Mythbusting
Should I use a Mac or PC?
First and foremost, this is one of the greatest marketing gimmicks of all time. PC merely means “personal computer.” The marketing team at Apple has loudly and consistently enforced the idea that the term “Mac” is fundamentally opposed to the term “PC”, when in fact, a Mac is just another competitor in the PC business (it's like when the cleaning commercials compare their product to "other leading dishwashing brands.") This is not to say that Mac isn’t at a distinct advantage when it comes to accessibility, intuitiveness, and design quality, but don’t let Mac’s flashy advertising distract you from what really matters when it comes to outfitting your institution with technology. Below is some information for your consideration.
The advantages of a Wintel (or Windows-Intel-based) PC lie mostly in the price. Mac can easily run two or three times the price of a comparable Wintel computer. Wintels are often easier to link into existing computer networks because most institutions already have Wintel systems. They can be cheaper to repair because parts are sold by a greater number of retailers. This, however, points to one of the problems with Wintel computers: breakdowns and viruses. Computer hackers, spammers, etc. often target non-Mac systems because a greater portion of the population uses them so there is potential for a larger impact. Macs also have more built-in spyware and virus protection, though most Wintel computers come with free or cheap spyware already installed.
Macs are generally acknowledged to have a more aesthetically pleasing and intuitive interface, though a lot of this depends on the user's familiarity with each system. Though a large generalization, most honest and truly neutral "computer people" would say that Macs are for designers and other people with artistic endeavors and Wintels are for gamers, computer builders, and business people (who do a lot of work in Excel).
I personally greatly prefer Macs because one of their characteristic aims is for efficiency of work space and a smooth flow of work. By this, I mean that they make it easier to focus on my work by eliminating flashy popups and notifications, develop ways to easily switch from one window or program to another, etc. They also have extensive online, phone, and in-person support for their products. With a bit of patience and determination, I have on multiple occasions gotten over $400 of repairs done for free at the Apple Store. Though customers do have to purchase extended care plans to continue this level of support after a certain period of time, I've found that many Apple Store employees are sympathetic and accommodating even without an official support plan. A couple times, they have helped out even the most dinosaur of my devices without so much as asking for my account information.
I've owned a number of Mac devices (different products, not the same one) over the years, and I find that they last a long time if taken care of. My Mac Mini has lasted 8 years and it's still kickin'! Even more than that, I appreciate the peace of mind I have when accessing the web, the general cleanliness of Mac software, and the ability of every Mac device to easily connect to all of my accounts and other devices. Admittedly, I was raised on Macs, but I find their interface and overall product superior for the needs of the everyday user, so still urge my friends, family, and co-workers to purchase Mac if they can.
Want to see another question answered here? Visit the forum to see what others are talking about or fill out this form with your contact information and question.
Do I need to know HTML to design or edit a website?
Nope! Though an understanding of HTML, XML, and CSS can be helpful in tweaking your final product on a WYSIWYG platform, most of these platforms require absolutely no programming knowledge.
What are websafe colors? Do I need to use them?
Websafe colors are an increasingly unimportant consideration in web design. When the Internet first hit, most computers could only display 256 colors, and for various browser-computer compatibility reasons, only 216 of these were considered “web-safe” colors. These colors were developed so that, in theory, any computer would display these exactly the same way that the designer intended them to be displayed. Though never completely universally standardized, websafe colors were most important when the majority of users had devices with 8-bit displays.
At this point in time, however, most PCs have at least a 24-bit display and most mobile devices have at least a 12-bit display. As such, pretty much any color you pick will be displayed correctly on most devices. If you are using Wix, Weebly, or another WYSIWYG editor, however, you probably won't even have to worry about editing colors. There will be preset colors you can choose from, so you can just click on the one that you like the most and the code for that color will be automatically updated. Some of these platforms do offer the ability to define specific colors using RBG and Hexadecimal codes, and those are addressed in the individual subsections under Websites. A quick tool to convert colors from one color system to another is at Colorhexa.com.