Why do you prefer a Mac ? @ The Apple Collection

Here are some reasons why you should consider buying a Mac as your next personal computer. This information is taken from several studies conducted by independent research firms and Computer Magazines.

PowerPC Outperforms Pentium and Pentium Pro in Recent Benchmark:

In a recent benchmark, BYTE compared Intel's 200 MHz Pentium® and Pentium Pro processors against Motorola's 200 MHz 603e and 604e PowerPC processors, respectively. The PowerPC processors outperformed their Intel counterparts in integer calculations by as much as 81% (Pentium vs. 603e) and in floating point calculations by as much as 26% (Pentium Pro
vs. 604e).

The study was conducted using BYTE's 32-bit multiplatform CPU/FPU BYTEmark tests. The test suite includes 10 basic tests: numeric sort, string sort, bitfield, emulated floating-point, fourier coefficients, assignment algorithm, Huffman compression, IDEA encryption, neural net and LU decomposition. Detailed information regarding this suite can be found on the BYTEmark Home Page.

The PowerPC processor utilizes RISC technology and is now used in virtually all Macintosh models and Mac OS compatibles.

You can un the Mac OS, MS-DOS, and Windows on a Power Macintosh.

Customers who have a Power Macintosh® with PCI slots can add an Apple PC Compatibility Card to run MS-DOS and Windows applications. Apple offers a choice of two PC Compatibility Cards: one with a Pentium 100-MHz processor and one with a 586 100-MHz processor. The Pentium processor delivers faster performance, while the 586 processor offers a more affordable option.

For customers who don't already own a Power Macintosh with PCI slots and are considering both a Macintosh® and Windows-based PC, the choice is now simple: the Apple® Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible, which includes dual processors. Featuring both a 120-MHz PowerPCTM 601 RISC processor and a Pentium 100-MHz processor (with 8MB of RAM on board), it gives customers the flexibility to work with the PC computing platform of their choice.

These PC compatibility solutions from Apple let customers run MS-DOS and Windows programs while enjoying all the advantages of Macintosh technology: true plug-and-play capabilities, advanced multimedia, built-in networking, video and sound support, and more.

Run all the PC software you want:
Now customers can run thousands of MacTM OS, MS-DOS, and Windows applications on
one easy- to-use computer. And they can achieve maximum productivity by running applications directly on high-performance processors - not through software emulation.

Use your existing peripherals and networks:
Designed to fit into virtually any environment, the Power Macintosh 7200/120 PC Compatible supports the peripherals and networks customers may already have. And they can connect to mainstream networks from the Mac OS, MS-DOS, or Windows.

In addition to Apple's PC Compatibility Cards, add-on compatibility cards are available from third-party vendors for most other Macintosh models. Like Apple's PC Compatibility Cards, solutions from Reply Corporation and Orange Micro, Inc. allow users to run MS-DOS or Windows applications simultaneously with the thousands of applications available for the Mac OS.

Application Compatibility: Third-party software solution:
For users who prefer a software solution, Insignia Solutions' SoftWindows TM program lets Macintosh computers run MS-DOS and Windows applications. SoftWindows installs easily, with a single click of a mouse-and another click is all it takes to open an MS-DOS- or Windows-based application right on the Macintosh desktop. SoftWindows lets user run multiple programs simultaneously. And all applications can share such resources as hard disks and CD-ROM drives.

File Compatibility:
Many Macintosh user have little or no need to actually run MS-DOS and Windows software - they just need to be able to access the information contained in files created on these systems. Apple Macintosh computers include hardware and software designed to make this easy and intuitive.

Hardware: every new Macintosh computer includes an Apple SuperDrive® floppy disk drive, which can read MS-DOS and Windows files, as well as Mac OS files. Users simply insert their MS-DOS- or Windows-formatted disk into the Apple SuperDrive, and an icon representing that disk is automatically displayed on the Macintosh desktop. The user can then open that icon and access the files on the disk.

Software: every new Macintosh includes two programs that enable file sharing -- Macintosh Easy Open and Macintosh PC ExchangeTM. These programs combine to let users simply double-click on an MS-DOS or Windows file and open that file in a compatible Macintosh application. For example, your Lotus 1-2-3 file would be viewed in Microsoft Excel or if you have the same application on both platforms (such as Microsoft Word, Excel, or FoxPro, WordPerfect from Novell, or PageMaker), the same application would be launched. And with third-party software, such as MacLinkPlus from Dataviz, you can even translate a file and save it in a new format without opening the application in which it was created.

Network Compatibility:
In the world of networking, compatibility can mean several things, from simple hardware connection to existing networks to the ability to exchange electronic mail. The Macintosh is equipped to handle a vast range of these needs.

