Knowing my personality and profession, many people are floored to find out that I don't use a Mac; I use a Dell.  I, however, am floored that this Mac vs PC debate has gone on for so long.  Why?  Not because I think that one is clearly better than the other.  I don't; I think both have their uses.  I am floored because the comparison itself is completely imbalanced.  In addition, most of the evidence is irrelevant.  I'm a Mac lover and a PC user, and this is my take on the whole debate.

Comparing Apples to ...

When you say Mac vs PC, you're not comparing Apples to Apples.  Apple is a company.  Mac is a product.  PC is a product category with multiple manufactures.  It gets even more complicated when you think about the breakdown of hardware and software. Not only are there dozens of companies that make PC hardware, there are hundreds of other companies that make PC software.

• Mac Book vs Mac Book Pro would be comparing Apples to Apples.
• Mac vs Dell would be comparing Apples to Oranges.
• Mac hardware vs PC hardware would be comparing Apples to Fruits.
• Mac vs PC is comparing Apples to Fruits/Vegetables.

I like to eat Apples.  I like to eat several other fruits too.  I even like a lot of vegetables too.  Despite the great veggies that are out there, vegetables get a bad wrap because of things like Spinach and Brussels Sprouts.  The truth is, there are some great vegetables that are quite tasty!  Given the choice between a Sweet Potato and an Apple, the Apple can take a hike.  The trick is to know the difference between a Cranberry Sauce and Beats.  (In case you missed it, this last paragraph was a metaphor.)

Statistics Mean Nothing

Mac enthusiasts often throw out vague numbers about Macs and PCs, but numbers lie all the time.  Again, these numbers are not fairly compared because of the aforementioned playing field.  But, more time than not, these statistics tell us more about the consumer than the company or product.  I have read articles claiming (without sources) that PC users spend more than 50 hours a year troubleshooting while Mac users spend less than 10 hours a year troubleshooting.  Personally, I don't spend anytime troubleshooting on my PC.  I do spend some time trouble shooting on my parent's PC.  There's the rub!

User error does not indicate product inferiority.

Think about the Mac users you know.  Do most of them know what they're doing?  Yep, me too.

Now think about all the other PC users out there that you know.  Do many of them know what they're doing?  Honestly, many of the PC users I know don't have any business even owning a computer.

"Ah, ha," you say.  "Doesn't that prove that people who know what they're doing buy Macs?"  No.  It proves that people who know what they're doing don't break things very often.

The Right Tool for the Right Job

I love my Dell computers, but I love Apple products.  In fact, I own as many Apple products as I do Dell products.  I have found that different situations call for different uses.  Some PCs such as Dells excel at some of them.  Macs excel at others.  When it comes right down to it, though, it's about price for me.  I'm a designer.  Whether on a Mac or a Dell, I'm going to be using the Adobe products and Firebug for most of my work.  Simply put, with a Dell I can get more bang for my buck.