Laptop-Review.eu

Both Microsoft and Apple have been flexing their muscles lately, bringing their new operating systems out into the world. World is exactly right, for when two of the biggest players launch a new OS, the whole world is watching.
Both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard have gotten the famous 64-bit systems up and running, and now things are happening for real. But how do they actually compare to each other? We have taken an objective look at the two operating systems to give you a quick overview of what the difference actually is.
Remember our pictures are clickable.

Introduction

Windows 7 is in many ways based on the same core as Vista, but they have fixed various problems and given it a make-over as well. With Snow Leopard the opposite is the case; there is almost no change in the visuals when upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard, but they have revised and optimised the entire infrastructure. However, the main objective of both is the same, namely to further develop their respective operating systems rather than overhaul them completely.


Wow-factor, Availability and Price




When a new OS lands on the market, the makers are obviously interested in getting the old ones ”out of the way”. That gives them less problems with regards to maintenance now that more users employ the new system. As such, it is interesting to see which of the two is best at enticing their current users to upgrade.

When it comes to “wow-factor”, Apple has already beaten Microsoft. There is no doubt that Snow Leopard just sounds much cooler to own than Windows 7, especially because the number 7 underlines how many tries they have used up to make the perfect OS. Far from everybody pays much attention to the naming scheme, but the people behind Microsoft could still have used more than 10 minutes to come up with a name, not in the least because Apple excels at making people love the names of their products (in line with iPod, iTunes and the whole “I” culture).
Snow Leopard was released in September, and users who already had Leopard only had to pay 29 dollars to upgrade to the new system. Via their website, you could get a DVD sent by post on which the new OS was ready for installation. In other words, it costs no more than a standard impulse buy to get a brand new OS.

Judging by a quick search, Windows 7 costs between $200 and $320. The latter is for Windows 7 Ultimate, which introduces one of Microsoft’s problems. As a consumer, you have to pick which version of Windows 7 you want, which basically means deciding which features to go without. That can be very tricky for most people. It is much better to go without the confusion, so in this respect Microsoft could have been smarter.
However, their OS is easily accessible and users should have no trouble getting their hands on the upgrade.


Hard drive requirements and Installation

Snow Leopard promises to use 6GB less of storage. It is uncertain how they achieved such a drastic reduction, but we do now that they at least cut away all coding from PowerPC-based Macs. Windows 7 does not directly promise us how much extra hard drive space we will save in connection with the upgrade, but at least compare some of the other requirements can be compared.
Snow Leopard requires a minimum of 5GB while Windows 7 in comparison needs 20GB for 64-bit systems and 16GB for 32-bit systems. This is definitely a difference significant enough to affect you.
Installation of Snow Leopard works by inserting the installation disk in the machine, and then it handles all the rest. You do not have to choose between an upgrade or full installation, and it also recognises most of the hardware to a large extent.
Windows 7 requires you to choose which type of installation you are performing. In addition, Windows has – understandably enough – minor problems with finding drivers for some of the hardware. This is likely because Windows-based PCs are highly customisable in terms of hardware, so Microsoft has a much bigger problem to solve when it comes to hardware combinations.

All in all, the difference between installing the two systems is minor – Snow Leopard is faster to install, but only slightly.


Boot, standby and start-up of programs

Windows 7 beats Vista into the dirt by booting in less than 30 seconds. This is a substantial improvement. Their standby times have also been improved drastically, and they have really optimised everything relating to boot and shut-down of their OS.

Snow Leopard has some more explicit promises, namely that their system has become twice as fast to get out of standby and 1.75 times faster to shut down.

Both systems have really upped themselves, and there is very little to criticise when it comes to the standard procedures between shut-down and start-up. This great, for waiting is something we users see as a waste of time.

One of the main uses of an OS is to start up applications. After that, its primary function becomes navigating between windows, and that is not particularly demanding. As such, it is interesting to see how both systems handle the application aspect.

Snow Leopard have improved their well-known doc system by combining it with something Apple calls Exposé while Windows 7 been changed radically from scratch. Some say they have learned from Apple while others say Apple were the first to borrow from Windows. Regardless of whether the chicken or the egg came first, the two allow themselves to be inspired by each other, which is something consumers like us can only be happy with.

Aesthetically, Snow Leopard has the most beautiful solution with the application icons presented on a slate on the Mac desktop while Windows 7 (still) uses a bar that runs along the entire desktop, as it has done since the dawn of time. They both pull a double shift as application launchers and task switchers.