Hardware connection. Most Macintosh models include built-in industry-standard Ethernet ports, and all models include two serial ports. For more specialized needs, a wide variety of additional networking hardware cards are available from third-party vendors. (Reference the Redgate Buyers Guide at 1-800-333-8760 for a list of third-party solutions.)

Multi-protocol support: The Macintosh has often been called "The Universal Client" because of its ability to integrate easily into a variety of computing environments. Macintosh computers can connect to systems using different networking protocols at the same time--for example, running TCP/IP, DECnetTM, and AppleTalk® simultaneously. And Apple's Open Transport networking architecture is designed to make multi-protocol networking transparent to the user. Open Transport is built in to the operating system in high-end Macintosh computers.

File and print service: One of the benefits of connecting computers to form a network is the ability to use a server to share files and printers. Software which allows the Macintosh to do this is available for most major network systems such as Novell NetWare and Windows NT. And, for mostly Macintosh environments, AppleShare® file and print service software from Apple includes a Windows client application, so Macintosh and PC users can share a common AppleShare file and print server.

Electronic mail: Most organizations take advantage of networking to exchange messages efficiently with electronic mail software. Many of the most popular electronic-mail packages, such as Microsoft Mail and QuickMail, have Macintosh client and server software available, so Macintosh and PC users can transparently exchange mail across networks.

Internet: Apple makes it easy to connect to the Internet and surf the World Wide Web. Most Macs include everything that is needed to connect to the Internet (TCP/IP, Ethernet, high-speed modems,
etc.). That's one reason why more people use Macintosh to access the Internet than any other brand of personal computer. And since the Internet levels the playing field, the Macintosh is more
compatible with PCs than ever. For example, the most popular browsers are available for the Macintosh (Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer), and Macintosh supports key Internet standards such as Java, Real Audio, Shockwave, and QuickTime.

Personal Computer Satisfaction:

This report summarizes the key findings of a personal computer satisfaction study conducted in March - April 1996 by Evans Research Associates, an independent market research company.

The study was conducted with 150 people who regularly use both Macintosh computers running System 7.5 and Windows 95-based PCs in business, home, and education. Since these "dual users" are experienced with both systems, they can provide an informed and unbiased comparison.

Overall, people who use both systems rate the Macintosh higher in overall satisfaction, user productivity, ease of use, creativity, and other categories. Here are details:

Macintosh is more satisfying than Windows 95 PCs. Users rated Macintosh significantly higher than Windows 95 PCs in overall satisfaction.

Macintosh lets users be more creative. When asked which system lets them be more creative, dual users chose the Macintosh by almost two to one.

Macintosh is more enjoyable. When asked which system is more enjoyable to use, 52% said Macintosh, compared to 39% for Windows 95 PCs.

Macintosh rates much higher in a wide variety of attributes. Dual users were asked to rate both of their systems on several attributes using a 1-10 scale, where 10 was excellent. Macintosh received high marks (8-10) on these attributes from significantly more people than Windows 95. For example, when asked about "overall satisfaction," 60% gave Macintosh a score of 8-10 compared with 41% who gave that rating to Windows 95 PCs. These are the percentage of dual users rating the respective systems 8-10:

Macintosh w/ System 7.5Windows 95 PC
Overall satisfaction 60% 41%
Overall productivity 59% 42%
Overall ease of use 78% 37%
Graphics and publishing 85% 27%
Multimedia 71% 36%
Ease of learning 78% 29%
Ease of connecting peripherals 74% 39%
Ease of setup and installation 69% 33%
Ease of connecting to a LAN 62% 42%
Running educational software 46% 32%
Ease of troubleshooting 41% 21%

ATTRIBUTE RATINGS (on a 1-10 scale)

These questions asked dual users to rate both systems on a series of specific attributes, using a 1-10 scale in which 1=poor and 10=excellent. The charts show the percentage of users giving a rating in the very good to excellent range (from 8 to 10).

Macintosh rates higher in overall satisfaction.
Sixty percent of the dual users rated their Macintosh highly in overall satisfaction (8-10 on a 10-point scale). 42% gave their Windows 95 PCs the same rating.

Macintosh rates higher in overall productivity.
In overall productivity, the percent of dual users rating the Mac highly was 59%. 42% gave that same rating to their Windows 95 PC.

Macintosh is ahead for graphics and publishing
In graphics and publishing, the number of dual users rating the Macintosh highly was more than three times the number giving a high score to Windows 95.

Macintosh multimedia capabilities rate higher In multimedia, almost twice as many people gave an 8-10 score to the Mac as compared to a PC with Windows 95.

Macintosh is preferred for running learning and educational software When asked to rate the systems on how well they run learning and educational software, 46% gave the Macintosh an 8-10 rating. 32% gave the same score to their Windows 95 PCs.

