Battle Of Computer Bytes
Battle Of Computer BytesMacintosh vs. Windows 95
It used to be that the choice between a Mac and a PC was pretty clear. If you wanted to go for the more expensive, easier to use, and better graphics and sound, you went to buy a Macintosh, for the cheaper price, it was the PC. Now it is a much different show. With the release of Windows 95 and the dynamics of the hardware market have changed the equation.
On the other hand, Apple has made great price reductions on many of their computers last October. You can now buy a reasonably equipped Power Macintosh at about the same price as a PC that has about the same things. This makes the competition much harder.
Windows 3.x have been great improvements over the earlier versions of Windows, and of course over DOS, but it still didn't compete against the ease of use on a Mac. The Windows 95 interface is much better than Windows 3.x. It borrows some from the Macintosh interface and has improved on it.
Some improvements are the ability to work with folder icons that represent directories and subdirectories in DOS. Windows 95, unlike the Mac, logically groups data and resources. A Taskbar menu lets you call up and switch between any software application at any time. Thus feature is better than the Mac's because its use is more obvious. It clearly shows what is running and allows you to switch programs with a single click of the mouse. Control panels have been added so you can configure your hardware. There is easy access to frequently used files. You can make very long file names on Windows 95 instead of short and strange names that leave you wondering about, such as on Windows 3.x I could not name a folder “This is stuff for school” it would have to be much shorter. The Help system helps you implement its suggestions. A multilevel Undo command for all file operations safeguards your work, something Macintosh does not have.
Something that Windows 95 has, similar to the Macintosh’s Alias function, is shortcut icons. It calls up a program very easily, instead of searching through your hard drive. The Windows 95 shortcuts go beyond the Mac's, they can refer to data inside documents as well as to files and folders, and can also call up information on a local area network server or Internet site. Windows 95's plug and play system allows the operating system to read what's on your machine and automatically configure your new software that you need to install, however, this only works if the added hardware is designed to support it, and it will for a
majority of hardware.
All of these things are major improvements, but hardware and CONFIG.SYS settings left over from earlier programs can conflict with the new system, causing your hard drive to crash. This is something all users of Windows 95 will dread.
Even though Microsoft has made many wonderful changes to Windows, Apple is working on developing a new operation system, called Copland. It may beat many of the Windows 95 improvements. Apple is still deciding on what new things to add when the system will start shipping later in the year. Some new things may be a customizable user interface and features such as drawers, built-in indexing and automatically updated search templates to help users manger their hard drives much more efficiently. The biggest improvement is to be able to network systems from multiple vendors running multiple operating
systems. Like Windows 95, Copland will also have a single in-box for fax, e-mail, and other communications. The disadvantage of Copland is it can only be used on Power Macintoshes.
I would personally go for a PC with Windows 95. I choose it because of the many programs that can be used on PC's. Whenever I walk into a computer store, such as Electronics Boutique, half of the store is taken up by programs that can be used on an IBM compatible PC. There is only one little shelf for
things that run on Macs. It seems that the more people use PC's. I have met very few people with a Macintosh. I can bring many things from my computers to theirs and the other way around without worrying, "What if I need to find this for a Mac?"
Schools should use Windows95 PC's because of the many more educational programs available for PC's. Since of the making of Windows 95 many companies now make programs for the PC. It may be a long time, if ever, that they will decide to make it for a Mac. Plus since of the many people with IBM
PC's at home, people can bring their work to and from school. If everyone had the same kind of computer on a network, students could go into the computers at schools all over the world to use programs there.
So since now that the quality of computers are equal it is very hard to make your decision. For those that are not computer literate, the best thing to do is to go for the Mac because of the easiness involved in using one. This means you get less choice of programs in a store, and if you go online, many people will becusing something different from you so you have no idea what they are talking about. If you know how a computer is basically used, a Windows 95 PC will be no problem. It doesn't take that long to learn. You will have a bigger choice of programs and may be able to do more things with other people that have a
computer. It comes down to this choice. Most of the choosing will go to schools because of the many using Macintosh computers, which most of Apple's money comes from. It is only recently companies that made software for PC's that got interested in making programs for educational purposes.
So if you are deciding a computer. I leave you to decide this. Windows 95 or Macintosh, the choice is yours.