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Many of the offices we feature attempt to meld technology with the design of a home. Flickr user Stefan Didak decided to make his technology the focus instead, integrating plenty of well-organized, glowing devices all around the room.

Technology isn't alway the most beautiful thing, but with good organization it has its place in a well-designed office. Despite the presence of a Mac, everything else takes center stage in this high-tech aesthetic. It's nice to see some different thinking.

If you have a workspace of your own to show off, share them with us by posting it to your personal Kinja blog using the tag featured workspace or adding it to our Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Flickr pool. Photos must be at least at least 640x360 and please include information about what you used, how you came up with the design, and any other relevant details. If your awesome workspace catches our eye, you might get featured!

Most measuring spoons nest nicely inside of each other, but if you use them often, you may want them detached and more readily available when you need them. This kitchen storage trick keeps each measuring cup on its own hook, with its measurement printed above it, so you can grab the one you want quickly.

The actual project here is simple. Beckie at Infarrantly Creative used a few free paint sticks from her hardware store, some hooks, a few wood screws, and some paint. She cut the paint sticks, painted them to match her cabinets, and labeled them to match the measuring spoon or cup she wanted to hang. Attach the hooks, mount the whole thing on the back of the cabinet door, and that's it. The whole thing is simple enough to have done in an afternoon, and best of all, it doesn't look terrible.

When she was all done, Beckie even went the extra step of adding a conversion chart above the measuring spoons so she'd know how many of each scoop would translate to another unit, like ounces to cups, pints, or gallons. Hit the link below to see more photos, and the step by step.

Organizing Measuring Cups and Spoons | Infarrantly Creative via Lifehack

Finding list articles is as easy as 1..3 with this simple Google search parameter. It searches for any number within a numerical field, so you can find good roundups and comparison articles.

A lot of people look down on list-based articles, but oftentimes they're great places to start research on a certain subject you don't know much about (take our Hive Five or our top tens, for example). To find a list article on Google, you could always search for "top ten [something]" or "5 best [things]," but if you don't remember the number—or just don't want to limit yourself—you can use "X..X" (no quotes) to search for a range of numbers, as in the image above. This will bring up tons of list-based articles on your given subject, no matter what the number of items on the list may be. Check out the source link for more tips on how to refine your Google-fu.

5 Unconventional Google Search Tips for Power Searching | Dumb Little Man

As tightly integrated as Google's many services can be, the company has been dancing around a glaring omission: why couldn't we add times mentioned in Gmail messages as Google Calendar events? Logic is at last taking hold in Mountain View, however. Starting this week for those using US English, Google is rolling out a Gmail web update that automatically underlines dates and times; click on one and it will pop up a box to quickly add a calendar event scheduled for that time, with an option to edit basic details first. It's such a simple addition, but it could mean the world for those of us waiting for Gmail to catch up with our native email apps.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Official Gmail Blog

You can only listen to and read someone talk about how to properly wield a kitchen knife so many times before you really need to see it in action. Thankfully, the folks at FirstWeFeast have a series of animated GIFs that will show you exactly how to master your kitchen knife safely.

You'll have to hit the link below to see the full course of animations—and there are plenty. FirstWeFeast sat down with Henry Molina, a cook at New York's Mission Chinese Food, to find out how a real cook in a small kitchen anda busy restaurant gets the job done without hurting himself. Each GIF shows you the right and wrong ways to hold your knife (the "pinch" grip versus the dangerous-looking "hammer" grip), how to curl your fingers into the "cats paw" that keeps you from slicing one open while you're chopping veggies, and more. There's also an animated guide to evenly dicing small objects like a clove of garlic, and large objects like a whole onion.

All of the GIFs are useful, and while we're willing to bet you know how to properly pit an avocado, it's still good to see it in action. Just remember, none of this works if your knife is dull or beat up, so make sure they're sharp before you head to the kitchen.

GIF Tutorial: Essential Knife Skills witha Mission Chinese Cook | FirstWeFeast.com

Google recently updated their search results format, again moving the link for cached page access somewhere else. Now it hides in a convenient menu next to the page's URL. Just click it and you can select the cache page, share the link, and find similar results.

For a demo, watch the video above.

New Drop-Down Menu for Google Search Results | Google Operating System

You have a ton of different options for cloud backup services these days. Whether you're sick of Dropbox, or you happen to have a ton of space on Skydrive you're not using, Mover is a web app that makes transferring files to a new service simple.

Mover support all the major cloud drive services, including Dropbox, Skydrive, Box.net, Amazon, and more (including private web hosts like Dreamhost). The transfer process is a little confusing at first. If you're just transferring files between cloud services, sign up for an account, and select the "Move files to a new service" option. Then, add your source file account (you'll need to authorize Mover on your cloud service), and your destination. When you're all done, click the big "Transfer" button and Mover.io does everything else.

