Date of Award

5-1987

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the IBM PC and the Apple MacIntosh electronic publishing systems. The study fulfilled the following objectives: (1) to identify a list of operational and functional characteristics that a model electronic publishing system would possess; (2) to identify which characteristics (operational and functional) are featured in each of the selected electronic publishing systems; and (3) to provide a comparative analysis of the cost of purchasing hardware and software necessary for an electronic publishing system

Journals and industry and business literature were utilized to provide a list of operational and functional characteristics. This list along with the selected systems were compiled into tables. The researcher utilized both the systems and their documentation to determine if the listed characteristics were present or absent within each system and to what extent they were used within each system. A comparative analysis of the cost of each system was obtained from contacting the manufacturers of each system

The selected systems possess almost identical operational and functional characteristics. The greatest difference is that the IBM system is capable of utilizing the characteristics present to a greater range of purposes than the MAC system. Although the IBM system is more versatile the MAC system provides superior documentation, written and on-line. The Mac documentation provides a clearer explanation of the characteristics it possesses and places in a logical progression the tasks necessary to produce a printed document. The cost analysis revealed that the educational cost for both systems is considerably less than the retail cost and the Mac system was substantially lower than the IBM system in both educational and retail markets

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