They have both launched an almost identical function for this occasion.
When you have multiple windows open from the same application in Windows 7, you will see a stack of icons matching the number of open windows. When you hold the cursor over the application icon, you can see thumbnails of the open windows and thus quickly find the window you are looking for, regardless of how deep it is buried in the screen.

In Snow Leopard, you can click and hold down the mouse, causing it to show how many open windows you have and again a small thumbnail of each. You can also see which applications are running as marked by a discreet, white arrow besides the applications.






Here Windows 7 is slightly more advanced. First of all, you can – without clicking – see how many open windows you have within the given application. Such hints are not given by Snow Leopard. Furthermore, you can get a full preview of each window by scrolling through the thumbnails, making it easier to find which document you wanted.
Snow Leopard does not seem fully developed on this point. If you have a browser like Safari or Firefox (as opposed to Internet Explorer) running, you cannot see the different tabs you may have opened, whereas Windows 7 gifts each tab with its own thumbnail. Well done, Microsoft.

Furthermore, Windows 7 has implemented shortcuts for application functions. When you right-click the icons you will be able to use shortcuts from the applications without having to maximise them. Which exact functions are available depends on the individual application, but it is undoubtedly clever that you do not have to open up the program all the way.





Snow Leopard lacks this, but has another function that Windows 7 does not. It gives you the possibility to configure the edges of the display to certain functions, such display standby or visually removing the windows so you can see your desktop. This is really quite clever.
Furthermore, they have included something they call ”stacks”, which is basically a shortcut to a folder so you can visually open and navigate it without actually opening it. This makes it swift to get to the things you need, much quicker than going into and digging through the folders.




We will likely have to conclude Windows is slightly ahead of Snow Leopard with their taskbar functions, and while the dock in Snow Leopard is visually appealing, it lacks the same degree of functionality.


System settings, individual configuration and user-friendliness

Most users are more or less satisfied with the settings as they are out of the box. However, many want to add a personal touch to their OS. As such, it is relevant to examine how easy it is and how many options the OS provides for individual configuration.

Snow Leopard system preferences are split into five categories like Personal, Hardware, Internet and Wireless, System and Others. That makes it extremely easy to find exactly what you are looking for, and at the same time there is a search function in the right corner that can dig into these categories to quickly find the setting you wish to change. When you click on an icon, you will be presented to the options for changing settings, which is nice and simple.

Windows 7 on the other hand has 7 major categories and many sub-categories. In many ways it is a jungle for most users, especially those who do not have years of Windows experience. There is no shared user interface for the different categories, and anyone can get lost in the sub-categories.




Windows 7 does have an advantage here though, in that you have many more options and can configure much more extensively. It can take hours to for example dive into Windows network settings to find the numbers you are looking for, but it has a lot more information than Snow Leopard, which on the other hand presents the necessary information to users lightning-fast with but a simple click.





It is impossible to say who wins in this category, but there is probably a reason Apple is gaining on the retail market. I can honestly say that I would give a first-time computer user a Snow Leopard rather than Windows 7 system. The user-friendliness is much greater, but hardcore users will lack options for individual configuration.


Application and Hardware compatibility

In many ways, one might feel that Apple jumped the gun on this one. When Snow Leopard was released, many day-to-day applications did not work 100 percent. For example, there were numerous problems with the Adobe package CS3 which many use for graphical and creative work. Furthermore, the free applications like Xmarks had problems with Safari and simply did not work anymore. There are many also smaller applications originally designed for Windows that consumers use, and it will take some time before those are updated and compatible with the new OS.

So you might say that Snow Leopard has left behind a lot of applications, but I have no doubt Apple will solve all of these problems, and have already done so at the time of writing. Of course the issue remains until they are all fixed, because it is no fun buying a product that brings more problems than solutions.

Windows 7 has learnt the lessons of Vista and seems to work with more or less all applications. You might say that where Snow Leopard is running into problems now, Microsoft had issues with Vista the first time around, so this is sort of their second shot from the hip.

Nonetheless, they seem to have it under control right off the bat here. Still, do not worry about throwing yourself at the mercy of the Snow Leopard.

When it comes to hardware, it is incredibly hard if not impossible to compare the two directly. However, we can compare the compatibility of Snow Leopard with Macs and Windows 7 with older PCs.

Snow Leopard requires Intel-based hardware. In layman’s terms, this means it does not run PowerPC G4 and G5, so you may have trouble with an Apple built before 2006. The different lines have since been converted to Intel-based hardware, so you cannot be sure whether it works. Thus a Mac no more than three years old should be relatively safe. Furthermore, Snow Leopard requires 5GB of available storage and 1GB of RAM.

