Apple vs. Microsoft

Many new computer have a big choice when deciding on a computer. While many people see them as competitors, they, in fact, are not. Comparing them is really like comparing apples to oranges.

Apple

Apple is really a hardware manufacturer that happens to make an operating system. Apple produces a number of different hardware product lines. Off the top of my head, I count about 8 different lines plus the variations on them. I count: iMac, MacBook/MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, AppleTV, iPod, iPhone, iPad, Airport/Airport Extreme, Time Capsule. And those are just what I can think of. These are all different hardware devices. They also use their own home-grown operating system called OS X (or OS Ten), or the iOS.

Microsoft

Microsoft, in contrast to Apple, is a software manfacturer. If you do not believe me, count the number of hardware products Microsoft produces. I count 1, which is the Xbox. Compare that with the 8 that Apple produces. The major difference is that Microsoft has a lot of hardware supporters behind them. Windows (the software operating system) makes up approximately 90% of the computers people own. The number of computers Microsoft designs and produces: 0. Microsoft is not a hardware manufacturer. The largest computer manufacturers in the world use the Windows operating system, but none are Microsoft. Microsoft allows the hardware manufacturers to modify Windows by adding their own software to the OS. This pisses me off because they tend to add software from partners so they can make money. Often, the additional software slows the OS down and may be impossible to remove.

Apple, on the other hand, does not license hardware providers to develope their own computers, so the OS X you get is the exact same as Apple designed.

Cost

Apple does put more effort into the look, feel, and design than any other company. Microsoft doesn't because they are not a hardware producer. Apple has to get CEO Steve Job's approval before a product goes to the market. Steve believes form is just as important as function. The MacBook Pros are machined out of a single piece of aluminum because it looks good and functions well. Because of this, there is what many refer to as the "Apple Tax." If you compare the cost of an Apple laptop vs a laptop running Windows, the Apple is about 50% more. The same is true for desktops. I attribute this to many factors including support, design, retail presence. Apple provides support over the phone or in an Apple Store. Microsoft doesn't provide much support because the harware manufactures (Dell, HP, etc) are responsible. In my 20+ years experience, I have found Apple's support much more responsive and easy to use than any Microsoft hardware company. I have owned IBM computer, Dell computers, HP computers, Acer computers, and Apple computers. By far the best has been Apple.

Conclusion

If you have the funding available, I would definately recommend Apple products. If cost is an issue, especially with our current economy, I recomment either an HP or a Dell with Windows. My recommendation is to use an Apple Mac product at home and a Microsoft Windows product at work.