Windows versus Mac, an old topic that's currently very relevant

For the very first time, I was confronted with this topic around 1998. At that time, I worked at an advertising agency helped out. All of a sudden, there stood a Macintosh. Oh my God, what is that? It's supposed to be better for graphics editing, have a faster processor, and generally be better for sound and graphics applications.
So far, so good. The Macintosh survived in the agency for about 2 years, practically unused. PCs won back then. Why? Well, they were not only cheaper but also much more widespread (outside of Silicon Valley in California). With the advent of the internet and email, it was easy to exchange files with clients and prospects. They could all open and read the files without any problems.

Then at some point I completed an apprenticeship as a technical draftsman. There I still drew with a somewhat older CAD program that ran on SGI workstations. Unix was used in the background there. In 2000, we only had one PC in that company that was based on Windows. But it was necessary, as Microsoft Office only ran there and data exchange was based on Word and Excel documents.

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1 Windows vs. Mac
2 Synchronization
3 Keyboard and Operation

Windows vs. Mac

Anyway, that's how it continued during my studies. Of course, there were the nerds who exclusively used Linux and painstakingly programmed their thesis with text editors. The art back then wasn't in the physical topic of the thesis, but in its formatting. It was exchangeable in PDF format because the guys knew their craft. In contrast, Mac users gradually came with completely unusable PDFs and file formats. Not a single presentation could be played. Documents had to be reformatted almost 100% on a PC%.

I was always satisfied with my Fujitsu Siemens laptop, which accompanied me throughout the entire stadium. At home, I have my PC, which hasn't let me down since Windows 3.1. Back then, it was on 11 floppy disks. I could exchange all my work and reports at any time and present them anywhere in the world. Even on Macs 🙂

With the advent of mobile phones and iPhones and the failure of Windows Mobile as an operating system, the debate was renamed Android vs. iOS. However, the content remained almost identical. While around 2010-2015 all apps were initially available in the App Store, today the majority are in the Google Play Store. Android, as an open-source system, was able to significantly expand its market share here and displace Apple.

Synchronization

Back then, people would manage their contacts and appointments with Microsoft Office and laboriously sync them with Android, but today, Google makes it all incredibly easy. Data security? Well, that's a general issue in the digital world. And ignoring Google and its like is unfortunately no longer sensible or even possible. After all, people want to take advantage of the digital age.

Apple is once again an outlier as a system. If you use an iPhone, iPad, and MacBook in parallel, everything works perfectly. Add an Apple TV, and you're practically covered. Price-wise, Apple again makes little sense. You pay a good 50% more, because of the brand? Because of the look? Because of the trend? Who knows…
How do you say: The clever Audi driver drives a Skoda! =)

Today, 2018, I'm writing these lines for the first time on a MacBook Pro. Even though I'm an enthusiastic Windows user and this operating system has never let me down, I'm currently using a Mac for work. That's right, my employer uses Apple. But new things are always exciting for me. And so, this time right now is very exciting. After all, from now on I can actually speak as an „insider“ on both topics.

My Experiences in the First Few Weeks with Apple
First, it's important to know that I only use a MacBook Pro. No iPhone, no iMac, or whatever Apple's PCs are called. I still use a PC at home and my Samsung smartphone with Android and a custom ROM 😉

The first impression is like falling in love at first sight. Rose-colored glasses on... The feel and look of a MacBook are absolutely high-quality and I liked them right away. By the way, I chose a 2015 model because the 2017 version only has USB-C ports. I don't want to have to buy several hundred Swiss francs worth of Apple accessories for every USB stick, every monitor with an HDMI port, and every peripheral device.
Therefore, the 2015 model with a Retina display, Intel i7 CPU, and sufficient USB and HDMI ports.

The Mac is set up to be as fast as a Windows 10 PC or laptop. Unfortunately, you have to create an Apple ID. But okay. I'll get through it. This is also created within a few minutes and the confirmation email is received. Let's go!

My Mac is doing an update to Sierra something. Alright…Windows does that sometimes too. Although the updates there are installed faster. Fully updated, I set off and install a few apps that I need for work. What I notice right away…Mac is based on Unix. Great, I know my way around that. (see above).

Browser... yes... ah yes... Safari. That's what it's called here. I'll open it right away to download Chrome. This is found, installed, and set up in no time. Since my employer also uses Gmail and Chrome, I can get oriented right away and don't have to deal with „Apple-specific“ tools (calendar, etc.). Nevertheless, I will use Safari from now on to retrieve my emails (Gmail). I use Chrome for surfing because my bookmarks are already there and synchronization with my PC and phone is done automatically.

It's also noticeable that a Mac just runs completely smoothly. There's no stuttering. The fonts are great to read, and the Retina display has a super high resolution. Point for Apple. However, if you connect a Logitech mouse, the stuttering returns. This smooth operation is only maintained using the touchpad. And possibly with an Apple Mouse. But I can't say anything about that.

Keyboard and Operation

It's unbelievable how differently Apple is structured in many respects. Of course, nothing that can't be learned in a very short time. However... there are quite a few surprises. First and foremost, I immediately miss the Delete key! There is a Backspace key, just like on Windows. However, the Delete key is used very regularly. For example, to delete a file or to delete letters. I find it very cumbersome to always click precisely behind a letter to use Backspace. Of course, there is a key combination of FN+Backspace that replaces the Delete key. But this is also very, very cumbersome. They could have provided a little more space on the keyboard here.

Also, the Pos1/Home and End keys are also missing. How do you jump to the beginning of a line? This is often necessary, especially in Excel. Well, there are surely keyboard shortcuts for that too. As a Mac user, you just have to remember more things... which isn't so bad, actually.

I haven't been able to take a screenshot yet. That will probably take a little longer. But I'm taking that time and giving this whole Mac and Apple system a chance. With web design, I now see why Retina resolution is absolutely essential. The graphics don't look as good when they've been optimized for PC. Well, I've already changed that on my blog here.

So my MacBook has helped me out already at that point. Thanks, Apple! Whether we will become friends eventually remains to be seen in the coming weeks 🙂

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