What is the differnce between a MAC and a PC?

Question

And which is better?

Answer 1

Macintosh is a properitary system that runs its own Operating System, even though now with bootcamp you can run xp, you are still basically just emulating the OS. There are various hardware differences as well. A mac is also made by apple, and a pc is made by one of any billlion pc manufactures.

Answer 2

Really a Mac is a PC because PC means personal computer. But now out of habit Macs are the computers made by Apple and the rest are PCs. The difference is the OS or Operating System they run. But now that Macs can run all operating systems including Windows and Linux along with MAC OS, I guess PCs are the computers that CAN'T run Mac OS.

And any Intel hardware Mac is NOT running Windows in emulation. It is running it just like any other computer does.

Answer 3

well thats a silly question. Haven't you seen the commercial? The PC is the plain boring error prone geeky guy and the MAC is the hip fast creative young professional.

But they forgot to mention that MAC can't support half the software out there. So its a matter of picking between the lesser of two evils. (Just don't say that Linux is better, because it is most definitely not!)

Answer 4

they have complete different operating system, windows which most people use is less secure but more programs are out for pc. macs r more secure w/ no viruses but not a lot of companies make programs for it. Macs are way better. and bootcamp does not just emulate windows it actually runs it, and it runs it better than most pcs. Parrelles is the program which emulates xp inside of OS X. There are almost no hardware differences since apple switched to Intel x86 platform. -Mac Fanboy

Answer 5

The biggest difference is the operating system. Mac OS X is similar to Windows XP or Windows Vista in many ways as far as the user interface goes. The Mac has a dock at the bottom of the screen with program icons instead of a start menu/taskbar like Windows uses. Most Macs also come with camera and microphone built-in, as well as a remote control.

As far as hardware goes, Apple is the only company that makes Macs, and since they make the operating system, you're guaranteed that everything about your Mac will work like it's supposed to without having to download drivers or whatnot. With Windows, your machine could be built by Dell, HP, Acer, or custom-built with parts purchased online--very few Windows machines are exactly alike. This is why some Windows computers work better than others--they have better parts or better drivers for the parts they do have. And this is why many people think Macs are better--your new Mac is just like every other Mac built, and it's going to work with OS X. Period. Unless you've got an old Mac and then if you upgrade to OS X things can get a little ugly.

There are a lot of coding differences in the way the different operating systems are made. There aren't very many viruses for Mac and a lot of popular Windows software--like OpenOffice, Firefox, even Microsoft Office--is available for the Mac.

Many people find using a Mac to be easier than using a Windows machine. For me it was the opposite--I took a job as a video editor last August and learning how to use a Mac was the hardest part of the job. In fact, it wasn't until I purchased my MacBook Pro back in April that I actually liked using a Mac.

As far as running Windows on a Mac, you can do that. The way that works is you download a program called boot camp, it partitions your hard drive so the computer thinks you have two drives instead of one. On one drive, you'll install Windows. On the other, you'll have OS X. This usually only works if the machine is brand new, otherwise you'll usually have to format the drive to do it. When you're running in Windows mode, you'll have the same version of Windows that any PC runs, but you'll also have Mac hardware--namely a one-button mouse.

Speaking of the one-button mouse--Apple makes a Mighty Mouse that functions as a two-button mouse, and the trackpad on their new laptops function as a two-button mouse (use two fingers to tap on the trackpad to get the right-click function, one finger for left click).

As for software available, you won't find a lot of software for a Mac in stores like Wal Mart. You can order the software you want off Apple's website, or shop online for the best deal. The student edition of Office 2004 is around $100 (I like it MUCH better than the PC version of Office 2003).

A Mac also comes loaded with software you can't get on a PC, stuff like iMovie, Garage Band, iDVD, Photobooth, iPhoto, and iWeb. All these programs are fairly easy to learn, though iMovie is harder to use than Final Cut Pro IMO.

I really like the MacBook Pro, the keyboard is backlit for working at night, the case is aluminum (be sure to get a padded neoprene sleeve if you don't want scratches), it's a very fast machine. The MacBook is also a good machine. If you equip a PC with similar hardware and software, the Mac still comes out a little more expensive, but to me it was well worth it.

The pros for a PC are the cost, the availability of software, you can upgrade most desktop PCs much cheaper than you can upgrade a Mac, and often upgrade more on the PC than you can on the Mac. And the big thing is, if you're looking at desktop models, you can build a PC for a few hundred dollars. You can't build a Mac. Legally, at least.

Not sure if this really answers your question but I hope it at least helps.

BTW--I'd highly recommend going to a Comp USA or any other store that sells Macs (an Apple store if you have one nearby) and spending about thirty minutes just playing with a demo model. Almost everyone I know takes to the Mac intuitively and didn't have nearly the trouble switching over that I did.

Answer 6

Not much these days, but originally a MAC was more specialised in graphics like Desktop publishing etc. These days, a MAC runs on the same hardware, but they look different and run different. (Basically if you have a MAC you need to buy MAC software, likewise with a PC)

HTH

Answer 7

ppl can go all day telling you about the differnce. They operate differantly. They use differnt Basses (Mac is Unix Based, Windows is DOS Based) they run differntly. Macs dont get viruses, and Windows can, But windows has more programs for it. But major componies like Adobe have programs for both.

Answer 8

Nowadays not much because you can run windows on the new macs. It depends on what you need. Artsy people usually use macs but not always. I'm a photographer and use a PC.

Answer 9

Macs are the best computers ever! PCs are slow and crash often... plus they have a serious problems with pop-ups and viruses.

Answer 10

go onto a pc then go onto a mac and you will DEFINATELY be able to tell the difference