Over the years there has been much of controversy over which computer platform to buy. The two major contenders in this competition were the PC, with its Windows environment, and the Macintosh. The major arguments supporting each side have been that the Macintosh is far easier to use than the PC; however, the PC has greater hardware flexibility and more software available than for the Macintosh. These central arguments for each platform swayed consumers to one side or the other based on their needs and computer expertise. Since the successful release of Windows 95 for the PC, the bread and butter argument Mac users have at their disposal will not be able to cut it anymore. Although the majority of Mac users may disagree, PCs are certainly the most advanced and reliable computers in modern society.
             The first matter to look at between the PC and Mac platform involves hardware configuration. Before Windows 95, installing and configuring hardware was like pulling teeth. The instructions and computer jargon given to help install hardware were too complicated for the average user. There was also the issue of compatibility between the large number of different hardware setups available in the PC world. Is a particular board going to work with my PC? With Windows 95 these problems were alleviated with plug and play technology. With plug and play compatible boards, the computer detects and configures the new board automatically. Mac users will claim that they always had the convenience of a plug and play system, but the difference pertains to the flexibility of the two systems. Microsoft has created a large number of configuration and help files for non-Microsoft products. "This gave me a sense of confidence that if I chose a printer, CD-ROM, or whatever from the list of supported devices, I would be likely to have relatively quick success. It seems that with the Mac, if Apple didn't produce it, you're on your ow...