What is more convenient and understandable for a user of Windows 10 or Mac OS Sierra is a question of concern to many, and in order to satisfy your curiosity, we will try to compare them. We will not consider speed or performance - this will not be entirely true, but to consider from the user's side how convenient and friendly the interface is, in which of the operating systems it takes less effort and time to get the same result, I think it will be the right decision. At the moment I have MacOS Sierra 10.12.4 and Windows 10 downloaded from the official Microsoft website was installed for consideration.
Why did I choose these versions of Windows and Mac OS, because at the moment these versions are the newest (latest) and cause the most questions.
As for the Mac OS version, 95% of what we will look at is done exactly the same in all previous versions, such as El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks. The interface of Mac OS with versions has changed only in display, but the general functionality or location of settings has not changed over the years, which makes it easier for the user to switch between versions of the Apple operating system. Such a focus on the user of Microsoft would definitely not hurt.
Fusion Drive MacOS
The first and undeniable advantage of Mac OS systems is technology. This technology allows you to use a bunch of SSD and HDD at a speed available only to SSD drives. To put it in layman's terms, when you bundle a 1TB HDD + 120GB SSD, you get 1.12TB at the speed of your SSD.
Microsoft is currently unable to provide anything similar to its users.
We will consider in order how we configure the system after installation ...
Disable login password
Mac OS Account Login Window 
Windows 10 account login window
So, we have the operating system installed and the first thing we encounter is the password requirement when loading Windows and Mac OS. I agree, all this is only for our security, but we do not consider offices where strangers roam, but we set it up for ourselves, and the password during boot is not always convenient and the easiest solution is to turn it off. The second option could be a temporary shutdown for the duration of the setup, for example. Well, let's see how to solve the same problem in each of the systems.
Disabling a password when logging in Mac OS
To disable the password when logging into Mac OS X, we need to go to System settings
Protection and security
One tick is responsible for disabling the password: Turn off automatic. Removing this checkbox completely resolves the issue. Now, when booting and rebooting the system, no password is required. This feature is enabled in the same way.
Ways to disable the screen lock for all versions of Windows
Right-click on the "Start" button. In the context menu that opens, select Run.
In the "Run" window, in the "Open" field, enter the expression - "gpedit.msc", and then click on the "OK" button.
After launching the application, the "Local Group Policy Editor" window will open. In the left part of the window, in the "Local Computer Policy" section, you will need to select the "Computer Configuration" item.
After that, in the window that opens, open the "Control Panel" folder.
Then, in a new window, open the Personalization folder.
In the "Personalization" folder, you will need to double-click on the item "Prohibit the display of the lock screen."
This will open the "Do not display the lock screen" window. In this window, you will see that the item "Not configured" is enabled by default.
To turn off the lock screen, you will need to activate the "Enabled" item, and then click on the "OK" button.
Everything, now after a long idle time, after a while, Windows will no longer turn on the lock screen.
Now let's disable the password
If your computer is currently joined to a domain, then the Require username and password option will be unavailable. However, it is possible to disable the password request using the registry editor, however this method is less secure than the one just described.
Disable password when logging in after sleep and power settings
One tick is responsible for disabling the password request after waking up and idle time: Ask for a password (time) when exiting sleep or screen saver mode.
Windows 10
Login Options 
Windows Settings
In Windows, to disable the password after sleep, you need to go to Windows settings, Login options and here disable the password after inactivity and wake up if necessary.
Operating system security
MacOS
In fact, turning on the Firewall is quite enough to ensure security. For the most demanding.
Windows 10
As for Windows 10, it all depends on the degree of your trust in Microsoft. Will you use the built-in antivirus and firewall, or will you install a third-party one. Built-in security is enabled by default.
If you do not trust, then there is a huge range for choosing third-party anti-virus software. You can find some of them in . With third-party software comes the next inconvenience - payment. As you know, free view-only cheese, any company developing antivirus software will offer a free and paid package, which differ significantly in the number of functions, and in many cases also in quality, or rather the reliability of protection. Very often, at the moment when you start to ignore the message about the expiration of the license, viruses just climb. Moreover, in a few days, a maximum of weeks, you will have at least more than a hundred of them. Interestingly, even with the antivirus turned off, you would hardly have been able to collect such an amount. In this regard, Kaspersky, eset, nod32 and many others stood out very much earlier.
It is worth noting that installing additional anti-virus software does not give you a complete guarantee of security and protection. Periodically, it is recommended to check with third-party anti-virus and disinfection utilities, such as DRWEB Cureit or the home utility of Kaspersky.
