When it comes to computers, most people today use either a Mac or a PC. In this post, I’ll explore how this digital rivalry began, how it shaped modern computing — and how Linux quietly carved out a space of its own.

The Early Days: Roots of the Rivalry

In the 1980s, personal computers (PCs) began appearing in homes, schools, and businesses across the world. A wide range of companies entered the market, including Apple, IBM, Tandy, Commodore, Atari, Texas Instruments, and Sinclair. Most of these early machines featured basic text-based interfaces — often just a simple version of the BASIC programming language. But a few notable outliers, like the Apple Macintosh and the IBM PC, ran more sophisticated operating systems that hinted at what modern computing would eventually become.

Apple’s strategy was to have both hardware and software exclusivity — they designed the physical hardware, the Mac OS operating system, and even the mouse. This allowed them to provide a consistent user experience using the first polished graphical user interface (GUI) that was easy enough for anyone to use — a revolutionary concept in computing at the time. Their now-legendary 1984 Super Bowl ad positioned the Macintosh as a bold alternative to the status quo.

IBM took a different path. Instead of building a closed system, they assembled their PC using off-the-shelf components and licensed the DOS operating system from a relatively small software company at the time called Microsoft. Because of its open design, other manufacturers like Compaq, Dell, and HP flooded the market with IBM-compatible PCs that also ran the DOS operating system, and later the graphical Windows operating system. Consumers had countless options at varying price points, and the competition among hardware vendors led to dramatically reduced costs compared to Apple Macs.

The tradeoff? Inconsistent hardware quality, device driver headaches, and a less cohesive user experience compared to Apple’s tightly integrated systems.

The 1990s: The Rise of Computing and the Internet

By the early 1990s, there were so many IBM-compatible computers on the market that people simply started referring to them as “PCs.” In other words, by the early 1990s you either had a PC or a Mac. There were far more PC users — but Mac users still benefitted from a more seamless computing experience and better GUI, albeit at higher cost.

Things began to shift dramatically in the mid-1990s with the rise of the Internet and the launch of Windows 95. Windows 95 introduced a GUI that was just as good (if not better) than what Apple had on Macs, and Microsoft celebrated its launch with fanfare usually reserved for movie premieres — complete with celebrity appearances and a soundtrack featuring the Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up.”

With such a massive install base, Windows PCs became the primary platform for most software developers. PC users had access to a much broader library of applications and games, and hardware manufacturers continually pushed the envelope with expansion cards for advanced graphics and sound — further widening the performance gap with Macs.

These were dark days for Apple. To stay relevant, Apple leaned into the areas where Macs still had an edge compared to PCs: creativity, graphic design, and publishing. This led to the famous Think Different ad campaign — a bold rebranding of the Mac as the tool for artists, rebels, and visionaries.

Then, luckily, one of Apple’s original founders (Steve Jobs) returned in 1997, made some important changes to the company and released the iconic iMac all-in-one computer. The iMac put Apple back into the game and allowed many people who had not previously used a computer to get onto the Internet for the first time.

The 2000s: When “Mac vs PC” Got Personal

By 2000, Windows PCs were everywhere.

But with the cash inflow from the iMac (and later products, such as the iPod), Apple was still very much in the ring. They released a completely redesigned, UNIX-based version of Mac OS called Mac OS X (later renamed to macOS), which was faster, more stable, and more secure than its predecessors — and offered a slick, modern UI that outclassed Windows XP at the time. To spread the word, Apple launched a series of memorable ads that spoke directly to user frustrations with Windows PCs. One of the earliest hits was the quirky Ellen Feiss ad, which quickly became a cult classic. This led to a much longer-lived Get a Mac ad campaign, where two actors were used to personify a Mac and a PC.

The 2010s and beyond: Healthy Competition Between Macs and PCs

By the 2010s, the tone of the “Mac vs PC” debate had shifted. Now that Apple had solidified a place in the market (especially with creatives, students, and developers), the fierce rivalry of the 2000s was replaced with healthy competition, with both Microsoft and Apple stealing good ideas from each other and chruning out welcome features. Windows started to get features designed for creatives and developers, while Macs started to get some gaming and enterprise features.

When Apple transitioned their hardware to Apple Silicon chips in the 2020s to get massive performance and battery life gains, Micrsoft did the same in 2024 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite-based Windows Copilot+ PCs.

Today, the decision between Mac and PC is less about raw capability and more about ecosystem and preference. Creatives, software developers, and those invested in the Apple ecosystem (e.g., iPhone, iWatch, etc.) are more likely to use a Mac, while office workers, gamers, and Android users are more likely to use a PC.

Where does Linux fit in to this?

While Mac and PC duked it out in the mainstream, Linux quietly became the main operating system used on web servers, as well as the operating system used on Chromebooks, Android smartphones, Internet-connected devices (e.g., Google Home, smart fridge), and network devices (e.g., Wi-Fi router). Its flexibility, customizability, and powerful terminal tools made it the go-to choice for developers, sysadmins, and power users — especially those building the infrastructure of the modern cloud, where it enjoys a 96% market share!

Being free and open source, Linux doesn’t have the marketing clout of Apple or Microsoft, but it’s arguably the most important OS you don’t see. But while Apple was running it’s Ellen Feiss ads, Linux parodies of it floated around the Internet, including this one. And during the Get a Mac ad campaign, Novell (a Linux vendor) released several Linux focused ads, including this one and this one.

In some ways, Linux acted as a kind of invisible third pillar. It didn’t compete directly with Mac or PC in terms of consumer market share, but it influenced both as it rose to dominance in the cloud and on the devices we depend on. The foundation of macOS is a UNIX-based system called Darwin (Linux is a type of UNIX), and Windows now runs Linux directly using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to allow developers to build and test software destined for the cloud and the plethora of Internet-connected devices running Linux.

So, while Mac and PC might dominate the spotlight, Linux is the quiet workhorse behind the curtain — and sometimes, the entire stage it’s performed on. And yes, someone out there is probably running Windows on Linux on a Mac (as shown below)… just because they can.