MacOS Panther vs. Windows XP: A response
Sunday, November 2, 2003 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
ActiveWin.com has an article that compares Windows XP vs. MacOS X panther (10.3). A lot of good points are made but we also think it is not doing a (pardon the pun) apples and apples comparison.
The article focuses on what comes with the base OS rather than what is available on a platform. For example, is it really that big of a deal that Outlook Express doesn't include spam fighting features when for free you can download something like SpamPal? Especially when a Mac carries with it a $600 to $1000 premium?
horiz0n
Reply #2 Monday, November 3, 2003 2:49 AM
Reply #2 Monday, November 3, 2003 2:49 AM
Same here, I don't think I'd say one is better than the other, but I wouldn't want windows on my mac, and I wouldn't want OSX panther or any other on my PC. But I'm giddy as all hell that I have iTunes on both now lol.
althe3rduwwxp
Reply #3 Monday, November 3, 2003 12:11 PM
Reply #3 Monday, November 3, 2003 12:11 PM
First of all, I agree with both of your comments. I also own and use both on a daily basis, with everything from video, photo, game, and program editing. I find both to do the job well. And I also find that article at JoeUser.com to be interesting but I feel that all the comments in red were made by someone who maybe used a mac once in his life. You can tell by his lack of knowledge of the screen capture issue. Any basic mac user knows the short cut key for screen capture just as all windows users know the short cut key for windows. It's a good comparison but a bit unfair considering the lack of knowledge towards the mac end of things. BTW, to give you an idea, here is my website, I edit it on both my windows xp machine and my os 10.3 panther machine. www.als-place.com
dagwinn
Reply #4 Monday, November 3, 2003 4:30 PM
Reply #4 Monday, November 3, 2003 4:30 PM
Sorry, but not all Windows users know the short cut key for "Print Screen." I'd bet that vast majority have no idea what the "PrtSc" button does in Windows, let alone variations based on key combinations. (And ScrLk goes along for the same ride).
Frogboy
Reply #5 Monday, November 3, 2003 7:51 PM
Reply #5 Monday, November 3, 2003 7:51 PM
On my keyborad is says "Print Screen" not "PrtSc".
Cellarstudios
Reply #6 Monday, November 3, 2003 10:56 PM
Reply #6 Monday, November 3, 2003 10:56 PM
I think it's a bit unfair to also say that you have to pay a $600 to $1000 premium as well. Thats not true. If you purchased a top of the line machine from say Alienware, and the top of the line mac from say Apple or MacMall, the prices come out very even. A brand new 64-bit G5 processor, new High-Speed PCI-X slots, something that pc's dont have standardized as well, including Firewire 800. I just think its a bit unfair to tact a price lable on it when they are actually quite reasonable.
cjorli
Reply #7 Monday, November 3, 2003 11:04 PM
Reply #7 Monday, November 3, 2003 11:04 PM
Here's another site that tries to address this issue objectively... http://www.xvsxp.com/
fordprefect
Reply #8 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 8:06 AM
Reply #8 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 8:06 AM
hmmm... the reply at joeuser always say that there's an alternative on windows for parts of the mac os features i.e the better icon handling.
i think this is not a good argument. most of the people out there just use stuff they get with the computer like i.e. the inetrent explorer. they don't care about installing additional or better programy they just use what's inside of the os.
so i don't see why mac os x shouldn't not be better in this part?
i use both plattforms and for the last week i was getting really excited about panther.
it's usability is far better and follows a more human-style logical way. i can tell you that my mum is aged 50 and she loves to work with the mac os. she says that she can use it more intentionally as the windows os.
and for me as a longtime unix/linux user it is also a great thing
)
i think this is not a good argument. most of the people out there just use stuff they get with the computer like i.e. the inetrent explorer. they don't care about installing additional or better programy they just use what's inside of the os.
so i don't see why mac os x shouldn't not be better in this part?
i use both plattforms and for the last week i was getting really excited about panther.
it's usability is far better and follows a more human-style logical way. i can tell you that my mum is aged 50 and she loves to work with the mac os. she says that she can use it more intentionally as the windows os.
and for me as a longtime unix/linux user it is also a great thing
)
dagwinn
Reply #9 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 11:42 AM
Reply #9 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 11:42 AM
Frogboy,
On my IBM laptop, the button says "PrtSc." On my Microsoft "natural" keyboard on the desktop, it says "PrtScn". On the original Dell keyboard, it says "Print Screen."
Whatever it says, the majority people I know still don't know what it does in Windows, nor do they have much desire or need for it. Then again, the majority of Mac users I know don't know how to do a screen capture either.
After all, those of us posting here are NOT typical users.
On my IBM laptop, the button says "PrtSc." On my Microsoft "natural" keyboard on the desktop, it says "PrtScn". On the original Dell keyboard, it says "Print Screen."
Whatever it says, the majority people I know still don't know what it does in Windows, nor do they have much desire or need for it. Then again, the majority of Mac users I know don't know how to do a screen capture either.
After all, those of us posting here are NOT typical users.
digital_k
Reply #10 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 5:22 PM
Reply #10 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 5:22 PM
I have used OSX machines,they are very nice, but I cut my teeth on Windows boxes, so I would have to go with XP. It has to be the most stable version of Windows ever(post SP1 anyway) can't wait for "Longhorn", I hope it's even better.
PixelCargo
Reply #11 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 7:34 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 7:34 PM
The people in my class think mac is better because it looks pretty...
hmmm
hmmm
Cellarstudios
Reply #12 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 7:54 PM
Reply #12 Tuesday, November 4, 2003 7:54 PM
Macs are great machines that serve its purpose well, just like Windows machines. There are points on either side that pretty much balance out the somewhat "War". The biggest issue people should look at it, what really works for you?
jtfolden
Reply #13 Sunday, November 9, 2003 6:36 PM
Reply #13 Sunday, November 9, 2003 6:36 PM
I'd also have to agree that it's the "out-of-box' experience in this case. What might be available as 3rd party freeware/shareware to plug up holes and missing features should not be taken into account in reviews and comparisons such as this. Otherwise, where does it end? The average user is not going to go out looking for these things. They expect to open the box and get to work.
I'd also take issue with the $600-1000 premium. I just can't think where this might be true at the moment except for, perhaps, on the remaining G4 towers. Sure, the white box build-yer-own systems are cheaper but they're cheaper than IBM and Sony systems, too. It's hardly an apples to apples comparison.
I'd also take issue with the $600-1000 premium. I just can't think where this might be true at the moment except for, perhaps, on the remaining G4 towers. Sure, the white box build-yer-own systems are cheaper but they're cheaper than IBM and Sony systems, too. It's hardly an apples to apples comparison.
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Reply #1 Sunday, November 2, 2003 6:30 PM