Windows 7 is made to run on any machine that can run Vista. However, it is also made to run on Windows XP devices. This makes it slightly more complicated. More specifically, Windows 7 requires 2GB of RAM for 64-bit and 1GB of RAM for 32-bit editions, as well as 20GB and 16GB of storage respectively. To run the Aero interface, the GPU must be DirectX 9 compatible and have 128MB of memory. So, Windows 7 can theoretically run on much older devices than Snow Leopard.


Visually stimulating

While Windows 7 has come a long way since XP and Vista to some extent, it still has a way to go. Microsoft keep up their tradition of improving their operating systems gradually; they always become a bit smoother, faster and easier to use. This time is no exception, so there is little to complain about in this regard.

Apple also keep up their tradition of making operating systems that simply take your breath away. Snow Leopard is to date the most beautiful OS ever made. It is simple, sleek and works perfectly in terms of functionality. The design is excellent and theme-based right down to the smallest detail, and it sports backwards network compatibility. There is still no one who can beat that.








Furthermore Apple controls the hardware in their computers, meaning software and hardware are not always parallel. All in all it means you do not get all sorts of weird messages and errors in Snow Leopard as a result of hardware problems, and additionally the hardware is always known and does not lack drivers. This is an evil Windows users have to live with as Windows operates on practically an infinite number of combinations of hardware like RAM, GPU, CPU etc.

Apple is the clear winner in this category and will probably remain so far into the future unless they lose their game.


The Business World

Windows has for many years been used within different companies. That is connected to their extensive development of tools for things like production and accounting, to name a few. Furthermore Windows 7 has added new possibilities that use Windows Powershell 2.0.

Snow Leopard adds built-in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. Still, they have a long way to go before nailing it. There is no doubt that businesses in the future will continue to pick Windows as their platform, not in the least because of all the support and tools they receive as a thank-you from Microsoft.

Extras

Apple rules the world with their extras encompassing iLife, the iMovie video program and iWeb website publisher, and last but not least Garageband for minor musical production. Here they cater to a wide base of private users, and their applications are just as user-friendly as the rest of Snow Leopard. Furthermore they have the brilliant Time Machine backup which works 50% faster in Snow Leopard and works without a hitch, although it does lack configurability as it is pretty much all or nothing. They also have Quicktime by their side to record films and PDF reader with the quick-view program Preview.

Windows 7 has surprisingly chosen to remove some of the standard but otherwise good programs Windows Movie Maker and Windows Mail. At least they have finally made a decent backup program, although it has nothing on Time Machine.
Apple have always been good in this area and emerges as the winner of this category.





Conclusion

I do not know if Apple feels threatened, but one might wish it. Microsoft have with Windows 7 managed to close part of the gap that has always been between it and Apple, which has always been more design and beauty whereas Windows has always been more “ugly”. Windows 7 has received quite a make-over and it certainly needed it.

Whether one emerges on top over the other in the aggregate I cannot say. Both have many advantages, and you still have to remember the fact that many applications are still made for Windows, just as games and the like are more PC-based, unfortunately.

When it comes to design and user-friendliness, Snow Leopard is the clear victor. It is easy to use and you learn it much faster than you ever would Windows. It is also easier to go from Windows to Snow Leopard, rather than the other way around. Apple excels at innovative solutions which are intuitive and cater to a wide user segment. They appeal to more and more private users, which is probably a smart move.

In the corporate world, Windows rules supreme and is – whether you want to admit it or not – much for configurable than Snow Leopard. In other words, it is less “idiot-proof” but also has many more possibilities.

Another advantage of Snow Leopard is that it comes in Apple devices and the hardware works every time, unlike Windows-based PCs which are available cheaper because various discount brands also produce laptops.

Microsoft still has something to learn from Apple regarding pricing and delivery, along with updates and extras, which is something we consumers can spend endless hours playing with.

As a new consumer and design aficionado, I would definitely pick Snow Leopard as it is the most visually stimulating and easiest to figure out. For my business and with certain requirements in terms of special programs and minor applications, Windows 7 would be my system of choice.
Maybe you just have to conclude that each OS has its own advantages, and maybe you have to combine them to get the best of both worlds.
Without pointing any fingers, both Microsoft and Apple have come really far with these systems and both are an improvement for the most important people in the world, namely us, the consumers. We hope this has served to illuminate what it is people get so excited about when discussing the two systems.