Research Paper - Windows vs. OS X

Jovan Tewira

Professor Nayanda Moore

ENGLISH 11000-B

May 18^th, 2015

Operating Systems: Windows vs. OS X

The Efficiencies of Online System

            Technology has been developed really well for these past few years. It is such an endless development. This development has made people life easier and much efficient. One of the major developments in technology is the development from typing machine to computer. Computer is a general-purpose device that everyone uses for business, home, and school purposes, such as making a letter, doing some programming, and many other functions. Nowadays, everybody should have a computer because almost everything that we do in the society today involves computer to finish our works. Two common types of computers that people use these days are PC and Laptop. PC is a bigger computer than laptop, its components are stuffed inside a rectangular box, and Laptop is a smaller size of PC whose purpose is to be a device that everyone can use anywhere and anytime. The major difference between these two is PC usually has a better performance than laptop because its components. Then, inside a computer the operating system is the most important part to make everything works. Two well-know operating systems that people use are OS X that is developed by Apple Company and Windows, which is developed by Microsoft Company. These two have a really tight competition between each other, as they both have been doing really good in improving their products. It all depends on what people need in a computer, in choosing between these two products, as they both have a really great system.

            Microsoft Company develops windows. The originality of Microsoft Windows started in September 1981, when a computer scientist named Chase Bishop designed the first electronic device and project Interface Manager, and that first invention was called Windows 1.0, which was the first windows operating system that was made. Microsoft does not build the computer, they only license Windows OS (Operating System) to the third-party companies, such as Dell, HP, Sony, Toshiba. The opposite of Microsoft, Apple Company actually develop the Mac OS X and build the hardware too, and then they sell it. OS X was developed around 1990s and eventually, it was launched for PowerPC-based Macs. Then, in 2006, Apple decided to cooperate with Intel Company, and the first Intel Macs was released as version 10.4 “Tiger”. Since this new cooperation, Mac is getting more popular than before as finally, it is able to compete with windows.

            Both systems have different procedures from starting up the system to shutting down the system. Therefore, the levels of efficiencies of the two systems are different. It depends on the people taste of technology, about their mindset of how the computer should be. Looking in the most recent updates for both systems, which are Windows 8.1 and OS X Yosemite. OS has a more modern look for a computer than Windows. As Windows came before OS, it causes people to get used to with windows first, therefore make people buy it rather than Mac, which is the OS X computer. Even though mac has a really modern look, but sometimes people say it is too much and hard too use. That is why these two systems have different level of efficiencies, depending on people opinion.

For those people who have computers, they all are afraid of one thing, Virus. Virus is a malicious-program that is made by people. There are a lot of benefits of creating Virus, such as gaining more profit, sending a political message, personal amusement, and sabotage. The most common reason that people creating computer virus is for gaining more profit. The anti-virus company usually does it. They actually make the virus and send them to the computers via Internet, in hope that the virus would work and the person who has the computer would buy the anti-virus products, to protect their computer from the virus. There is an issue that is going on these days between these two operating system, Microsoft (MS) Windows and Mac OS X. People said that windows is more vulnerable than mac os x, in terms of the security. This assumption is being proved by the research journal, “Considerations about Computer Networks Security Under Various Operating Systems”, that is done by Professor Radu Marsanu, Claudiu Sichitiu, and George Sichitiu. They reported “Unfortunately, MS Windows tends to become unstable after a period of time, unlike other operating systems. Of all desktop operating systems, Windows has a reputation as the most vulnerable to viruses, worms, Trojans and other attacks of this kind. Some parts of the MS Windows vulnerability is because it's database of users is very large. MS Windows has many security holes that are found and exploited by malicious people” (5). They proved that windows are more vulnerable than other operating systems because originally, windows were designed without a security features built in the system. Also, windows has become more popular first than any other operating systems, therefore people who invent the viruses have been targeting windows, since majority of people are using it. As for Mac OS X, the authors stated, “Mac OS X has a reputation of being an operating system easy to use, reliable and very safe. Core operating system Mac OS X is UNIX-based and includes powerful features memory protection that contributes to a low incidence of errors and failures. . . . Another factor that ensures a better security is the small number of viruses that have been developed for attacks against Mac OS X, because most attacks were directed to other operating systems like Windows” (7). From this statement, besides that mac has a good system, they are not as well-known as windows yet, as I mentioned above that windows got into the people first way before mac, therefore a lot of people develop the viruses for windows. From this research, they didn’t say that mac is better than windows, rather they said that mac is not familiar yet to the people, hence, not many people is interested to make viruses for the system. This assumption is supported by their statement, they said “There is a widespread thinking that running a firewall on a Mac is usually safer because most crackers are not familiar with Mac technology. . . .  Because the system is not very known yet, there are many vulnerabilities that waits to be discovered by hackers, who could make a serious attempt to enter the system, especially in areas that are not public for users (eg graphic support areas)” (8). It is not that mac would be always be safe, it is just not the time yet, meaning that in the future, when mac is getting more public for the society, it could change the virus creators’ interest to start targeting the mac system.

