[ Retro Scan of the Week ] Kensington Expert Mouse
May 25th, 2009 by Benj Edwards
The Un-Mouse (click for full advertisement)
Discussion topic of the week: This ad compares Macintosh and Windows environments circa 1990. So here we go: Which, in your opinion, was the superior computing experience: MS-DOS + Windows 3.0 or Mac System 6?
May 25th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Thanks a lot :). Now I really want to play Centipede when I get home. Back then I was a Windows man but dabbled in Mac for fun. I’d have to say Microsoft Dos + Windows 3.X would’ve got my vote back then. Now I have a multi-platform household ranging anywhere from Linux to Mac OSX.
May 25th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Honestly, I never used system 6 (The earliest I used was 7), so I couldn’t answer that question. I’d likely say, though, if I were to have used it, that both would be about equal.
May 25th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I can’t really answer that question, but from a modern point-of-view, the statement, “Windows can make your computer a lot easier to use,” is just hysterical.
May 26th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I’m primarily a PC person (especially at the time of this ad), but System 6 wins hands down IMO. Windows was already a resource-hogging, crashing behemoth by 3.0. System 6 (at least compared to 7) was small and efficient, allowing even SE/30s, Classics, and LCs to run applications such as Pagemaker and ClarisCad well. (And let us not forget Shufflepuck Cafe- I keep my Classic around just for that! 🙂 )
May 26th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Definitely System 6… Windows 3.0 was more like an extremely elaborate and slow add-on shell than an OS.
May 27th, 2009 at 8:30 am
System 6 wins on stability, resource usage, functionality and GUI layout. However, let us not forget applications and games. I’d happily experience 10 blue screens of death for the chance to play a game of Microman.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Egads, Mac System 6, by far. I did get to use both back in the day (school had macs, my neighbor had windows 3.1) and, even though the macs were black and white, I’d rather have used them than the neighbor’s. But the neighbor had actual games, so that made up for it.
June 6th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I never used System 6 or Windows 3.0, but I did use both System 7.0 and Windows 3.1, and I have to say that the Macintosh was far superior, especially in terms of file management and basic OS tasks. Although I love vintage technology, I have no love lost for Program and File Manglers, nor the numbers 640k or 8.3.
I especially like the look of the System 7.0 title bars – much more elegant than anything before or since.
April 27th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Interesting, the computer in the background looks like an IBM PS/2 model 55sx. If I recall, most PS/2 computers came with DOS.