melon said:
Apple survives mainly by exploiting rampant computer illiteracy and anti-Microsoft sentiment. Some of this, however, is not misplaced, because the question to be asked is whether the average user should be expected to take the barrage of security issues and spyware/virus infections that happen in Windows-based PCs.
But for those of us here who do know what they're doing, Macs seem overpriced and unnecessary.
Melon
All* PC users have to deal with a barrage of spyware/virus infections. (*Unless the PC is never connected to a network). Even if they "know what they're doing," PC users still get infected, at least temporarily, by spyware and/or browser hijacks. I very much know what I'm doing, but I can't prevent infection 100% of the time.
Apple isn't "surviving" anymore. It is competing and even receiving the greatest amount of market share in certain areas. Sure, the price-point (in general) is not attractive to the average consumer, but Apple is changing that as well to become more competitive (Mac mini, iPod shuffle, iPod mini).
It's usually easy to tell when PC vs. Mac posts are heavily one-sided. In other words, the person posting has limited or no experience with either the Mac or PC. Characterizing a Mac as "unnecessary" leads me to the conclusion that you haven't really experimented with its possibilities... or used one at all for that matter. I've never been to Rome, so how much credibility do I have when I tell you that Rome sucks? Just an example.
Apple does like its marketing, and while a lot of it is great and brilliant, some of it does stretch reality a bit. Then again, find me a technology outlet that doesn't overmarket/overhype its products. Napster recently targeted Apple directly by stating that 10,000 iTunes songs is $10,000 dollars, while 10,000 Napster songs is only $15.00 a month. I hope I don't need to explain the fault behind this claim.
Router X provides 600% greater coverage than
Router Y, but notice the little star next to the claim, which basically means that the claim is absurd and can only be achieved under ideal/impossible conditions.
Just a bit of perspective from a PC and Mac user, who sees greatness and fault on both sides of the line.