Mover.io does a lot more, including recurring transfers, larger backups, and more if you pay a fee. But if you just need to jump ship from one cloud service to a new one, Mover.io is free and easy to use.

Mover.io | via PC World

Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

It's funny how things come back around. When I was growing up in the '80s, music was looking back at the '50s and '60s and re-creating it into some of the best bands the world has seen. Paul Weller wouldn't have become the songwriter he is had he not grown up on the Beatles. Likewise, Paul McCartney wouldn't have become the genius that he is had he not been raised on Little Richard. And now, bands are looking back at the '80s and re-doing that explosive era -- with both good and bad results that I will not go into here lest I make new enemies.

Culture is cyclical, and we're beginning to see that technology is bound to follow that same rinse-and-repeat formula.

Filed under: Misc

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The verdict's still out on whether or not androids dream of electric sheep. But their ability to feel? Well, that's about to approach levels of human sensitivity. We're of course talking about the sense of touch, not emotions. And thanks to work out of Georgia Tech, tactile sensitivity for robotics, more secure e-signatures and general human-machine interaction is about to get a great 'ol boost. Through the use of thousands of piezotronic transistors (i.e., grouped vertical zinc oxide nanowires) known as "taxels," a three-person team led by Prof. Zhong Lin Wang has devised a way to translate motion into electronic signals. In other words, you're looking at a future in which robotic hands interpret the nuances of a surface or gripped object akin to a human fingertip and artificial skin senses touch similar to the way tiny hairs on an arm do.

What's more, the tech has use outside of robotics and can even be levereged for more secure e-signature verification based on speed and pressure of a user's handwriting. And the best part? These sensors can be manufactured on transparent and flexible substrates like the one pictured above, which allows for various real-world applications -- just use your imagination. Pretty soon, even robots will have the pleasure of enjoying the touch... the feel of cotton and maybe even hum that jingle to themselves, too.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Via: MIT Technology Review

Source: Georgia Tech, Science

One of our fans pointed me to this art instalment featuring face made from bunch of people. When I used reverse image search on Google and Tiny Eye (to get more info on this interesting poster), nothing showed up. So there you have it – an anonymous, beautiful, crowd-formed face illusion. If someone feels confident taking a detective role for a moment, feel free to do your own investigation and please share your findings with rest of us! I would be more than grateful.

Have you ever craved that Kentucky-fried taste, but just can't get behind the fast food scene? This recipe for mock KFC may have some crazy ingredients, but it will definitely have the whole family enjoying take out food from inside the home. Pass the mashed potatoes, and read on!

Edit Ingredients

• Your favorite chicken pieces
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 packet of dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing (powder) (if you can't find this, see the suggested mock-up of it in Tips)
• 1 envelope of powdered tomato soup mix
• 2 or 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil, lard, or peanut oil to cover the bottom of a skillet (1/2-1 inch/1.3-2.5cm deep)

Edit Steps

1. Mix the batter. Beat the 2 or 3 eggs in a medium-large bowl—–you'll be dunking your chicken pieces in this. Add 2/3 cup milk, whisk to blend, and set aside
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the soup mix, Italian dressing, black pepper, and flour together.
3. Coat the chicken. Take a piece of chicken and dip it into the batter. Then place it in the flour mixture and cover the chicken with it. Set the coated chicken aside.
4. Repeat for the remaining chicken. Continue coating each chicken piece until all portions are prepared.
5. Fry it up! Heat the oil in a large skillet until it shimmers but doesn't smoke—about 350°F/175°C. Using tongs, carefully place the chicken pieces skin-side down into the skillet and fry them over medium heat. Leave the pieces in there for about 25 to 30 minutes, turning and flipping occasionally. Add chili peppers for a spicier flavor.
   • Don't add the chicken until the fat is hot, otherwise you'll end up with greasy chicken.
6. De-grease the bird. Remove the pieces from the skillet and drain the grease onto paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth (such as a tea towel).
7. Finished. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, corn on the cob, homemade fries and a root beer for a real KFC-authentic meal.

Edit Tips

• Good Seasons Italian dressing isn't available everywhere and maybe you'd rather make your own anyway. To make a substitute, mix together: 1 tablespoon each of garlic salt, onion powder, sugar and dried parsley. Add 2 tablespoons each of dried oregano and salt. Add 1 teaspoon each of freshly ground pepper and dried basil. Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme and celery salt.^[1]
• Serving a lot? Cook the chicken in batches so that the oil remains hot.
• You may want to turn the heat down if the chicken turns browner than you want it to be.
• The best kind of skillet to use is cast iron. It does a great job at distributing the heat evenly, and doesn't cool down too quickly.
• Don't forget to check the temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. The USDA recommends poultry be cooked to a minimum of 165°F (74°C).

