Why are Macs different?

Back in what now seems like the dark ages of computer development, Apple was at the forefront of computer design alongside IBM. In fact the Apple operating system and user interface was streets ahead of MS-DOS and early Microsoft Windows systems, as shown in the images below.

Left, an MS-DOS screenshot from 1985. Right, how Apple looked a year earlier. Look familiar?

In the mid 1980s, Asian manufacturers cloned the IBM PC - sales soared and prices plummeted. Apple refused to license the Macintosh operating system to anyone else, and so was left with a relatively expensive computer to sell.

But the Mac survived and found its own niche with a band of enthusiastic owners, especially in the education and publishing industries.

Fewer differences

Today, the differences between the two types of computer are not so marked. Apple used to control the manufacture of all its hardware, making Macs more difficult to upgrade. But it has recently outsourced a lot of components and now boasts Intel processors, NVIDIA or ATI graphics cards and other easily upgradeable components.

Macs used to have a limited range of software programs compared with PCs but most software manufacturers now make PC and Mac versions of the same program. And with the OS X Leopard operating system and its Boot Camp tool, you can run Microsoft Windows on a Mac.

Personal preference

When comparing Apples with ... well, PCs, it's now almost a case of personal preference rather than technological advantage. A direct comparison is made even more difficult because the goal posts are forever shifting. Both formats regularly release new hardware, new operating systems, new features, and new programs.

If you are used to operating a Windows computer, becoming comfortable with a Mac may take a little time. It's like buying a new car - the controls are similar, but they're not always in the same place.