MAC/PC a computer is a tool and those who jump up and down and scream and shout or whine about witch is the best has in turn let a tool company turn them into a Tool.
Public Schools like them because you do not have to train teachers beyond the use of a few mouse clicks, almost all know how to type already.
Apple made one mistake that I can see and that is it followed the IBM Business Model or proprietary Hardware keeping the price high. But once the first PC Clone hit the market the death bells began to toll for that track.
PC users found that they could add hardware at a lower cost on a system that cost less and less as time went by.
With the PC there became a mind set followed by many where they had to have the biggest and the best which drove the prices higher on new hardware which took some time to drop. Hold outs that had finally figured out that the newest, biggest and baddest was often not worth the hassle of conflicts, price and gain sat back and their numbers grew.
IT departments which held large budgets to spend on new hardware kept the prices high for a long period of time also. But even they found that it was much more cost effective to not jump on the new hardware and software roll outs to break something that was otherwise functioning. It was best to sit back a bit, wait for the bugs to be worked out and the price to drop and for OS/NOS conflicts to be addressed.
The drops in price demanded by the consumer push the company's to build off shore where they could still recoup their 200% and higher profits and even to gain some where they had been working with a loosing product.
Apple will hang on for a time but will end up being a memory if they do not make some serious restructuring in their business model in my opinion.
They still have problems with their OS it is the nature of the beast. There are still conflicts in hardware it is also the nature of the beast.
So it is up to the Computer user, the one purchasing the system to decide upon which tool of choice they are best suited too and to decide if they own a tool or become a Tool...
It is almost like comparing Bic Pens to Cross Pens, one is as functionally to do the job it is meant for and both in the end run out of ink. One is 69 cents and the other is 15 dollars. (but can cost more depending on the model of choice)
anyway...
