It used to be that the choice between a Mac and a PC was pretty clear. If
you wanted to go for the more expensive, easier to use, and better graphics and
sound, you went to buy a Macintosh, for the cheaper price, it was the PC. Now it
is a much different show. With the release of Windows 95 and the dynamics of
the hardware market have changed the equation.
On the other hand, Apple has made great price reductions on many of
their computers last October. You can now buy a reasonably equipped Power
Macintosh at about the same price as a PC that has about the same things. This
makes the competition much harder.
Windows 3.x have been great improvements over the earlier versions of
Windows, and of course over DOS, but it still didn't compete against the ease of
use on a Mac. The Windows 95 interface is much better than Windows 3.x. It
borrows some from the Macintosh interface and has improved on it.
Some improvements are the ability to work with folder icons that represent
directories and subdirectories in DOS. Windows 95, unlike the Mac, logically
groups data and resources. A Taskbar menu lets you call up and switch between
any software application at any time. Thus feature is better than the Mac's
because its use is more obvious. It clearly shows what is running and allows you
to switch programs with a single click of the mouse. Control panels have been
added so you can configure your hardware. There is easy access to frequently
used files. You can make very long file names on Windows 95 instead of short
and strange names that leave you wondering about, such as on Windows 3.x I
could not name a folder This is stuff for school it must be a lot shorter. The Help
system helps you implement its suggestions. A multilevel Undo command for all
file operations safeguards your work, something Macintosh does not have.
Something that Windows 95 has, similar to the Macintosh Alias function, is
shortcut icons. It calls up a program very easily, instead of searching through
your hard drive. The Windows 95 shortcuts go beyond the Mac's, they can refer
to data inside documents as well as to files and folders, and can also call up
information on a local area network server or Internet site. Windows 95's plug
and play system allows the operating system to read what's on your machine
and automatically configure your new software that you need to install, however,
this only works if the added hardware is designed to support it, and it will for a
majority of hardware.
All these things are major improvements, but hardware and CONFIG.SYS
settings left over from earlier programs can conflict with the new system, causing
your hard drive to crash. This is something all users of Windows 95 will dread.
Even though Microsoft has made many wonderful changes to Windows,
Apple is working on developing a new operation system, called Copland. It may
beat many of the Windows 95 improvements. Apple is still deciding on what new
things to add when the system will start shipping later in the year. Some new
things may be a customizable user interface and features such as drawers,
built-in indexing and automatically updated search templates to help users
manger their hard drives much more efficiently. The biggest improvement is to
be able to network systems from multiple vendors running multiple operating
systems. Like Windows 95, Copland will also have a single in-box for fax, e-mail,
and other communications. The disadvantage of Copland is it can only be used
on Power Macintoshes.
I would personally go for a PC with Windows 95. I choose it because of
the many programs that can be used on PC's. Whenever I walk into a computer
store, such as Electronics Boutique, half of the store is taken up by programs
that can be used on an IBM compatible PC. There is only one little shelf for
things that run on Macs. It seems that the more people use PC's. I have met very
few people with a Macintosh. I can bring many things from my computers to
theirs and the other way around without worrying, "What if I need to find this for
a Mac?"
Schools should use Windows95 PC's because of the many more
educational programs available for PC's. Since of the making of Windows 95
many companies now make programs for the PC. It may be a long time, if ever,
that they will decide to make it for a Mac. Plus since of the many people with IBM
PC's at home, people can bring their work to and from school. If everyone had
the same kind of computer on a network, students could go into the computers at
schools all over the world to use programs there.
So since now that the quality of computers are equal it is very hard to
make your decision. For those that are not computer literate, the best thing to do
is to go for the Mac because of the easiness involved in using one. This means
you get less choice of programs in a store, and if you go online, many people will
be using something different from you so you have no idea what they are talking
about. If you know how a computer is basically used, a Windows 95 PC will be
no problem. It doesn't take that long to learn. You will have a bigger choice of
programs and may be able to do more things with other people that have a
computer. It comes down to this choice. Most of the choosing will go to schools
because of the many using Macintosh computers, which most of Apple's money
comes from. It is only recently companies that made software for PC's that got
interested in making programs for educational purposes.
So if you are deciding a computer. I leave you to decide this. Windows 95
or Macintosh, the choice is yours.
I feel that this is the best journal entry I have ever written. It informs the
reader a great deal about the subject and it helps you make a decision that is
very important if you decide to buy a computer for work or home use. It is very
helpful because it can educate people in the world that are not computer literate
in a world that is being taken over by computers. Things such as the internet are
used by many people, and it would certainly help if you needed to know what kind
to buy so your would be compatible with someone else's. This entry tells that I am
one that is around computers a lot and have an interest in them.
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