One of the most common claims made about Windows 95 is that it matches the ease of use of an Apple Macintosh computer. The study explored that question in depth by asking a series of ease of use questions.

Macintosh is easier to use, overall
Macintosh was a major winner in overall ease of use, rated highly by more than three quarters of the dual users. Windows 95 received the same rating from fewer than four in ten dual users.

Macintosh is easier to learn 78% of dual users rated the Macintosh highly for ease of learning; 29% gave the same score to a PC with Windows 95.

It's easier to connect peripherals to a Macintosh 39% of dual users gave Windows 95 a high rating in connecting peripherals, compared to 74% for Macintosh.

It's easier to set up and install a Macintosh
In ease of installation, Macintosh received top marks from almost 70% of the dual users. Windows 95 PCs received high marks from 33%.

It's easier to connect a Macintosh to a local area network
Macintosh rated ahead in ease of connecting to a LAN. More than 60% of dual users gave a high rating to the Macintosh; fewer than half gave the same rating to Windows 95 PCs.

It's easier to troubleshoot a Macintosh
Macintosh was rated as substantially less difficult to troubleshoot than a PC with Windows 95. The percent of dual users giving the Macintosh a high score was almost double the percent rating Windows PCs highly.

These questions asked dual users to pick which system is best for various uses. Users had to choose one system, as opposed to the 1-10 attribute ratings in which they ranked both systems.

"Which system is more enjoyable to use?"
The Macintosh was selected to be more enjoyable to use than Windows 95 PCs by 52% of users.

"Which system allows you to be more creative?"
Macintosh was chosen for creativity by 53% of users, with Windows 95 getting 27%.

"Which system is more stable
For stability, Macintosh was preferred two to one

Respondents were also asked for comments. Here are some samples expanding on the findings of the study:

"Anytime I want to do graphics, I do them on the System 7.5--I just find it more appealing. I like the feel of it, how easy it is to move around in it, from application to application, from task to task, from window to window."

"I find that the interface is always consistent no matter what application I install. On the Mac, I don't have to worry about where I put applications--on Windows, if you try to move an application from one place to another, it will peak."

"I do networking hardware. If I have to install an Ethernet card, it's easier to install on a Macintosh, because the configuration process of the operating system is much simpler on the Mac. Windows 95 is not yet Plug and Play."

"The (Macintosh) interface doesn't change when you upgrade, to confuse users. Windows 95 upgrades to a totally different interface, very confusing for users--since I do training on both systems, I know."

"Windows 95 is a cheap clone of the Macintosh operating environment. I specifically use Macintosh System 7.5 for multimedia work. It has a built-in plug and play that allows me to do sound manipulations, sound editing, video in and out, and other stuff."

"I prefer 7.5 for Internet connection because although there are some limitations, it stays up longer than with Windows 95."

"I can't get Windows 95 to work on my machine properly, it keeps crashing, it has taken a while to figure out and get it running right. 7.5 is more hardware compatible."

"Windows 95 doesn't smile back at me when I turn it on."

"Involving the PPP Internet account for the Macintosh, all I had to do was input data for usage in two places while the Windows 95 was much more complicated an complex. I had to go four to five places to input the data and tune and tweak it trying to get it to work with the Internet and it kept telling me how it needed to access the modem and I couldn't get it to work."

"What you see on the 7.5 screen is pretty much what you'll get, whereas you have to do a lot of bouncing with Windows 95, and it's very clumsy."

"Macintosh technologies are first and better."

"I have three computers I have access to. For power I use my Sun, for fun I'll use Mac, and the Windows is more like a paper weight. I'll use the Mac to cruise the Internet and send e-mail. It doesn't crash and the applications are easy to load. With Windows 95, you need all these drivers ....Chances are if I slap my system into your Mac, it'll work. With Windows, there's a million things that can go wrong."

"The Mac System 7.5 has been developed and refined over the past ten years into a very intuitive product, whereas Windows 95 is too new a product, hasn't progressed as far, too clumsy and awkward at present. The drag and drop features between applications are something Windows 95 doesn't have - also the desktop interface is easier on 7.5, Windows is still running on top of DOS."

If these reasons are not enough for you, see the difference for yourself. Experience the MacOS and you'll see why Mac is the only way to go if you want the true personal computer power.

We've now received more than 1000 responses to our "Why do you prefer Macintosh instead of a PC with Windows 95?" contest. Here are some of the best that we've received recently.

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On the day before Bill Gates released Windows 95 to the world, FED EX delivered a Mac Performa 631CD and Stylewriter printer to my 82 year old mother, who lives alone in Florida (a gift from me). When I called her the next day to ask about needing help, she had already hooked it up and printed the Read Me files without help. I later read that on that same day the Microsoft help lines were clogged with calls from Windows 95 users requesting assistance. That's what I like about a Mac!