Edit Warnings

• Always use great care when working with hot oil.

Edit Things You'll Need

• Mixing bowl
• Mixing implement
• Large cast iron skillet
• Tongs
• Kitchen paper towel or cloth
• Serving plates

Edit Related wikiHows

• How to Make Almond Chicken
• How to Fry Chicken Wings
• How to Make Chicken Marinade
• How to Make Sticky Chicken
• How to Make Golden Chicken With Mushroom Sauce

Edit Sources and Citations

• http://www.recipetrove.com/component/option,com_mtree/task,viewlink/link_id,119/Itemid,26/ Source of Information
• http://allrecipes.com/howto/perfect-fried-chicken/ All Recipes

Article Tools

• Read on wikiHow
• Email this Article
• Edit
• Discuss

Here's an idea: Community is a postmodern masterpiece. Though the TV show Community has never achieved huge ratings, it has a passionate cult following, including us here at Idea Channel. The show plays with genre and narrative in such a creative way that it brings to mind the cultural and artistic theory of Postmodernism. Previous TV series have been self-referential and culturally reflective, but none so successfully as Community. The show flips traditional expectations so consistently that it questions their importance in the first place. And it has brought the word "meta" into the cultural vernacular, to boot.

Submitted by: Unknown (via YouTube)

Sometimes you just need to hear a song right this second and you don't want to futz about hunting it down on Google. TuneCrawl is a web app that searches songs on Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud so you get to listening right away.

TuneCrawl is great for those "I need to listen to that song now," moments because it's fast and only shows you songs that are actually playable. When you get the results, you can click the play button and it'll play right there in your browser. No messing around with Wikipedia entries, blog posts, or anything else. It should come in handy when you really need to get that horrible song out of your head.

TuneCrawl | via One Thing Well

Before you throw out your next batch of used coffee grounds, consider composting them. As food weblog Serious Eats points out, composting used coffee grounds is a great way to start cheap, low-mainetenance DIY fertilizer.

Used coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, one of the main ingredients necessary for both a good fertilizer and a properly balanced compost pile:

When paired with "browns" like leaves, twigs, even coffee filters, coffee is the perfect catalyst for healthy decomposition, which can speed up the composting process and give you better fertilizer faster. Worms love the stuff: They'll munch your day-old coffee happily, turning it into black gold by digesting it and producing nutrient-rich castings. (Just don't spread the grounds themselves straight on your trees and tulips: They can cause more harm than good if they haven't been fully composted yet.)

After the compost completely breaks down, you'll have some great fertilizer that you can use or donate—without spending any extra money. Hit the link to read more.

Why You Should Compost Your Coffee Grounds | Serious Eats

Photo by Montgomery Cty Division of Solid Waste Services.

Flat-screen TVs have been around for a long time, but if you still aren't quite sure what the difference between each kind is, this video will explain each type as fast as possible.

Linus from Techquickie is back at it again, this time explaining the difference between the most common types of HDTVs on the market. In short: LCDs are inexpensive and work well in daylight, while LEDs provide truer blacks (but are more expensive). Plasmas also give truer blacks, but aren't as good in well-lit rooms, so they're best for dark home theaters.

We've actually discussed much of this before, but this video is a great primer on the basics (and a good one to share with your less tech-savvy friends). Once it's time to actually buy your TV though, you can read more details in our guide to different screen types and other TV specs.

LCD, LED, Plasma, OLED TVs as Fast As Possible | Techquickie

[Ed] got pretty creative with a hack that adds a pressurized water tap to his Jeep Wrangler. The tap on the rear passenger bumper now lets him hose off the vehicle after mudding, rinse his SCUBA gear after a dive, and just generally comes in handy.

If you want running water you’ve got to have a place to put it. This is actually what sparked the idea for the project. [Ed] noticed that the bumper was hollow and had some drain holes on the bottom. After plugging those and adding a fill hole to the top he found that he had a reservoir for about seven gallons. To get the water out he added a pump deigned to be used on an RV. It’s got features that make it work perfectly for this application: it runs off of battery voltage, it will turn on and off automatically when the tap is opened based on water pressure, and it will shut itself off if the reservoir runs dry. He designed a bezel to give the spigot a professional look. Just out of frame in the image above is an attachment for pressurized air. His next planned project for the Jeep is to add an air compressor.

After the break you can see a demo of the installed system, as well as a water pump test.

