According to BBC News, Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4th, 1975. Steve Jobs co-founded Apple only a year later in 1976, according to the Apple Press Info website. Both Macintosh and Microsoft have been providing quality computers to the market since before the majority of today’s undergraduates were born, but the debate over which is superior still flourishes today.
On the Mac side of things…
Pros
Macs are easy to use. “If you want a computer for just basic things, you should get a Mac,” said Austin Reid, a junior English major.
Macs are less prone to viruses. “It seems kind of like a car,” said Alex Abrams, a first year M.A. student. “The easier it is to use and fix, the better.”
Macs are preferable to P.C.s. J. Michael Plavcan, an Anthropology professor, said, “I prefer Macs infinitely. I grew up with Macintosh. I love Macintosh.”
Macs can dual-boot. “You pick your Operating System,” said William Baldwin, a senior music major. “Some Macs have it built in when you get it. You don’t even have to buy an extra program.”
Macs are more exclusive. Apple’s upper register pricing makes the computer, like the iPhone, something of a status symbol.
Cons
Macs are unable to run some programs and applications. “I use P.C.s,” Dr. Plavcan admitted, despite his dislike of them, and cited as his reason that the bone-modeling software he uses in his lab will not run on a Mac.
Macs are more expensive. “My problem with Macs is that you are paying a large amount of money for decent hardware with a smooth Operating System,” said John Brady, a junior Computer Engineering major.
Mac hardware isn’t actually that impressive. “People say the performance (of a Mac) is great, but that is only because the Operating System isn’t very demanding,” Brady said.
Macs have a lack of customization options. “Macs are like Duplo blocks,” said Chris Moon, a junior Business Information Systems major. “They’re big and shiny, but ultimately simple. They’re limited.”
And on the other hand: P.C.s…
Pros
P.C.s can be customized. “You can buy every part individually, which results in better hardware,” Brady said. “With Macs, you are stuck with pre-built.”
P.C.s are more popular. According to the Microsoft website, P.C.s outsell Macs 10 to 1. Because of that…
P.C.s are more compatible. “The reality is that most computer software is developed to run on P.C.s,” according to the Microsoft website.
P.C.s are cheaper. Kyleigh Strickland said that she got better hardware for cheaper on her
P.C.s are cheaper. Kyleigh Strickland said that she got better hardware for cheaper on her laptop, and compared it to a similar Mac model, adding that she basically “got the same machine,” while paying a lot less.
P.C.s are preferable to Macs. “It’s what I’ve always used…it’s more comfortable for me,” said Taylor Sitzman, a senior music major.
Cons
P.C.s are more prone to viruses. With the majority of computers sold being P.C.s, virus makers tend to design viruses specifically for P.C.s, in order to capture a larger target audience.
P.C.s have a more demanding operating system. “It’s not that P.C.s are user friendly. It’s that P.C.s are user hostile,” complained Plavcan. “They’re designed for programmers, not consumers.”
P.C.s have a harder time dual-booting than Macs. “There are incompatibility issues with various motherboards,” Brady said.
P.C.s aren’t as durable. This one is hard to say, as there are multiple manufacturers for Windows computers, such as Dell, Toshiba and Asus, but with Apple as the only producer of Macs, you do have the advantage of knowing exactly what to expect.
So there you have it. It’s difficult to point to either a Mac or a P.C. and say which is better outright. The consensus seems to be that it depends on what you’re looking for. For general compatibility or customization, Windows has the advantage. For exclusivity and a smooth operating system, the ball is in Apple’s court. Even P.C. enthusiast Taylor Sitzman, when asked if P.C.s were superior to Macs, replied, “I wouldn’t say superior. I guess it’s just a personal preference.”