I know there are PC builders who have issues similar to Apple. The difference, is that unlike Apple, you are not forced to purchase it from that one company that has issues.
You can find many great and reliable PC's at prices that are unbelievable.
As for the Windows issue, really???? Does it really matter which operating system you use if all you're doing is taking notes in class?
Linux, Windows, Mac OS??? It's all the same when you're typing in a word processor.
And, if you don't like one word processor, pick another one. There are tons of options available for each operating system.
I do prefer using OS X. But, I've had a very hard time finding Apple computers that are reliable.
The Mac Pro I am using now is reliable, but it does have a defect that I can live with (doesn't affect my use). I've thought of getting it fixed, but from previous repairs (on other machines) I know that the machine will be worse when it comes back from the servicing (since it will then have a new logic board with different issues than those I have now).
The iMac's I've had in recent years have never worked right. I couldn't ever actually use them because they were always in the shop.
my Mac Mini G4 is rock solid though. As is my wife's iBook G4.
And, Apple's I had prior to the G4's were solid. But, those were all before Steve Jobs returned to decrease quality and make things pretty.
From my experience, the only computers I've ever had fail on me have been Apples. And, I've owned a ton of PC's from various companies.
Yes, some PC's have issues. But, you have a choice as to where to buy your PC. You don't have to buy the garbage one.
With Macs, if you want a Mac, you are stuck with whatever level of quality Apple is producing at the moment.
I've become much more selective in my Apple purchases. I will no longer buy a machine from Apple based on just price and whether it meets my needs. Instead, I watch the reports, and evaluate a machine's reported problems before I'll consider it.
With my iMacs, I believed that the defenders were right. I believed that it was just a bunch of people who complained a lot. I believed it was truly a minority. That was until the day I discovered I had just not waited long enough. Suddenly, my machine was in the shop for weekly visits. Every time it came back, it would work for a short bit, and then another part would fail. It turned into such a vicious cycle that I sold the machine for whatever I could get out of it after it's last service (sold it before it could break again).
I waited about a year, and purchased a later revision. Figuring that surely they'd have improved. Unfortunately, that machine didn't even work when it arrived. And, after it's initial service, it was constantly in the shop as well. So, after it's final repair, I sold it for what I could get.
Then, rather than running out to buy another Mac, I reverted to using my G4 systems and PC's to tide me over until I found a machine solid enough to purchase. Waited about a year after the Mac Pro's were released to get one after it had established a pretty solid track record.
The only issue this Mac Pro has, is sound when in Windows. But, I can live with that. It's a physical cold solder joint that I know how to fix myself. So, I'll likely perform the repair myself after the warranty runs out. If I take it to Apple, they'll just give me someone else's returned logic board, and I'll have to wait to see what issues it has.
Yes, like you say, there are issues with PC's. But, it's not issues inherent in PC's. It's issues with specific manufacturers. Just like the issues with some Macs are due to manufacturing rather than the fact they are Macs.
It's just that I can choose a PC from one of any number of hundreds of companies. But, I can only buy a Mac made by Apple.
So, where quality is concerned, you are a bit more limited when it comes to finding a Mac that is built solid and reliable. You have only one company to pick from.