As I mentioned above that Apple develops and builds the Mac by themselves, while Microsoft only licenses the windows to the third parties. Therefore, windows computers have more various price ranges than Mac. According to the Apple Store Website, the price ranges for their laptop is $899 - $1,999, and for the desktop is $499 - $2,999. Next, for windows computers, according to Dell Store Website, the price range for the laptop is $199 - $2,649, and for the desktop is $229 - $9,260.75. Dell also endorses Alienware, which is a brand for gaming computers. The price range for the laptop is $899 - $1,499, and desktop is $499 - $1,699. Another brand that sells windows computers is HP or Hewlett-Packard. Their price range for the laptop is $200 - $2,500, and for the desktop is $100 - $2,500. From these data, we can see that the price ranges for windows computers varies more than the Macs. The reason is obvious, it is because there are more than one company that produces windows computers, as Mac is only produced by the Apple Company, therefore each company that produces windows computers has their own innovation and strategies in selling their products.

According to the statistic data that is done by Net Applications, the web analytics firm, they showed that in April 2015, Windows dominated the total market share with 91.11%, and Mac only got 7.36%, the other is Linux, with 1.52%. From here, we can see that still windows OS still has bigger sale than Mac. But, Mac is increasing bit by bit every year, catching up with the Windows.

Back to the main issue, which is about what OS that is suitable for a certain group of people, such as students and office-working people. Students usually use computer for doing assignments, browsing, and gaming. The office-working people usually use it for only creating documents and browsing. Then, the question is which one is more suitable to each group? The answer is it depends on the needs. According to the peer review journal, “To Switch or Not to Switch? That Is the Question!”, that is done by Jeffrey Allen, the principal of Graves & Allen, which is a small firm in Oakland, California, he argued about whether to keep using windows OS or changing it into the Mac OS X, for the computers in his law office. From his journal, he stated that “The good news is that you probably won’t need much help unless you have a hardware failure, as once you learn the basics of the OS, it runs pretty smoothly and very reliably” (51). He means that in terms of the durability of both systems, Mac is the one who is not easy to be broken, so he came to the conclusion that Mac almost does not need IT support at all, like Windows. Also, he assumed that if it is a small firm, then it would be a great idea to change into the Mac systems, but for the bigger firm he said, “I do not suggest that the Mac will not work in a large firm; rather, I recognize that larger firms tend to have substantial IT support and that, as a general rule, IT departments are heavily invested in Windows” (51). The reason is obvious, as he stated about that a bigger firm usually has IT group that always ready to troubleshoot any problem with the office computers, and also most of the IT departments are only familiar with Windows system, therefore it would be easier for them to repair the systems. In other words, Allen tried to convince that for the office-working people, it would be the best by using OS X system, for more efficiency. Next, according to the article that is done by “PC Advisor”, “5 reasons why PCs are better than Macs: Mac vs Windows PC - which is best?”, I came to a conclusion that Windows is a better gaming computer than Mac because most of the gaming software supports windows only, therefore there will be more options for gamers to play games that they like. Another reason is because windows licenses to the third parties, hence the companies design many different types of computers, accordingly to the type of users. One of them is gaming computers, which they specialize the computer that suits the best for gaming. Mac does not have any gaming computer yet; it does not mean they can’t run any games in the system. Mac is able to play games but not as hardcore as Windows OS. Based on these sources, I assume that for college students, windows would be the best choice for them. Besides of the components, the budgets play role too. For the working people, they could afford either mac or windows because they are earning much money, therefore they could buy either of them. But, for the students, as their budget is not much, windows computers would be a great choice for them, as windows has more price range than mac, which means they have a cheaper price for a computer that would be just enough for school purposes.

Moving to the last issue, about whether we can run windows and mac at the same time. The solution is yes it could happen only in Mac OS X system; meaning that Windows can’t operate OS X into their system, but the OS X can operate Windows into their system. They operate it through special programs. There are two programs that could make this possible, first is Boot Camp, which is built inside the Mac. Another program is called VMware, which is a program that is sold separately. The difference between these two programs is that VMware could run the windows simultaneously with mac (without rebooting), while boot camp needs the system to reboot first, then change it into the Windows or back to OS X. Boot camp is free as it comes within the mac when we buy it for the first time, but for the VMware software, it costs from $69.99 to $149.99 for the newer version, VMware Fusion 7.

In conclusion, both systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is not the matter of which one is the best, but it is all about which one suits for the current needs. As I have mentioned that both OS are equally good, but it all depends on the person who wants to buy it, from the financial aspect to the functionalities. Also, it depends on people taste on how a computer should look like.

           

           

           

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