by Marie F.

Created on: January 19, 2009

MAC or PC? A long debated question and the topic of some very well crafted television commercials. A seasoned computer user knows what they want and how they will use it. And they often will debate the topic quite heatedly. A novice user needs to take a serious look at the options and make an informed choice. For personal use I own both a MAC and a PC. At work I use a PC.

There is a lot of hype about the MAC. And most of it well deserved. As a fan of the Mac versus PC commercials, I have yet to see one that didn't make me smile and think, yep that's true. According to www.appleinsider.com, MAC's have grown to 14% of computer sales. Not bad if you look at the angle of there being only one MAC manufacturer versus at least a dozen PC manufacturers.

Let's dig into some basic topics of which a novice needs to be aware.

1) Price. MACs are generally more expensive than PCs. As the dollars spent increase, www.computerworld.com states that Apple owns 65% of computer sales over $1000. That is a statistic in Apple's favor as it lends you to believe that you get more for your money. How much money do you have to spend?

2) Use. MACS are known for graphics along with being able to handle the same chores that a PC performs. Many will argue that those chores are performed better on a MAC. PCs can crunch numbers and run graphics and programs to more than just a novice's liking. The question is then how much power does the user need for the money?

3) Familiarity. A novice user may also be using a PC at work. If so, how will they adjust to using a MAC at home? From personal experience I can say that I use my MAC less than intended due to the fact that I have the PC shortcuts and commands ingrained in my brain after using a PC for 8 hours a day. Bottom line, if you use a PC at work, and are of a novice understanding, there will be frustration involved in switching from PC by day to MAC by night. Can the novice user handle the switch?

4) Software. In previous years there was a well founded argument that there was not enough software titles for MAC users. The situation has improved dramatically; however, it is still a valid concern. As a former software buyer for a consumer electronics chain, my frustration and challenge to the vendors was to bring me more titles that were MAC and PC compatible or strictly for the MAC user. There are still few titles that work on both right out of the box. The number of MAC titles is increasing, but many of the popular titles still aren't available for

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