Are you happy with Apple's current selection of computers?

[BlackMax]

I'm "Reasonably happy", but I would be "Ecstatic" if they released a headless mid-range tower.

 

[celtikmind]

Right. But the problem with Apple is that you cannot have the software without their hardware - at least not without ignoring Apple's EULA. (Just to say it again: Apple's EULA is NOT a law, and it is not even clear if the EULA itself is legal or enforceable by law.)

What I want is Dell's excellent support and Dell hardware with Apple's OS X operating system - and, in all honesty, the latter only because I have a ton of software licenses for the Apple platform that I don't want to waste.

I don't care much for Apple anymore. In my book and experience, Apple (the company and its attitude) is worse than Microsoft ever was even in its darkest hours.

Compared to Dell - which I know through my jobs longer than Apple - Apple's products and support just suck and cannot compete. Apple sells shiny and beautiful designs, but the design's the only attractive thing about their products - especially once the initial brainwashing has worn off.

My Mac Pro is still good for quite a while, but after that, I'm almost certain that my next computer will have a Dell logo again.

Where do I sign up?

The only way in which Dell support beats AppleCare is next day on site support for businesses. It would not be financially viable for Apple to run such a service. Apple's consumer support and build quality however, trumps Dell and every other OEM hands down as pretty much any consumer report on the planet will tell you.

But have you had any personal experience? My Unibody MacBook Pro still has problems with heat after having been replaced four times!! And all I can tell you, I'm glad I know my reseller since Apple and their fancy AppleCare has done squat to help this. They claim it's working perfectly. Thanks, I can see that by all the paralysis attacks it's having.

2 personal incidents vs. independent consumer reports based on hundreds of thousands of people. Hmm, which to believe.

Cause we all believe what we read on the internet, right? Geez... In my book personal experiences, the story of the little man if you will is what counts when it comes to my choice of products. I have as much trust in journalists as I have in lawyers - none.

Not a fan of the current selection. If I'm buying an "all in one" computer it's going to be a notebook. So that rules out the iMac. The current Macbooks and Macbook Pros have little appeal. Chiclet keyboard and no firewire 400 are two things to point out. Glossy screens are not my favorite and I would like to see Blu Ray in future Apple products. The Mac Mini is underpowered and the Mac Pro is too expensive.

^^ what he says. No need to type it twice.