The difference Windows vs Mac. Should I buy windows or Mac?

 A Windows Microsoft PC or Mac? This is a common question among computer users. The best answer is: It depends on your needs. In order to understand this question and its answer, it is important to understand how a computer works. To make it easy, we can describe a computer as 4 components:

• The interface is where the user interacts, is what the users sees and where the user works. In other words, is the screen with the windows and commands.
• The software or apps. This component process the user's instructions and tells the computer what to do. 
• The operating system receives the instruction from the software and re-sends it to the specific hardware. Actually, it translates the instruction to the language of the hardware and delivers the translated instruction so that the hardware will understand the instruction. We can say that it contains the drivers for each component (the word drivers is not the right one, but I will use it in this post because it is easier to understand).
• The hardware performs all the tasks. It performs the computations, it prints, it scans, it does everything.

Image 1. Components of a computer

Usually the question PC Microsoft vs Mac refers to the operating system.

The difference between Windows and Mac

A Mac computer is only compatible with Mac components (only Mac hardware). If you have a Mac you can only install Mac hardware. When Mac makes a given hardware it also makes the specific drivers for that hardware. 

On the other hand, Microsoft goes for compatibility. That means that you can add any hardware (from any brand) to a Windows Microsoft PC, but you also have to install the drivers that come with the hardware.

One simple example is the use of a printer. If the user has a Mac a want to buy a printer, he must buy a printer Mac. On the other hand, if the user has a Microsoft PC, he can buy any printer he wants. 

Advantages and disadvantages

Both Operating Systems have their own advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs.

Price. One clear difference is that Mac is much more expensive because Mac hardware is designed specifically for Mac. On the other hand, Microsoft PC accepts any brand; thus, brands that focus on one given hardware can produce hardware at lower cost. Besides, the user can choose between different options (Point for Windows).

Availability. This is another disadvantage for Mac and one of the main reasons why I do not use Mac. When a given software or hardware is released, it is immediately available for Windows Microsoft PC. On the other hand, Mac requires a specific version, then they (Mac) test it, and after some months they release it. Actually this lack of compatibility is an important limitation for Mac because Microsoft PC is the most used operating system. Therefore, sometime data processed in a Mac cannot be shared or delivered (Point for Windows).

Open source compatibility. This is a result of the previous point. This is another reason why I do not use Mac, because this may become a serious limitation especially when you work with open source or when you make your own code (Point for Windows).

Security. Since Mac produces and controls the software and hardware allowed to be used with a Mac, there is low probability to be attacked by a computer virus or to have malfunction due to bugs. Applications that may contain hidden doors to viruses usually are not allowed to be installed on a Mac and Mac drivers usually contain less bugs because they are tested before being released. I believe this one is the only advantage of a Mac (Point for Mac).