Why OSX is better than Windows

I am only comparing the OS, not the hardware as both Mac and PC are very similar these days. They both can run Windows and OSX. Running OSX on PC is a hack, but it can be done.

1. Spotlight - This is the google built into OSX that is faster in indexing and searching than Windows. The search results are more relevant as it is sorted by your personal usage. Very similar to Google where the most popular links are displayed first. Its always there on the top right corner, Spotlight is basically all you need to find things. Type in a numeral calculation and it searches in the calculator for an answer. Unlike Windows, Spotlight indexes pdf: if you have thousands of ebooks in pdf, Spotlight basically built a database of knowledge that can be retrieve with a few keywords. Since pdf is native to OSX (you don't need Adobe reader) the searched keywords are highlighted on the pdf pages, making researching so much easier. Spotlight makes OSX the first choice for researchers and writers.


2. OSX's eco-system - Unlike Windows, OSX's services are exposed for all the applications. This allows different apps to network and share information. Data can be pass from one app to another which creates very unique workflow. Type in an appointment in iCal and you can have that info access in a third party app, or select a portion of a website and it clips to the Dashboard. These are simple examples, the ability to network applications and synchronizes the data is the most under utilized feature of OSX.


3. GUI - Windows in it's 7th incarnation looks very good but it still retained that Microsoft utilitarian look. Apple always has an edge when it comes to design, just like an iPhone, OSX is slick and polished. Microsoft called OSX a toy-OS a few years ago, but developed Windows 7 with that 'toy-like' quality. OSX is a very animated OS, the core animation is not just for cosmetic reason, it serves a very important usability function that escapes most people. The hardware accelerated GUI feature was part of OSX for many years, Windows only started using it in Vista. Unlike Windows, this acceleration runs on Mac with low-end graphics card with no onboard ram (intel GMA950 inside Mac mini).


4. Dashboard - This is the component that started the widget craze. However, the idea surfaced many years ago on Windows 98 with their active desktop. The anti-trust case against Microsoft required the browsers to be uninstalled from Windows, which MS defended by the argument that the browser is tied to the OS. Which is probably true, since webpages were allowed to 'float' on the active desktop creating the first pseudo-widget. Apple picked up the idea and refined it, Dashboard is a much better implementation of widget than Window. Instead of nesting it in a dock on the desktop, Dashboard creates an overlay like ajaxed websites giving the user a whole screen to fill the widgets. On Windows, accessing info on widgets mean minimizing all apps, which is not efficient. With OSX, moving the mouse to a corner or a shortcut key will have the widgets appear instantaneously. The idea is simple but extremely effective and useful.


5. Applications - There are more apps on PC than Mac, but it's not a question of quality vs quantity here because there are just as many useless apps on Mac. However if you look at exclusive Mac apps, that is: apps developed specifically for Mac, you see a difference between OSX and Windows. Mac softwares follow Apple's philosophy, being refine and elegant. On Windows, as long as it works, is good enough. On OSX, the software is well thought out, the implementation is simplified for the end-user. For the PC user, they look like apps for dummies, but really, isn't the computer the one that's supposed to adapt to us, not the other way around? Even the apps bundled with OSX like iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, etc are all high quality apps compared to the ones that came with Windows. There's always this little touches in Apple's products that makes all the difference.


6. Core units - These are the equivalent of Window's directX. The core animation, core image, core GL, core audio, etc are hidden gems in OSX. Very few apps tapped into it's capability. Mac audio softwares though, made full use of the audio units for real-time filter effects.


7. Dictionary - Having a dictionary and thesaurus built into OSX seems like a little extra incentive for Mac users, but if you know how to make use of it, this is a feature that you can't live without. A dictionary integrated into an OS provides a system-wide availability of spell-check and definition of words including 3rd party apps. Type a word into spotlight and it will gives you the definition, highlight a word in any apps and use the dictionary shortcut key, a box will popup with the definition. This function alone will make Mac the choice of writers.


8. Automator - This is a treasure hidden inside OSX. It is rarely utilized by Mac users but I know a lot of apps use it for manipulating files and images in the background. It is very similar to the Recorder implemented in Windows 3.1 - back then it's a killer feature that no one used, and today it doesn't exist on Windows any more. Apple knew the importance of this macro recorder and had created an automation system that can reduce manual computing chores. It relies on services and scripts native to OSX and from third party apps to create a step-by-step workflow. You can for example: split a PDF into pages, resize them and convert them to JPGs. Doing it manually will takes hours, with Automator it can be done in seconds. You can also record your actions while using the Mac and replay them back, this method can reduce the manual repetitive chores you have to perform on the Mac. The potential of Automator is incredible if one knows how to take advantage of it, there's an infinite amount of combinations to create unique workflows.