75 Mac Advantages Revisited

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Advantages Index

Once upon a time Apple Computer issued a document called the "50 Mac Advantages," which later became the "75 Mac Advantages," a document which purported to list 75 different advantages the Mac OS had over its chief competitor, Microsoft Windows 95. The Advantages document was created as a promotional item to be handed out to Evangelistas. Origin of the 75 Mac Advantages describes the history of the development of the 75 advantages in more detail.

Despite some flaws, the original document listed substantive differences between Mac OS 8.1 and Windows 95, which were contemporary products. Among other problems, the original document had a disconcerting way of shifting between versions of Windows to put the Mac OS in its best light. Overall, however, it was a very popular document with Mac advocates, and this series was based on an archival copy located at Alex Paterson's web site and used as source material.

In this series of articles, I have attempted to update the 75 Advantages to reflect the current state of the Mac OS (at 9.1/X) and the Windows operating system (now reflected by its Win2000, Me, and upcoming XP offerings). This being Low End Mac, the emphasis is on Win 98 and OS 9, but information about the other versions is included from time to time.

According to my analysis I estimate that despite the enormous effort that has gone into improving Windows, 56 of the original 75 Macintosh Advantages still remain (not counting one Advantage awarded two credits); 18 Advantages are either neutralized due to improvements in Windows or abandonment from Apple, and one Advantage is still being researched. The totals may change again if I am persuaded by my well-informed readers that I have some flaw in my reasoning.

Summary: Mac Advantages Revisited

Each Advantage is linked to the 75 Advantages Revisited article where it is discussed.

