User:Jas.Luc

Topic
Microsoft, a company that has monopolized the computer industry since 1975 is now getting a run for it's money. Apple's release of the mac book, the ipod, and the imac, has steadily brought Apple up to a competitive level with Microsoft. Mac's praise for it's fresh and creative system is keeping Microsoft on it's toes and the computer industry in a faster and more inventive scene than ever before. Microsoft has found itself a formidable competitor in Mac. Which is better?

Team Members

 * Sanjesh Singh


 * Kristina Roberts


 * Jason Luc


 * Justin Fox

Initial Project Statement
Our project is based upon the direct comparison between Mac and PC's. We will use contrast each side's hardware, software, and the pros and cons of their general uses. By providing a brief history, we want to show where Mac's and PC's have come from in hopes of giving insights to the strengths and weaknesses - or just the differences of each system. Our projects aim is to inform and to aid individuals in choosing what system is best for them.

History
The first 10 years of Mac was a huge developing and learning process for the company. Not all of their computers were a hit, but with practice, Mac became better and better at catering to their customer’s needs and wants.

In the past 10 years MAC has introduced and continued to upgrade the IMac. The IMac is their desktop and the Mac Book is their main lap top. The operating system now used is called Mac OS X (roman numeral for 10). The OS X series names each system after a big cat. The “Snow leopard” is the newest edition to the OS X series.

I gave the timeline so that you can notice how Mac started with a very general and wide range of computers. The company has locked into the best of what they have – IMac, Mac Book and the Mac OS X. Mac has been able to perfect these machines to be a lead competitor in the computer industry.



PC Software
Microsoft Access



Microsoft Office Access 2007 helps track and report information with ease. It comes with prebulit applications that can be modified or used to changing business needs. With Access a user can create forms, create and edit detailed reports in many orgainzed ways that can make sense of the data. Office Access has been updated to create, modify, and work with tracking applications. Access also comes with a navigation pane that gives a comprehensivre view of forms, queries, tables, and reports. This software also allows you to work directly within datasheets to create tables. Data can be directly etered into a data cell, exactly how it is done in excel.

Access 2007 comes with a library of prebuilt database solutions

Prebuilt solutions-Access comes with prebuilt solutions that can be used right out of the box that can help track contacts, events, issues, assets, taks, etc.



 Top Ten Benefits of Access 

1. Better and faster results with Office fluent user interface

2. Get started quickly with prebuilt solutions

3. Create multiple reports with different views of the information

4. Create tables quickly

5. Enjoy new field types

6. Collect and update info directly from the source

7.Share info with Windows Sharepoint services

8. Track Windows Sharepoint services lists

9. Move data to Windows Sharepoint services

10. Access and uses info from different sources.

Microsoft Excel



Microsoft Office Excel 2007 is a powerful tool used for creating and formating spreatsheets and analyising information, Office 2007 has a user friendly interface that allows to create profesional looking charts in much easier ways. Excel offers 1 million rows and 16,000 columns, that makes working with massive amounts of data simple. This software also offers calculations that can be done to one or many cells.



Top Ten Benefits of Using Excel

1.	Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

2.	Import, organize, and explore massive amounts of data within large spreasheets.

3.	Easy to communicate analysis in professsional looking charts

4.	Enjoy Improved and powerful support for working with tables

5.	Create and work with PivotTable views with ease

6.	See important trends in your data

7.	Use Excel Services to help share spreadsheets

8.	Help ensure you with most current orgainzation information

9.	Reduce spreadsheet size and improve damaged file recovery

10.	Extend business intelligence investments

Mac Software
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro 2010 4.0

Sketchbook bro is the digital version of the classic sketchbook. Originally being launched with the PC, its always been specialized for pen-based projects. Autodesk sketchbook is great for all users’ even beginners allowing any new comer to be productive in minutes.

AstoundStereo Expander 1.2

With AstoundsStereo Expander sounds come from all around. This effect elevates and widens the stereo image for an astounding experience for ones ears. This software also provides great audio playback with DVDs and CDS on Mac. It is specifically designed to improve the sound played on Mac computers.

Iphone software

Shazam is apple Iphone software that is free to download. With Shazam you can identify music tracks by just listening to the music that is playing. Just seconds after the music is heard by the Iphone information such as artists, track name, and album, is saved for later reference. Shazam is an important tool when you here a song that you don’t know and want to purchase it, this tool allows one to have all the information to save it in the palms of your hand.

Mac Computers
There are certain technicallity that differs Mac's from any other computer, other than the software. Each Macbook made so far has various features that makes them an outstanding rival in the market for laptops. Each Macbook comes with a trip proof magnetized charger that allows for easy fitting, and longer life perspective. They have also changed how their entire line in general are made. All of the latest Macbook uses LED technology for their screens to allow for better resolution as well as a better approach towards the enviroment, allowing for a better online experience with less damage towards mother earth. That can also be said for the various different parts that are used upon their computers. All Mcaintosh computers now feature less toxic chemicals in their ware such as being mercury-free, arsenic-free, PVC-free, and having a highly recyclable enclosure for both the glass, and aluminum.

PC computers
There are numerous qualities that make PC computers tha largest sellers in the market. If we look at some of the more typical computers, we can see that each industry makes their computers very much different from the next, and allows for vertually any combination for how a computer is built. Lets take a look at the Sony Vaio FW series. The computer is built using LCD technology for the screen, much like what is used in modern day television. This allows for a high definition experience for both movies and gaming. Also, the key board uses a single sheet of carbon fibre to compliment each key, allowing for a comfortable fit when typing up any type of document. The vaio also offers one touch security, which verifies the user before allowing use. These are only some of the specs that makes PC so broad in the market. If we also take another look at a different computer such as Dell, we can see another difference in innovation. The XPS series of computers for Dell is the the kind of laptop to offer AGEIA PhysX Processing Unit, and much like the Macbook Pro offers two different types of graphic cardss allowing for easy use whether its for a movie, or just plain gaming.

