Mac Vs. PC

The dreaded question for an IT guy, Mac vs. PC? I am asked this question almost daily lately. I have been in IT now for 10 years, and I think I can give a very objective opinion on the subject. I have done mostly support for all 10 of those years, and so I will try to give an opinion that matters.

Let's start out by talking about your average computer user. The average computer user these days is fairly web savvy, and uses email well. They may also be able to instant message well. Those are the 3 main things people use computers for. Hopefully they use computers to play music, watch videos, keep track of their photos, and "occasionally" work.

The average user can surf the web and do email on the mac, with their web based email without too many issues. Safari and Firefox still have problems with certain sites though, and sad but true, you sometimes still need Internet Explorer. This causes a problem when they run into one of these sites, I get a call and people want me to fix it, and sometimes it just can't be done. The only solution is to check it on Internet Explorer. I am not happy about this problem, but it does exist, so you can say something like "I don't need IE", but right now, you just do sometimes. I especially see this in work applications, more so then with your MySpace, Facebooks, or other sites you need outside of work....

Instant messaging is another interesting item. Your average user can usually setup their IM on a PC, and with a little more work, on the Mac as well, but it isn't easy for most people. I have watched the average Mac user over the years just get frustrated with installing software. Everyone says this is an easier process on the Mac, but when you just can't double click on an install, people get confused. "I have to copy this to my Application folder? Where is that?" "I can't find the program that I installed.” People are just used to PC's. That may change over time, but right now, people are more familiar with Windows.

Music. People know iTunes these days, because of the popular iPod. Most people can figure out that on both Mac and PC, but I get a lot of questions about this. I personally don't like iTunes, but I can't say that Windows Media player is any easier to use, that is for sure. People just need to sit down and figure out iTunes, that is a sad state of affairs in my opinion, but in the long run, you will be better off.

Video. I think personally that Windows Media Player handles this a little better. There is a lot of opinion there, so take that how you want. QuickTime works, but it seems like it needs more maintenance, just like iTunes.

Photos. Everyone seems to think that the Mac handles photos better. I see no evidence of that. Most of the Mac lovers I know seem to think that this is the Mac's strongest area. I disagree, there is nothing that makes the Mac better in this area at all. You can do anything on PC you can with the Mac, and you save a lot of money, it is just that simple. The Adobe suite works just as well on PC, for half the price on the hardware. Why do people think that Mac's are better? I have read more on this subject over the years with Mac vs. PC, and I am not convinced that you need a Mac for that.

Work. Work is a pain on a Mac, plain and simple. I don't know why Microsoft doesn't fix Excel on the Mac, but they just haven't. I have yet to find a piece of HR, Accounting, or IT management software that works well on the Mac. Most of the time, there just isn't a Mac client. Mac's still have no place in the business world. I am sad to say that, because they are pretty, but keep them out of the office. If you can't use them at the office, then keep them out of the home too.

Everywhere that I have worked has had Mac's and they have more hardware and software issues percentage wise then PC's, plain and simple. They cost more, they can't do everything, and users have just as hard a problem figuring out how to do something on the Mac as the PC. You get no advantage as far as I can see on the Mac. OK, I spoke to quickly, the Mac's boot faster, but is that really worth the cost? I would rather use Linux one hundred times over than a Mac, and that is an entirely other discussion.

Buy a PC. Don't go to Mac. Once everything is web based, then it won't matter, but right now it does....