Finished Demo:

Pump test:

Historically, whenever man or beast's been bombarded with massive amounts of radiation the results have either been gruesome or wholly fantastical (see: any superhero origin story). But recent research out of Japan indicates that a barrage of electrons could actually help scientists revolutionize microbiology and, more excitingly, space travel. The experiment, conducted by a team from the Hamamatsu University of Medicine, found that the larvae of fruit flies hit with this electron rush were able to withstand an electron microscope's hostile vacuum unharmed and even grew to be healthy adults. The results weren't so rosy for the untreated group which, understandably, suffered a grislier fate: death by dehydration. The magic, it turns out, is in that subatomic spray, as the group treated with an electron shower benefited from a polymerizing effect or, more plainly, a bonding of molecules just above the skin's surface that yielded a tough, protective nano-layer measuring between 50- to 100-billionths of a meter thick. Finesse that technique some and it's easy to why one NASA scientist thinks this could lead to the creation of a super-thin "space shield... that could protect against dehydration and radiation."

The process is still far from foolproof, however, seeing as how an increase in the microscope's resolution requires an equal boost in radiation -- all of which is fatal to the insects. So, in order to go deeper and get a more close-up view of the larvae's internals, the team's currently exploring new methods of fabricating these "nano-suits" using an array of chemicals. If you're wondering just how far-off we are from practical human application, then consider this: the amount of radiation required to form the bonded layer is akin to "sunbathing naked on the top of Everest under a hole in the ozone." Which is to say, keep dreaming. And get Jeff Goldblum on the phone while you're at it... we have a promising idea for a Return of the Fly sequel.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Via: Wired

Source: ScienceNOW

This quick video demonstrates how a simple sheet of aluminum foil can make that tedious chore of ironing much faster.

Basically, you just have to put the strip of foil under the ironing board cover and iron away. With the reflected heat from the foil, you don't have to iron the other side, since you'll be ironing both sides at once. Neat! (By the way, CupRockTV has a longer, more talkative demonstration of this trick in action.)

Go ahead and leave the foil in place on your ironing board if you wish, because with another trick, the foil will help get wrinkles out of delicate clothes.

Clever Aluminum Foil Hacks! | YouTube

"Thank you." It's such a simple thing to say, yet incredibly powerful, especially in the office. If you're a supervisor or in a similar leadership position, a show of appreciation for your team can be even more motivating and loyalty-building than money.

The Harvard Business Review quotes Mary Kay Ash, who put it this way: "There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise."

Saying thanks isn't mind-blowing advice, but I bet there are plenty of organizations where "thank you" could be said much more often. HBR offers these tips for showing appreciation more effectively:

• Set aside time every week to acknowledge people’s good work.
• Handwrite thank-you notes whenever you can. The personal touch matters in the digital age.
• Punish in private; praise in public. Make the public praise timely and specific.
• Remember to cc people’s supervisors. “Don’t tell me. Tell my boss.”
• Foster a culture of gratitude. It’s a game changer for sustainably better performance.

For more on the magic of these two words in the workplace, check out the article below.

The Two Most Important Words | Harvard Business Review

Photo by Paul Downey.

If you live in a small space, a huge, aircraft carrier-sized desk is a luxury you may not be able to afford. With a little elbow grease however, you can have a gorgeous floating workstation that expands when you need to get things done, slides back into place when you need space, and houses all of your electronics.

Over at his blog, Andrea Ponzi outlined how he built the slide-out worksatation. The monitor is mounted to the wall, but the top of the desk is essentially a wall-mounted version of the IKEA Ludvig laptop desk and charging station (which is hard to come by these days, but freely available at eBay and other third-party stores), with a stronger, reinforced bottom for his computer and accessories.

The shelf is mounted on reinforced floating brackets to keep everything stable, and Andrea's mini-computer, power strip, and other accessories like charging cables are all inside the shelf. The shelf is open on the sides to keep the system and power strip nice and cool. The desk floats on top, is big enough for a wireless keyboard and mouse, and can be extended away from the wall when it's time to work. Best of all, Andrea can pull up a bar stool and sit while he works, or use it as a standing desk. Hit the links below to see the whole build process from start to finish.

Mini PC Float-and-Slide Desk | Rea and The Blog via Ikea Hackers

The Marketplace Fairness Act, sometimes referred to as the "internet tax," is currently in the Senate and is showing signs it'll likely pass. This means you'll get taxed for all your online purchases, no matter what state you're in. Here's what it's all about, how it works, and what you can expect if it passes.

