I'm certainly not against the Mac, just pointing out something I think that makes it a completely different animal when it comes to making a stable operating system.
I'd like to get one eventually, but I'd still keep a PC or two around for occasional use.
I have a lot of Ford products, and have a Benz, a Volvo, and 4 Nissans. the parts are not interchangable, but they all perform the same function. My Towncar is only 300 lbs heavier, than my '87 300zx 2+2. They don't perform similarly, however. One has a 5.0 ltr V-8, the other is a V-6, non-turbo... I drive them both, but love the ride in the TC...
I have only one, insufficient, reason to buy a PC, and have been bothered a little by MS's discontinuing their Flight Simulator Mac version. I have used the PC version with my Mac, and an emulator, but it is too clunky. Other than that, I can foresee nothing getting me into their driving seat!
None of my car parts are interchangable, with few standardized sxceptions, life tires, oil, and other fluids. They all use a 12v battery, but have different requirements. Mac is different from Wintel, and will be different even with Intel chips. The difference is in the direction of use. Either you are linked with MS, with the Wintels, or free to move about the Mac environment, as long as you stay on the roads.
As for stability of the OS, I think it is more about requiring protocols within OSX, rather than allowing the self-proclaimed PC gurus to tinker, and screw things up! They have a need for their existence, and MS, by Mr. Gates, is proud to supply their full-time employment.
Mac folks just call Applecare, for their occasional foibles, and usually find that some ex-MS type tried to tweak the untweakable...