PC or Mac: Which is best for small business?27 July 2006
While the majority of us are likely to spend a large proportion of the day using a computer for any one of a number of things - doing work, communicating with others, doing a bit of shopping or entertaining ourselves - there is a difference between the machine one person may be using compared to another.
Certainly PCs may still have the edge in terms of being the computer of use for most people globally, but Apple's Macintosh machine is growing in popularity. According to figures recently released by the company, global shipments of Macs have risen by 12 per cent over the course of last year. While the brand is perhaps better known these days for its phenomenal success story, the iPod, the statistics revealed that Macs actually accounted for 55 per cent of the company's total revenue for the quarter.
It is likely that whatever knowledge individuals in the UK have about computers, whether simply literate or fancily advanced, it has been accumulated from tapping out school work, uni essays or work correspondence on a PC. A recent survey by Superbrands even resulted in Microsoft, a manufacturer of PC software, being crowned the UK's top brand - pushing traditional national favourite the BBC off the top spot. But there is an argument for the benefits of using a Mac in certain industries and situations that require specific functions.
- Creative firms - companies involved with graphics or design could benefit from using Macs rather than PCs as the software available for the Apple product is considered to have the edge over that available for PCs. In addition, the technology to create, edit and finish video or audio products is arguably more advanced, allowing for a more professional feel to work performed on the Mac owing to the more powerful graphics cards and being, generally regarded as at least, more reliable.
- For these kinds of firms though, one downfall has previously been the slightly more limited open source options for Macs, with what is available being of varying success.
- The Mac is probably the easiest to learn how to use as it requires the least amount of technical and computer knowledge to use to a good standard.
- But most people will have had more experience on a PC, even if that isn't very extensive, and so switching to a Mac network may require the retraining of employees.
Making the change from a PC to a Mac isn't as easy you may think, as the two machines are built and operated on different platforms. Any company considering switching to a network of Mac computers should consider:
- Which specific programs they use and which computer would run them most efficiently.
- How important software compatibility is as matching up software designed for different operating systems can be difficult if not impossible.
There are benefits to both PCs and Macs, depending on what you use your computer for. While PCs offer a wider variety and choice owing to a greater number of manufacturers, the integration and continuity available with a Mac - and the ever-growing popularity of iPods, could eventually end up making the Mac the best-buy for the future. For a choice of computer hardware, software and other items visit Dabs.com.
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