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In the last six months, I have been using a nicely loaded 486 PC with Windows 95 along with a Mac Quadra 950. I began to keep track of the time I spent on the PC doing things I would *never* need to do on a Mac. Installing a software program with the appropiate drivers: 2.5 hours. Installing an Ethernet card and getting it to work: 2.5 work days (20 hours). And the list goes on and on. When I calculated what my time was worth in terms of my hourly pay, I figured my company had spent $2340 in the last six months by "requiring" the use of a Windows 95 PC when I could have done the same on the Mac.

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I have been working with Macintosh computers and PCs for over 8 years. I own both a Mac and a PC with Windows 95, and if I wasn't a computer network engineer, supporting both Macs and PCs, I'd sell my PC in a heartbeat. Let me give you a few reasons why I use my Mac over 75% of the time: Smart hardware. Connections are all standard and consistent (25 pin DIN SCSI, RS-422 serial, etc.). I replaced my 1989 Mac IIx with a 1995 Performa 6220CD, and plugged in all my devices, with no converters, adapters or new cables. By contrast, PCs cannot even decide on a standard serial port (9 pin or 25 pin?). Apple even designed their Macs with all female ports, so if you make a mistake and break a pin on a connector, it's on the $30 cable, not the $300 motherboard! Even SCSI is simpler on the Mac. Ever change SCSI configurations on a PC? Make sure you have tools and plenty of time! Clearly-labeled interface ports, electronic-ejecting floppies, "soft" power on and off, and ADB daisy- chaining, even though seemingly minor advantages, all add up to making the Mac truly user-friendly. Mature multimedia. Without even taking the manuals out of the shrinkwrap, I plugged in my new Performa 6220CD, connected my standard 75-Ohm cable-TV line, and began watching TV in a window while I checked out other software. With three clicks I captured a video clip into a QuickTime movie. I did all of this without ever seeing this type of multimedia stuff before, or ever reading a manual! The Macintosh has been doing multimedia for years, and it clearly proves that practice makes perfect. I have now connected my video camera and VCR to my Mac, and have been pumping video (and audio) in and out of my Mac. One of these days I'm going to open those manuals and really learn how to do this stuff! This ease of use simply does not happen in the PC world.

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It's simple...Time & Money... Time - While my competitors are batch'n, config'n, figur'n what to do... ...Money - We are sell'n, close'n, & DEPOSIT'N !!! In my business we are high-paced, and the easier tasks can be performed, the more profitable we have become. Since going the Macintosh in 1992, our sales have gone up eight-fold. Real estate is data management, marketing (desktop publishing), & communications all wrapped-up in one. The systems, peripherals & applications we have integrated have grown seamlessly. Frankly, we had to have what came with Macintosh - a proven track record: hardware reliability, quick staff training, easiest network known to man, excellent service, and most of all, light-year ahead system! Proud owner of 8 Mac's!

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I purchased a Quadra 800 shortly after they were introduced. I've had the case open once...I felt obligated to at least look inside. Friends who own PCs don't even bother to put the screws that hold the case together back in, because they open the case so frequently the screws become a nuisance. - A fundamental concept on the Macintosh that is virtually invisibe is the notion of file type and creator. The Macintosh is aware that a text file and a JPEG image file are not the same kind of file. The Macintosh is also aware of which application created each file. For example, if I name an Excel spreadsheet "TEXT", the next time I double- click on it the file comes up in Excel not SimpleText or some other text editor. This happens without me giving it a thought or configuring a translation table. - It really annoys me when I have two Word or Excel or whatever documents open and I can't put their windows where I want. Windows 95 promotes Microsoft's Multiple Document Interface (MDI) which wants all the open documents for one application to be contained in that application's parent window. - When installing software from floppies, my Macintosh knows when I insert the next disk. The Macintosh is aware of removable media, allowing the OS or applications to eject media and/or take action when media is inserted. The bottom line is a computer system is only as good as its hardware and OS together. Truth is the PC hardware has serious deficiencies that no OS can correct, let alone Windows 95, which has its own set of deficiencies. In contrast the Macintosh is truly an example of a product who's sum is greater than its parts.

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Compare how you change startup disks: A PC does not let you change startup disks very easily; the startup hard disk has to be "named" the "C:\" drive. If you want to boot from a different hard drive, you have to take apart the computer and change connections. Not only that, but even if you did, many of the programs would not run because the application files are linked to other files with pathnames such as "C:\PROGRAM\UTILITIES\EXTRAS", and once you change startup disks that disk would no longer be the "C:\" drive and the program wouldn't run. On my PowerMac 7100, I can switch startup drives on the fly with a simple little shareware extension called SwitchBoot; I can boot from either of two internal hard drives, from my SyQuest drive, or from the CD-ROM drive. All the programs on all the disks run just fine, and I could add a couple more bootable drives to the SCSI chain if I wanted to.