What the Marketplace Fairness Act Is

The Marketplace Fairness Act is a bill currently in the Senate and the House that will require you to pay sales tax on all online purchases (you can read the full bill here). Today, the Senate cleared the way for a final vote on the bill, which will happen on May 6. President Obama also threw in his support for the bill earlier this week. This is the second time the bill has been in the Senate. When it was introduced in 2011 it failed, but it's looking more likely it'll pass at least the Senate this time around (it might see a little trouble getting through the House of Representatives).

The bill itself is incredibly simple. Currently, only online retailers with brick and mortar stores in the state you live in charge sales tax for your online purchases. So if you have a Best Buy in your state and you order from Bestbuy.com, you have to pay sales tax. If you don't have a Best Buy in your state, you don't pay sales tax. If this bill passes, your state will collect sales tax from all online purchases you make. That means that if you buy something from Amazon, Best Buy, Monoprice, or pretty much anywhere else, you'll pay sales tax to the state you live in. Smaller retailers that make less than $1 million a year will be exempt, so you probably won't have to charge sales tax on that Nintendo Wii you have up on eBay right now.

That's really it. The Marketplace Fairness Act hopes to make the broad sales tax laws that differ from state to state universal in order to make it easier for online retailers to pay taxes, and for states to collect taxes on what its citizens are buying.

Who's For It

A number of senators, house representatives, and online business are for the Marketplace Fairness Act. For senators and house members, it's about bringing in more income to their states, but for online retailers it's about creating a sense of normalcy across their billing. Even Amazon, who once stood against the Marketplace Fairness Act, is now for it. Daily Finance has this statement from Amazon:

"Amazon.com has long supported a simplified nationwide approach that is evenhandedly applied and applicable to all but the smallest volume sellers," Amazon VP Paul Misener wrote in a letter supporting the bill. "With this in mind, I am writing to thank you for your bill, which will allow states with simplified rules to require sales tax collection by out-of-state sellers who choose to make sales to in-state buyers."

It's not just Amazon, a number of businesses have stepped up in support of the bill because it makes their jobs a little easier. Most brick and mortar stores also support the bill since it ensures that their competition also has to pay state sales tax.

Who's Opposed to It

As you'd expect, some retailers and politicians oppose the bill. Part of that comes from the nightmare of logistics. As The New York Times points out, retailers "would have to keep track of more than 9,000 sales-tax regimes" which complicates the taxing process for online businesses. The biggest retailer to oppose the bill is eBay. For its part, eBay sent emails to about 40 million users asking them to oppose the bill:

"This legislation treats you and big multi-billion dollar online retailers—such as Amazon—exactly the same," Donahoe wrote. "Those fighting for this change refuse to acknowledge that the burden on businesses like yours is far greater than for a big national retailer."

Ebay wants to see the income limit for online retailers lifted to from $1 million to $10 million to ensure that more online businesses are exempt from paying the sales tax. As you'd expect, many politicians who are opposed to taxation in general are also against the bill, especially those from states like Oregon, Montana, and New Hampshire that have no sales tax.

How the Marketplace Fairness Act Will Affect You

This part's pretty simple: if you purchase products online, you're going to start paying a sales tax for them as long as you live in a state that has a sales tax. This only includes purchases from big retailers though. As we mentioned above, if a business brings in less than $1 million a year, they don't have to pay the sales tax. So, if you buy (or sell) something on eBay or Etsy, you probably won't have to deal with sales tax. These aren't new taxes, the Marketplace Fairness Act just makes it so online retailers have to collect sales tax based on the state you're in.

It's also worth noting that this bill only affects tangible goods. It won't have an effect on web services or subscriptions you have. So, you don't need to worry about suddenly being taxed for your Dropbox or Netflix account.

If you want to contact your senator to let them know how you feel about it, you can find your their contact info on ContactingTheCongress. Just be sure to follow our guide to keep your letter short and civil. Of course, businesses have a bunch of other benefits and downfalls to consider if the bill passes, but for most of us the Marketplace Fairness Act is only about new sales taxes for online purchases.

Photos by Geralt, Alex Mit, Valerie.

If you ever ride your bike at night, lights are an absolute must. If you don't have one handy, or just feel like tinkering, you can make your own with a small spice jar and a few spare parts.

You'll need a spice jar with a plastic lid, an LED bulb, watch battery, some eye bolts, and a few other odds and ends. The light will attach to the screws of of the eye bolts, and the battery will wedge in between the eyes to power it. Once you have it working, a pair of hose clamps will keep it secured to your handle bars.

This won't be incredibly bright, so it may be better-suited as a warning light to motorists than a true headlight, but it still looks fun to make. If you aren't a fan of this design, you could try making one out of a garden hose adapter instead, and then create your own turn signal apparatus with an arduino.

