[A_Tradition_Continues]

Let’s see...I’ve got a 3.2 gigahertz Intel processor, 2 gigs RAM, LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S [CD-ROM drive]
TSSTcorp CD-R/RW TS-H292C [CD-ROM drive], 160 gigabytes of HD, Creative Sound Blaster 5.1, HP vs 19” monitor with XP Pro with less than $400.00 invested. Apple can’t beat that.

[GRRRRR]

What brand or did you build it yourself from spare parts?. XP Pro alone is almost $200 isn’t it? Intel Celeron CPU at 3.2 is 50 bucks. Now, what about DVD burning software like TOAST, photography software like Photoshop, movie making software like Pinnacle etc.

These software packages all come Standard in Leopard.

Don’t get Mac if you don’t want one, but it IS the best value for the moola! This comes from someone who’s been building their own Windows machines for about ten years and just got tired of all the crapola with Windows everytime I built one, drivers, HD’s not being recognized etc.

They do work!

[HAL9000]

Let’s see...I’ve got a 3.2 gigahertz Intel processor, 2 gigs RAM, LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S [CD-ROM drive] TSSTcorp CD-R/RW TS-H292C [CD-ROM drive], 160 gigabytes of HD, Creative Sound Blaster 5.1, HP vs 19” monitor with XP Pro with less than $400.00 invested. Apple can’t beat that.

You omitted the most important specification - the operating system. That factor is far more important than the hardware nowadays.

If the operating system is some low-quality crap like Desktop Linux or Microsoft Windows, then Apple is a much better value.

[HAL9000]

Oops - I see that you did specify the OS - XP Pro. Sorry I missed that.