I remember Rush saying, somewhat accurately, back in the day when there was a big hulabaloo about Windows 94, "Windows 94 equals Mac '89".
Mac had a much better user interface than Windows, but hefty boutique prices and less software available. It is amazing the degree to which some people resent Bill Gates but give Steve Jobs a complete pass. I use windows for better compatibility and generally lower prices, but I can see the appeal of Macs. My first PC was a Mac Plus back around 1986 for about $2500, used. When I toy with Macs at Best Buy, I realize that if I go back to Mac I'll need to relearn the user interface. I actually had a FORTRAN complier on the Mac and wrote toy programs to amuse my daughter. I also used it with "Numerical Recipes in FORTRAN" to code things like FFTs and such. I really got a good intuitive feel for a lot of numerical programming using my Mac. Windows used to come with MicroSoft Basic, but no more. Since Office for home use is only $100 smackers, I've learned to use Excel 2007 VBA for home projects.
This thread is too binary:
Linux!
Have you looked at Windows Powershell?
For application automation, Apple’s Automator is quite awesome, and amazingly easy, no code knowledge necessary. You just build what you want done with the UI. If you need to go a bit more in depth there’s AppleScript, which is like VBScript. If you need more hard-core, you can drop down to the UNIX shell scripting.
For system automation, Windows Powershell is quite good, and I would suggest Windows administrators learn it and replace any VB out there. But Powershell is basically a version of what’s been around for years in UNIX shell scripting, although with some interesting and useful tweaks of its own.