Stick With the Mac

Many Mac users use a Mac because they simply do not like Microsoft, Windows, or both. Some Mac users use a Mac because they felt it was easier to use than a PC. Others like the design of Apple's computers and use the Mac OS just so they can have such a great looking computer.

Others have decided that they have used the Mac long enough and should start using a Windows PC - like "everybody else."

When you buy your PC, it will almost always come with some version of Windows. These days it is usually Windows 98, Me, or 2000. When you start your new PC, you will notice that there is a lot of text involved - from the computer counting up how much memory is installed to the computer displaying the system information. Some companies have tried to hide this with their logo constantly showing throughout the startup process, but many PCs still show this startup information.

This PC isn't going to be as easy as you thought. Not a problem.

Then you see the Windows startup screen. With 95 or 98, you will see the Windows logo displayed on top of a picture of clouds. With Me or 2000, you will see the Windows logo inside a few boxes (I guess they are supposed to be windows). Either way, it's not that exciting. Then you come to the desktop - for 95 or 98 it will be green, for Me or 2000 it will be blue - much like the colour of the Mac OS desktop.

Not so hard to start up a PC.

It doesn't seem too hard to use yet. You just bought a network card that you want to install in your new PC. Opening the PC and installing the card is no problem. Then you start your PC, and a window comes up because it has detected a new network card. That seems easy so far. Next it asks you to insert your Windows CD-ROM or type the path to the files on your hard drive. But you can't find your CD-ROM (afterall, you can't keep track of everything), and you don't know if your CD-ROM has been copied to your hard drive.

So what do you do? How about the floppy disk that came with your network card? But why can't the computer find the driver on the disk? Wait, the instructions say to type A:\drivers\windows\win95\.

Now the computer asks you to restart. A little hard, but not too bad.

You click restart, and pretty soon the Windows startup screen comes up. Next you get a message that there is a conflict between your video card and your network card, and you notice that your video is only showing 16 colors at 640 x 480! What are you supposed to do? Well, you have to go into the device manager, find the devices that have a little "!" next to them, and change the resources. You then restart your computer again, and your video is back to normal, but your mouse isn't working. Oops. Maybe that's why you can use Windows without a mouseÖ.

Well, you fixed the mouse problem (by changing the resources again), and now your network card is working. It's funny that your Mac didn't have this problem when you installed a network card . In fact, it just started working right away - you didn't need to install any drivers!

Next you decide to install a new application. You insert the CD-ROM, click "Start" and "Run" and type "e:\setup\". The application installs, and you are now able to use it.

But what happens if you don't want it anymore? Can you just throw it in the Trash like you would on your Mac? Nope. You have to go to "Start" and "Settings" and "Control Panels". Then you have to click on "Add/Remove programs" and select the application you want to delete, then you must click "add/remove" to delete the program.

If you want to delete a program on your Mac, you just drag it to the Trash and empty the Trash.

What if you want to go on the Internet on your new PC? Well, if you are going to use PPP to access the Internet, you need to do a few things. First you must go to start : settings : control panels, and then select the Network control panel. After you open that control panel, you must add a new protocol (which usually involves inserting your Windows disc [never lose that disc!]) and then you must make sure that protocol is bound with "TCP/IP". Then, to set up your Internet account, you must open the Computer icon on the desktop and open the "My Connections" folder. Then you have to click "Add Connection" and fill in all the blanks. Then you must set up your new connection with a telephone number and username/password.

On your Mac, you just open the "TCP/IP" control panel, select "PPP", and open the "PPP" (or Remote Access depending on the version of the Mac OS you have) control panel and type in your username and password. That's it for the Mac - you can click "connect" and be on the Internet in just a few minutes.

If you were using your Mac, look at how much time you would have saved. There is nothing wrong with using a PC - but when there is a computer out there that can save you time, frustration, not to mention money (Macs usually last longer than PCs), why not use it?