Indeed, good luck with the PC. I really hate that Apple hardware inevitably costs more with fewer options, and I understand the enormous mini-macpro gap would make many folks just build their own damn box for less.
And the truth is, it'll be faster. Sure, for $500 more you could have had a mac pro, but then again you'd have the lowly 7300gt and 1gb of uber-expensive ram, only 1 HDD etc., all for more money.
Although I'm pretty thoroughly a mac guy these days, I can't help but keep a self-designed 'backup' pc or two around at all times. Mainly I just keep them packed with HDDs as servers and backup since most macs have no room for any expansion, but it's also useful to have another pc around if one's out of commission, being used by someone else or just busy working hard on some task. I've tooled around with linux distros on them, but i also keep a windows computer around for compatibility with my GPS and random other things.
Gave Vista a shot a while ago, but i never got the integrated nvidia graphics drivers to stop scrambling the screen, itunes was junk, and some of the programs I use aren't (and probably won't ever be since they're legacy) compatible with vista. I have a 64 bit processor but I tried 32 because tons of programs drivers etc. aren't ready for 64 (itunes doesn't run at all at this point). I didn't buy it, just used the free trial period, but if i was buying a new windows OS right now it'd be a tough call. I'd hate wasting money on XP when i'd want to upgrade in a year or so, but right now it's hit or miss with vista; some people will love it, while others will have nothing but headaches.
Mac has advantages in their hardware-software integration, few driver, virus, malware issues, better OS overall etc, but some folks will always prefer getting more hardware with their dime and dealing with a lesser OS. Can't blame most of 'em, especially folks looking for a general duty super-cheap machine ($500 laptop/$400 desktop) or a mid-high end headless desktop ($1100-1700 with good graphics, 2+gb ram). I almost always suggest a mac to friends and family asking for advice, but depending on their exact budget and needs I often have to admit there's nothing in the line for them.
this is getting lengthy, but here's a few quick examples of people I couldn't justify a mac for:
Doctor uncle: IT is all windows at his hospital, would be a liability if IT couldn't help him with issues.
Executive boss: needs extremely portable option that accepts our company sprint pcmcia cards; macbook is too large and has no such slot.
Family: a low imac would have been perfect, but their budget was very strict at under $500. I tried to sell them on a mini, but they have ~200gb of photos so they'd also need an external HDD as well as a superdrive to burn backup dvds, just too much $. They got a great dual core AMD Dell with 1gb ram and a 400gb HDD for $400...it's ugly but XP runs well and when I visit they get a free support, a virus/malware scan and any updates they didn't know about (joy).
Crazy ex: a law student, I thought a macbook would be perfect, but she needs to run some sort of windows only law related programs. She loved the macbook and the idea of parallels, but the decently outfitted macbook plus parallels and windows ran up to $1580, too much for a poor student. She got a $1000 dell ultraportable of some sort, pretty slow but she doesn't need speed and the battery lasts 8+ hours. I also helped her install a $20 sound card and 500gb HDD in her old desktop so she can record howard stern while she's at class and travelling (great windows program called cybercorder for scheduled recording, although i'm sure there's one for mac as well).
Sister: still in college, had a $500 HP laptop until a certain fitness water 'propelled' it to an early grave. I suggested a macbook, but her budget is just too tight and she liked the HP (because i'm the one who disassembled it to install wireless, kept it free of viruses when i visited etc). Luckily I was able to use her birthday to gift her the difference between a refurb macbook and the $550 HP she was going to buy, but the reality exists that a sub $1k would be very helpful in bringing in converts.
oh man that was long, sorry bout that
