difference between windows and mac??

Windows machine = personal computer
Apple / Mac running OSX = personal computer
a machine running Linux = personal computer

All the same things internally with differing methods of doing the same things externally.

IceFire said:

you can change features on a mac and even run most software updates (excluding Safari and iTunes updates) without having to restart the Mac, and if a program freezes it doesn't take down the entire OS and force-quitting it is almost always immediate (none of this "windows is looking for a solution to the problem" crap)

I dont know, I have seen this problem on both OS's. My wifes macbook pro had an issue with a game recently on stalling on exit. It wouldn't do anything for a few minutes, just stayed in game and couldn't do anything. Issues arise from any program put on either system. I have seen windows recover very well sometimes from issues. and I have seen it not. lol

Thorsen said:

IceFire said:

you can change features on a mac and even run most software updates (excluding Safari and iTunes updates) without having to restart the Mac, and if a program freezes it doesn't take down the entire OS and force-quitting it is almost always immediate (none of this "windows is looking for a solution to the problem" crap)

I dont know, I have seen this problem on both OS's. My wifes macbook pro had an issue with a game recently on stalling on exit. It wouldn't do anything for a few minutes, just stayed in game and couldn't do anything. Issues arise from any program put on either system. I have seen windows recover very well sometimes from issues. and I have seen it not. lol

+1 although i do like the way that windows now seems to have a bit more "intelligence" regarding hanging programs, ie if a program hangs and you hit quit a couple of times it figured its not working properly and gives you the option of shutting it down, rather than having to force it through taskmanager most of the time like in XP

mpcrsc562 said:

Windows machine = personal computer
Apple / Mac running OSX = personal computer
a machine running Linux = personal computer

All the same things internally with differing methods of doing the same things externally.

+1 It's just an OS with different histories attached to each... The history of each OS shows where the direction of it's development went over time. Once we know the history, then we can understand the strength(s) and weakness(es) of each OS and comment accordingly :).

zzz2496

Hi IceFire, and the answer to your question is "yes". The only two main updates that I have done so far are 10.6.2 to 10.6.3 that have required me to restart on the Mac. Since these two updates are equal to an SP on Windows a restart is a necessary evil.

And, as to NT—Windows NT 3.0 was the first truly OS Microsoft but out that didn't use dos. NT at this point introduced NTSF file system for HDD's. This was back in the early 90's around 1992 or so (any one with the correct date is welcomed). Also, it was the first real 32 bit OS that Microsoft put out (before the famed Windows 95).

Also NT could read DOS drives, albeit DOS systems couldn't read NTFS (a good thing back in the day).

Also, some excellent answer to some great questions. Thanks to all for keeping it simple for us simple minded folks.