What a glory about Windows security, I think it’s not worth writing about the number and types of viruses. This is a separate issue.
Installing and uninstalling programs and applications
There are some similarities and differences here. For understanding, we will look a little into the operation of the systems themselves. Windows works based on registry data in these files and it stores information that is very important for the operation of the system and programs. Also, 99% of programs for windows are closed source, which is why you have to install any of them through an installer.
Mac OS does not have a registry, so it makes the uninstall and install process easier.
Installing and uninstalling in Mac OS X
80% of programs for Mac OS installation, as such, do not require. That is, when downloading, they are already in working condition and you can run them from any folder. Installation of such programs is carried out by simply dragging the package of the program itself into the folder with programs or at your discretion. Even if you moved the program to a non-system drive, Mac OS will detect that the drive contains this program and will offer it to open files of the corresponding extension. When you run such programs, the maximum that is created is a folder for storing settings and temporary files in the documents folder.
Removal occurs in the reverse order, we simply drag the program package to the trash, in some cases we additionally delete one or more folders that were needed for the application to work.
But there are also programs that require installation, just like on Windows. Most often these are serious developers, such as Adobe, Autodesk and the like. Those who do not want to open their code for commercial reasons, in this case we don’t know where the folders and files are created, but in any case, you can be sure that during installation it can in no way affect the files that are responsible for the system’s performance, system folders and files are securely write-protected. And you can find them only with the help of a search and delete them manually. Fortunately, there are not many such programs. Therefore, the principle of installing and removing programs is very simple.
Installation and removal in Windows 10
It's much more difficult here. The program being installed creates files not only in the Programs Files folder, but also in the registry and other folders, some of which are hidden from the user. Therefore, the removal of programs causes a lot of problems. Since there are a lot of roots in the registry and hidden folders that can prevent the installation of another version of the program, as an example, or the performance of the operating system itself.
To solve this inconvenience, we need utilities that already help to remove software. These utilities include IO Bit Unistaller, CCleaner and many others that will not only delete files that are in plain sight, but also find and delete files and folders hidden from the user, as well as clean the registry from created entries.
Similar Features
Working with multiple desktops
Windows 10
Two windows in one or split view
Quick access to applications and programs
Loading the operating system on the computer
MacOS
For the first time, it was in mac os Sierra that hard disk indexing appeared after installing the operating system. It is not known whether the appearance of the SIRI assistant or some other factors influenced this, but it is worth taking it for granted. Immediately after installation, the system slows down for some time, the time is not at all long from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Also, after each download, either indexing or updating parameters takes place, but the hard disk rustles for 1-5 minutes. If in previous versions, the full loading time of Mac OS could be limited by the appearance of the desktop, earlier from this moment it was possible to start using any program and application, then in Sierra the download is delayed for another 1 minute maximum. But this time is felt only by users who still use HDD, users with SSD will not notice it at all.
The performance of the programs is at a high level, but the launch is difficult to compare. Let's say Photoshop CC 2015 starts in less than 2 seconds, but 2017 is already 15-20 seconds, but this fact can most likely be attributed to third-party software developers. All built-in applications open almost instantly, even though I do it on the HDD.
Windows 10
After installing Windows 10, the hard drive is loaded at 95-99%, of course, this can be attributed to the indexing of files on the hard drive, but why does this indexing end with the Internet turning off. If the Internet does not turn off lasts it will be quite a long time. Earlier there was a version that this was necessary for the fastest work, that this is how windows synchronizes and updates settings with Microsoft servers. But not several hours of synchronization settings! And in some cases, such a load continues for more than one day.
And just now you thought that the whole check, whether the indexing is completed and everything will start to fly, but no, now after loading, a regular check of Windows starts. It's strange when you go into the settings - it is scheduled for the night, and it starts when it has to. Come on, the next process will be media synchronization, but this is completely confusing. Why, who allowed my library to be uploaded somewhere? By the way, this process loads the processor and hard drive remarkably even when there is no media library at all.
In short, the only correct solution would be to optimize the system - which send your data to Microsoft servers and prevent the computer from working normally. Without this, the first time it will not be possible to work normally, the processes begin spontaneously, which is terribly annoying.
The startup speed of programs, both built-in and third-party, is moderately slow. Perhaps the only solution would be to install the operating system on an SSD.
General impressions
General impressions are not unambiguous. If I didn’t need Windows for various tasks, then perhaps I wouldn’t contact him at all. But since some programs, like 90% of games, are designed specifically for Windows, you have to put up with it. But still, I would like to note that a significant breakthrough was indeed made in the performance of Windows 10, since installing it on rather weak and outdated PCs noticeably increases system performance, and there is also a plus in the performance of some games - despite the fact that on Windows 7 these games on such hardware are not something to play, they did not want to run.
