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When is a Mac the right answer?

By Marcus Pennell
Mark Walker

The debate about Macs Vs PCs is not just about posy design icons versus beige work horses. There are strengths and weaknesses of both choices, and plenty of times when a Mac might just be the right answer.

Introduction

The PC vs Mac debate has raged since the dawn of the personal computer. But where once there was a clear decision on which route to take, depending on what you wanted the computer to do, this polarisation has now largely disappeared.

As the technical differences converge it’s now sometimes seen as an aesthetic choice, like that between the posy web designer and the anorak wearing programmer – one beavering away writing code on an anonymous black box, the other launching web sites and drinking trendy spirits in a Hoxton bar. They’re now becoming ever more similar, prices are closer and the choices are much more about personal preference. So is there ever a time when is a Mac the right answer?

This article suggests that:

• A Mac is usually the right tool for multimedia and creative applications
• It’s the wrong tool for most high end applications that aren’t multi-media
• It can be a great tool for community engagement.

A bit of history

Macs and PCs were once different in every way. The Mac software used a proprietary operating environment based on Unix, while all PCs ran MSDOS or its IBM equivalent PCDOS. Hardware was different and incompatible too.

The change began when Apple started fitting PC style slots inside their computers, allowing Mac users to tap into the huge range of PC peripherals such as high-end graphics cards and cheap hard drives. Macs now even use the same Intel processors as PCs, and the hardware distinction is all but gone.

Which all means it’s now possible to run Windows on a Mac (although you cannot use the excellent Mac OS X operating system on a PC). Both Macs and PCs can use the free Linux operating system. In an office environment it is now possible to integrate Macs seamlessly into a Windows-based network with full two-way access to files, printers, and other resources. They can talk to each other and they use the same bits. They just look slightly different.

So which should you choose? There are diehard Mac users and the same for Windows users. But if you are neither then you can judge each system on it merits. Here is a quick breakdown of some of those merits.

Mac strengths

• Consistently high build quality
• The safe and stable OS X operating system
• OS X is intuitive to learn, easy to use and all the supplied programs are closely integrated.
• There are very few viruses which affect OS X
• Newer Mac hardware can run Windows and/or the free Linux operating system
• Most everyday software such as Microsoft Office is available for a Mac (except Access)
• Traditionally the Mac has been the platform of choice for creative activities such as video editing, graphic design, desktop publishing, and music production
• Professional design and print houses often use Macs, so preparing and sending out artwork for printing is often less problematic

PC strengths

• Generally cheaper on a ‘bang per buck’ basis, especially at entry level build your own system level
• It is possible to buy a PC without any operating system, allowing you to migrate the Windows license from your old PC or to use Linux
• There is a vast pool of software available for Windows PCs which is simply not available for the Mac such as Microsoft Access and Sage accounting software
• Most games are PC only. Very few are available for the Mac
• With the exception of a few manufacturers like Dell, most PC components are generic and replacements can be bought from any local computer shop
• PCs are easy to take apart and service by the owner or by the many technicians advertising locally
• Most databases, especially those running over a network, will only work on a PC.

Mac weaknesses

• Although things are changing Macs are relatively expensive at the bottom end of the range compared with PCs.
• There is no option to buy a Mac without its operating system, even if you intend to run Windows or Linux on it
• Repairs and upgrades can usually only be done by trained Apple technicians. Macs are deliberately designed to be difficult to get into unless you know what you are doing, although self-help guides can be found on the Internet
• Many replacement parts are specialized, expensive and are not available to the public as spares. If a Mac needs repairing there is little alternative to taking it to a registered service agent
• The range of available software is limited. In particular there are very few games
• Macs are not well suited to running certain programs such as databases and Web servers.
• Although Macs can now be fully integrated into a Windows-based office network, the process is not as simple as adding a new Windows PC and the network will need to be configured to allow Mac access.

PC weaknesses

• The vast range of software available for Windows PCs is fragmented and can be bewildering. It is not uncommon for new PCs to come pre-loaded with three or more programs which all do pretty much the same thing. This can be very confusing for a novice
• Cheap PCs use cheap components and can be unreliable. There is no point shaving £50 off the price of a PC if the power supply dies within a week
• Windows is the target of choice for virus writers. While there are just a handful of viruses aimed at the Mac, there are more than 80,000 written to attack Windows, and more appear every day
• There is a steep learning curve with a Windows PC. It is not as intuitive as OS X

Conclusions

Despite the gap between Macs and PCs shrinking, they still have areas where each of them excels. Enthusiastic gamers, for instance, have little choice but to use a PC. Designers using 3D modeling programs like Autocad and 3DStudio are similarly limited to the PC platform. People who only ever use their computer for mundane office tasks would see little benefit from paying the extra for a Mac.

The ‘industry standard’ programs Photoshop (for image creation) and Quark Express (for page layout) are available for both Macs and Windows PCs, but they were originally designed to work on the Mac and still work best on it. If you are going to be sending your work to a commercial printer it makes sense to use the same equipment they will be using.

More everyday users who like to explore their creative side would benefit from the Mac’s seamless integration of multimedia elements, using the iLife suite of applications which comes free with every Mac. It makes it simple to take photos on a digital camera, organise them with iPhoto, turn them into a slideshow with iMovie, add music from iTunes, and export the lot to an iPod movie. It is possible to do all those things on a PC, but not in such a smoothly integrated and easy-to-use way.

Which brings us to one particular time when the brassy show-off Macs can outshine their dull but worthy PC cousins, because they in the right hands they are a great tool for community engagement. 

Take a few Mac laptops, some digital cameras, a couple of video iPods, a decent pair of speakers and set up a stall at a community event. Let people take short films, edit them on the laptops and load them onto a video iPod. Then invite them to a future event where you’re going to discuss making a video about community safety and look at running some video training. Because they’re cool, their design is so carefully integrated and people think they’re fun to use you’ll find yourself talking to young people, old people and everyone in between.