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MIS looks at Macs vs PCs

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Source: MacMinute.com

MIS looks at Macs vs PCs
October 14, 2003 - 07:40 EDT Managing Information Strategies (MIS) has published an article where they compare Macs vs PCs, or more specifically, Mac OS X 10.2 vs Windows XP Home Edition. Criteria considered for the battle include ease-of-use, software, performance, stability, style and design, and cost. Each category is rated on a 1-10 system and in the end, Apple edged out Microsoft for the win.

My Comments: Pretty interesting read.. I think Apple needs to do something about some of those categories that way we can pull ahead in all the categories! :)
 

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I think Apple discount alot of these comparisons, because they are so subjective. Case in point , take the following quote:

Ease-of-use
Macs have always been known for their ease of use but they've certainly lost their lead.

"Today the two interfaces are so close it's a toss-up what's easiest," says Dr Jakob Neilsen, one of the world's leading usability experts. "The PC has made huge progress from a crummy, substandard design that only a nerd could love to a decent user interface. In contrast, the Mac has made very little progress from a decent and restrained user interface to a decent and flashy user interface."

We'd have to agree. OS X initially seems easier to use, especially with its large "Dock" at the bottom of the screen that clearly shows some of the major applications available, but OS X can also be frustrating. For example, there's no specific place where you can always, without fail, find a specific application to load. It could be in the Dock, or in the Applications folder, or on the Desktop, whereas all Windows applications can be found from the Start menu, in addition to being found elsewhere.

Is it that hard to locate an application or is it plain laziness?
 
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Nah I agree with them.. I have dragstrip loaded on my computer to make getting to applications easier.. usability is part of, as you put it, laziness.. if you hide everything that doesnt make it easier to use.. does that make you lazy because you have to go through folders to get to what you are looking for? Or does that mean they need to do something about their usability? I think 10.3 changes a bit of this to make it a bit easier to manage.
 

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I guess because I am a Unix Admin, I see it differently, or I maybe use to looking for things I want. But I can see your point.
 
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Let's use the command line for instance.. imagine being able to, no matter where you are in the file structure, to be able to type cd apps and you'll be in a directory full of your applications? Now wouldnt that be a whole lot easier then it is currently? Well not a whole lot, but it would be easier. Or if your applications folder was named "Applications OS X" and "Applications OS 9" now we both know that you if you try to do tab completion it won't work very well.. imagine if there were no tab completion? So you have to actually type in the application folder name.. now what if you could type in "appsx" or "apps9"?

These are just simple examples, but as a *nix person you know there are a lot of things that the certain flavors of *nix do to make usability easier and better.. and there are always ways of improving, even though we might not know what they are.

The quicker you can get things done, means a happier you :) One way of doing this is improving usability..

Or another real world example.. what do you have in your kitchen? kitchen stuff? cooking stuff? stuff like that? Now why don't you spread that stuff all through the house? it's easier? maybe.. Or does that make you lazy? *grin*

I know you saw my point.. I guess I just wanted to explain it further :) And for those other people who might be following this thread :)

Anyways back to work I must go!
 

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I know, you are busting my chops, lol :p :) :p
 
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*grin* bummer you saw right through me! :)
 
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X

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Murlyn said:
Source: MacMinute.com

MIS looks at Macs vs PCs
October 14, 2003 - 07:40 EDT Managing Information Strategies (MIS) has published an article where they compare Macs vs PCs, or more specifically, Mac OS X 10.2 vs Windows XP Home Edition. Criteria considered for the battle include ease-of-use, software, performance, stability, style and design, and cost. Each category is rated on a 1-10 system and in the end, Apple edged out Microsoft for the win.

My Comments: Pretty interesting read.. I think Apple needs to do something about some of those categories that way we can pull ahead in all the categories! :)

Windows XP Home edition is hardly an Operating System to use. It would have been more interesting to use the Professional version.
 
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Eh its all good, Doesn't matter to me much. Apple is still fastest at running anything of importance.
 
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these people are obviously biased... all i know is that i have friends who used pcs and they asked me me to help them in getting a mac, and now they dont know why they didnt switch earlier.... and i dont see how someone can actually call themselves a "usability" expert. usability is in the eye of the user, nto of some self proclaimed expert
 
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Im not sure, but I think most of us use Macs for the experience and the ease of use, plus the power.. the speed.. that was a bonus :) PC's and the Mac will go back and forth being the fastest "PERSONAL" computer and that's fine with me.. that's what competition is all about, but I use macs because they are the best tool for the job.. :)
 
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Murlyn said:
Im not sure, but I think most of us use Macs for the experience and the ease of use, plus the power.. the speed.. that was a bonus :) PC's and the Mac will go back and forth being the fastest "PERSONAL" computer and that's fine with me.. that's what competition is all about, but I use macs because they are the best tool for the job.. :)

Couldn't have said it any better Merlyn!
 
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I don't know why there is always a big battle over what's better.

I don't even fight with my friends or anyone else even though they try and start one. I love my Mac, they like their PC. So who cares? I think the whole "Mine's better than yours" is kind of childish.

:rolleyes:

sKaD
 
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You're right.. it should be whose is bigger!.. whoops.. i said that out loud didnt I? :)
 

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