts. I realize Windows needs similar things, but, because of the simplicity of the mac, it is not expected. So, while it is a better user experience, there are a few caveats.
A friend who finally switched to Mac purchased a first generation Intel iMac shortly after their introduction January 2006. A co-worker the other day asked him how his switcher experience was going. “What I like about the Mac,” he replied, “is that it’s as fast today as the day I bought it.”
@ Neil – although it hasn’t been all that long I can see where your friend is coming from. It still runs like I just took it out of the box.
I really don’t prefer Macs over PCs. I think right now with windows XP and Vista that the windows machines really are better than Macs. My last computer was a Mac powerbook and it’s given me nothing but problems and cost at least twice as much as any PC ever did. I will say that Macs are better for someone who know absolutely nothing about computers and it does look nicer but at the cost of performance; windows Vista is like this as well. There are many more applications for PC than for Mac and with the faster processors available for PCs I believe the performance is better on those applications. Altogether I feel that Macs are still great computers but are overpriced. I do believe that they were much better than PCs in the past but that has changed and PCs have improved to close the gap. Apple’s true superiority lies in their advertising campaigns. The feeling that you are buying a way-of-life instead of a computer has had an astounding effect on how people feel but it obviously hasn’t won over the majority who still use PCs.
Hi Jon, great article!
I just thought I’d let you know there’s been a recent list of “Why I love Macs” in the MakeFive community. Maybe you folks would like to share a thought or two on the subject?
http://www.makefive.com/categories/technology/computing/why-i-love-macs
Cheers!
Ok so having read all these posts I just gotta reply.
I’m the opposite, err nearly. I started when I was 11 on a Dragon 32 which is neither, I’m 43 now so I watched PC’s develop, Then I moved into the design industry and it was Mac all the way till the last 10 years I have been PC.
I really miss my old Macs as has been said already,
It’s a mac experience thing,
It’s the fresh buttered loaf,
It’s the difference between a Morgan and a BMW,
But the real reason I have been spurned into typing this reply is when I hear the age old argument over which is best, Mac or PC It always takes me back to when it all started and very rarely is it discussed the reasons why PC’s are the way PC’s are and Macs are the way they are. So ok here it is as it was,
IBM when they launched their first computer decided on a very different marketing strategy than Apple who were just starting around the same time.
IBM in their wisdom decided it would be better financially if they licensed their CPU chips so other companies like say Apricot, Compaq, Hewlett Packard and Dell for example could use their CPU’s and box em up as their own, this gave rise to all the various sound cards, graphic cards and other add-on’s you inevitably get with PC’s. A multitude of vendors all designing their own kit.
Apple on the other hand decided they would retain their CPU development. Only Apple Computers could make Apple Mac PC’s hence an Apple comes as a Plug and Use computer. No extra Sound, Graphics or anything added on.
As my youthful years were spent programming away dreaming of the next game I spent a lot of time reading about the latest developments in programming and watched as the market developed around the industry.
Apple Mac Software development had an advantage over PC’s. Take it from the programmers point of view, when a PC programmer sat down to write a piece of software for a PC he had to also make sure his piece of software worked with as many sound cards, graphics cards, joysticks, screens, memory, .e…e…e…etc.
The Apple Mac software developer had none of these headaches, because Apple made the computers, everything on the newest range of computers were fully backward compatible, this in layman’s terms means that any piece of Apple Mac software will run on any Apple Mac without the need of extra software because the interior has been made to exacting Apple standards. I have a program from 1986 for the Apple Mac on disk and it will still run on the newest Mac. Try that with any PC.
It is the nature of the Beast, Apple is an out of the box computer whereas the PC is a Jigsaw Computer built out of other companies parts. This makes them more unstable as bits of software are having to fit together and all you need is a slack programmer who is not following Software Engineering Guides and your whole system can be running into trouble.
In Apples case this allows the programmers to concentrate on the program quality, hence you get dedicated programs that are of a much higher quality and stability and this is the reason the PC market is always trying to catch up. It was a very risky and clever marketing strategy.
Now before everyone shouts he’s a Mac head I’m not, I personally think the two platforms are as good as each other but only in their own markets. In defence of the PC’s, because you change market place when you switch computer platform you enter the PC add-ons market for most of your parts and they are ALL in competition with each other hence PC’s and PC parts are cheaper, they would be 95% of the computer market are PC’s with various companies all competing for your business.
Back to PC’s, because of the nature of the beast you will find PC’s are better in general business and industry. They are Jigsaws of computers and make a better choice if you need to build a PC to do a specific job so they are widely used in the Heavy Industry.
oh and PC’s are better at gaming only because of the price, 95% market share means more people play games on them!
I hope you find that interesting and please before you say thats not like that now I am talking about nearly 22 years ago!
ghads is it that long now,
Phil