Advantage	Status	Count
1. Plug & Play	Weakened, still true. Windows improving.	+1
2. Adding Peripherals	SCSI defunct, but FireWire is a plus	0,+1
3. Driver Management	Still mostly true, but slightly weakened	+1
4. Integrated User Interface	Still true, but Windows is improving	+1
5. No 'Mystery' Files	Still true but not perfect	+1
6. More Versatile Networking	Neutralized pending further study	0
7. Flexible Monitor Support	Neutralized due to Windows improvements	0
8. Better Telephony Support	GeoPort is dead	0
9. Easier Installation	Still true	+1
10. Ready for year 2000	Already passed, currently irrelevant	0
11. No Registries	Still very true	+1
12. Boot from CD-ROM	Windows can do it now, but Macs are easier	+1
13. Dependable Aliases	Still true, and Mac has more combinations	+2
14. Easier OS Management	Still true	+1
15. No DLL Problems	Still true (but DLL is not an extension)	+1
16. Active Assistance	Still true, but not a big deal	+1
17. Easier Troubleshooting	Still true, but do Macs have more problems?	+1
18. Extensions Manager	No contest	+1
19. Easier to Add Resources	Self filing extensions still win	+1
20. Easier to Input Devices	Reduced to parity due to USB, but Mac still easier	+1
21. Apple System Profiler	Function available but buried in Windows	0
22. Easier Network File Management	Still true	+1
23. Fewer File Name Limits	Still true but not a huge advantage	+1
24. Alternate Characters	Still easier and more consistent	+1
25. Better Folder Management	260 character limit on pathnames in Windows	+1
26. Better Window Management	Still true	+1
27. Easier File Disposal	No functional trash on Windows floppies	+1
28. Advanced Industrial Design	Varies by vendor; loss of ports on Macs weakens	+1
29. Better Floppy Disk Management	Still true, and applies to CD-ROMs, too	+1
30. Mouse Button Simplicity	Still true	+1
31. Applications Launching	Still true	+1
32. Security Customization	Neutralized due to Windows changes	0
33. Built-in QuickTime	Only within the OS, not as a standalone	+1
34. Superior 3D Graphics	Neutralized due to Apple adoption of OpenGL	0
35. Built-in Virtual Reality Software	QuickTimeVR rocks	+1
36. Better Desktop Video	iMovie & FireWire set the standard	+1
37. Better Color-matching	ColorSync is more robust	+1
38. Better Speech Capabilities	Only in text-to-speech	+1
39. Using CD-ROMs	Windows has innovated, Mac still better	+1
40. Superior Multimedia	Still true	+1
41. Superior Sound	Musicians love the Mac	+1
42. Games Work Better	When you can find them	+1
43. Easier Screen Capture	Doesn't seem to have ever been true	0
44. Better Font Management	Publishers love Macs for a reason	+1
45. Easier Internet Authoring	Still true, but I miss Home Page	+1
46. Easier Internet Access	Yup	+1
47. Secure Internet Servers	Pretty dang secure	+1
48. 100% Pure Java	Buggy	0
49. Easier TCP/IP Configuration	Two clicks. One screen.	+1
50. The Power of Cyberdog	Oh My God! They Killed Cyberdog!	0
51. Faster Performance	In some things yes, some no, but perception rules	0
52. PowerPC Over Pentium MMX	An embarrassing flip flop, but coolness wins	+1
53. Built-in Scripting	AppleScript just keeps getting better	+1
54. Superior Mobile Computing	Great value, long battery life	+1
55. WorldScript	Microsoft does a better job promoting its solution	0
56. Fewer Viruses	Sometimes more software for PC is a good thing	+1
57. Powerful Applications	True, but not nearly enough of them	0
58. Better Printing	More control but less speed; mixed advantages	0
59. Component Technologies	Reduced to a trivia question; what's OpenDoc?	0
60. Multiprocessing	Seems to be better implemented in Mac OS	+1
61. Better Hard Drive Management	I have absolutely no idea	??
62. Dependable Battery Management	We're talking about the PRAM battery here	+1
63. Macintosh computers let you run more applications.	Mac on Windows exists, but it isn't pretty	+1
64. You can easily work with PC files on your Macintosh.	PCs panic when we give 'em Mac files	+1
65. A Macintosh running Windows can share data between OS environments.	Flip back and forth with ease	+1
66. A Macintosh computer can be a client in virtually any network.	Not unless your IT staff cooperates	0
67. Macintosh computers include many features that cost extra on PCs.	If Macs have what you need, they're better value	+1
68. The Macintosh platform provides better customer support.	If ZDNet says it, it must be true	+1
69. Macintosh computers retain their usability and value longer.	You better believe it	+1
70. The Macintosh is rated more reliable for the third year in a row.	Why did PC world drop Macs from rankings?	+1
71. Macintosh has better backward compatibility.	There's not much that won't run on a modern Mac	+1
72. Macintosh computers require less hardware than PCs running Windows to run similar applications.	I see no evidence for this	0
73. The Mac OS is more stable than Windows 95.	Windows much better now; jury still out on XP vs. X	0
74. Macintosh users are the most brand loyal of all computer users.	Cold Dead Fingers and all that	+1
75. "Dual users" prefer their Macintosh.	Only data is an old study; still looking	+1

Total: 56 of 75 still remain Mac advantages; (not counting one advantage awarded two credits); 18 advantages either neutralized due to improvements in Windows or abandonment from Apple; one advantage still being researched.

Concluding thoughts

I also know there are additional Mac advantages which have appeared since the original document was written, and some advantages of unique interest to hobbyists and people who preserve computers and use low end machines. A forthcoming article will discuss these Advantages.

When OS X settles into the Mac universe in a more-or-less final version and Windows XP is released, the series should be updated again - that'll be next year at the earliest, in my opinion. Other unfinished work in this project includes an extension to the advantages, listing features not covered or not existing in the original document, a list of Windows advantages over the Mac OS (for Apple to use the same way Microsoft has used the original Advantages document to improve Windows); and a revision of the entire list including some unfinished research on certain items and items which changed my mind based on reader feedback.

I'd like to thank Dan Edelen, the original author of the "75 Advantages" booklet; Dan Knight for his patience and assistance with this series; John Droz for his excellent Mac Advocacy resource pages; Alex Paterson for keeping an electronic version of the Advantages brochure alive, and many, many readers for their thoughtful feedback during the preparation of this series of articles.

If this series proves useful to you, I'd appreciate a note to let me know the work was worth it; and if you feel compelled to contribute to Low End Mac for assisting you promote the Our Favorite Computer, feel free to

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