“Kid-o, I need your help” my father calls, “I don't know what your computer is doing. When I open the internet all I am getting is blank screens. What should I do?
My dad is one of the many world-wide computer users who are baffled by technology. Computers have taken root through out the world and have become necessary commodities to its users before these users are educated on how to properly navigate them. Only a select few conquer the unruly seas of the computer world and what little information explorers find is slowly passed back to unknowledgeable folks on "dry land". Most people, when asked about their experiences using computers, complain about how difficult they are to use, and say how they are afraid of errors and system crashes. This is because “Windows XP holds just over 85 percent of the operating system market” (Mac OS X). Following the invention of the graphical interface, a desktop and mouse, was the constant battle for operating system dominance between Windows and Macintosh. Windows is riddled with errors and difficulties, yet is the most popular operating system. Apple's Macintosh is easier to use and is superior to Windows. Apple's computers are just as capable as Dell's or Gateway's but a Macintosh comes with a user friendly interface and software. If Apple's technology received more awareness in the computer market, perhaps baffled users such as my dad would not be so troubled with operating computers and an overall sense of technological understanding could be achieved. Because of these reasons, Macintosh is better suited for the general computer user, despite the fact that customers fear the unknown or less popular and are unwilling to make changes.
Many computer users have a predilection for Microsoft Windows XP despite the aggravation caused by this operating system. Windows users have their own reasons for continuing their torture. They maintain that Windows is easy to use. They validate their belief with the fact that in school we are taught how to use Microsoft programs and that all schools use the affordable name brand Dell which only functions under Windows XP. Gamers protest that computer games are referred to as PC games because the software only runs on the Windows operating system. Other computer advocates compare PC to Macintosh and conclude that the competition, in the wider selection of hardware that is compatible with Windows XP, results in better hardware performance. Windows XP users are just frightened of making a change and are willing to put up with their predicament. It is as if their honor will be jeopardized by giving up and moving on to friendlier Macintosh computers.
Mac OS X is easier to use than Windows XP. Right out of the box, a Mac already has an advantage over a PC. In one of Apple's recent commercials, the Mac says, “I might make a home movie or create a web site. Well I can do it all right out of the box. What about you PC?” and the PC says, “I got to download those new drivers, erase all the trial software that came on my hard drive, and I got a lot of manuals to read” (Milander81). The commercial is overly supportive for Macintosh computers, but it is true that of work must be done on a PC before anything fun can be done hours. After a PC is finally ready for operation, one must compare the two systems' desktops and programs; the results are often in Mac's favor. As Johnny Wang, user of both operating systems, states it, “[The] Macintosh operating system is pretty. It has an effective and user friendly interface” (Wang). The helpful animations, buttons, and tools that flow throughout Mac software not only aid navigation but are also aesthetically pleasing. Microsoft Windows has a business feel and it is not as helpful. Microsoft has acknowledged the desirability of a Mac's setup by trying to mimic it. “Apple software's "look and feel"” was tempting to Microsoft and in turn they basically copied it (Microsoft Sets Apple). “Apple finally agreed to drop its long-running copyright lawsuit against Microsoft in return for the cross-licensing fee” of the stolen software (Microsoft Sets Apple). So far, since the power button has been pressed, the Macintosh has an overriding appeal, but a computer is expected to out live its technological generation.
After examining the design is the next stage is longevity. A PC is more likely to die, retire than live to an outdated age than a Macintosh. Johnny Wang notes how Microsoft Windows is easily overloaded and crashes often. In addition to overloading, Windows is at risk of hacking and viruses. “In 2003, the "Blaster worm," a virus-like menace, took advantage of a flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system to blaze across the internet, infecting more than 48,000 computers” (Viruses). Hackers and viruses cause hundreds to thousands of dollars damage to recipients and Windows protection is always following behind. At the moment Macintoshes are unaffected by viruses, but an increase in Mac usage could change this. If that happens, Mac does have a head start on defending from the viruses. Yet again, even in the long run, Macs are superior for both the advanced and average user.
