In Continuum.

I think the question of whether a PC is better or a Mac has been waging for the longest time ever. Especially after Mac's rise to prominence in the computer market in the last decade, people have been arguing about which is the better computer out there, and which is the worse. I remember the first PC that my family bought, and it looked more like giant boxes that had a screen and a keyboard to type alphabets and numbers on. We didn't really know what the deal was all about, I mean we didn't even have internet back then. My activities on that giant box was strictly related to pixelated racing games, Duke Nukem 3D and I watched screensavers. I have had a few computers in the mean time, and I finally got my hands on my own computer in 2003, and that computer served me pretty well until sometime last year when I finally gave up on PC altogether. Every single PC died on me the very same way, not to mention the mind-boggling problems in between its purchase and death. The "Blue Screen of Death" presented itself to me in the worst times possible, and never with a warning whatsoever. It was either that, or a deadly loop during boot up over and over and over again. The last straw came last year when that happened to me ceaselessly one day, which was why I jumped ship and bought myself a Macbook, and then an iMac later on in the year. Let's just say, I am never going back down that road ever again. 

I have been on both side of the turf, I suppose I am in a better position than a lot of people to judge on which is a better computer, as a whole. No, "I have used it before" does not constitute you using it for half an hour "this one time". I have used both machines extensively, and I know how it is like to operate the both of them. I do believe that both machines have the pros and the cons when it comes down to things, but I have made my choice in regards to the computer I wish to be involved in my life. Before I continue talking about computers, be warned that this entry is going to be as nerdy as you would expect it to be. It is going to involve a lot of geeky stuff that would probably turn a lot of people off, unless you want to vehemently stand up for PC during an online conversation with me, or if you are also a fellow admirer of Mac. I came up with this idea of a blog entry because it is an inside thing between my friends and I. For some reason, their PCs have been crashing every now and then, with the Blue Screen of Death popping its head out every now and then. It does seem like an optimum time to re-emphasize on how great a Mac is, since it is known for its stability and lifespan. Even when a Mac does decide to crash, it crashes beautifully. We call it the "Kernel Panic" in the Mac world, and it looks something like this. It does look more gracious doesn't it. 

I grew weary of PCs simply because of how much problems it has caused me over the years. There were ad-ware attacks, virus attacks, programs not working properly, even more virus attacks, and there was a period of time when I had to send my computer to the repairman in the neighbor for three times in a month. Given, that was towards the end of its lifespan, but it was still extremely annoying to me, since they never happened in a good timing. They always came when I had an assignment to hand up, a project to do, a person to chat with. The problems just came coming until I had enough. Macs, however, don't have such problems. Mac has one known virus of sorts, and that is only if you download some random plug-in from a random porn site. One, as compared to the millions of viruses that have been created for PC users out there. The fact that it does not have any known viruses also mean that you do not have annoying anti-virus softwares to take care of. In the past, I had to run ad-ware and virus scans a couple of times every week just to make sure, and that drove me up the walls back then. I had to routinely delete things, scan things, be careful about what I download from the internet, and everything was just so troublesome. 

With Mac, I forgot what viruses are. I no longer have to bother about the irritating pop-ups every time I started my PC that asked me to renew my anti-virus software's license, or random pop-ups when I open my internet browser. I am now able to focus on whatever that I intend to do with my computer, whether it is browsing through the internet or to chat with a friend over MSN. Then, of course, I can download things without worrying if they are going to mess up my computer, because I am immune to them all. I don't have to worry, and using a computer became a really comfortable thing to do. I was genuinely worried in the past about everything, and I didn't know what to do or who to go to when my computer crashed on me. I had to think about all the places that fixed computers in the neighborhood, but now I only need to carry my Mac to the closest AppleCare Center - it's just so convenient now, you know? 

