In the 1990s, the Personal Computer or PC was the king. It was the center of attraction, both at the office and home. Then came the Mac, which banked on its “young and hip” image, and a lot of people embraced this idea. This started a competition that had the tech world on its toes every time a new Mac or PC product was introduced to the public.
For years, the Mac and PC competition was the buzz of the tech world. Eventually, a large block of the tech consumer population decided to take advantage of both Mac and PC. Many owned PCs at home while traveling with their Macs. What started out as a Mac vs. PC thing slowly metamorphosed into a Mac and PC synthesis that has benefited a lot of people. Part of the reason for this is the realization that both enjoy a strong community of users. There are people who are comfortable using Mac, while others find Windows more suitable for their needs. So, basically, everyone is a winner.
Let us take a closer look at what the Mac and PC rivalry was all about.
Mac vs. PC: The battle of two giant hardware platforms
Basically, the rivalry was all about superiority. Which was more superior and has better features? Which was faster and more efficient? Which had more advanced technology? Which was more practical and affordable? This rivalry created factions: the Mac users versus the PC users, and this made the competition noisier.
The competition between Mac and PC has an effect similar to what we feel when we need to choose between vanilla and chocolate, or between sleeping and eating. It’s difficult because, as previously stated, both have advantages we can all make use of. In addition, it is important to consider all the significant developments of both devices; continuous improvements that helped elevate their performance and reliability.
For example, Mac and PC have become more stable, with increased hard drive space and memory. Apple’s MacBook Pro has a Retina feature that produces crispier displays and helps reduce monitor glare, while Personal Computers have two-in-one laptops that have touchscreens. PCs operate on Microsoft Windows, while Mac uses OSX. Macs, however, are capable of using both operating systems.
The developments do not stop there. This can only be advantageous to users because it means better devices for everyone.
There came a point, though, when gadget users realized that there was something good for everyone in both devices. For those who need to use the device for work, the common choice is the PC. Users who need something for their creative undertakings – video and audio editing and graphic designing, for example – will almost always choose the Mac.
For other users, the most important consideration is personal preference. They want something that they can be comfortable with; something that will give them the freedom to do what they need to do, along with efficiency in terms of data storage, security and productivity.
The Rise of Cloud Computing
Beginning in the early 2000s, the Mac and PC competition has seemed to slow down, and this is all because of the entry of cloud computing. It all begun with Salesforce.com and then with the development of the Amazon Web Services.
With cloud computing, the limited concept of Mac only or PC only, or Mac versus PC, has expanded to become Mac and PC. So, now, the computing community can come together and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Today, you don’t have to worry if the mobile device you are using is compatible with your Mac or PC because you can easily use Dropbox or Google Docs to upload and store your data. The best thing about this is you can open, access and even download these data on any device, which means on both Mac and PC. You can work on your smartphone and iPads or tablets and not have to worry about finding a desktop to store, transfer or access your files.
This is the beauty of cloud computing. It is that floating virtual world, pretty much like a data warehouse that can store thousands upon thousands of data without you having to physically see it.
The Advantage of Using the Cloud
Although some IT experts will disagree with this, the biggest advantage of using the cloud is data safety. Once you save data in the cloud, it stays there, safe and secure. It does not work like a physical hard disk, where your valuable data is susceptible to hardware crashes any time. You will need to access your data over the Internet. It’s what you call “massive data processing” and can be done anytime, anywhere.
Cloud Computing, the Mac and the PC
The popularity of the cloud has made a big impact on the Mac and PC rivalry because it somehow leveled the field. Because of the cloud, we no longer have to worry about compatibility issues. We no longer need to worry about using Mac or PC and then having a difficult time storing or accessing information and opening programs. With the cloud, whether you use Mac or PC, you only need the Internet to make things work out well for you.
What needs to be worked on, however, are businesses that have transitioned to the cloud system. As not all enterprises have already adjusted to the cloud, and those that have still have compatibility issues to take care of, there is still quite a lot that needs to be done to fully integrate Mac and PC and the cloud.
One of these issues is the confusion you’ll get when you connect a Mac to a PC network – when you want to access a file, data or app. You’ll be surprised when new files appear and this will look like useless disk litter. Moreover, there is an MS Office intended only for Mac users, but this is quite different from the one used in Windows. So, of course, you have to expect some issues.
Conclusion
All these, however, should not be taken for granted – the fact that the battle for superiority between Mac and PC is already dead. The best thing about this is that both platforms weren’t erased or pushed into non-existence; they were simply embraced by a newer, more advanced technology: the Cloud. It will take time before users, especially businesses, can say they’ve made the transition 100% complete, but at least we’re getting somewhere.
Photo courtesy of gaffknee.
