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I was checking out the Switchboards forum a couple days ago and one of the members who was in the market for a new computer posted the age old question.

“Should I get a PC or a Mac?”

This of course opened up a small can of worms and you got comments that ranged from:

“Don’t buy a PC. It stands for ‘Piece of Crap.’ “

to

“Why i wont EVER buy a Mac . They don’t have any cool Pc Games …”.

The upshot of the…well, I really can’t call it a discussion since about 90% of the replies were from very passionate Mac users who enthusiastically endorsed Macs.

So if you’re in the market for a computer get a Mac…right?

Well, not necessarily.

I get this question quite often from artists who want to get a computer and are curious as whether a PC or a Mac would be best for working their web sites. As someone who uses a PC and a Mac on a daily basis, I have to say that in most cases, it’s really a matter of budget and personal preference. Most anything that most artists would need to do on a computer including building and maintaining a web site can be done well on either a Mac or a PC. Most of the industry standard software used in building and maintaining web sites are available in both platforms and most brands of computer peripherals like scanners, mice, digital cameras, and printers are compatible with both platforms. And while you’ll have techno-diehards on both sides running calibrated performance tests to prove which one is the greatest and the fastest…let’s face it…if there’s any difference in speed, it’s really not enough to effect what us regular folks do.

Both platforms have their own set of pros and cons of course. A big advantage that Macs have over PCs is that they are essentially virus free. Yes, I have heard of the existence of virus for Macs, I just never personally have seen one in the last seven or eight years I’ve used a Mac. Many Mac users also claim that the design of the Mac make it easier to work with. Also, if you are planning to do any heavy duty graphic design for print, then Macs still have a slight edge over PCs, although the gap has narrowed in the last few years.

The biggest disadvantage that Macs may have versus a PC is that they tend to be more expensive than a comparatively outfitted PC. Also, finding local computer support and repair for a Mac is a bit more difficult in comparison to the number of computer repair services that you would find for a PC, especially if you live in a small town or in a rural area. And if you’re doing web design, you’ll need to find some way to check your site on a PC in order to make sure that your design looks the same as it does on a Mac.

On the other hand while most of the software that an artist would need for web design is available on both a Mac and a PC, there are a lot of smaller, lesser known programs that may be useful that are only available on a PC. The gap with that issue is also closing since Apple has come out with Intel-based Macs, so you can run PC software on a Mac, though I haven’t played had a chance to play with the Intel-Macs myself. You can also get software like Virtual PC that will allow you to run most types of PC software on older non-Intel Macs. If you also plan to use your computer for playing games, you’ll find that not all of them are available for the Mac. So if you’re a heavy duty gamer you may be better off with a PC. If you like to tinker with your computer, do your own upgrades, or like to build your own system from scratch, you’ll find that PCs will fit the bill nicely. Some lines of Macs like the Mini are not exactly upgrade friendly, and while you are perfectly able to upgrade memory and hard drives in the MacPro towers some parts, especially memory, are rather finicky and need to be “Apple certified” in order to work properly.

So how do I answer the PC vs Mac question? I basically tell people that while the capabilities of both platforms are more than adequate for what the average artist needs, the ultimate decision depends on their needs, their personal preferences, and their budget, and that they should research each platform before they make a decision. In a way, a computer is no different than any other tool. The right tool is the one that makes it easier for you to do your work. For some, it’s a PC for others it’s a Mac. The choice is really up to you.

So what do you prefer? Leave a comment about what you think about the PC vs Mac debate and then answer the PC vs Mac poll.

Full Disclosure: As the happy owner of a PowerMac G4, an iBook, a Mac Mini, and 2 iPods, I have to say that on a personal level, I’m firmly in the Mac camp. But I always try to be objective. :)