Mac vs. PC Debate… I’m tired
Okay, let me expose any and all bias. I use a PC, I actually like Windows Vista, I’m really interested to eventually try Windows 7, and in my experience Macs are over-rated simply because it’s the “thing to do”. This is going to be somewhat of a rambling about things in the constant Mac vs. PC debate that annoys me and maybe try and get a point across, I haven’t decided yet.
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The first thing I’ll touch on is the Mac vs. PC commercials that we all know and love (or hate). I find them annoying simply because it attempts to convey the PC experience and faults of the PC, most of which I have not encountered. But what has started to really annoy me is that it’s “PC vs. Mac” but really, all they take about is Windows. From what I recall, there are other operating systems used on PCs, but that’s a very small and insignificant argument, it’s just a little area of these commercials that annoy me. Second, one of the big “defenses” used by Mac fanboys is that option where you can install Windows on Macs and then say “See, Macs are better. We can use Windows.” Last time I checked, you were obsessed with putting Windows down as an inferior OS and now you’re claiming that being able to run Windows on a Mac makes you better than a PC? Whatever…
Moving on: aside from the commercials, there are conventional arguments. They’re better for media, they don’t get viruses, PCs are riddled with Malware and Spyware, and the dreaded “blue screen of death”. First the media “myth”, yes, I’ll call it a myth. Everything you can do with a Mac you can do with a PC. Audio and media recording? My band recorded and mastered a full album with extensive VSTs, guitar/vocal/drum tracks, you name it. It was a demanding album from a technical perspective. All of it done with a PC. I’ve seen people do artwork using Tablets and Photoshop to create amazing pieces of visuals with a PC. I don’t doubt Macs are good and capable, but claiming that PCs can’t? Proof please… or maybe ask a PC user first?
Now, I haven’t had virus problems with my computer on Vista, yes I do have virus protection, but the virus threat is not PCs fault, viruses are made, not a by-product of PCs existence (oh, and Macs do get viruses btw… look it up). PCs do get targeted for Malware/Spyware (there is also very adequate and FREE protection for that as well – I can offer some suggestions) – and no… virus/spyware/malware protection does not slow your computer. I don’t doubt it uses some resources, but computers are loaded with so much hardware that it’s negligible.
Finally, the beloved “blue screen of death”: I have never encountered this screen since Windows 98. The computer was old, my younger brother had beaten that computer into the ground like a teenager with his recently acquired license beats the old ‘91 Tempo into the ground. Since then, XP? Vista? (I never ran Windows 2000 or ME) I have never had a blue screen of death, this age-old problem with PCs seems to have disappeared. And no, I don’t have any other type of screen, no green screens, black screens, red screens.
I’m not negating that PCs have problems, all pieces of technology have problems, they have defective parts, users don’t know how to completely take care of them (I am hardly perfect at keeping my PC running at peak efficiency), but all of these problems are found in Macs as well. The first mac I used (outside those age old Apple’s in my Grade 2 classroom) was my ex girlfriend’s in 2001. The computer was slow, would just hang up for no reason, the browser would freeze, stop responding and you would have to do some weird key command (similar to ctrl+alt+del I assume) to close the browser and try and start over. It had consistent problems with losing saved data or just simply turning off for no goddamn reason.
Again, PC’s aren’t perfect, but neither are Macs. I’m tired of this debate… you like Macs? Great, enjoy – but don’t throw these ridiculous arguments trying to downplay PCs especially when many of the arguments aren’t indicative of most PC users. If I wanted to ask only the minority of disgruntled users, I could make it sound like Macs were completely useless too.
In parting, I leave you this somewhat old video. I really enjoy it though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEAGmBRC1dc