How-To Tuesday: DIY Bike Light | Etsy

Researchers and students at the University of Washington in Seattle have conducted a very important study proving, once and for all, that koozies do in fact keep beverages cold. Here's the science behind it.

The study, published in Physics Today, investigates how quickly cold beverages warm up based on their surrounding climate. They found humidity was more important than heat, due to the latent heat that's released when water condenses on the outside of an aluminum can. In the experiment, the students plotted the temperature and condensation of a can filled with water as the relative humidity increased. They concluded:

At 35 °C and a relative humidity greater than 60%, the temperature rise due to latent heating exceeds that due to heat transfer from dry air: Latent heating is the dominant factor warming your cold beer. The rate of latent heating decreases as the outside of the can warms, and the heating ceases completely once the can’s surface temperature exceeds the dew point (the temperature to which air with a given water-vapor content must be cooled to become saturated) and water no longer condenses on it.

They also explain how latent heat contributes to weather phenomenon, but clearly the most important takeaway from the study has to do with beer. Author Dale Durran says: “Probably the most important thing a beer koozie does is not simply insulate the can, but keep condensation from forming on the outside of it.”

Koozie enthusiasts may write this off as old news, but at least now you can cite a real life study when someone tells you koozies make beverages warmer. Or that they just look silly. Thank you, science, for solving this crucial question.

Condensation, atmospheric motion, and cold beer | PhysicsToday via Reddit

Photo by Tim Patterson.

The war between Mac and Windows devotees has been raging for decades, and last week we asked you to weigh in. Today we're taking a look at the best arguments on both sides to offer a clear picture of why you might choose one platform over another.

This Post Represents How You Feel
We didn't write this post to share our opinions on the Mac versus Windows argument, but rather to aggregate what you, the readers, feel as a whole. This post attempts to represent both sides of the arguments equally, but may be weighted more towards Windows users as Windows is the operating choice for the majority of Lifehacker readers. Please keep this in mind as you read and share your thoughts in the discussions.

Mac Hardware Costs Too Much for What You Get

Many feel the cost of a Mac is too high for what you get, but others justify the heftier price tag by citing top-tier support, higher quality hardware, and the benefits of the Apple ecosystem. Whether or not you feel those points are accurate, Mac hardware does come with a number of limitations when it comes to specifications. If you want a machine you can upgrade beyond the drive, RAM, or sometimes anything at all, it'll cost you $2,499 for a Mac Pro. Reader (and systems administrator) Stego summarizes this problem nicely:

The kicker with Mac, however, is that only a limited selection of hardware is officially sanctioned, and they're no longer the powerhouse machines of yore; few include dedicated GPUs, and those that do cost thousands of dollars (in other words, you can forget about a good gaming experience).

If you want a cheaper Mac made by Apple, you're stuck with a computer you can't do much to upgrade and likely won't be able to use for gaming purposes. You can, of course, build a hackintosh to work around this problem. You can still use OS X, get more powerful hardware, and pay a lot less. That said, as Stego notes, the hardware isn't officially sanctioned by Apple meaning you handle the repairs and compatibility could break at any point.

Windows Has More Software

As reader Chris Vician mentions, Windows has "[t]ons of software. Just tons of it." If app stores offer any indication, he's right. The Windows Store already has over 50,000 apps despite its youth whereas the Mac App Store had a little under 14,000 at the end of its second year. Of course, the Windows Store is also a store for tablet apps, so those numbers may not be a perfect measurement. Mac users could also make a quality-over-quantity argument, but that's largely a matter of personal opinion. From our standpoint, as bloggers who sift through many downloads on each platforms, you'll find plenty of crappy downloads regardless of your platform. While what software you love and use may matter the most when choosing a platform, Windows unquestionably offers more options, at least when it comes to bigger apps like music players, video players, IM clients, and other things of that nature.

Of course, both Windows and OS X have their own standout apps that aren't available on the other.

Windows Offers Greater Flexibility

Although OS X doesn't suffer from Apple's "walled garden" philosophy as its mobile counterpart iOS, it's hard to argue that Macs offer as much flexibility as Windows PC. From a hardware standpoint, most Windows PCs let you upgrade whatever you like whereas Macs do not. Windows users also have the benefit of everything being made specifically for them. With software, you'll find Apple drops compatibility with old applications far faster. Reader Stego explains:

Windows is the mainstay of PCs everywhere. 98% of us grew up on PCs, or use PCs on a daily basis, either at home or at work. Windows is flexible in that regard, running everything from the latest games to ancient DOS Payroll software for corporations. You can buy a pre-built PC with Windows from hundreds of vendors, or build your own from scratch with thousands of different parts. Given time, you can build a PC that fits all of your needs perfectly. That flexibility, though, comes at a price.

