Mac vs PC

Subject: Mac vs PC
From: Bruce Conway <bconway -at- ISLAND -dot- NET>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 13:20:48 +0000

I have a similar problem. Having worked on both platforms, I find the
Mac far easier for sheer workability (getting things done). Win95/98
tends to take many more steps to accomplish anything than do Macs (in
some cases 25 steps, compared to 2 or 3 steps on the Mac).
There are many studies on this which actually show the Mac to be leaner
and meaner (more ergonomic & faster than comparable PCs). (Mac uses a
RISC based chip). Also, I find Windows' windowing scheme rather
unintuitive (i.e. confusing). For the casual and bumbling user, one
gets windows which seem to disappear into nowhere.

Additionally, if you've ever done Tech Support for government and large
corporations, you'll find you'll get about 2.5 times as many requests
for help from Windows' people than from Mac people, mainly for
incompatible drivers, but also from people that can't memorize 25 steps
just to paste something out of Notepad into Word. But, the world must
be right, because something like 90% of the world uses PCs.

Macs are more compatible with PCs than PC's are with Macs (importing,
exporting files, etc.).

But, but, but. I think, now that Microsoft has deftly "borrowed" the
Apple-like windowing scheme and incorporated it into Win95/98, we are
indeed getting close to Apple-like simplicity and ease of use among our
PC brethren. There is also alot of cross-platform software "borrowing"
(e.g. QuickTime, etc.).

HOWEVER: I now need to learn RoboHelp, and it doesn't run on Mac. So,
in addition to my Mac LC575 (68040LC), I will have to buy a PC to learn
and use RoboHELP. If any of you PC afficionados living near Victoria,
BC can help me on this, I'd be immensely grateful.

You might want to consider that today's Macs can run Win95/98, NT.,
either using emulation software, or an installed card.

I find Macs far easier for Web development than PC's (using BBEdit,
Fetch and Netscape with a mere 20Mb of memory).
--
****************************************************************
* Bruce Conway, B.A. (Math/Pol Sci) - Tech Writer/Communicator *
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* Member: Society for Technical Communication (STC) *
* Vancouver Island Adv. Technology Centre (VIATeC)
*
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* *
* RESUME/HomePage: http://www.island.net/~bconway/ *
* Email: bconway -at- island -dot- net *
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