My first year of using a Mac…

…and why it’s better than a PC. One word: design. Up until last summer, the only computer I had ever used was a PC. Sure, I had used a Mac briefly a handful of times. But the only computer I had used on a regular basis was a PC and that’s what I’ve been supporting as an instructional technologist for ten years. On a daily basis, I don’t have a problem with PCs or Windows. I’m so used to their design I don’t think much about it. That is, until I use my Mac. It becomes immediately obvious why people say Macs are easier to use. The user interface is much more simple than Windows computers and there is a greater level of abstraction in the user interface regarding configuration and inner workings. I think in general, users prefer this level of interaction with their computer. A good example of Mac OS simplicity compared to Windows is that when you install a computer program in Windows, you could end up with three shortcuts to the program - one on the desktop, one in quick launch and one in the Start Menu. Do you really need three shortcuts!? Please!

I’m now surprised when I hear other technology folks put down Macs by saying they are more expensive and don’t have the market share that PCs do. I guess you get what you pay for.