What's different about a MAC and a PC?

Question

I'm taking a intro to Macintosh computer next semester because I'm thinking about minoring in Graphic (Commercial) Art and for all the classes you need to know MAC. I've always worked with a PC with windows on it and only used the old macs back in grade school that had the humogous floppy disks. I know MACs are better for designing then PCs, but what else sets it apart and makes it so expensive? Also, how do you computer process on a MAC? Can the MAC run Office? I know they might be dumb questions, but when you go up on PC there's things you don't know. Thanks!

Answer 1

Macs can also run windows as well as other OS's. There are no viruses for Macs. The OS for Macs come at one set price unlike Vista which has several versions at different prices. A Mac processes like any other PC, in fact its better in some aspects. Yes Mac can run office, there is even office for Macs. Switching from PC to Mac is easy, I used PC for 5 years and I got a Mac for college and it was easy to switch to using a Mac.

Answer 2

Macs have ALWAYS run Office. Apple signed a deal with Microsoft back in 1987 to ensure that they would keep writting MS Office for Mac (Microsoft was going to anyway they just wanted to be able to copy the Mac GUI for the next 100 years because they can't design a decent one themselves)

No you can get iWork08 which is MUCH better than MS Office for Mac. It is also compatible with MS office formats.

Macs now run Windows better than PCs do although most applications that you get come in Mac or PC version especially those from Adobe.

Macs are actually competitively priced to mid range PCs, they just don't have to compete with the cheap crappy Dells of this world because Apple also sells a better operating system than Microsoft does.

These students all like Macs
http://duggmirror.com/apple/Look_at_them_apples/9489b70ab55692ffcac3ec776aa50a1f_img_6672s.jpg

Macs use Intel Chips so they are just as fast and in some cases faster than PCs.

Answer 3

What sets it apart? Nothing really except that programs open faster and easier. Programing can be learned in a week as far as the cost it's because most software you would ever need already comes with it. Also Macs have consistent reliability, as opposed to PC's and their "this program is not responding" nonsense.

Now while it's true Pc's have caught up to Mac in graphical areas, Mac's overtake Pc's in just about everything else. Software makers are abandoning Microsoft alltogether and going to Macs. Take a look at Microsoft's share price and Apple's.... Which would you wanna be with?

Answer 4

Macs are equal to PCs in most situations, but it is at forefront of hardware design, PCs used to be just beige boxes but at that time Macs come in different shapes and colour.

It is almost given that there are no after-market hardware in the neighbourhood; but if you had to and manage to open up a Mac due to various reason you will find elegance as IBM does when PCs are just jumbled mess of generic cables intertwined in a beige box.

Macs have put in a lot of user interface and advanced hardware R&D, even though at its core it is evolution of a Xerox GUI interface, there were no flops like Microsoft Bob.

Comparisons in software is not current since Macs like PCs converges to Intel. But it already got Office and all categories of software a user need.

Answer 5

Today, a PC can do anything a Mac can just as well. It used to be that Macs were better for multimedia applications, but that simply is no longer the case. Macs are often more visible in multimedia settings because people working in those fields learned Mac ages ago and never changed. Today a Mac is basically a PC running an overpriced operating system (OSX) with over priced hardware. If you're like me, you upgrade your computer every couple years anyways so why waste the extra money on something you won't be using forever?

Answer 6

mac = look cooler
pc = u can make it look however u want by building it
mac = more expensive/less powerful for what u spend
see: http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/desktop/2007/0417_dt2800.html
mac = tiger/leopard
pc = xp/vista
mac = good multimedia
pc = a lot more software and user support (bigger user community)
Yes u can run office on mac.
Dont know why they so expensive. its always been like that.
mac users who are converts from pc say they are more stable/reliable
Arguably, macs are easier to use

Personally I like pcs because I find them more versatile.

Its really a matter of personal choice tho.

Mac propaganda here (10 reasons to get a mac) http://www.apple.com/getamac/

Great article here in SMH
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/10/1065676145670.html

Lots more opinions here
http://www1.epinions.com/cmhd-Apple-Topics-1