What Is the Difference Between PC And Mac?

In the beginning there were mainframes, giant computers that filled rooms with their memory units. Then there were kits that people could build at home to have their very own low-functioning computers. Then came the dawn of the personal computer and very shortly thereafter, the war of the formats began.

History

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak decided they could build their own computers using parts from Radio Shack cheaper than buying a kit. It helped that Wozniak was a genius. In July 1976, the Apple I computer was released, launching the home computer revolution. In 1981, IBM launched its personal computer. There were others along the way, including those from Commodore, Radio Shack, Osborne and the Coleco Adam.

Significance

While they used different operating systems, the Apple II and comparable PCs weren't all that different until 1984. In January of that year, Apple spent a large sum of money to show its now legendary "1984" Macintosh commercial during the Super Bowl. This computer changed everything because it had the first consumer-level graphical user interface (GUI). In other words, users didn't have to know computer language in order to use it. They could see folders and files as icons on the "desktop" of the screen. They could physically drag things to and from folders.

Time Frame

Nearly two years later, Bill Gates' Microsoft Corp., which had supplied the disk operating system (DOS) for IBM PCs, introduced Windows. This was the first GUI for the PC, but it was not a true operating system. It was an add-on for DOS. Still, the PC had entered the world of the GUI.

Effects

Over the years, Apple has brought lawsuits against Microsoft for patent and copyright infringement; but somehow, Microsoft always escaped unscathed. This is despite rather obvious copying the company did from Apple's software. As the iPod has gained in the market, more people have been buying MacBook laptops and Macintosh desktop computers than ever before.

Benefits

Today, with the exception of a few keystrokes, Macs and PCs operate for the user quite similarly. The obvious difference now is the quality of the machines. There always has been a big difference between Apple's elegant designs and the PC's cheap-and-good-enough philosophy. This philosophical difference, however, allowed the PC to capture the majority of the market, so today the majority of software available works on the PC, not the Mac.

Potential

Both Microsoft and Apple have declared a desire to change the way software works. Both are moving toward universal software that can be used on either platform. This has not happened yet, but both Jobs and Gates have said words to the effect they would like to make it so anyone can buy the computer she wants without worrying whether her favorite software or games will work. Since both computers work on Intel chips now, this may become a reality someday soon.