The aesthetic aspect of things is definitely one of the main reason why I love using Macs. They are just beautiful machines, whether or not you are talking about the hardware or the software. On the outside, everything is just less cluttered and messy, unlike my old PC which had a network of wires behind, so complicated that you could throw a hamster into the midst of it and not expect yourself to find it ever again. The iMac can operate on just one single power cable if you so wish, plugged into the wall socket and everything works from there. Of course, I have the keyboard, the ethernet cable and the speakers attached to the back because I am too cheap to get the wireless keyboard, I don't have a wireless modem at home, and my speakers are literally mind-blowing. Besides, the beauty of the hardware was incapsulated in my father's reaction when he found out that my iMac does not have an ugly tower, and that everything was neatly tucked behind the 20-inch monitor. My father was also shocked at the biscuit thin keyboard, and that the mouse looked more like a white pebble that has been baked underneath the sun for too long. I like things that don't look like what they actually are. Like, a door to a bathroom that looks more like a closet door. I am a sucker for those. 

In terms of software, Mac softwares just work. You buy a Mac, and everything is ready for you to use. iPhoto has helped me to become more organized with my pictures, and I could even send my own photo album to Apple for them to print it out for me into a booklet with the pressing of a button. Photobooth is hours of fun by itself, and I found the cam-whoring side of me once I started experimenting with the special effects. Coolness reaches its epitome when you also have your very own recording studio at home to compile your own album, it doesn't get any better than this. Hell, even the icons in a Mac just look so much better. Applications designed for Mac tend to have more interesting icons, as I have noticed, than the ones for PC. I suppose they were designed in line with the style of a Mac as a whole, which is why they fit into the bigger picture. Anyway, in terms of software, I just feel that a Mac runs a whole lot better and smoother. You have to get at least 2GB of RAM for Windows Vista to run smoothly, when you really only need 1GB for Leopard OSX to run like butter over soap. The way everything works in a Mac is almost orgasmic. 

I like how a Mac constantly surprises me, how you constantly find more things that your Mac is capable of. I love how my iMac doubles as a wireless modem for my home, and that it creates a wireless network for all the computers at home. I love how I can control my iMac (in my bedroom) with my Macbook (anywhere else) just by clicking a button. I love how it makes working on the computer such an enjoyable experience, and your computer is no longer a tool, but a colleague that works with you. Besides, let's admit it, seeing Time Machine in action just makes anybody's mouth water. That is not to mention the fact that you could grab something with your Macbook while you are at school, from your iMac back home if you left some important document there. A Mac is also a PC, and it runs both operating systems side by side, if you so wish, but a PC certainly can't do the same. I use a widget called Amazon Art, and what it does is that it attaches album artwork to songs in your iTunes automatically if you so wish, and there are programs out there that automatically corrects any formatting mistakes in your iTunes library. Everything just works, at least for me. 

Still, I cannot deny that I have my own issues when it comes to a Mac. When you are talking about compatibility issues, there are a couple of digital cameras or printers on the market that are just not compatible with a Mac, or at least the latest operating system. That poses as a problem at times, when we try to edit a film or to print something on a home computer, and such a problem is usually discovered after you've actually bought the products. That is probably the only problem I have with it so far, and people who say that Macs are "hard to use" really should give it a shot. And, by "giving it a shot", I don't mean use it for half an hour. My sister hates the Mac, because she has some bad experiences using one. From her words, it just seems like she chanced upon a badly maintained Mac, and the original user probably couldn't be bothered to maintain it properly. I run software updates often, use Onyx to clean my system, and a bunch of other maintenance work I do from time to time, when I feel that it is necessary. Everything works in the background, in a neat and tidy way, and I just love it. 

Of course, I feel, this is just my personal choice. If you are a hardcore gamer, for example, it'd be better for you to be on a PC definitely. Or if you are into illegally downloading through programs like eMule, I'd recommend a PC as well, since the people at eMule refuse to write a compatible version for Leopard OSX. PCs are generally cheaper with the same hardware specifics, but that is also one of the problems I have with PCs. We have HP, we have Toshiba, we have Asus, and so many other brands of computers out there that run Windows. When you have so many different brands, with different hardwares, running the same operating system, problems are bound to occur very often. Besides, buying computers for me becomes a real hassle, because it becomes really difficult for me to pick which one is better and which one is worst. For a Mac, you are provided with only the best, and that makes my life a whole lot easier. Of course, I say "my life" and not yours, and I do believe that there are pros and cons between the two brands. I personally prefer Macs, because they just work. It has made my life a whole lot easier and simpler, and I love how my iMac looks like a piece of artwork as it sits on the desk in my bedroom. I love you, Sophia.