Each of the considered systems has its pros and cons, but the main adjustments are made some time after installation, therefore, in the future they will not be so annoying and you will no longer encounter these settings.
Like it or not, Mac OS is much clearer and more open to the user. The settings are as clear as possible and accessible to any user, even a beginner. What I can’t say about Windows 10, having no small experience in various versions of Windows, I still have to use the search bar to find one or another setting item, which can explain such an attitude towards the user - it doesn’t even cross my mind.
Mac OS Sierra is much more stable and faster, in one of my tests I really ran a lot of applications and two testing programs at the same time - Sierra withstood this. For a long operation, and this is several years, I never managed to hang up mac os or face an unexpected reboot.
I won’t even guess what will happen to Windows with such a CRASH test ...
Unfortunately, in Windows 10 you encounter this pretty quickly. 1-2 is enough for her to get updates, and also to clog the system and registry with unnecessary rubbish. Like it or not, but if you use Windows not only for business purposes, but also for entertainment, then the reinstallation period is close to 6 months. It is after 6 months that 70% of users reinstall Windows.
While even in Moscow people are often interested in buying a laptop within 25 thousand rubles, only a couple of modern MacBook models (2016) cost about 60 thousand rubles. And the price tag of most laptops from the Cupertino company exceeds 100,000 rubles. Undoubtedly, "Macbooks" are very cool in terms of components, but here's the quality ... There are many cases when people even filed massive lawsuits in connection with breakdowns that Apple refused to recognize and repair. For example, the introduction of the new Apple MacBook Pro was not without troubling technical graphics issues. Users observed image artifacts that greatly interfered with work.
Need to pay extra for adapters
Apple is known for its commitment to the latest technologies and standards. Therefore, for example, having bought a MacBook Pro from the end of 2016, you will find yourself with a laptop to which you cannot connect anything without adapters. Even the iPhone 7, which came out the same year. Unfortunately, there is no adapter for everything at once (“regular” USB Type-A, RJ-45, Lightning, HDMI), so you have to buy a bunch of adapters. The cost of each varies from 20 to 70 dollars. Plus, the new Apple MacBook Pro lacks one of the most important distinguishing features of previous models - the magnetic charging connector.
Difficult and expensive to repair and upgrade
Apple's advances in laptop building are also visible in terms of miniaturization. The company manages to be the first to equip extremely thin laptops with the most productive hardware. But this does not pass without a trace for maintainability and upgradeability. Each new generation of Apple laptops receives lower and lower ratings from specialists in this area. Of course, it's nice to have the coolest laptop, but only until you need to replace something in it. This will cost you a pretty penny, since in most cases there is simply no way to replace something without the help of specialists and tools.
Competitors offer more form factors
For better or worse, Apple is still committed to the classic laptop form factor. If that suits you, then there is no problem. However, the industry has long stepped forward, and competitors have flooded the market with a wide variety of hybrid laptops: some will detach the keyboard, others will turn 360 degrees, and so on. Perhaps one of these would suit you more than a regular laptop, but as long as you remain a fan of "Macbooks", you have no choice.
Windows:
- Functionality: if you are a fairly advanced user of Windows, then you know that it has a lot of useful features (which very few people use).
Compatibility: almost any program either works or has analogues under Windows; drivers for any devices; a lot of games.
Support: Given that most people use Windows, finding someone who can help with almost any task is not difficult. Tons of materials online. Ease of installation.
- Price: if you do not have a broken one, and not a factory installation, you will have to exchange a hundred or two green friends.
Viruses: Most viruses target Windows. You will have to buy (or use a free) antivirus. Constantly update, follow the one that better or worse copes with the task.
Speed: "We have a swimming pool, tennis court, restaurant and disco area on the plane. Now let's try to take off with all this crap." Windows eats a lot of resources. There is a lot of superfluous in it for the average user, and naturally the average user will not be able to figure out what is superfluous and what is not.
- Design: why pretend, they often look better than PC. :)
Viruses: they are practically non-existent.
Reliability: operating system written for a specific set of hardware (computer configurations). Based on this, it functions as it should. Rarely breaks.
- Compatibility: the number of programs written for Mac is much inferior to the number of programs for Windows. If there are ports (programs transferred from one system to another, so that users can work with the same data and formats both in Windows and Mac), then they usually have truncated functionality, and work rather crookedly. There are very few games on the Mac (if that matters to you). :)
Price: earlier in this column I would write that "look what you buy from filling for poppy seeds, and what for the same price you can get for PC", but now everything has become more measured. Macs are still more expensive in terms of price-to-filling ratio, but not as much as before, moreover, this is offset by plus number 2.
