1. The Out-of-Box Experience
   Apple has this one hands-down. Sure PCs have gotten easier to set up, but nothing comes close to the ease-of-setup for an iMac or iBook. From the clear printed instructions to the clever setup wizard, Macs provide a better OOBE (Out Of Box Experience) than most PCs.
   
   
2. User Interface
   You can argue with me all you like but I still think the Mac user interface is more elegant than any Windows version yet, not to mention more precise and more logical. And, from what I've seen of Mac OS X, due later this year, Mac OS will maintain its lead for a long time to come.
   
   
3. Hardware Performance
   PowerPC outperforms Pentium. It's that simple. A G4 running Photoshop or even Microsoft Excel, is a beautiful thing to behold. It doesn't get much faster.
   
   
4. Standards
   Macs have it all over Windows here, too. All Macs include sound. All Macs include video. All Macs include Ethernet. All Macs include USB. And finally, most Macs now include FireWire. While many PCs come with those things these days, most of them are not "on the motherboard" and are not integrated into your hardware and software as seamlessly as they are on the Mac.
   
   
5. Multimedia
   QuickTime. Built in. For free with your OS. Need I say more?
   
   
6. Networking
   Just about any Mac made can be connected to almost any other Mac for sharing files. All you need is a proper cable or, for recent versions of Mac OS, an Internet connection.
   
   
7. Cost of Ownership
   Some say PCs are cheaper but I say "no way." Don't forget that you have to add stuff like a better sound or video card, plus a SCSI and/or Ethernet card, to obtain parity with off-the-shelf Macs. And I would venture that Mac people keep their Macs longer than PC people keep their PCs.
   
   
8. Plug-and-Play
   What can I say? All of my recent Macs have been absolutely flawless with FireWire and USB peripherals. Most of these devices include a 1-click software installer; after that, the thing just works. All but one device I've plugged in over the past few months -- cameras, PDAs, printers, storage systems, tablets, mice, and more -- has worked the first time and every time thereafter. And the one device that didn't work was cured almost instantly by an easily-located (and easily installed) software driver update.
   
   
9. Upgrading
   If you believe the future of expansion is in FireWire and USB devices, as I do, you'll understand why I believe Macs have all the expandability you need. If you require more expandability you can get a G4 minitower, with an upgradeable processor, lots of internal storage bays, and 3 PCI slots. If you have modest expansion needs, an iMac or iBook will suit you just fine. In any event you should have no problem finding expansion solutions for whichever Macintosh you choose.
   
   
10. Coolness Factor
    Macs are just cooler. I've seen kids come over to our house and ooh and aah over our two iMacs and our flat-screen Apple Studio Display. No offense, but kids don't usually ooh and aah over a Gateway or a Compaq.

I'd like to point out that these are my opinions. Please don't feel obligated to write and tell me I'm wrong. An opinion is never wrong and everyone is entitled to theirs. These are mine.

Back to Dr. Mac's Most Recent Articles