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1. Plug and PAY? That's what I call Windows 95's "plug and play". New hardware must be purchased that COMPLIES with the Windows 95 plug and play standard. Once you buy the new hardware, have fun getting it to work. The Mac has TRUE plug and play. It has worked great for years. The hardest thing about installing something on a Mac is clicking the "Install Button". Plug something in, it works. This is NEVER the case on my Windows 95 PC.
2. Windows 95's mouse control is pathetic. The cursor jumps around like a hyperactive flea. The Mac handles the mouse elegantly, no jumpiness here.
3. Microsoft charges for technical support. The following is taken from their web page: "90-day, no-charge support. In the United States and Canada, count on 90-day, no-charge support (toll charges apply) for all issues other than networking. Outside the United States and Canada, contact Product Support Services at the Microsoft subsidiary office that serves your area." This is NOT a toll-free call, and extra charges are added after 90 days. When I need technical support, (1 call in the 8 years I have owned Macs) I call 1-800-SOS-APPL, and I am not charged for as long as I own the hardware. My nephew works at a computer store near Washington, D.C., and he has had more tech support calls from Windows 95 users in one week than he's had from Mac users in the store's 10 year history. Go figure.
4. The more devices you have, the more problems Windows 95 has. My PC at work with Windows 95 does not recognize my sound card or my CD-ROM drive, and my monitor does not display colors. After $45 worth of technical support, the problem remains unsolved. The Mac can handle multiple monitors, hard disks, keyboards, mice, graphics tablets, joysticks, and anything else flawlessly. My system has all of the above and I have not encountered a problem yet.
5. The Internet. Not only do my clients have problems with Windows 95, my MODEM does. My PC has a Sportster external modem, and I constantly get unstable connections, error filled uploads, and error filled downloads. Whenever I try to read Usenet news and surf the web at the same time, it crashes. All of this worked fine with Windows 3.1 and DOS. The Mac is THE platform for surfing the Internet. I regularly have 5 or 6 clients running together in perfect harmony on an 8 megabyte Mac. These clients being newsreaders, e-mail, WWW, IRC, and FTP. In short, the Mac is better than Windows 95 because it lets you get work done instead of wasting time configuring all your hardware. In Windows 95, form definitely does not follow function. Cosmetic improvements aren't going to make it better than a Mac. Nice try, Microsoft, but not good enough.

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I work in a mixed platform environment...Macintosh systems, PCs running Windows95, and DEC Alphas. There are so many different systems used at work that typically there is an office devoted to either the PCs, the DEC terminals, or the Macintosh systems. My day is spent playing musical chairs with my co-workers, as we switch between platforms. Thanks to Macintosh, this will soon change. I will be able to work in my own office using my Macintosh, equipped with Apple's DOS Compatibility card, running MacX, to do all my work. With only 1 additional card, and some software, Macintosh can do the work of 3 systems. Saving not only thousands of dollars, but also the space and equipment of 2 additional offices. The best thing is, it is all Apple, so it has the compatability, ease of use, and quality of a Macintosh, no matter what I choose to do with it. Windows 95: "Where do you want to go today?" Answer: I don't know. Maybe I'll go to the Alpha, maybe the Macintosh, maybe the PC, and maybe the Internet. All I know is, I can't get there with Windows 95. Macintosh recognizes the need for compatability with the rest of the world, and only Macintosh can bring the rest of the world to the desktop.

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I own a Macintosh IIx that was made in 1989. 1) It is full 32 bit (via MODE 32 7.5) 2) It has a RAM capacity of 32MB 3) It runs any type of multimedia application 4) It runs the current operating system (7.5.1)--in addition to UNIX In 1989, the 386SX at 33Mhz was top of the line PC. Such machines cannot effectively run Windows 95. They cannot effectively run very many multimedia applications. Almost none of those machines had a 32MB RAM capacity. And, of course, Windows 95 still isn't full 32 bit. In short, 1989 PCs are obsolete in the current market. My Mac IIx has remained fully functional for 6 years now. This is an eternity in the world of computers. I use it to host WWW sights, and it will probably be fully functional for 2 more years. When I invest several thousand dollars in my next computer, I will ask the following question: Which type of computer will provide more functionality for a longer period of time? I'll buy a Macintosh, and I'll get real computer that will outlast generations of those Microsoft-based machines.

