Over the years they've largely converged, although some of the distinctions remain.
What I posted on my FR Profile page remains pretty accurate:
My standard answer to "What kind of computer should I buy?" is:"You, like all of us, are going to have issues with your computer. They're unavoidable, and how you solve them is your choice.
If you follow the Windows, Mac, and Linux threads here on FR, you will see that although the above is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, there's a lot of truth to it.
- If you want to solve issues with money, get a Mac.
- If you want to solve issues with time, run Linux.
- If you want an unpredictable hybrid of the two, try Windows."