Mac vs. Windows cost analysis
Microsoft fans often make the claim that using a Mac costs more than using a Windows system. Although this was probably true before Apple switched to Intel chips, my impression is that a new Mac and a new Vista system of similar power are generally going to be more or less comparable in cost. Of course, there will always be computer users who have particular needs or tastes who will find one or the other OS to be clearly preferable. Also, at the low end there are cheaper Windows systems. However, these systems mostly use Vista Home Basic and will lack many of the features that all Mac systems or other Vista systems have. (And for really cheap, you can’t beat Linux.)
The most vocal proponents on either side of comparing Macs and Vista tend to resemble religious zealots, and unbiased and fair information is not that easy to find. So I was happy to see a detailed analysis by Scot Finnie comparing the systems. Finnie knows both systems and has spent a lot of time with both. His analysis is probably as close to a fair and knowledgeable study as you are likely to get. He finds:
Bottom line: When you configure low-end and midrange notebooks and desktops, you’ll find that except at the very bottom of the heap, Windows machines are roughly comparable in price to Macs. There are fewer Mac models, so if your needs vary from what Apple has decided on, you may find a Windows model that costs less for you. But Apple’s choices make a lot of sense for most people, and when you do the point-by-point comparison, Apple is actually a better value for some needs.
The question of software for the Mac is often raised and Finnie says:
As Windows users consider what their costs might be in getting up to speed on the Mac, though, I would recommend this: Don’t sweat the small stuff. As with Windows, there are solutions to esoteric Mac problems. Chances are, even if your favorite program doesn’t exist for the Mac, something similar does. There are resources out there that will help you. There’s a ton of free software. There’s a ton of very low-cost software. In fact, there’s plenty of Mac software out there — much of it of surprisingly good quality.
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