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Hmmm, I'm sitting here looking at my stack of hardware: Trusty 'ol Centris 650CD sittin' under a pile of other stuff with lights flashing. Oh, it started out a little more humble than it is now, although it was (in its time) fairly well-equipped (8 Mb RAM/250 Mb HD/Ethernet). But I guess I've got more than a little Tim Allen in me...a need...yes, a NEED for MORE POWER!! First, a bigger window (ack, another perfectly good word ruined forever!) was in order. I can afford 16"...that'll have to do for now. So I plugged it in and used it. What? GIF's have more than 256 colors? "Send me a board that shows ALL of the colors!", I said on the phone. They did. So I popped the hood, plugged it in...and used it. What? Not enough memory available to open this image? "Send me enough memory so I can open MANY images!" I said on the phone. They did. So I popped the hood, plugged it in, and used it. What? Not enough space to install the program? "Send me a big-enough hard drive to load MANY programs onto! Better yet, send me one for the inside and the outside as well!" I said on the phone. They did. So I popped the hood, plugged-in one inside and one outside, and used 'em. What? A faster CD-ROM drive? "Well, I have one, but what-the-heck, two'll be more convenient", I said. So I plugged-it-in, and used it. What? I can use my computer with my MIDI keyboard? "Send me a board that I can make music with!" I said on the phone. They did. So I popped the hood...well you know! What? The Internet is slow at 14.4? If I want to "surf" like a pro, I'll have to go faster? "Send me the fastest modem I can use on my phone line!" I said. They did. So I plugged it in... What? I can send text messages via my ham radio? "Send me a packet box to hook my radio to my 'Mac!" I said. They did. So I... Yup, it looks pretty much the same on the outside, but the 'ol Centris is a little different underneath. 24 Mb RAM, 730 Mb internal, 730Mb and 360 Mb external hard drives, internal and external CD-ROM drives, 24-bit video board, 16-bit MIDI/mixer sound board, 28.8 Kb faxmodem, packet-radio modem, and an array of CHOOSERable printers from color inkjet to wide-carriage dot/matrix to laser. My PC-using friends nearly croak when they see it...all working perfectly. And no horror stories. I just plugged everything in. On startup it displays and plays the THX motion picture intro. And I smile. That's the Macintosh Advantage!

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I've been working with computers either as a hobby, or to earn a living since I was a teenager. While I don't currently own a Mac, it is now time for me to upgrade, and the next machine will be a Mac despite the fact (or maybe because) I have been using Windows since 1990. Maintenance and upgrades in the PC world can be a nightmare. On the hardware side you have IRQs, DMA channels, I/O addresses, and more. On the software side there are .INI files, device drivers, and DLL files that *all* have to work together. Windows apps are notoriously ill behaved when they install themselves as well. A typical installation dumps more mysterious DLLs into your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory (possibly overwriting newer versions that other apps need in the process). It probably also makes changes to your WIN.INI and/or SYSTEM.INI files as well. Some also make changes to the little known REGISTER.DAT file as well. That's why uninstalling applications, even with helper utilities, is not a task for the inexperienced or faint of heart. Due to the size of Win95 and Win95 apps the problem is only going to get worse, especially since Win95 hides some directories and file information unless you go through steps to change that. With a Mac I can use the find command to locate all files associated with an app and then delete them. What about expandability? Well on the Mac side if I need more hard drive space I simply buy an external hard disk and plug it into the SCSI port, turn it and the Mac on, and viola, instant storage. I've done this on Macs; total elapsed time: 5 minutes. Here is what I have to worry about on the PC side. Is the drive compatible with my disk controller. If not, can I add one? What are the technical specs I *must* type into the CMOS? For that matter how do I get to the CMOS on the particular machine I'm working on? If the drive is bigger than 540MB, do I have the right drivers? Will the drive fight with the other drive already there? Something similar goes on if I need to add a sound card, CD-ROM, a SCSI controller for a scanner, or even a modem. Plug and Play under Windows 95 does *not* solve this due to the large amount of non Plug and Play compatible hardware. Microsoft touts long filenames as a productivity enhancer. Well that is partly true...if you're working in a native Win95 app that can handle long file names. To maintain backward compatibility, long file names are truncated internally to the old format. This can lead to confusion if you are exchanging files across a network (Microsoft recommends that the long name begin with the 8 character short name you want) or placing the files on floppy to exchange with someone else. Older Windows and DOS apps don't handle long filenames at all. There are other 'gotchas' in the new file system as well. Your older undelete and disk repair utilities won't work. Neither will any disk compression program you're now using. In fact if you're using anything but Microsoft's Double Space, or Drive Space, you can't even install Win95 until either you uncompress the drive or the company comes out with a Win95 compatible version. On a Mac, all apps handle filenames the same way and OS upgrades do not render drive compression useless. Networking? With Macs you can set up simple peer to peer networks right out of the box. With PCs you have to add network cards and device drivers. Yet again opening Pandora's Box of potential conflicts. Even with the advent of Windows 95 there are still holes in the interface because of its DOS roots. Take for example starting an application by double clicking on a document icon; in Windows and Win95 you can do this * if* the application is 'registered' with the OS (meaning the OS knows a certain file extension goes with that program). If the app isn't registered you must do it manually. That's why many people on PCs open up files from inside applications, adding extra steps. On a Mac, just double click the file and start working. What happens if somebody gives you a document from a program you don't have? Well on a PC you must open up a program you have that reads the format and manually tell the program to import the file. Macs have Easy Open. With Easy O pen you can skip steps; just double click and the Mac will open up the correct app for reading the file and then import it for you. I want my next system to be powerful, easy to upgrade and maintain, and have a consistent and easy to use interface. In short, I want a Mac.

