I can’t tell you exactly, I’d have to think about it, I think we got it when my son was 6, and he’s 13 now.
I’m not saying apple is bad, I think you are going on the defensive about them, and I can see why, folks get heated about the debate.
For me, it just doesn’t fit. I have to look at several factors.
1) I like to customize our computers, upgrade them whenever this or that component is on sale from NewEgg or wherever. I like doing that with cars too. Its something I enjoy. I find it much easier to do on a PC because its what I’m used to.
2) Cost, because we build our own machines (my son and I actually enjoy the family time it gives us together) we can build very powerful gaming machines (which he really digs) for a pretty frugal price (much cheaper than say a Dell, much much cheaper than an Alienware Dell, and more performance). Apple is priced out of our budget for what we desire in performance.
3) Software and accepted compatability. Fine, I can get an office suite for the mac, but none of my proprietary software runs very well on our mac. It never has, even with trying to run them in the windows background. I use several engineering aps and cad programs that were designed to run on windows. These were designed by companies like Trane, Carrier, and my duct calc CADS and blueprint CADS are also proprietary to a windows environment. If they were based on Mac, I would have to switch.
4) Forms. My forms for state and city bids are submitted in the latest excel or docs format. They are unreadable with our old OS and I’m not updating that OS for the Mac when I can just do it on a PC.
5) Networking problems. We have 4 other PC’s in the house (one for each kid, one for business and an old mac). The PC’s have no problem in our HomeGroup. The old mac cannot function well. I have had a buddy tell me the new macs are also problematic in that regard (sharing Microsoft networks) unless you are willing to learn about Macs. I am not. My PC’s fit my needs, as mentioned above.
6) I worked for years in the graphics arts field (a previous life) and Mac was the way to go. All graphic files were done in Mac. In that regard, I would say they excelled. I have no need for that.
7) As previously mentioned, Games. My kids love games. They don’t want to be stuck with 3 games. They like to spend their allowance and buy PC games, not wait 5 years for it to come out on Mac. To kids this is important. Computer Games to kids is what baseball used to be to my generation. It is how they social network (well that and scouting for our kids). They don’t want to be stuck playing “dig dug” while their friends are blasting through outer space or slaying dragons.
I hope your not going to flame me, from your posting history you have a habit of doing so to those who don’t think Apple is the “Bees Knees”. Just stating my needs. I don’t buy from an emotional point of view, I buy out of necessity and Apple does not fit that bill.
BTW, my wife has an iPhone and she likes it, she thinks its cool. She doesn’t want another brand PDA, because she wants an iPhone, and she’s my wife, so she gets what makes her happy. I don’t care if she bought it because it matches her purse. It doesnt’ matter to me, it fits her needs and desires. I have a cheap Verizon phone, not a PDA and it works for what I need.
I will probably buy a HP Slate when I decide to step up and retire my Lenova Laptop (yes, thats another computer we have) for the road (and I love it because of the little red point button on the keypad, it fits my NEEDS).
Again, not saying one is better than the other for anyone else but me and the needs of our family, so please don’t think I’m attacking you or your choice. You buy whatever you want, it doesn’t matter to me. Purchase what fits you.
Sorry for the long post. Flame away.
PCs definitely lend themselves better to hobbyist tinkering. It's a valid reason to go PC. However, contrary to popular assumption, you can tinker and upgrade on Macs. You can even replace the hard drive on an iMac. It takes a bit more tinkering than on a PC, but it's still pretty easy to do.
2) Cost, because we build our own machines
Budget is always an important factor. If you love tinkering and fixing computers, you negate a major advantage of Macs, which is that on average you will save money by not having to pay someone to keep up your computer.
3) Software and accepted compatability. Fine, I can get an office suite for the mac, but none of my proprietary software runs very well on our mac.
Software is also a good reason to pick a specific platform. A lot of people need Macs because their software isn't there for the PC. But they have the option of also running Windows on their Mac through dual-boot or VM.
4) Forms. My forms for state and city bids are submitted in the latest excel or docs format.
Compatibility is also important, and you shouldn't have to spend any more than necessary to maintain it. OTOH, this points to a big pet peeve of mine -- open formats. The government needs to use open formats, not proprietary ones like Excel.
I have had a buddy tell me the new macs are also problematic in that regard (sharing Microsoft networks) unless you are willing to learn about Macs.
Switch Mac and PC and it still applies. But I have networked PCs, and networked Macs in a PC environment, and the Macs work just fine. In fact, some things are much easier to do on the Mac. Their zero-config networking, Bonjour, is awesome. It wasn't quite this good in the days prior to OS X, when Macs played well with each other, but nobody else.
6) I worked for years in the graphics arts field (a previous life) and Mac was the way to go.
Windows has closed that gap quite a bit. Mac is still better, but not that much better.
7) As previously mentioned, Games.
That's why I use consoles. I got tired of constantly upgrading computers to play the latest games. Now I can buy a console and know I have years of gaming ahead of me on the same unmodified box.
You see the pattern though. As you said, use what fits your needs, and PC obviously does. Unfortunately, there are too many myths and misconceptions out there about the Mac, so people too often make that needs decision based on bad information. That goes both ways too, since they don't need to be quite so scared about running Windows 7 as the record of past Windows versions would suggest.