Are You A Mac Or A PC: The Geek Girl Report

It's a common scenario. You grow up and spend your childhood knowing just one thing. Then when you get to college, you're exposed to a entirely new way of thinking and doing things and now you're not sure which way is the right way to go.

This is the situation I find myself in...with my computer.

I grew up a PC user, and just recently started using Macs when I came to Texas Tech. From personal experience, I can say the two systems are very different from each other.  But for me, it's hard to tell which is "better" than the other. So, what makes these two machines so different? Let's take a look at a few factors:

The Cost: Generally speaking, Macs are more expensive than PCs. I myself have yet to see a Mac that is under $1000. But what exactly are you paying for? Macs tend to have higher-end processors and are more lightweight and durable than their PC counterparts. But there are also those who say you're paying more just to have an Apple product. You can find cheaper PCs that can do what you want it to, but if you have the money to splurge for a Mac, I say go for it.

The Operating System: If you have a PC, chances are you have Windows as your operating system. If you have have a Mac, then OS X is most likely your system of choice. The layout of both systems are pretty different from each other, but once you learn to navigate your way around, you'll find that both systems can basically do the same things. They both work just fine, it's just a matter of preference.

The Selection: If you want a Mac, there's only one place to go: Apple. And even within Apple, you only have about 9 different varieties of Macs. PCs, on the other hand, come in a wide variety of styles and sizes from a wide variety of brands and makers. It's easier and much simpler to pick out a PC that suits your specific needs than to try and conform your needs to one of the 9 varieties of Macs.

And it's not just hardware selection. PCs can run pretty much any piece of software out there, provided your system meets the requirements to run it. As far as I know, you still have to check the software box to see if it will run on a Mac or not.

The Security Issue: No matter which system you use, you still have to worry about your computer's security. Hackers and other cyber-troublemakers usually want to affect the majority of computer users. That's why so many viruses, malware and other nasty things attacks Windows PC users, since most people use Windows. That's not to say that Macs are completely unaffected by viruses, but you'll probably have a better shot of being attacked if you're a PC user.

So, both systems have their pros and cons. PCs are more versatile and affordable, but Macs are tougher and easier to use. Whichever side you're on, remember that both machines do pretty much the same thing. You can still browse the Internet, create documents, upload photos, listen to music, whatever you want to do on a computer, you can do it on both machines. It's just a matter of what works best for you.