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Which is your poison – Mac or PC?

A little over 12 months ago I made the inevitable switch from Windows to Apple. I’d been a long time windows hold out.

However I do work at a startup so I can’t be showing up to events and meetings with a PC, right? (seriously, are you even allowed to do that?)

Recently a friend in a similar position as I was last year asked me if I think he should do the same. He’s a long-time windows user with Android devices. He even plans to run Windows 99% of the time if he did switch.

Software – It’s a Tie

So much of our day is cloud based now that the majority of our work happens in a browser. I find few software differences worth considering anymore. 

Sure there are some noticeable differences:

  • Office for Mac – especially Excel! – makes me want to pull my eyes out sometimes (big surprise)
  • Some programs, like Mac Finder & Windows Explorer win out on the Windows side
  • While others, like Evernote, are clearly targeting Mac users first and Windows second

But the differences even out.

(Note that we’re not doing anything media related, which is one area that Mac typically excels. And I can’t really speak as a true developer. I’d love to hear what a developer prefers.)

OS – Your Personal Preference

Why do people get so emotional behind OS choices? Is Windows 8 really that bad?

Does it even matter? With great virtual machine options like VMWare you can pick your OS.

To be sure, the “it just works” feeling for Mac is refreshing. Remember the last time you setup a new printer on Windows? Did any step in that process “just work”?

Hardware – Mac, Hands Down

Mac hardware originally sold me and has continued to live up to expectations.

  • Keyboard & trackpad are hands down – zing! – better
  • The aluminum shell looks like James Bond, if he were a computer
  • Once you go Retina you never go back
  • Even the 15″ is thin, light, & portable enough to use on the flimsy tray table in a cramped Delta coach seat
  • The speed of the standard Mac SSD makes going back to a Windows HDD remind you of waiting in line at the DMV

What do you think? Did I forget any considerations?

2 thoughts on “Looking For Advice – Mac or PC?”

  1. From the developer perspective, the command line tools offer significant helpful functionality. Whether that means SSH’ing into a server, grep to find text in a directory, vim to edit files, or just… not using the gui.

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