Personal Compute

When choosing to purchase a personal computer for the first time, the choices may be overwhelming. The two computer systems that are available are a Macintosh and a Personal Computer. A Personal Computer, regularly known as a PC, refers to a computer that runs on the Windows format and Macintosh, referred to as a Mac, is a brand that is designed and developed by Apple Inc. Choosing between the two may be a complicated one, but Macs and PCs are meant to make our lives simpler. Several factors clearly set the two computer systems apart from one another such as the operating system, security, and cost.

These factors all contribute to the consumer's thought process before purchasing a computer. Macintosh and Personal Computers both have loyal followers, but in both camps they have clear and valid points. Ultimately it boils down to your personal taste, needs, and budget.

Mountain Lion is the newest Operating System X "OS X" from Apple. There have been many advances in Macintosh's interface over the past few years. The software that is built into every Macintosh is also created by Apple, which means it comes with a fully incorporated system where everything works together cohesively. The OS X [Do not use all capitals in academic writing--unless in trade name, an acronym, or the running head ] interface works with the processor in your Macintosh to give you the best possible performance. The desktop screen on the Macintosh is clean and simple and very user friendly. All of the applications can be kept conveniently in a dock that can be placed either at the bottom of the screen or to the left of the screen for easy access to them. One click opens any application and a few more clicks allow the user to buy, download, and install new applications from the Mac App Store.

On the Macintosh, it's easy to find, share, and do just about everything. Doing a search on the Macintosh could never be easier, using Spotlight returns results in various categories, including Folders, Documents, Web pages, Events, Music, and Web searches. The Quick Look feature allows the user the option to preview their search results by hovering over them. iCloud is a free cloud storage service that keeps the users mail, calendars, contacts, reminders, documents, and notes stored safely in case the user need to restore their computer. With a Macintosh the user gets 5GB of free iCloud storage with the basic account, but the user can upgrade to get more space if he/she needs it.

Microsoft recently introduced their new Operating System called Windows 8. The new Windows 8 interface has gotten a whole new look. The "Metro-Style" interface allows the user to scroll sideways to access all the tiles that they have added. The Windows 8 Start screen uses live tiles; these tiles make the operating system come alive. With the live tiles the user can get instant updates at a glance; whether it is with their weather application or their Facebook page. Windows 8 also allows the user to customize their Start screen however they wish.

Using the Search option on Windows 8 has become a little bit friendlier. Whether the user is searching for an application, a folder, a file, or a song, the new "Metro-Style" search feature has them covered. Users can pull up results from settings and files with a click, or search within the applications, such as Internet Explorer for a Web search. SkyDrive is Windows 8's version of cloud storage. With SkyDrive the user can easily store all your documents, photos, and other files. SkyDrive offers 7GB of free cloud storage and can be upgraded to different plans.

Macintosh has a history for how safe they are from getting viruses; however, this has changed over the last year. Apple has changed their