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One morning around 5 am, I heard the Mac boot up. Not unusual in this household, since my five and three year old usually play games before school. However, on this day, I rolled over and the house was still dark and there was no chatter about...my wife just beginning to awaken. We looked at each other and simultaneously got up to look and to our amazement, our 20 month old, Wyatt, was on top of the desk, mouse in hand! She was playing inside one of the interactive books! We knew she had been watching her sisters, not getting half a chance to play, but today, she woke up before they could bully her out of the way and put her curiosity to the test. I could not believe my eyes, so later that day, with video in hand I asked Wyatt to "show me how to play on the computer." With a casual, "okay", off she went to the computer. She hopped on the chair, climbed on top of the desk and pushed the upper right hand button without hesitation. Once in the Finder, she located the cd and "double clicked" her story! She then proceed to click "let me play" and off she went! Now, she is becoming as adept as the other two, except for her obvious disadvantage with language, and has earned equal time on the computer. She has her own At Ease folder and can navigate through it, locate the Finder to play her cd books. Its a wonderful thing to see, really. Macintosh has achieved the ultimate goal in computer friendliness by making the operation of personal computers, "childsplay". Windows 95 could only hope to be as faciliting as the Macs were even years ago. As an aside, I tried to call Apple's corporate offices later that week, but I could not get through. I am grateful, however, to be able to relay my story now and say "thank you" for creating this avenue of learning for my children. It has been worth every penny of our investment.

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A Macintosh is better than Windows 95 because it connects to a Microsoft network easier! I recently had the joy of attaching a Win95 machine to a Windows NT server. First I had to install a network card. This involved "Adding New Hardware" in the Control Panel. After letting it crank away for 10 to 15 minutes while it tried to auto-detect, I finally had to do a manual install. Luckily Win95 had the drivers for the card I was installing listed (why couldn't it auto-detect it?), so I chose them and told it to install. This involved 30 files on 4 of the Win95 install disks. Then followed the half-day of troubleshooting various components (such as login scripts) to get it working properly. During this entire procedure Windows 95 locked up 3 times requiring a hard reset each time. Prior to this, I attached a PowerMac 7200 to our Windows NT server where I work. This involved taking the new machine out of the box, plugging a network cable into the built in Ethernet port, starting it up, and 6 mouse clicks. This required all of about 10 minutes. One final note: I have noticed that Windows 95 frequently brings up a dialog box during many installations saying (approximately) "Windows 95 is now installing __________. If during this install there does not appear to be any activity for a long period of time you may need to restart your computer and try again." I have NEVER seen a dialog box of this nature on a Mac, ONLY in Windows 95, where it turned out to be prophetic.

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My Mac is better than a PC running Windows 95 because when I installed System 7.5, I was still able to use my CD-ROM drive, my hard drive wasn't trashed, I didn't have to reformat my hard drive, my Mac still smiled at start up, I still could print, I still had sound, my existing software still worked, I didn't have to call Apple for help in the installation, I didn't have to have Apple tell me how to take it back off, all my games still worked (if not faster), my built-in Ethernet still functioned, I had no IRQ conflicts, finding files became easier (as if it wasn't before), I didn't have to buy something like "Apple Plus" for an extra $70 to get better performance and custom sounds and backgrounds, and finally... I didn't have to have someone show me how to use my computer. I sat down and admired the enhancements and then, less then 30 minutes later I was back to writing papers, letters, producing Web pages, and just plain surfing the Internet. The complete realization came when a co-worker asked me to come and help fix a PC which Windows 95 had completely reeked havoc on....ME a Mac user!

