Thank you very much for your answer.
First of all, sorry if I sound offending too, my French English is not great nor always precise...
I think that once you've learned how an OS works, you can start to make it work for you. For example, it doesn't take me a long time to explore the content of my hard drive, and I do not have to use the Start menu to do so. As a long time windows user, I've taken the habit to customize it according to my preferences and the way I work, just like anybody I guess. And, since I use more often a PC than a Mac, I do feel a bit confused and lost when facing OSX; and I'm sure it takes me a hell of a longer time than you to do very simple things. Example (not true for OSX, though): the right mouse button (again). I use it to create a new folder ever since Windows 95. How am I supposed, by intuition, to press Apple+N (if that's what the shortcut is)? I have to go to File, New Folder, and I could have done it with one click in Windows. of course, the same goes for a Mac User using a PC : where are the usual and handy shortcuts? All of this to say that, in my opinion, user friendliness is not a relevant issue. Unless, of course, that a person is totally new to computers, in which case I personnaly advise that person to chose Mac, since overall, when you have no habit whatsoever, I think you get used to it more easily (which I experienced when doing private teaching).
As for the designs, it is true that mostly, the PC box is not very appealing... But, at least, you have tons of different ones to chose from, and if you look carefully, you can find one that you may find suitable to your tastes... If, of course, that's what you're looking for: keep in mind that many people just put the case under their desk, so who cares what it looks like... Apple computers are quite good looking, in my opinion, but I understand that some people may not like their design: after all, there's no universal liking in fashion or in art. The trouble is, Mac users always call PC beige boxes, but, hey how many different designs can you chose from when buying a G4? How many colors? What about the new iMac? Like it? You'd rather if you want to buy one, because there's no other option... As I said, I personnaly like these designs, and I wish more PC companies would, like you said, invest money in this sort of research. And by the way, MS doesn't actually build computers, so the billion of dollars they win will be of no use here... Too bad indeed.
Finally, about this monopoly thing, I disagree with you about Netscape. Or rather : if you approve of MS unloyal concurrency politics about this one, how can you disagree about the rest? Personnally, I'd prefer MS to just let room for concurrence. By the way, I use ZoneAlarm as a firewall, not the one included in Windows XP, I use ICQ and not Messenger, and I use Winamp to listen to MP3s... Diversity in PC makes its more interesting and richer. I would love to be able to say that diversity and concurrence in computers (ie, Mac and PC) makes them richer too...
Voilà voilà.
