Other than user interface, how do PC's differ from Mac's?

Question

What are the pros & cons?

Answer 1

They used to be different by CPU - the Macintosh used an IBM PowerPC processor, whereas PC's used AMD and Intel. However, Macs now use the Intel x86 architecture as well.

Mac OSX is a derivative of the UNIX operating system. Macs are a closed system and the operating system depends on the unique hardware architecture to run properly. PCs are designed around standards, so that no particular component needs to know anything about any other component - only that it conforms to basic specifications. A PC operating system (Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.) will adapt to the changing components as necessary.

There are pros and cons to each. Some people like the unified architecture of the Mac, some don't. The list for both is enormous and well beyond the scope of Yahoo! Answers. There are rabid fans on both sides, but honestly it mostly comes down to personal preference. Ford or Chevy, Nissan or Honda - they all get you from A to B for roughly the same amount of money.

Don't listen to the silly fanatics who will tell you that one is way better than the other and their way is the only way to go. In the absence of maturity and something worthwhile to consume their time, nerds tend to latch onto competing systems like jocks latch on to sports teams. They stop listening to reason and insist theirs is the best no matter what. Both Macs and PCs are great, functional, etc. For every reason they say that A is better than B, there are two more that they didn't mention B is better than A.

Answer 2

Macintosh computers use a different operating system known as MAC OS. The current Macs will be running Mac OSX. Mac OS X is an operating system that is Unix based at it's heart, and is based on BSD (a variation of Unix). This Unix underpinning means that Mac OSX is typically more secure and stable than Windows would be.

The interface (Known as Aqua) is just clever design done by Apple. The Mac has not lost all of it's Unix heritage though, as the bash command console is available when you need it.

Because of their Unix OS, Macs do not suffer from the virus and spyware problems that plague current windows computers. This is not to say that they're invulnerable to such attacks, but they are better protected from the get go. Unix (and therefor it's variants) implement many different ways to protect the system from being compromised.

Answer 3

Macs are more costly and you are generally only paying more for the pretty box and monitor etc. Where with a PC you are paying for the components and is in my opinion better value for money.

I have worked with Macs in the past and I find there is no logic with them, but that is coming from a PC background and admittedly I haven't worked on OS X so that could be all different now.

PC = better value for money, larger support group.
MAC = paying for their prettiness , smaller support group.

Also with this whole Virus comparison that I have seen on here isn't much of an argument. If you have a decent Virus protection application you should never have any problems.

I haven't had a virus on my PC in a number of years and I certainly should have with the types of websites that I visit and spam emails that I have gotten.

Answer 4

All is different ! the user interface, the progarm execuation, the only same is the mouse and keyboard. It's a different world.

Answer 5

Windows executes win32 applications and are based on a windows structure while macs don't, they run a variant of freebsd. The core parts of them function differently.

Answer 6

Let me put it this way: PC's have more viruses because no one bothers to make any for Mac.