[This is part 2 of a 10 part series titled: “So You’re An IT Noob“]
Now that you have a website, it is going to be time to equip your staff with computers. This brings up a long running and quite frankly, tiresome debate:
Mac or PC?
The fact is, both have advantages and disadvantages. Churches and ministries are often resorting to a mixed environment of both platforms and you’ll need to determine beforehand what works best for your church.
So, let’s take a look first at the Mac platform and the advantages of it over the PC platform:
Mac Advantages
Ease of use – Mac computers really are easy to use. While most people have been using PC based computers, the change to the Mac platform is not difficult and most people will get the hang of the subtle differences fairly quickly. A specific example would be the installation of programs. For most software, one merely has to click and drag to the application folder and you’re done.
Excellent default software – Right out of the box, Mac computers come with the iLife suite of software – iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto and GarageBand. If your church is on a really tight budget (and since this is a plant, chances are that is the case!) this software provides an easy and free way to create movies, photo slide shows and work with music.
Ability to run Windows – If you have anybody that needs to run both Mac and Windows, one computer can handle both. Whether you utilize an option such as Bootcamp, where you boot separately to each OS, or something such as VMWare which allows Windows to run in a virtual environment within the Mac system, the option is there.
Integration with other Apple products – Many people have iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Since they are Apple products, they’re integration with the Mac is seamless.
Security – Mac computers are far less susceptible to malware and viruses. It should be pointed that this has more to do with the fact that since PC’s still dominate the world market, most people create viruses and malware that attack PC’s. Still, no matter the reason, it’s still an advantage.
PC Advantages
Cost – This could be the game changer early on. PC products simply cost much less. You can purchase a relatively decent Windows based notebook computer for $500. The least expensive Mac in their lineup is the Macbook and Macbook Air both of which start at $1000. There is the Mac Mini which starts at $700, but that also requires the purchase of keyboard, mouse and monitor. Also, there are companies that will provide generous discounts to non-profits including churches on both hardware and software purches. Apple provides discounts, but usually in the neighborhood of 5%.
Customization/Upgrades – It’s easier and less costly to upgrade PC’s. RAM, hard drives, and other upgradeable features are often less expensive than their Mac counterparts and while Apple’s sleek designs make for a product that is easy on the eyes, it does make it difficult to take apart in order to upgrade.
More software choices – PC’s have a larger market share. Therefore, there is a lot more software available for it. In addition, companies like Microsoft provide big discounts for non-profits on software purchases.
The main thing to remember is to do your research. Find out what people are going to be doing. Don’t spend $1000+ on a Mac if somebody is merely going to utlize the machine for email. At the same time, don’t bog down your worship pastor (who, early on, will be doing everything) with a $399 laptop and expect him to quickly edit some videos.
Sit down with the staff, find out what it is they’ll be doing (and will be doing down the road) and match what it is to the advantages above.
Now, for part 3!
Kevin says
Good stuff man!
I’d add that Mac’s stability is also largely due to the fact that they’re essentially Unix with a really pretty GUI on top (they really aren’t that special! lol) and upgrading them can be as affordable as upgrading a PC. Hard drive wise, they use SATA like every other new PC out there, and for the most part, SATA is SATA. RAM is a little different. I usually use the “Memory Advisor” tool on Crucial.com and then take the information and find something that matches on Newegg. As long as you use good vendors, you can get some good deals that make upgrading about the same cost for both sides.
If you’re a Church, CDW has non-profit accounts/account managers and pretty good deals on most everything. I work for a Christian, non-profit organization and they’ve been great to us! Sometimes NewEgg and Amazon still win out though.
I’m looking forward to parts 3-10!
Henry says
Having just crossed over from a PC to a MacBook Pro, I would agree about the price differential for upgrades. For those interested, macsales.com has great videos to walk you through memory and hard drive installations. They have some great hard drive upgrade packages that include a plastic external USB hard drive case, tools and software to assist you in cloning your existing installation and then leave you with an external hard drive using your old drive.
I’ll also agree that the transition from PC to Mac can go pretty easy, but it’s not without it’s annoyances. 🙂
Jay Caruso says
Understood. Of course, if you read back what you wrote and said it to somebody that is really a noob, they’d be looking at you with glazed eyes. 🙂
Henry says
Same for VMs, as mentioned. 🙂 Just pointing out a resource. Another, referring to discount software, would be Tech Soup Stock. If you’re a registered non-profit, they have some great software, and some hardware, prices for you.