Pretty much what you said 
I just prefer the way the Mac "works" over that of Windows, though I believe that with Windows 7, Microsoft is on par with OS X in pretty much every area except for security, which the argument can be made that the Mac is only protected by obscurity, which I don't buy as the full reason but it does help.
Just to be clear, I'm not claiming that Macs are wide open by any means, but if you check any objective source and peel away the hype, Windows is generally more secure. Average Windows users, on the other hand...
I also liked building PCs back in the day, but now that notebooks are out pacing desktop sales, you pretty much have to buy a notebook from a company. I don't know of too many people that build their own notebooks.
Yeah I've heard this almost every year now for years and years. Notebooks, blah blah. I wouldn't be caught without mine, but it in no way replaces my desktop, and probably will not for a very long time. I'd run this forum from my desktop if I could, it's way faster than our host's machine. Too bad I can't get 100 megabit lines to my place
I admit that the looks of a Mac appeal to me and is one of the reasons that I like buying them, but they are also better built than a run of the mill PC notebook. Solid machined aluminum makes if feel well built and sturdy. The PC notebooks I have owned and used were plasticky and flimsy feeling. Sony builds some good notebooks (or at least they used to) but then the price argument for PC over Mac goes out the window since most of the Vaios I have seen are priced right up there with a Mac.
I like my Compaq notebook. It's plain, but sturdy. If I were in the market for a notebook and price were no object, then sure, I'd definitely give a macbook/pro strong consideration (and put Windows 7 on it
) But as you said - more important things to spend my money on.
I do dislike Apple's policy of restricting OS X to their hardware, but I understand why they have to do it. I would never buy a Mac Pro if I could build my own PC for cheaper with just as much power.
That's not really the reason. I mean sure it's a factor, but it isn't the driving factor. Mac OS is only old with Mac hardware because if it were freely available for all PCs, it would be of no better quality than Windows, and probably a whole lot worse since Apple doesn't have nearly the experience MS has when it comes to supporting every conceivable hardware configuration under the sun. Then there's the whole security thing... no, Mac OS and Macs themselves are an expensive, profitable niche, and Apple has no intention of ever changing this.
I would also argue that there notebooks available with just as much or more power than Apple's products. They just aren't as "stylish." If there's one thing Apple has the market cornered on, it's style. Whether they actually have the best looking machines or not, they've certainly got everyone convinced that they do. And for the people that care about that, why would you ever buy an imitation, no matter how good, if you can just get the original?
I'm a Mac user, and I agree 100% with this, and it goes both ways. Windows fanatics do it too.
Of course. I'm firmly in the Windows camp, but I readily admit that "Mac vs PC" is generally no more productive an argument than "Democrats vs Republicans".
I do have to say that if in 3-4 years when it comes time to replace my MacBook Pro Windows 8 has continued to improve as they have with 7 and I can find a manufacturer that makes a quality machine on par with Apple that I would not rule out buying a "PC" over another Mac.
Ugh, can't we just all agree to dump ancient ass XP and enjoy Windows 7 for a while before start talking about Windows 8
