The UI challenge: Windows 7 vs Mac OS X

Find out who wins, and who loses, in each of 10 key areas

Side by side:
which is better?

Side by side:
which is better?
The next 10 slides compare Windows 7 and Mac OS X Leopard user interfaces, noting which does a better job at what. Each slide shows the one I consider to be the winner; you can see the "loser" by clicking the hyperlink within the text description, which opens a separate window so you can see them side by side.
SLIDE 1 OF 12
  • 1

    Side by side:
    which is better?

  • 2

    Starting up:
    Windows 7 is
    too spare

  • 3

    File window:
    Mac OS
    provides more

  • 4

    Taskbar:
    Slightly more flexible on the Mac

  • 5

    Gadgets:
    Windows 7 integrates better

  • 6

    Control panels:
    Mac OS is simpler

  • 7

    Folder actions:
    Windows 7 gives more control

  • 8

    Network management:
    Windows 7 is
    more visual

  • 9

    Backup:
    Mac OS X wins big

  • 10

    File sharing:
    Mac makes it easier

  • 11

    Uninstall:
    The Mac OS forfeits

  • 12

    See another InfoWorld slideshow

January 27, 2009
Jurassic 23-Jul-09 11:03am

Gadgets (Microsoft's copy of Apple's widgets) sit on the desktop where they are easily covered by other application windows. In Mac OS X although a user can easily place the widgets they want on their desktop, the widgets normally reside on their own layer with a dark transparent background to separate them from your running applications. Widgets are brought forward and sent back with the simple press of a key. This is a much more preferable method to find and focus on the widgets you want, rather than trying to find them on the desktop. Also, the huge number of free widgets that are available to users is staggering. This really is a win for Mac OS X.

Jurassic 23-Jul-09 10:50am

In Mac OS X you don't need to run an uninstall utility to get rid of an application. You just drag the application icon to the Trash. This is MUCH simpler and more intuitive than in Windows!

juandesant 14-Apr-09 8:27am

One way to change file names of existing files while using an Open/Save dialog in Tiger and Leopard (perhaps even in Panther) is pressing Command-I, which open an Info dialog for the file selected, which can be used to change name and other properties, without having to close (or losing sight of) the Open/Save panel.

There is also another integration between Open/Save panels and the Finder: files (or folders) from the Finder can be dragged to Open/Save panels in order to set the location (or even the file) for opening or saving…

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