Physical computer: As mentioned earlier, Mac OS is designed for specific configurations, and therefore it is highly recommended not to install it on a non-Apple computer. This doesn't mean it won't work. It will work, but you have to tinker with the settings.
It is quite difficult to give a definite answer here, since there are so many Linux distributions and they are sometimes very different. In general terms, then:
- Viruses: they are practically non-existent.
Price: A lot of distributions are free. You can install and contribute to the development. Completely modify the system for yourself. Naturally, for this you need to understand what and why you are doing. Lots of free programs and applications.
Variety: as mentioned above - there are a lot of versions. The fact is that Linux is only a kernel. To use it, you need a lot of additional software. There are in the order of several hundred different distributions. Given that there are so many of them, you can be sure that there will be one that will fill all your needs. Perhaps the most popular are Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS and Mint.
Complexity: Some distributions are quite easy to use, but in most cases you will need to really know the computer and the system itself in order to use it effectively.
Compatibility: in short, see the same point in Mac. Here, however, everything is less clear, due to the fact that there is a lot of open source software where you can make your own changes. It takes a lot of time and effort. There are times when there are no drivers for your devices, and you either have to write them yourself from scratch, or use something suitable for all types of this device. Naturally, the functionality of the devices suffers from this.
Of course, this is very short and in order to compare everything, perhaps there will not be enough books.
Windows. Pros.
In the case of using powerful hardware, the speed of work grows non-linearly. That additional functionality that slows down the system on "weak" machines on powerful ones - significantly increases in speed
linux. Pros.
Simple enough, unlike Windows and MacOS, that in case you want to understand how your system functions "under the hood", you can keep all aspects of the OS working in your head.
Feels great on "weak" and "very weak" powers.
It's time to take a look at the longstanding struggle between the two leading operating systems for computers, Windows and macOS. What do their latest versions look like? How popular are they? Perhaps it's time to move from one operating system to another? Apple software has long been characterized as better designed and easier to use, while Windows is less glossy but more flexible and versatile. Is there a grain of truth in this simplified statement to a minimum? It turns out that modern versions of the systems are so functionally congruent that the old fighting parameters are no longer applicable in this case. Both systems offer all the basic features that a user can expect from a modern operating system and, in terms of everyday use, both systems will suit the average user without any problems.
Computers for gamers
However, if we consider them in more detail, we can find many differences. If you are a gamer, then you will most likely want to use the Windows system, since you will be able to change the hardware of your computer depending on your needs. This means that you can build your own computer from scratch, or simply replace an outdated graphics card model with a more modern and powerful one. What's more, macOS still lacks most of the PC games that are available on Windows.
Malware
On the other hand, Windows is more susceptible to attacks by viruses and malware for the simple reason that various versions of this operating system today occupy a large part of the market, and therefore are a much easier and more accessible target for attackers. This does not mean that macOS is completely immune to malware and virus attacks. It's just that this operating system is a less popular target for attackers.
Voice assistants
Both operating systems of the latest version have voice assistants: Cortana on Windows and Siri on macOS. They can be useful when you want to know the weather for the day or find something on the Internet, but most users hardly use them. It does not feel as natural as using voice assistants on a smartphone or tablet, and on personal computers they do not always work as efficiently as we would like.
The main advantage of macOS
The biggest difference between these two operating systems is the hardware you are going to be using. Apple laptops have been the gold standard for years for what a well-designed, reliable everyday computer should look like, one that you can buy without thinking about the specs. There are plenty of cheaper options out there, but the MacBook Pro beats them in every way. However, it's worth noting that the recent updates to the MacBook Pro line, which include the unique "touch bar" in particular, have made it still prohibitively expensive if you want a PC with good specs. And if you want to use macOS, then you will effectively be tied to Apple hardware without the possibility of replacing it.
The main advantage of Windows
Windows, on the other hand, is designed to be compatible with a wide variety of computing devices, from personal computers and laptops to smartphones and tablets. This means that you can get both a very cheap laptop and a state-of-the-art computer. Even better, there are a huge number of options within this range, so you can choose what you like best. Well, again, there is an opportunity to build your own computer with the technical characteristics you need from scratch.
These two operating systems have been at war for a long time. Some prove the charm of "apple" software, while others climb out of their skin, arguing in favor of Windows. There are still adherents of Linux, but we will not touch them.
So why is Microsoft software more suitable for ordinary users? We found 10 reasons in favor of Windows. And here is the first of them.
