GUI

• Apple didn't invent the graphical user interface (GUI) operating system, but Macintosh popularized it when the brand was introduced in 1984. Microsoft released Windows in 1985, building it around its command line, MS-DOS operating system. Macs didn't use a command line OS. As a result, Mac users have never needed to interact with the computer by breaking out the the GUI. In the early days, the Mac GUI also operated more efficiently than Windows and featured smoother graphics. This is why Macs immediately became the computer of choice for the publishing industry, graphic designers, photographers and others in fields where the sense of sight is paramount. Meanwhile, Windows machines established themselves in businesses where visuals and graphics weren't the first priority.
  
  

Hardware

• PCs allow users to add or change any piece of hardware--memory, drives, graphics cards, sound cards, monitors, etc. Unlike a Mac, you can build a Windows machine from scratch. With a few exceptions, Mac users have always been stuck with the hardware they've got. But when it comes to, say, RAM usage, Macs have traditionally been more efficient than Windows machines.
  
  

Organization

• Mac users work with files, folders and drives through what's called the "Finder." Apple describes the Finder as being "like home base for your Mac." When you click on the Finder, a sidebar appears and then you can start working with anything stored on or connected to your computer. The Windows file manager is called Explorer. You can access it whenever you open a folder, click on the My Computer icon, or open something via the "Start" button.
  
  

Compatibility

• Certain items can be used on a Mac or PC, with no conversion necessary, like an MP3 file or jpeg photo. Microsoft even makes its Office software line for Windows and the Mac OS, but you can't run both versions on either machine. Most other software is proprietary like this. Interestingly, you can run Windows XP, Vista and 7 on a Mac but you can't run the Mac OS on a PC. (Actually, you can but it's not legal.) This OS swapping became possible after Apple dumped its PowerPC processor in 2006 for one made by Intel. Intel is the largest semiconductor chip maker in the world, and it has supplied CPUs for Windows machines for decades.
  
  

Price

• For years, the consensus has been that Macs are generally more expensive than PCs. Is this true: sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on what kind of computer you get. Each brand has its rabid followers, and by the time the Mac vs. PC question is settled, the sun will have swallowed the earth.