[July 4th]

I agree with you, and this is the reason I will never use Macs for my own personal use. Crashes can be unexpected, ugly, and very messy. I've seen several, both on one that I used to have, and ones belonging to others. (I compare this to my arsenal of Windows machines which have never had one major problem. If there was, I could get software or parts in a flash.)

Additionally, there is much out there in terms of freeware and shareware that you just can't get on Macs. This includes a variety of unique DVD file editors written for specific purposes, audio compression and processing software, and various controllers for my LCD display. There's also a fair amount of stuff out there on the Mac that's available, but doesn't work as well. The bottom line is that I can't get a Mac to do what I want it to do, so it's pointless for me to ever consider purchasing one.

[Swordmaker]

...this is the reason I will never use Macs for my own personal use. Crashes can be unexpected, ugly, and very messy. I've seen several, both on one that I used to have, and ones belonging to others. (I compare this to my arsenal of Windows machines which have never had one major problem. If there was, I could get software or parts in a flash.)

Hmmmm... I have made a lot of money repairing "unexpected, ugly, and very messy" crashes on various incarnations of Windows computers... and a ton of money resurrecting them from various virus attacks which, generally, do not happen on Macs.

Your very limited Macintosh experience obviously includes absolutely no experience with OS X... which is brand new, completely different, from all previous Macintosh operating systems. My OS X installation has now been running continuously, without a crash for 15 months, 24/7. The only restarts required have been those when I updated OS X. Software installations do not require a restart.

I have a number of business clients. About 3/4s of them use networked PCs and the other quarter use networked Macintoshes, sometimes with a PC tossed in to the mix. I can asssure you that real world experience on both platforms tells me that PCs break down more oftenrequired more maintenance, and much more attention, than Macs. Several times I have had to rebuild entire networks of PCs when they were invaded by PC viruses before McAfee or Norton had provided the anti-virus for that particular virus (or because the network owner had gotten lax in following the procedures I set up to keep the virii definitions updated). Not once have I had a Macintosh network fail.

I have had individual Mac computers develop minor problems... but most were solved with a short visit. Hardware problems are no more difficult on a Mac than on a PC... and are less frequent.