Games
There are practically no games on Mac OS. Of course, you can install a virtual machine, install a toy there and enjoy. But this is a game with crutches, otherwise you will not say. And the Yabloko corporation does not want to attract developers from the gaming industry to port games to Mac OS.
The same Windows 10 has a game mode in its functionality - the OS itself limits all background programs that are now unnecessary in resources. And all the released power is given to the game. Agree, this is much more convenient than manual cleaning of background applications.
Hardware update
Since we have already touched on the topic of games, it must be said about the configurations of the Macintosh and the usual system unit.
You can update the system unit on Windows as soon as you want: add memory, change the video card to a more powerful one, completely rebuild from scratch on a new motherboard - all this is available to you at any time. The main thing is that there are enough funds for this. Games come out more and more demanding every year, component manufacturers also do not sleep, releasing updated or fundamentally new stuffing for the block. But this does not apply to laptops and monoblocks: things are no better here than with an apple gadget.
But with an apple, such a number will not work for you. Adding RAM already causes serious difficulties, but you should not even stutter about something larger. And given the gluttony of new games, in 2-3 years the question will arise of replacing the current gadget with a newer one.
Even without taking games into account, there are many equally voracious programs that need strong hardware. By the way, the system unit on Windows is 2 - 2.5 times cheaper than a similar configuration of Apple products. So think.
System Compatibility with Peripherals
Another cant of Mac OS is compatibility with various devices. Printers, scanners, Wi-Fi routers and many other office equipment are not always correctly detected by the Macintosh. And there are times when the system completely refuses to work with anything.
Those devices for which Apple develops drivers on its own will work without problems.
This situation is almost impossible on Windows. This OS won't detect a technique unless it's very old and very specific. And then, if there are drivers, there are very high chances that everything will work correctly.
Working with program windows
The Macintosh has a nasty feature of strangely expanding applications to full screen mode. For example, the browser may expand partially, cropping the window size to a specific page. The same goes for some other utilities. Weird logic. There is, however, the Magnet utility. For the program to work correctly, we recommend installing it on a clean operating system.
On Windows, there is no such problem. Full screen mode is full screen mode.
The choice of software for systems
By the way, about the programs themselves. For Windows, a huge amount of software is simply available for every taste and for any task. You simply will not find such an abundance for Mac. Yes, you won't find it there. Even existing software is very often inferior in its functions to PC counterparts.
The same Office that lives on the Mac is seriously inferior to the Microsoft giant. Although, this may not matter at all, since there are already many services running through the browser now. Files are stored in the cloud, and you can work with them from any device.
There is one more thing: programs on apple technology eat more RAM than on Windows. Not much, but still.
System Prevalence
Apple installs Mac OS only on all-in-ones and laptops. There is iOS for smartphones and tablets. It would seem that everything is fine. But why not integrate Mac into mobile technology? Naturally, some of the functions will not be available due to a lack of hardware resources on the iPhone or iPad.
And the guys from Microsoft are very actively putting their OS on mobile devices. The same Microsoft Surface is a direct confirmation of this, although its price tag is somewhat overpriced. And how many third-party mobile devices does Windows 10 use as OS? There are a lot of them and their number is growing. This is also helped by the development of atomic Intel and sufficiently powerful video chips.
3D in OS
With the development of technologies in the field of 3D and augmented reality, Microsoft very zealously began to introduce them into their systems.
What about Apple? They have been feeding the people with promises for a long time, but there are no gestures in this direction. And if they do, to what extent?
Summing up
What is there to say? Windows PCs are much larger than Macs. And this applies not only to computers: there are plenty of smartphones and tablets on Windows 10.
Here expanse for gamers, eyes run wide from the abundance of software. The upgrade is much faster and cheaper than that of apple products. Yes, and not everywhere at Yabloko you yourself can change the hard drive or RAM. And this means that you need to go to the service center.
A heated debate may now begin about the fact that Mac OS is more secure, it is almost not afraid of viruses, etc. Actually, if you have a normal antivirus and a head on your shoulders, viruses are not very dangerous for Windows either. They may also begin to argue that by installing Boot Camp, you can use Windows programs. It is possible, but it is crutches again.
About the speed of operating systems. It's all very subjective. There are quite a few who claim that Windows 10 is equal, if not better, in terms of speed and fluidity. Animation in both systems is on top.
The personal opinion of the author of the article is as follows: the transition to apple products is not justified. Neither economically nor in terms of the range of software and games. If you just want to try something new, then install a virtual machine with Mac OS, and then decide whether it is worth the money or not.
