Microsoft Talk

Apple’s advertising campaign railing against people who use PCs using Microsoft’s Windows has been funny, and relentless. So, it’s only natural for investors to wonder whether a PC or an Apple Mac computer is best for them.

And while PCs running Windows outsell Macs 30 to 1, based on an estimate by Microsoft’s CEO in a company memo, Apple’s recent momentum is hard to deny.

The biggest point to make, for an online investor, is that you’ll most likely be fine with either a Windows PC or a Mac. Both will run Web browser software, allowing you to complete 99% of the investing and money management tasks you’d want to do. Just about every online brokerage website is compatible with all the major browsers, and the operating system you’re running means nothing at all. I know of several high-powered stock research firms that use both PCs and Macs.

When it comes to investing, you want to keep your costs down. As investors we’ve been trained to reduce the commissions we pay, limit ourselves to low-cost mutual funds and reduce our capital gains taxes. Why then, should you overpay for a computer?

Let’s take an example. For less than $500, you can buy a Compaq Presario CQ50Z laptop. It comes with a 1.9 GHz dual-core processor, 1 gigabyte of memory, an Nvidia GeForce graphics card, 120 gigabyte harddrive and wireless networking. A capable machine by today’s standards and more than adequate for an online investor, for less than $500.

Now, let’s see what’s available from Apple. You’ll need to spend at least $1,099 for a MacBook, which comes with the same memory and hard drive. The MacBook has a slightly faster microprocessor, 2.1 GHz, but you won’t notice the difference if you’re just Web surfing.

Dozens of companies build computers that run Microsoft’s Windows, including Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Lenovo and Sony. But the list doesn’t stop there. There’s an innovative Asian PC maker, Asus, which is making interesting miniature laptops called the Eee. The Eee weighs just two pounds, is about the size of a tissue box and costs less than $300. These tiny PCs could be great machines for online investors on the run. Then there are even smaller PCs, like the FlipStart, which runs Windows too.

Microsoft has a nearly unblemished history making sure that files and data you have created in its operating systems are readable in the future. Floppy disks created with Microsoft’s early MS-DOS operating system decades ago will open on standard Windows Vista machines today, if you spring for an external floppy disk drive. Apple on the other hand, will often start from a clean slate, and doesn’t appear to hold backward compatibility as dear. Maybe some readers know if disks formatted using Apple DOS on an Apple II computer will open on a modern Mac PC?

This is a key factor with financial data. If you burn a CD with your past tax records, for instance, you want to know that in 20 years you’ll be able to call up those records if you need them. Microsoft has demonstrated it will make sure your old data are readable.

Check out The Bookstacks and today’s post about devine books.