The Apple Computers have traditionally used Motorola cpu's descending from the 6502.  I believe that the current
cpu in the mini is MC7447, but I am not a Mac expert by any means.  The PC uses Intel (etc.) processors.  The
downshot is that at the very core of these, the cpu's speak entirely different languages.  (Different "instruction
sets")  Software for one will generally not run on the other.  Especially operating system software, which works in
close conjunction with the hardware.

When IBM rushed to get out the first PC in order to catch up with Apple, it made one fatal business mistake: not
one single part of the original PC was proprietary to IBM.  (The operating system was even picked up from others,
but that is a long, magical story.)  As a result, we now have thousands of manufacturers producing components for
the PC, ever-honed by competition in price, quality, and features.  (Only a handful of operating systems, though.
Wonder why??)

Apple controls its internals and its operating system.

A decision on whether to buy/build a PC or purchase an Apple depends on many factors such as cost, availability of
service and parts, features, ease of use, available software, etc.  It is your decision on what will work best for
you.  But do not expect compatability.

(My first computer was an Apple II, and I loved it!!)

Dean Kukral

----- Original Message -----
From: Randy Worstell
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 6:35 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] PC or Apple?


I have been looking at the new Mac mini as my next computer.  Up to this
point I have only used PCs and I am wondering what if anything is physically
different between the Mac and  a PC.  Is it only OS software or is the
processor also different?  I guess my concern is that if I didn't like the
new Mac could I simply re-install windows XP on the Mac mini?

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