Microsoft Gives its PC vs. Mac Perspective

For the past couple of years, there’s been an ongoing Mac vs. PC war between both Apple and Microsoft, but it’s been the former that’s had the longer run, and the more straight-forward claims. Well, that looks to end with Microsoft’s new “PC vs Mac” micro-site, which tells people what a Mac might not do for them, and how the PC is superior.

The first aspect is simply having fun. Microsoft states that with Windows 7, you can use things like TV tuners, memory stick readers (anyone know what exactly this is referring to?), built-in 3G wireless, and of course, Blu-ray… a feature that many Mac-fans seem to be very interested in. The reason for that lacking feature is because Steve Jobs is disgusted with licensing fees, but given Apple’s products are priced high to begin with, it almost seems like an ironic statement to make.

Then of course there’s the games aspect, which as mentioned yesterday, will hopefully pick up in a big way next year. Oh, and then there’s also the ability to connect your PC directly to a TV. Apparently on Macs (I didn’t know this), a dongle is required. Kind of complex for such simplistic hardware, isn’t it?

Many of the other points Microsoft makes can be argued indefinitely, because PC fans and Mac fans are going to see them all very differently. Take “Simplicity”, for example. Microsoft claims that Windows familiar, and that moving to a Mac would require a learning curve. I guess Microsoft believes most computer users out there are lazy.

“Working Hard”, “Sharing”, “Compatibility” and “Choice” are the other focal points Microsoft talks about, and while there is a lot of information here with merit, a lot of it seems somewhat petty, and arguable. I’m a huge Linux fan, and believe it to be better than Windows for most things, but I couldn’t simply say that it’s “easier to use” than Windows, even if it is indeed easy. Whether it’s easier or not depends on a ton of different factors. Many people who pick up a Mac for the first time find it easy to use as well.

Of course, this is marketing, so there’s no sense in debating it. Will Apple strike back with a vice versa micro-site on its own website?

The computer that’s easiest to use is typically the one you already know how to use. While some may say Macs are easy, the reality is that they can come with a learning curve. PCs running Windows 7 look and work more like the computers you’re familiar with, so you can get up and running quickly.