That price is, of course, higher maintenance.

Macs Have Fewer Viruses and Require Less Maintenance

People used to argue that Macs had no viruses. Some still do, although that statement is no longer true. Nevertheless, far fewer viruses exist for Mac and most Mac users get by just fine without any antivirus protection. While this may not last forever, and Apple doesn't have the best reputation when handling security issues, fewer viruses is a current and legitimate perk of OS X. Windows, on the other hand, suffers from more than just a few security exploits as reader Stego explains:

With Windows, you have to stay on top of driver updates, security patches, Anti-Virus software (still recommended for the Mac, mind, but it's a particular problem with Windows), etc. Windows is easily bogged down with clutter, bloatware, and memory munchers.

Even though Windows can require a bit of maintenance, not every PC features bloatware (such as the ones you build yourself) and requires more updates than a Mac. Microsoft also handles security issues better and created Microsoft Security Essentials (Windows Defender in Windows 8) to combat viruses easily. While we feel Microsoft's offering fell behind its competition, plenty of free antivirus software exists and works great. Additionally, viruses don't account for some of our primary security concerns nowadays. As reader Strife Caecus points out, social engineering attacks and browser-based traps largely contribute to the overall problem:

What about social engineering attacks—where people are tricked into clicking on a link to install something malicious? Or installing extra browser toolbars? Or how about phishing sites? Is it assumed that the average Mac user is less likely to be duped by a social engineering attack?

From our standpoint, Mac users aren't more or less likely to fall for social engineering attacks and don't know of an accurate way of measuring that likelihood. While viruses still offer a considerable threat to Windows, security issues may become platform-agnostic in the future and render this argument irrelevant.

Both Platforms Work Well for Designers

Back in the 80s and 90s, Macs had a legitimate reputation as the first choice for designers because the selection of design applications was superior to what you could get on Windows PCs. Nowadays you often see Macs in design firms likely due to their aesthetic or just out of habit. Both Windows and OS X feature plenty of great design apps, and high file compatibility between both platforms. As a result, you'll find more people who prefer designing on Windows despite the stereotype. Reader Scruffy Kitty prefers Windows for design due to its speed, device compatibility, and better multi-monitor support:

[I'm a p]rofessional graphic designer who weirdly prefers Windows. I often find with my Mac that I use at work slow and not fantastic at multitasking. It is an iMac, fairly new, and it chugs through things my similarly priced laptop (currently running Windows 8) does with ease. I had to buy a $30 adapter so I could use my Cintiq with my iMac at work, and god help me if I wanted to switch between the screens with iMac one running Photoshop and the Cintiq running Illustrator without having to wait an endless amount of time for it to stop stalling. I've lost a lot of time at work waiting for my computer to start working and have learned that if I'm going to work on any hi-res art I should just bring my laptop in and transfer the files over when I'm done.

Many designers still prefer Apple hardware and OS X for their workflow. Because Macs are stereotypically seen more as the choice for artists (regardless of whether or not that's actually accurate), software companies often target Macs for design-related tools. Additionally, OS X offers excellent font management out of the box and other built-in tools like Preview for quick conversion and other tasks. Both platforms have their pros and cons, but when it comes to the design argument you won't find a clear winner on either side. Like with most things, personal preference will dictate your choice here.

Windows Offers a Better Gaming Experience

As mentioned earlier, official Apple hardware offers a paltry selection of graphics cards. While you'll find more and more popular games—including several unique titles—available for OS X, if you want a bleeding edge gaming experience you won't get it from a Mac. Few people elaborated on this argument, likely because it speaks for itself: You'll find fewer gaming options, hardware, and tools to fine-tune performance when using a Mac. Even if you build a hackintosh and get a powerful GPU, you're still fairly limited in regards to what you can do with it when running OS X. Oftentimes, the same game will just run better in Windows than it will in OS X.

Neither Operating System Is Easier to Learn

Macs have a reputation of being the more intuitive choice. Apple would certainly like us to believe that, but if you ask a handful of Windows users you'll find that they consider the platform more intuitive in many ways. We believe it comes down to more what you're used to, or—if new to you're a brand new computer user—how your personal sensibilities affect your approach to either operating system. Reader Strife Caecus offers a detailed explanation:

Learning the GUI [Graphical User Interface] for either operating system didn't seem to be any more difficult. My assumption is if a user barely knows how to turn on a computer, they're going to go through the same growing pains learning what and how to click on things. And if learning a UI [User Interface] is a struggle to begin with, then one will definitely have some issues switching from one OS to another.

