Key difference: Mac OS X can only be run on a computer designed and sold by Apple; however, Windows can be bought and run on any computer, even Apple computers. Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows are two most popular operating systems for computers today. OS X is exclusively for Apple computers, which are commonly called Macs, while Windows is basically for any personal computer from any company. Hence, OS X, a UNIX-based operating system, can only be run on a computer designed and sold by Apple; however, Windows can be bought and run on any computer, even Apple computers. There are a number of differences between the operating systems, which makes one more popular than the other to some specific groups of people. The biggest difference between OS X and Windows is the price. OS X is often pricier than Windows, as Apple is considered a brand.
Apple also tends to utilize higher end products, such as internal components, screen, keyboard, etc. In order to maintain its brand status. Computers running Windows, on the other hand, tend to be cheaper, as there are thousands of different computers running Windows.
Jan 21, 2016 - The Differences Between Microsoft Offices on Mac, Windows and iOS. No multiple selection support in iPad PowerPoint: All Office programs. Most of the incompatibilities between the Windows and Mac versions of PowerPoint emanate from the way the program is built inside the operating system (OS). While PowerPoint for Windows takes advantage of all the media abilities of Windows, PowerPoint for the Mac similarly uses features like QuickTime built into macOS.
Hence, they have to be competitively priced, to stand out against the others. Still, Macs are also now being competitively priced in an attempt to increase their market share, as Windows has a stranglehold on approximately 90% of the personal computer market share. This is mainly due to the fact that computers with Windows tend to be cheaper, and have more variety, e.g. Toshiba, Dell, HP, etc. They are also more prone to customization, as one can pick any computer with any components, as suitable to one’s needs and run Windows on it. One can also make or assemble their own personal computer, and run Windows as their operating system. Also, as Windows is more widely available with 90% of the people using it, there are also a number of applications suited to Windows.
This is mainly because the creators and programmers want their programs and applications to be adopted by as many people as possible (90% of the market is more attractive than just 10%). This also applies to games.
Most of the games available on the market are designed for Windows. Only later, are they tweaked, adapted, and ported for OS X, if ever at all. However, this also applies to viruses and malware. There are more viruses and malware designed and targeted at Windows users as opposed to OS X. This is mainly because there are so many Windows users, that the rate of users accidentally loading viruses is much higher in Windows.
Due to the lower user market for OS X, it just isn’t worth it for many hackers and programmers to study the OS X work up and design a virus targeting it. Furthermore, computers with Windows come loaded with junk applications that keep popping up onscreen with reminders that the six month trial is about to run out; some of these apps are increasingly difficult to uninstall. The Kernel that the two operating systems run on is also different.
Kernel represents the file systems and the way the operating system is designed. Due to this, Windows are more preferred by programmers, or tech savvy people as it allows more tweaks and adaptations suited to the programmers’ or users’ needs. One can make changes to system-wide settings, including but not limited to the registry, add/remove programs, the hardware manager, the services manager, network connections, control panel, etc. However, due to this, many average everyday users find Windows PC to be more complicated than Macs.
Macs are considered a more 'set it and forget it' machines, i.e. One doesn’t have to make a lot of changes to settings or applications, once the computer is up and running. Macs are considered to be easier to use which is why many call a Mac the computer for lazy people. This is mainly due to the fact that Macs come already loaded with a number or applications that are designed by Apple or Apple affiliates and are optimized for usage by that Mac. Most settings on the Mac can be changed in the control panel with a few exceptions. Windows, on the other hand, runs a number of third party applications, whose settings have to be tweaked in order to get optimized behavior. Also due to this, Macs are less prone to crashes and are considered more reliable.
This also makes it pretty easy to figure out what's going wrong with a Mac. Macs have three applications that are all in the same place and help you figure out what could be the problem. These are the Activity Monitor (a more powerful version of Windows Task Manager), Console (which shows all system logs in one place), and Disk Utility (which helps one identify disk integrity issues). In case something does go wrong with the computer and one cannot figure out what, one can always take the computer to the service center. Here Apple has an advantage, as no matter what the problem is (hardware or software), the user only has to contact and deal with Apple service center. However, in a Windows computer, if it is a software problem, one would have to contact Microsoft; if it is a hardware problem, one has to contact the company who made the software, which could be one, or many, depending on the computer’s components.
