Why is os x better than windows?
Author
I've never used os x and I really don't have access to a mac to try it out. So I was wondering if someone who has used both or is knoweledgable on this subject explain to me why I hear alot that os x is better than windows?
Because the popular votes go to those that say Windows sucks. Monkey see monkey do. They both have strong and weak points. Just as with everything else, it depends on what you need your OS for and what you like.
OS X is a buggy BSD-unix with a nice GUI.
"Better" is almost always the wrong term when doing OS-comparisons.
"Better" is almost always the wrong term when doing OS-comparisons.
It's not really better or worse. Like most things Apple, it's merely different. (Those ads aren't joking.) It serves quite well as a UNIX environment at the programming level, while not forcing you to deal with all the crap Linux puts you through. The GUI comes from a different place in terms of fundamental design principles. Some of their ideas I like, others I hate. It's a matter of personal preference.
Having used Windows for several years, Linux for two or three, and OSX for about a year now, I feel fairly qualified to answer.
OSX is NOT better than Windows. Personally, I LIKE it more, but it is in no way BETTER.
I mean, what are you trying to get done? Personally, I haven't played a published video game on my computer in a year. Does that make OSX better than Windows? I bet most would say no. At the same time, I have left my computer on for weeks in a row and had no issues. So there are ups and downs.
Make a list of pros and cons of each and choose which is better for what you WANT in an OS, not what the critics want.
OSX is NOT better than Windows. Personally, I LIKE it more, but it is in no way BETTER.
I mean, what are you trying to get done? Personally, I haven't played a published video game on my computer in a year. Does that make OSX better than Windows? I bet most would say no. At the same time, I have left my computer on for weeks in a row and had no issues. So there are ups and downs.
Make a list of pros and cons of each and choose which is better for what you WANT in an OS, not what the critics want.
Author
the reason why i ask is because im trying to decide between gettin a dell or a mackbook pro.Also I don't play alot of video games on my pc anymore, I get more enjoyment out of being productive now that I ever have. Here is what I do on my laptop now and what I will do in the future(in order of most done on laptop):
Surfing net
C++, Java(right now mostly command line compilers)
Watching movies, listening to music
opengl programming
postgress, sql(database junk)
web development
presentations
I can get a more powerful dell for cheaper, but the macbook is way more stylish. So in 3 years which will last the style or the power.
I am a cs major so I guess that should be considered.
Surfing net
C++, Java(right now mostly command line compilers)
Watching movies, listening to music
opengl programming
postgress, sql(database junk)
web development
presentations
I can get a more powerful dell for cheaper, but the macbook is way more stylish. So in 3 years which will last the style or the power.
I am a cs major so I guess that should be considered.
Buying a MacBook now is bad karma. The hardware still hasn't really settled down, and these are very early revisions. You'll want to wait until the Apple hardware is stable and isn't changing every month.
I agree, OS X is really nice but once you work with it for some time you'll find there are a lot of inconsistencies just like in other OS.
Still I would say it is far ahead of Windows in some regards. Try connecting to some other computer on your LAN in OS X (it is lovely, it simply works), then do the same on WinXP. Windows networking/sharing is just horrible, really.
Try searching for some files on your harddisk (Finder or OS X Spotlight, vs. the funny dog animation in Windows Search that doesn't even find anything and takes minutes).
Other things like the Dashboard or Expose I think are debatable. For some users it's just bloat, for others it's necessary features.
Still I would say it is far ahead of Windows in some regards. Try connecting to some other computer on your LAN in OS X (it is lovely, it simply works), then do the same on WinXP. Windows networking/sharing is just horrible, really.
Try searching for some files on your harddisk (Finder or OS X Spotlight, vs. the funny dog animation in Windows Search that doesn't even find anything and takes minutes).
Other things like the Dashboard or Expose I think are debatable. For some users it's just bloat, for others it's necessary features.
Promit touched on this, but I thought I'd reiterate it: when trying to use Unix tools, OSX beats Windows any day of the week. This is why I bought a Powerbook, was to simplify interfacing with the Unix labs at school. And it was a smashing success.
Also installing software tends to be much better. It has the typical "click next a few times to install" programs, but others just involve moving the application to your Applications folder. From your point of view, you just have one file, the main executable, and you can move it around wherever you want. It makes you hate Windows.
Otherwise, its a wash. I love the interface, but hate the fact that I haven't gotten any USB devices more complicated than my mouse to work on it. I love the Unix tools, but hate that GCC isn't up to date. And so forth. All told, I wouldn't give up my PC just yet, but I sure wouldn't hesitate to duel boot once that becomes an option.
CM
Also installing software tends to be much better. It has the typical "click next a few times to install" programs, but others just involve moving the application to your Applications folder. From your point of view, you just have one file, the main executable, and you can move it around wherever you want. It makes you hate Windows.
Otherwise, its a wash. I love the interface, but hate the fact that I haven't gotten any USB devices more complicated than my mouse to work on it. I love the Unix tools, but hate that GCC isn't up to date. And so forth. All told, I wouldn't give up my PC just yet, but I sure wouldn't hesitate to duel boot once that becomes an option.
CM
Yeah, the OSX installation model is really, truly beautiful. Puts Windows to shame, and Linux just looks moronic beside it. To install an application, copy its folder to your Applications folder. (This is automated by installers generally, but that's all they actually do.) To uninstall an application, delete its folder. Period. Nothing else.
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