The Difference Between PC's and Macs

[:Ace:]

What is the difference between a PC and a Mac? I don't understand. Surely a Mac is still a PC =S

[littleoldme]

Well, a Mac is a form of personal computer (note the lowercase p and c) in the literal sense. As I understand it though, machines known generically as "PCs" are those which are constructed in a way based on the architecture first popularised by IBM. As the Apple Mac is presumably constructed somewhat differently (I know nothing about them, to be perfectly honest), I guess it doesn't come under the same banner.

[gary baldy]

Macs are brilliantly designed, easy to use and very very reliable.
Pc's are just a pile of bits thrown in a box and held together with error messages and bits of chewing gum.

PC's were invented by computer engineers so they could be kept in work forever by having to fix them for the poor sods that buy them.

Trawl this Topic section and see how many questions relate to "problems with Macs' and compare them to 'problems with my PC".
I'll give you a virtual pound for every question you find relating to Mac's.

Here endeth the sermon!

[pagey]

thats probably because so many more people use IBM compatible PCs though!

Macs are superbly build and very well desined, as are most apple products. Most users have issues with software compatability but if you are web browsing / music sharing / video editing there is no particular reason not to buy one. My employer chose macs over pcs to supply with medical equipment as they considered them more robust (software-wise) and far less susceptable to viruses.

[heathfield]

Macs have their own operating system that was built in from the start. This makes them very reliable. From the beginning, Macs had sound, graphics, and on-screen windows. PCs are made up from bits and pieces from various manufacturers, and their operating systems have to be able to handle them. This makes Microsoft's Windows, for example, over-complex and huge by comparison in order to get all the bits and pieces to work together, and to handle sound, graphics, and even the on-screen windows. Sometimes it actually manages to do it. There's the Microsoft executive who was fired after being overheard telling a client that "Windows '95 equals Apple Mac '86"

[boobesque]

i have heard that upgrading a PC's parts is a lot more straightforward than doing the same on a mac. on a pc you can whack almost any motherboard/graphics card/hard drive etc in and get it to work whereas mac is a lot more type specific. once again this is what i hear. i have never owned a mac

[tomd]

This is true - as the Mac operating system can only cope with these particular devices.

Macs have their place in both graphic design and recording studios, but that's all. If you buy a Mac to use as a home PC then you're getting your pants pulled down over the price, you won't be able to use standard software, and you won't be able to upgrade with any components. Their only saving grace is the slightly more stable operating system, because the drivers are hard-coded.

If you consider Windows is able to run with an almost infinite combination of motherboards, processors, graphics cards, sound cards, modems, networkcards, etc - wheras Macs can only take the ones designed for them, I think you'll agree it's Windows that's the more impressive feat of engineering.

[tomd]

Oh yeah, and the two-button mouse, introduced by IBM in 1983 wasn't introduced for Macs until 2006 - and it still doesn't come as standard.

[zb1]

firstly, you have been able to put any 2 button USB mouse on a mac since the begginning of time, and we didnt want them anyway because we dont need them. Secondly, if you are a home user, you get things like iLife which are incredible for home media etc. Also, seeing as you can run windows XP on a mac now anyway, PCs are looking pretty sh** at the moment arent they?