I've spent most of my years in Windows' UI. However, switching to a Mac or Linux UI wasn't difficult considering I already understand the operations of a UI. Were there some Mac-specific functions that annoyed me? Sure. Such as the one-button approach compared to the two-button PC approach. However, that's been resolved several years ago as now you can right-click on Mac for context menus. Sometimes, I accidentally open the Mac Dashboard, but aside from that, I do like using the gestures on the Mac Magic Mouse or the Trackpad.

In my opinion, if you can learn the [Windows] UI, you can learn any UI. Many users are now used to the familiar Start Menu and taskbar icons. The right-mouse button opens an extra menu of options and the scroll-wheel scrolls the page in various applications. With the advent of Windows 8, came the Start Screen. I approached the interface willing to learn since people in the future will be asking me how to use it. Many others have approached it much like Sweet Brown's famous meme statement..."Ain't nobody got time for that!" Nowadays, I switch between it and the Desktop. Yes, I do spend most of my time on the Desktop. Much of my productivity is done here compared to the Start Screen. While I don't have the hatred for the Start Screen like many others do, I do understand the frustration of such an interface if you're a keyboard and mouse user (with or without a touch screen).

So why does OS X get such a great reputation for having an intuitive user interface? Some may claim Apple's hype and marketing as the reason, but multi-platform user and reader jamescobalt explains why he prefers OS X's approach:

Personally, after about a decade of using both side by side, I find the user experience of OS X to be substantially more intuitive than that of Windows 7 and 8. There are some things that were confusing to me, but namely because I grew up on Windows. For example, if I wanted to change the name of a file I had open, I assumed I needed to Save As or close and rename in the file manager. Someone not familiar with this Windows-specific workflow might instead see the name of the file at the top of the window and double click on it to make it editable. That's how it works in OS X. It's more naturally intuitive, but it's not intuitive at all of you live in a Windows ecosystem.

No readers who argued a user interface preference for either operating system found it without fault, and you'll find plenty of apps on both platforms that try to offer missing features provided by the other. Yet again, personal preference wins out when you're used to a certain way of getting things done. New computers should try both and see what they prefer, as both require a learning curve and one may feel more intuitive than the other based on their own sensibilities.

What About Linux?

Although we're focusing on Macs and Windows PC in this post, we'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that Linux exists. In the initial discussion, many readers noted that they liked OS X because it provided a UNIX-like experience without the lack of commercial software they found on Linux. Some readers still preferred Linux, however, because it offered more customizability but many turned to Windows to find power user features. Basically, those of you who preferred Linux tended to fall into a niche that desired total control and didn't require commercial software.

The Bottom Line

You can discuss the pros and cons of Macs versus Windows PCs in great detail, but here's what it comes down to according to you. Most of you recommend Macs for the following reasons:

• Macs offer a more straightforward approach to computing with fewer maintenance tasks
• Macs have fewer viruses and security issues (with the caveats mentioned in the relevant section above, of course)
• Macs can provide a UNIX-like experience and also have commercial applications
• Macs software, on average, focuses more on its user interface and making your experience enjoyable than Windows software does
• Other Apple devices work best with Apple computers

Conversely, you recommended Windows PCs for these reasons:

• Windows PCs provide lots of flexibility and customization (with both hardware and software)
• Windows PCs offer support for cutting-edge hardware
• Windows has more software available than any other platform
• Windows offers great backwards-compatibility
• Windows provides a great gaming experience thanks to great hardware support and lots of games
• Windows offers better options for music production
• Windows is the same platform most of the world uses

On average, you felt both platforms were equal in the following categories:

• Ease of learning
• Good for designers

And with that, we end our first official Flame War. We'll be back next month with a new topic, so stay tuned. As reader Frank Fusco pointed out, this was one of the most civil flame wars he's ever seen. We agree. A big thanks goes out to everyone who contributed so much by keeping it both civil and interesting. While we couldn't included everyone's opinion in this post, we spent quite awhile looking at what you had to say. For those of you who missed the initial discussion, it's a fascinating read and we highly recommend you check it out.

Photo by Igor Zh (Shutterstock) and kavalenkau (Shutterstock).

After taking a few shadowy pictures for the scientific world's paparazzi, the atom is now ready for its closeup. Today, a team of IBM scientists are bypassing the big screen to unveil what they call the "world's smallest movie." This atomic motion picture was created with the help of a two-ton IBM-made microscope that operates at a bone-chilling negative 268 degrees Celsius. This hardware was used to control a probe that pulled and arranged atoms for stop-motion shots used in the 242-frame film. A playful spin on microcomputing, the short was made by the same team of IBM eggheads who recently developed the world's smallest magnetic bit. Now that the atom's gone Hollywood, what's next, a molecular entourage?

Filed under: Storage, Science, Alt

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