Win 8 and Mountain Lion side by side

After Windows 7 was released 3 years later, Microsoft introduced a new version of Windows System —— Windows 8. Anyone who has seen or used Windows 8 knows that this time Microsoft has made a drastic change to Windows 8, and this is an operating system for both PCs and tablets.

Windows 8 itself has narrowed the gap between the tablet and the PC operating system, and its interface is very similar to the Windows Phone interface. The only thing that does this is OS X, especially the latest Mountain Lion that combines the features of iOS. Apple is no newcomer in the field of tablets and smartphones, both in terms of hardware and software. What is curious is, how similar is Windows 8 and OS X, especially Mountain Lion? This article makes a detailed comparison from the functional similarity of these two systems. But it's not that Windows 8 plagiarizes these features from OS X, but it just proves that Microsoft is also merging mobile and desktop platforms.

Desktop VS. Modern UI
OS X Desktop vs. Win8 UI

The interface of Windows 8 is brand new. Microsoft basically redesigned a user interface, but this has become the most controversial One side. Because Windows 8 is completely new to Windows 7 users, but if you are a Windows Phone user, you will find the Windows 8 interface looks familiar.

OS X has only recently begun to integrate mobile operating systems. Starting with Lion and going to the latest Mountain Lion, OS X has slowly begun to look like it even used like iOS.

OS X and Windows Who are closer to their respective mobile platforms? If the two compare, Apple's actions are slower, adding only a few new features in the last two OS X systems; Underneath, Microsoft's actions are much larger, and it is simply a big deal. However, Windows 8 and Windows Phone can only be called “similar”, that is, Windows Phone users still need to learn how to operate Windows 8, just as iOS users should learn how to operate OS X.

Aside from whether they are similar to their mobile platforms, OS X Mountain Lion and Windows 8 systems are also very different. All features of OS X Mountain Lion start on the desktop; Launch Pad, Finder, and Notification Center are all clicked from the desktop. Applications and files are opened from the desktop, and all settings are also done on the desktop.

Windows 8 is less dependent on the desktop. The new Modern UI has taken over and the desktop is just one part of the UI. Although Windows 8 also has a desktop like Windows 7, the desktop and Modern UI are tightly integrated, as if the desktop is sitting in the back seat, Microsoft keeps pulling the desktop backwards, pushing the Modern UI forward, Modern UI The interface displays some programs that only run in the Modern UI. To better compare the Mountain Lion and Windows 8 desktops, you can only compare Windows 8's Modern UI.

LaunchPad vs. Start Screen
OSX LaunchPad and Windows 8 Start Screen

Windows 8 uses a completely new way to run programs, such as "Start” screen is also where you start Windows The interface that is first seen after 8 . And OS X Lion's LaunchPad, as mentioned above, is itself a program that runs from the bottom of the Dock. All programs installed on the system are run from LaunchPad. Of course, you can also choose to run from the "Application" folder.

To say that OS X and Windows 8 are different, LaunchPad is a program in OS X, but Windows 8's Start interface is both a running program and a home screen interface, from which you can access the desktop, my computer. ,my document. Both the LaunchPad and Start start interfaces can reorder and group programs, but the two have in common.

The Start screen is an excellent running program; it supports Live Tiles services and update notifications, but these services only apply to applications. Opening a file from the start screen is extremely complicated, unlike the OS X LaunchPad experience. In terms of functionality, the Windows 8 start screen is indeed richer than the Launch Pad. But because the start screen has multiple uses, you'll find yourself switching between Modern UI and desktop mode. As a simple example, when you open a driver from “My Computer", it will switch to the desktop. Files can be searched on the start screen, but the folder doesn't work, you have to switch to the desktop to search for folders.

Menu Bar vs. Charms Bar
Menu Bar and Win8 Charms Bar

On Windows 8 systems, move the mouse to the top right or bottom right corner of the desktop to bring up the Charms Bar. It includes options related to the current active program, as well as some basic system options such as brightness, volume, network connection, search, and more.

Charms Bar can be compared to the OS X menu bar. OS X's menu bar is also easy to retrieve on the desktop. It also changes menu options based on the currently active program, as well as some basic system settings.

If you want to compare these two parts, the Charms bar is still a bit tender, the system settings inside it are fairly thoughtful, but very few programs can provide sufficient setting options. OS X's menu bar options are relatively more uniform, and the program's options are completely default.

iCloud vs. SkyDrive(Windows Live ID)