The problems with Windows (or at least XP which is the version I have) all derive from the same basic flaw: application installers can alter basic system files.

Part of that comes from the fact that most everyone who uses Windows runs under an administrator-privileged account all the time (I'm guilty too). The other part comes from bad developers who think it's ok to replace system files with their own, and require admin access just to install (or worse, to run). This is one of the biggest reasons MS introduced the "Windows File Protection" thing--to stop stupid devs from overwriting system files.

This is one of the good things about the .NET framework now. Shared functionality has been moved there, and all .NET apps use the same framework assemblies. Developers can't replace them with their own versions. They can still create their own shared assemblies if they want as well, and any other application can easily take advantage of them, if it knows how to, but they won't break any other apps.
The new assemblies still have the "dll" extension, but they are not the same as the old COM-based dlls of the past.

What can you do on a Mac that you can't do on a PC
 

I'd like to address he subject exactly as you've defined the question. A well known TV personality and intellectual compares one with the other as living on a sink estate compared with a lovely mansion. Many of us know that to be roughly true. Good enough

If you can run Fluxbox and X Window system apps, Linux, Windows, OS X, and OS 9 on a computer at the same time, without bogging it down to a halt, I would definitely say that beats Windows--

Because it does. Macs are flat better. :)

Use a multitouch trackpad - never liked trackpads until i got my first Mac - the unibody MacBook. Have to say its increased productivity by at least 10% over a normal mouse!

Now if only you could get the a genuine multitouch trackpad for the iMac....

I fully agree with you Paul. the MBP trackpad is wonderful!

No one has said my favorite thing: "Try and boot your Windows PC from an external disk." They always have no answer.

AppleScript and Automator. There is no Windows equivalent that I know of.

I mean, if we're going to go application specific: Logic, Final Cut and the iLife suite are all great tools.

It's not like theres anything you can do on a Mac that you simple can't do on a PC. It's just often easier on a Mac, that's all...

Nothing as simple as Automator: drag/drop, clickety click, your day is done. At 9:03. :D

I disagree, but I'm definitely open to correction. I use Windows at work and I have yet to find any Windows equivalent to AppleScript and Automator. The closest thing I've found is VBA, but that is application-specific, in that it works with Office, not with most Windows applications. AppleScript and Automator work with most Mac applications, even "unscriptable" applications (via GUI scripting). I'm even using AppleScript to automate Windows (using GUI scripting and a remote desktop application).

As far as I know, I can't control a Mac application using Windows.

I suppose more what I meant is that you can write an implementation of anything you want, if you want to take the time. If I wanted to take the time to write an AppleScript like language for Windows, I could do it. It's technically possible. Though why I'd take the time...

And that's what I mean when I say Apple can be easier. A lot of the stuff is just there for you. You don't have to go out and write an app for it, or even buy an app for it often enough. It just makes things simpler.

Let's see, to add to this topic:

Not have the OS get in my way? Windows tells you EVERYTHING, even if something was successful, or if something failed. Windows will tell you about every little thing that happens.

OS X only tells you when something's gone wrong.

On top of that, OS X can run for years on end with no crashing. Stability for the win, though Windows has come a long way in this regard (anyone remember Windows 98? Yeah.)

Hey Anti: are those literal years? Like if you execute uptime it'll say a year? ;-)

One thing I'd also like to see on the OS is built-in sync support.

@renaultsoftware -- I think the record I saw was somewhere around 7 years (and that was a couple years ago.) It was for a computer that ran a companies hold music, and it's just run and run in that configuration.

And yeah, they posted the output of the "uptime" command in terminal...

Meh. I don't think a PC can do that. :)

Now if you'd heard of Magic Trackpad.... ;)

Is it technically possible? From my understanding of how Windows works, there isn't a basic, standard way of operation that an application has to (or does) follow. My understanding is that Windows lets developers tinker "under the hood," building their apps as they like. I think that's why VBA works with MS Office -- Office follows a standard -- but couldn't possibly work with other Windows applications.

Something as simple as opening multiple files is not so simple Windows. I've noticed some Windows applications can do this, and others can't (or don't). I think Windows is missing the basic structure to even allow something like AppleScript to work.

Remember that AppleScript works by interacting with Applications that support it. You might write a tool that managed GUI scripting, but like Sojourner, I doubt you could get much further.

*sigh* All I'm saying is that technically the hardware can run what ever you want it to run. Trust me, if you had a flawless understanding of Windows, had some hacking skills, and a lot of patience, you could get it to do whatever you want. Technically it is possible.

This is important to remember because often times you'll point out how OSX can do this or that to a Windows user and they'll say "well, Windows can do that too." To which my response is "yes, it can, but it's an utter pain. And quite honestly, the fact that it's an utter pain makes it take longer to do, which wastes precious time and mental stability."

As for an Applescript replacement, sure it could be done. You'd just have to have to write the script language and then write a specific implementation for every program on the market. Would you want to do that? I very highly doubt it. It would be a colossal pain. But yes, you could do it.

Again, the point I'm trying to make is that OSX makes things easier. Even though Windows tends to do a lot of the same things, OSX makes them easier.