Traditional Baron

Mac

You have entered the local lottery and are impatiently waiting for the winners to be announced. Finally, a name is pulled from a hat… and it’s yours! You are now the proud owner of a brand-new Macintosh computer. In a daze, you stumble forward to retrieve your prize. When the big white box is handed to you, you clench it territorially to your chest. Your euphoria is such that you don’t notice your friend approaching you, also holding a box. When you see him, with a jolt you are sent back to Earth. After congratulating you quickly for your luck, the friend hastens to ask you what you knew was coming: “So, do you want to trade that Mac for my new PC?”

 What is your answer? Comparing a Mac to any other type of PC is like comparing a Mercedes E-Class to a Nissan Versa; there’s just no comparison. You squeeze your prize tightly and get into an intimidating posture: “Back off slowly! MY Mac! All mine!”

 Macs, along with impressive looks, contain a quality that is unbeatable. Since they stay on constantly, internet access is usually within seconds. PC’s, on the other hand, can take anywhere from two minutes to 15 minutes to load, depending on the computer. Think about how much class time we students have wasted just waiting for the computers to start up. Macs have a layout that is simple to use, and are much less prone to getting viruses than PC’s.  Macs come with many useful features such as Garage Band and iTunes, while PC’s are often loaded with useless “trial software.” Finally, the Apple Store will offer top-notch support and aid to Mac owners.

Bottom line, the high price of a Mac is justifiable due to its superior quality. Macs are better. Period.

vs. 

Rainbow Baron

PC

One of the greatest commercial deceptions in recent years involves the illusion that Apple products are for and by the people. Really? iTunes? Better have an Apple MP3 player. iPhone? Better have an ATT account. iPad? Hope you are not too attached to websites using flash .  The Mac is simply one in a long list of Apple products that runs on and requires proprietary platforms and parts. PC’s, in contrast, are the one and true personal computer.

The guts of the PC can be as varied as the needs of its user. Need more RAM? You can buy any combination of memory from US semiconductor or Kingston. Need a larger hard drive? Shop Seagate, Western Digital or Fujitsu.  In the market for a new monitor? Try Samsung or HP. PC’ s do more than support a wide range of computer functionality, PC ’s support an entire industry.

The operating systems available on PC’s are equally diverse. Of course, there is Microsoft Windows. And, we should not give Windows short treatment simply because Microsoft is the wildly successful company that some love to hate. Windows has done more to bring personal computing to more people worldwide than any other operating system in the history of computers. The school kid in Bangladesh uses Windows. So does the woman in Bethesda doing her last-minute taxes. That being said, the PC does not start and stop with Windows. PC’s run Novel as well as Red Hat.  PC’s are school computers , build-your-own game computers and Pentagon servers alike.

In short, get a Mac if you want to be part of an exclusive club of people who were never really part of an exclusive club before. Get a PC when you want to be part of a truly global community.