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Want to see something downright hilarious, just change the color depth on Win95. Laugh as you see the little message pop up that you must *RESTART WINDOWS* to change the colors! I've never needed tech support on my Mac, but it gives me some confidence that I do have toll free support to back up on anytime I need it. Windows95 users have to call long distance for charge-free support. What about after your 90 days of tech support? I guess you'll just have to pay for it. Windows 95 will automatically recognize your CD-ROMs! Isn't that amazing? Just imagine if it could recognize floppies! You know, I wonder if the automatic recognition was an option for them, since most PCs are simply constructed to be inexpensive for the initial investment. Just got the latest game huh? What's that? You're running Windows 95? Uh oh, I hope that you still like config.sys and autoexec.bat files. DOS is everyone's friend, right? I mean, I love to have to reboot my computer just to go into an operating system that is compatible with my games, especially an archaic one like DOS. It lets me get in touch with the past. I mean, they did away with DOS for Windows 95. Well, except for the file system. But it's so much simpler now to name files since you don't have to put it in 8.3 file names... unless you are taking it to someone else's computer not running Windows 95. Funny, but I've been able to do that for ten years.... But we were told that Windows95 was a revolution...SORRY WRONG GUESS! If Windows95 is really cutting edge technology, then they are using the *wrong* side of the knife... I know where I want to go today. I want to go into the future. The future is not that of limitless complexities and growing demand for resources. The future is not in Windows 95. The future is here. The future is Macintosh. The number one reason I love my Macintosh is a piece of wisdom we could all live by: Don't follow the standards...set them.

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It's hard to say what is most important, but reliability has got to be first for me. There are a zillion IBM clones out there and frequently it's a crap shoot as to their true compatibility. When I buy ANY Apple product I know I am getting the very best, the most consistent product. With my first 128K Mac (still going by the way) ease of operation was very important. The darn things are pretty nearly idiot proof. I have owned conservatively speaking at least ten Apples, six of them Macs. The 800 support line? I've never NEVER had to use it, and I almost never read the documentation.

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I use a PC clone at the office. My wife also uses a PC at her office. We decided that it was time to purchase a computer for home. Our requirements are as follows: - Compatibility with the Windows environment (since we will want to use the machine for work at times); - Great ease of maintenance and operation (at the office, we both have access to technical help, but at home we don't and, frankly, arcane troubleshooting is not our idea of a good time); - Expandability (we want to add capabilities as our needs grow and our budget allows); - Upgradability (we do not want to throw a whole machine away every two years); - Performance (we do not want to have to upgrade in six months) - Good choice of professional applications, educational software and games (that work without reconfiguring the system every time). - Price. With that list of requirements in mind, I started to gather information. At first glance, the answer appeared simple: get a Pentium-based computer, and Windows 95. After all, Windows 95 promised compatibility, ease of use and plug and play capabilities, along with great performance when used on a Pentium-based computer. Moreover, there is plenty of hardware and software to choose from. It could have stopped there. However, by reading reviews in magazines, asking questions to friends, collegues and vendors, I started to get a picture that was not so nice. First, RISC technology seems more promising than CISC technology, and the Intel processors are based on the latter. Even ignoring future trends and looking at today's performance, everybody agrees that existing RISC processors (like the 601 or the 604) outperform Pentiums. IBM itself is supposed to moving to PowerPCs. What does that say about the eventual upgradability of a machine using a CISC processor? I am not sure, but it does not look too promising. Second, backward compatibility with older DOS and Windows software is not as perfect as it first appeared, and it comes at a price (in terms of performance). Moreover, compatibility in the DOS and Windows world was never that great to start with (how many times did I hear people swear when trying to make a new software run properly on their machine). That reduces the supposedly tremendous choice of software to more moderate proportions. Moreover, it raises serious questions about real ease of use and maintenance. Third, plug and play capabilities are still a promise. We will have to wait and see what hardware and software developers are doing. So, easy expandability is uncertain. Fourth, there is the price issue. As a lot of people pointed out, you could get very low prices on 486 machines or Pentium machines, and that counts. That counts all right, but when I started to add up what it would cost to get a machine with all the memory and peripherals I wanted, I realized that it was not that cheap after all. My enthusiasm for a platform running Windows 95 was getting much lower. Then, I got information on Power Macintosh. Those machines are using RISC technology. The Mac OS has been used and improved for ten years, and every user I talked to said that it is really easy to use and maintain. Plug and play capabilities are, according to users, a "fait accompli", not a promise. I also learned about SoftWindows 2.0, a software that emulates 486's hardware and thus offers as much compatibility with DOS and Windows as you would find on any platform. That meant that I could choose among all that software and also have access to all the Macintosh software. Moreover, the new Power Macintosh accept PCI cards. Some have the processor on a daughterboard, which is great for upgrading at a reasonable cost. So far, I reasoned, a Power Macintosh seems to be the right choice. But what about price? An argument that I heard a lot was that, although a lot of people would agree that Macintosh computers are better, they are so overpriced that their quality-price ratio falls well under that of a PC. I started to shop around. I discovered that the PC price advantage is disappearing fast. A Power Macintosh equipped as I wanted would not be significantly more expensive than a comparable PC. When I factored in the other considerations, the PC was left in the dust. The computer we are going to buy will be a Power Macintosh.