Tech Specs of Popular Computers
15-inch MacBook Pro


 * 250GB or 320GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive4


 * Optional 250GB or 320GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive4


 * Optional 128GB or 256GB solid-state drive4


 * 1066MHz frontside bus


 * NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor; 256MB of GDDR3 memory on 2.4GHz configuration; 512MB of GDDR3 memory on 2.66GHz and 2.93GHz configurations
 * NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory3

Dell XPS M1330


 * Penryn T9300 2.5GHZ Core 2 Duo


 * 3GB Ram 667MHZ


 * 200GB 7200RPM HD


 * 128MB 8400GS


 * Intel Wireless N w/ Bluetooth


 * Nvidia 8600M GT

 Sony Vaio FW Series 


 * 2.00Ghz (T6400) - 2.93Ghz (T9800) Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor


 * 1066Mhz-800MHz Front Side Bus Speed


 * Up to 6MB L2 Cache


 * Up to 500GB HDD available or up to 128GB SSD available


 * Up to 8GB DDR2 SDRAM


 * NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS GPU

Mac
Mercury-free LED technology, PVC-free, 41% less packaging
 * The latest Mac book and imac use environmentally friendly parts: Arsenic-free glass, Brominated flame retardant-free,


 * Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosures


 * The MacBook, runs on one-quarter the power of a single light bulb.


 * The computers have earned the highest rating (Gold) of The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it is designed and manufactured.


 * Single Computer Company allows for innovation, better technology and user-friendly interface


 * Innovative mouse pad for Mac book and Mouse for Imac allows for easy mobility for almost all applications


 * 17 inch Macbook pro has the longest battery life ever featured on a laptop (8 hours 3000 charges)


 * Aluminum unibody system that is more robust, there are also less moving parts to add weight to the system.

GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD and iChat.
 * Comes with a desirable suite of integrated applications called iLife which includes iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes,


 * Nicely designed hardware.

systems, but the Mac's GUI still generally rates higher for ease of use.
 * The GUI, which allows users to operate computers with mice, windows and icons, has spread to IBM and other non-Apple


 * Macintosh users have enjoyed almost zero viruses. OS X's UNIX shell is a secure system that keeps your computersafe,  and Apple has built in a firewall for added security

PC

 * Universally compatible


 * Software Publishers Association (SPA) estimates that only 16 percent of computer users are on Macs.


 * Various computer companies allows for competitive market (lower prices)


 * Variation in components


 * Vast user base means more software is available to users, more programs (i.e.: computer games)


 * More competition also means a wider choice of applications and hardware

Mac

 * Significantly more expensive, even though it offers less memory and Ram per unit


 * Mac Air lacks many components i.e.: the disk drive has to be bought separately, features the least memory, Ram, and GHz even though it is relatively expensive.


 * Microsoft Office is not as advanced as on a PC, there is no Database program for a Mac


 * Macs can't process large tasks off-line as well as DOS systems.


 * The Mac is a tougher sell in large corporations where MIS (management information systems) departments resist going outside the comfort zone of IBM.


 * According to US News and World Report, Macintosh owners buy 30% more software than their Windows counterparts.

PC

 * Newest version of Windows (Vista) uses up more space and memory in comparison to other companies (Linux, Redhat, Mac OSX Leopard)


 * Causes unnecessary downloads


 * Frequent updates cause the computer to slow down


 * Not environmentally friendly (toxic parts)


 * Arsenic contained in the glass of traditional LCD displays.


 * Lower battery life


 * 99.9% of the viruses are designed for Windows


 * Less durable


 * Because it is text-based, not graphic-based, it's more difficult to manipulate graphics for design and layout.

Argument
Both computer companies cater for different needs. It is unfair to say that one companies pros are stronger than the other. We believe that Mac and PC both have strengths and weaknesses. Qualities that each individual consumer needs in their computers will ultimately decide which computer is better - for that individual.

Conclusion
Mac, and PC are two different computer companies that represent needs for different types of users. This project was meant to help provide users with a greater understanding of both companies and how one compares to the other. There is no set winner for which company is better. Instead we used this to allow users with greater awareness of the computers on the market, and to base their judgement on what they have learned.

Jason Luc:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644570896

http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=ca&l=en&~ck=geo

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html

http://www.apple.com/imac/specs.html

http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx?c=ca&cs=cabsdt1&id=xpsnb_m1330&l=en&s=bsd

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=16154&N=4294966502

Kristina Roberts:
http://digg.com/apple/10_Pros_Cons_of_switching_from_Windows_to_Mac_OS_X

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3065/is_n9_v18/ai_7876835/

http://silentsuper.deviantart.com/journal/23666399/

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/5933/

http://www.apple.com

Justin Fox:
http://jinaa.blogspot.com/2009/01/history-of-mac-25-years-in-pictures.html

http://lowendmac.com/history/index.shtml

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Mac-Book/45050767331?sid=f6121f6ba9181a33bb36d8b95f35a56b&ref=search

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_history

http://www.cp.su.ac.th/~rawitat/articles/files/osxhistory.pdf

Sanjesh Singh:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/access/HA101656301033.aspx

http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/access/HA101650211033.aspx

http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/excel/HA101656321033.aspx

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/audio/

http://www.shazam.com/music/web/pages/iphone.html