Computers should last for decades, according to the received wisdom, so long as moving parts like the hard disk don't wear out. While this may be true, the sad truth is that new software releases will quickly render your state-of-the-art purchase inadequate for the job after a few short years.

And so I have come to the conclusion that it is time to replace my main system at home with a new model, preferably one smaller and less noisy than the one I currently rely on. (Note to self: don't build own PC from separately bought components ever again – it isn’t worth the hassle).

Having decided to bite the bullet, I find myself wondering whether my new system should be another PC, or should I opt for a Mac instead? The Mac Mini in its compact little desktop case looks very appealing, and with Apple now using Intel chips, it is possible to run Windows alongside Mac OS X, so I can keep my old applications.

In fact, with the latest release of the Parallels Desktop virtualisation software, it is possible to run Windows apps so that they appear to be native, and Parallels even provides a tool that can convert an existing PC into a virtual machine image ready to be transferred to the Mac.

For many users, choosing between a Mac and a PC may not be such a critical choice any more. Many applications that people use are browser-based, and this applies to consumer as much as enterprise applications. Email and IM can be provided by tools such as Google Mail, and even productivity tools such as word processing are available as online applications. Even if you prefer to keep software installed locally, there are Mac versions of Microsoft Office, and open standards such as the OASIS Open Document Format (ODF) are making cross-platform compatibility less of an issue.

The decision to buy Mac or PC is therefore likely to come down to personal preference as much as anything else. As for me, the nature of my work means that I will be installing and running Windows applications much of the time, so it may make more sense just to plump for a new PC. After all, there are some equally appealing mini desktop designs around nowadays, such as Acer's Veriton 1000 or Shuttle's XPC range. Now, where did I put that Vista install disk…

28 Feb 2007