Rotten Apples or cracked Windows?

By Misael Galdamez, business manager
Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Critics have been endlessly debating between Apple and Windows products; each brand differs in its own respects, but which can give you more for your money, and which will be better suited for you in the long haul?

When buying a computer, we first ask ourselves, "Which will be easier to use?" Of the two manufacturers, Apple has successfully created the more user-friendly computer. It is not uncommon to walk into a Best Buy or other electronics store and see customers experimenting with the Macintosh computers. The layout is very simple to use yet still stylish.

PCs are not utterly difficult to work with. However, Microsoft can improve its software; web browsing, word processing and other media are not quite at its fullest potential. Browsing for files and applications also causes varying degrees of frustration; you spend a great deal of time looking for programs unless it is a shortcut in plain sight on your desktop. Macs have organized applications in predictable places; the file is always within one simple click away.

Computer security has also been a major issue. Due to the growing number of internet hackers and viruses, people rely on certain programs and security features to keep their computers and personal information safe. Macintosh computers already have pre-installed security programs and promises protection right out of the box.

PCs, on the other hand, are more vulnerable. Although some computers have reliable programs like Norton Anti-Virus, others are pre-installed with only 30-day trials for anti-virus software, and users must eventually pay for the full version. Without shelling out another sixty dollars, users have to uninstall infected programs and delete corrupted files. The problems compound when those programs are essential system files.

Most worms and viruses are also developed with Windows in mind; the Windows "code" is available to everyone, including hackers, whereas the Mac code is not. Most Windows programs are often released with many weaknesses, which will later have to be patched with system updates.

New Macs are pre-installed with the basic word processor and the Safari Web Browser. Macs also feature iLife, a bundle of multiple programs such as iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie, iWeb, and Garageband. None of these programs require further registration or payment; they are full, real versions.

Again, it all depends on what kind of PC you buy. If you get a special offer, it may come with a full version of Microsoft Office, but generally, they are trial versions. The programs that don't require further registration are Paint, Calculator, WordPad, and Internet Explorer, which are unimpressive to iLife. However, PCs do have more programs available in stores and in the internet than Macs do.

In a series of tests, the Macs stood far above the others in multi-tasking, which is opening several applications at a time, and the music encoding test. It was only in the game performance test that the Macs lagged behind PCs.

The only question that remains to be answered is whether or not buying the pricier Mac is worth it to you. It all depends on your circumstances. If you are going to be keeping this computer for a while, the conclusion is clear: bite the Apple.