Satisfying A Mac Attack

It's been said that operating systems are like religions, except people feel more strongly about operating systems. But there are several good reasons why a computer user might choose a Mac over a PC. The first and foremost cited by Apple fans is security. Macs are less subject to the endless security threats of viruses, worms, zombies and other forms of malicious code. Some consider this proof of a more secure OS, while others says virus writers are less apt to target Macs because they comprise only five percent of the market. But it really doesn't matter if you are in fact less likely to get zapped by malware, right?

Ease-of-use is another often-cited benefit. The Mac's user-friendliness is apparent in it's bright, inviting, bubble-icon interface. What could be more soothing to a nervous, first-time user than the Mac "Happy Face" icon that appears on start-up? Apple is arguably king of the GUI (graphical user interface), a point which is underscored by Microsoft as each major release of Windows borrows ideas from the Mac interface. Apple also focuses on consistency in the interface, and keeps tighter control over third-party applications so they look, feel and act the same as the ones built into OS X. This makes the learning curve for new programs smaller, since everything works in a predictable way. And you are likely to have a few "wow" moments as you get used to the Mac. It's pretty cool to see your keyboard light up automatically when the room gets dark.

Software installation is also simpler than on a Windows machine. On a PC, programs are installed in various system folders scattered all over the hard drive. On a Mac programs are simply installed into one "Program" folder. This makes uninstalling a no-brainer -- just drag the program's folder to the Trash Can. If you dragged a Windows program's folder into the Recycle Bin to uninstall, your PC would likely throw one major, possibly system crashing, hissy fit. You may find though, that you really don't have to do much software installation. Macs come bundled with many more programs than your typical PC. And as far as peripherals go, (printers, cameras, mp3 players...etc) Macs are known as "True Plug and Play." You can boot up a brand new MacBook, record a video, add a music track and burn it to a CD without adding or configuring anything.

And let's face it... though we hate being shallow, Macs look a lot sexier on top of a desk than your average PC. Mac desktops and MacBook laptops are sleek, colorful and are designed in such a way that there aren't multitudes of cables sticking out from everywhere.