By ANTON MWEWA
Staff Writer

Are you PC or a Mac? That's a question people are going to have to ask each other a lot more in the coming years.

Apple's steady growth in the personal computer market - which is currently dominated by Microsoft with a hefty 90 per cent share - means that more and more people are choosing Macs over PCs.

In essence, there is very little hardware difference between the two rivals. The specifications are often similar and the basic tenets of computing are the same. So why all the fuss?

Apple is a very different company from Microsoft in that it designs both its computers' hardware and software. The feel of a Mac is that of a finished, well-polished product. Microsoft, on the other hand, focuses more on software than hardware in the personal computing department. PCs are made by other manufacturers such as Dell and HP, and then have the Windows operating system installed on them.

As a result of Apple's full control over their machines, a Mac's seamless user experience has made them the preferred choice for multimedia such as music production.

Bryan Mason, 21, is a Welland native and owner of an audio production studio called Helion Tide. He says he has used a PC his entire life but Macs are preferred in his field of expertise.

"Ironically, the preferred platform in my field is Mac," he says. "However, I do not really understand why."

Mason says he disagrees with the argument that Macs are more reliable than PCs.

"If you know how to use the equipment and technology properly, you'll never run into these (PC) problems."

The Mac argument then becomes that no one should have to worry about his or her computer's functionality whether they know how to use the technology properly or not. That is why Apple has become known for its computers' simple user interface.

Kevin, one of the company's care technicians who did not give his last name, says Macs are definitely taking over in the multimedia field because they are more stable and reliable.

"If you look at most major movie and animation studios today, they mostly use Macs," he says.

Professional use of the Mac is becoming the norm, and so is personal use, even though Macs are, at times, more expensive than PCs.

The difference in pricing between a Mac and a PC has been a major deciding factor for many consumers. The lower-end 21.5-inch iMac, Apple's flagship desktop computer, sells at a base price of $1,199, while the bigger and better 27-inch iMac starts at $1,699.

On the other hand, an HP PC with a similar configuration, a separate sound system and added extras comes to $1,154, which when coupled with an instant rebate, comes to $904.

Kevin says the greater price is to be expected.

"When you buy a PC, you pay for the licence to use Microsoft software to the company you bought your computer on. You don't own the software itself.

"With a Mac, you pay for everything because we design the computer inside out. You become the full owner of your computer. That's why it costs a bit more."

Another justification of the Mac's pricing is its design, but there seems to be division even there.

"The only reason I could see myself switching to a Mac, would be if I had enough disposable income to justify spending thousands of dollars extra on a white plastic enclosure around my equipment with a half-eaten apple outline on it," says Mason.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to how much you're willing to pay for your new desktop or laptop computer, and which operating system you prefer.