Apple’s front-end customer service is considered to be good, but the company may come of as smug and arrogant, often dragging out the repairing period and claiming that the problem is not covered in the warranty. In addition to the previous differences, the booting time for Macs in much less than Windows; Mac OS X starts up from a cold boot in about 25 seconds, whereas Windows can take up to minutes. Mac also has near-instant suspend and resume, which allows the computer to start from where it was left of in the previous session. The advantage of this is that one does not need to reboot the computer for every session like in Windows; a process that takes minutes. This is the reason that Windows takes so long to startup after shutdown.
Moreover, many users today grew up with Windows operating system, which is why many find OS X interface counterintuitive to them, as it is very different than Windows. Many have a hard time transition to OS X, as they first have to unlearn habits learned on Windows, and then relearn them on OS X, such as keyboard shortcuts, folder options, etc. This is why not many users choose to transition to OS X. This is also part of the reason why OS X’s market share is low and slow in growing. However, the usage of either Windows or OS X is more or so depended on preference. Whether one chooses to but a computer with Windows or OS X is solely depended on their own preference and usability. Many programmers and gamers prefer Windows, due to its adaptability and higher number of games and applications available; while many students and visual artists prefer Mac OS X, due to its higher visuals and graphics, as well as easier usability.
You may already be familiar with the basics of Microsoft PowerPoint, but there's more to a great presentation than just bullets and text. This weekly series provides quick tips that will improve the look of your slide decks and better engage your audience.
Staff instructors Garrick Chow, Nick Brazzi, and Jess Stratton provide new PowerPoint tips every Wednesday, focusing on topics such as creating balance in your slides, formatting, working with photos and video, animating text and objects, and more. Plus, learn how to extend PowerPoint and connect to cloud accounts such as OneDrive and Google Drive. It doesn't matter whether you use PowerPoint for Windows, PowerPoint for Mac, or work exclusively with Office 365; these tips will help all users maximize their productivity and success with PowerPoint. Note: Because this is an ongoing series, viewers will not receive a certificate of completion. Instructor.
Jess Stratton is a staff author and technology consultant who specializes in productivity software and mobile tech. For over 10 years, Jess Stratton has operated her own technology consulting business, creating and maintaining databases for both enterprise and small-to-medium businesses, building websites, setting up networks, and coaching teams, employees, and individuals to harness the latest desktop and mobile technology for increased productivity. Jess is now a full-time staff author at lynda.com, in addition to being a regular and regarded presenter at Lotus Notes conferences and a contributing author for several industry print and web magazines, textbooks, podcasts, webcasts, and other popular sites, including Lifehacker.com.
You can find Jess on her website at or follow her on Twitter @NerdGirlJess. Garrick Chow has authored 75+ training courses, and is a presenter at Macworld and AIGA. Garrick Chow is a senior staff author at Lynda.com, and has authored dozens of courses, covering a diverse range of topics.
He regularly leads live classes and seminars at private companies, government agencies, colleges, and universities. He has been a presenter at the Macworld conference, and at events for design associations such as AIGA and UCDA. His interests include audio and music production, digital lifestyle tools, and fitness-related apps and gadgets. When not sitting in front of a computer screen, Garrick can be found playing with the indie-rock band The Jellybricks or trail running. Visit him at or follow him on Twitter.
By: Garrick Chow course. 2h 12m 30s.
10,834 viewers. Course Transcript - Instructor In the past, the Mac version and the Windows version of the Office applications were quite different. It's nice to see, as time goes on, the differences between the two platforms are melting away. In this week's PowerPoint tips, I want to explore the few small differences between PowerPoint on Windows and PowerPoint on Mac. Once you know these small differences, you should be able to transition between the two platforms pretty seamlessly.
So, this is PowerPoint on windows, and this is PowerPoint on Mac. Extremely similar, right?
Especially if I set the Mac version to the full-screen view, which I can do by clicking on this green button near the top left corner, but I want you to notice something as I do this. The menus up at the top of the screen where we see File, Edit, View, and so on? Those are going to disappear when I switch to the full screen version on the Mac, but those menus are not entirely gone. Like any other application in the full screen mode on the Mac, I.