[Turbopilot]

I'm aware of the free security stuff for XP.

OK, as long as you (and others) are aware that your annual costs for PC security software for home use should be $0.

Generally, if people have problems after that, it's because they're doing dangerous things with IM or cruising pron/warez sites or opening macro-ed Office documents or doing stupid thing with email.

Absolutely correct. Even many/most of those problems are prevented by proper system setup and security software.

I've yet to see anyone who has taken more than a month to become quite happy with the Mac experience.

Even given the assumption that a month's lost productivity isn't an issue (how many people can say that?), are you really claiming that even an experienced user, one with years or decades of experience under Windows/DOS, can achieve a similar level of proficiency on a Mac in a month? I don't doubt it may be true for a newbie who might only have a month's worth of PC knowledge but, and no offense, such a claim for someone with more experience stretches the bounds of credibility a little.

[George W. Bush]

Absolutely correct. Even many/most of those problems are prevented by proper system setup and security software.

Look at the basics. You have to work at it to even set up a root administrator account on the Mac. Few users even know about it.

Generally, Windows should have done better at cloning this sort of thing from Apple. They've had plenty of time. Personally, I think they (and Apple) should do even more to force people on to user accounts, not admin accounts. It prevents so much mischief.

Even given the assumption that a month's lost productivity isn't an issue (how many people can say that?), are you really claiming that even an experienced user, one with years or decades of experience under Windows/DOS, can achieve a similar level of proficiency on a Mac in a month?

Absolutely. First, most of that touted experience is essentially the same or so similar on the Mac that it's no problem. For instance, MS copied their Recycle Bin from Apple's Trashcan. Where's the learning curve? The My Documents is the same as the user's Documents folder. Using Office 2003 is almost identical on both, Office 2007 will eliminate VB scripting and set up Applescript instead (that one is bad).

How can there be much learning curve when at least 75% of the Windows features were copied from Mac to begin with?

[jacquej]

FYI, my sis, a software engineer for Hewlett-Packard for 35 years, bought her very first iMac after seeing mine, and playing with it for a few minutes last summer.

She says she will never go back to PCs, except to finish up a software package she is writing for a private client.

She loves the Mac, and doesn't like working on her PC any more. It did take her a couple of days to re-adjust, but she was having so much fun she didn't care.