I've used .mac since the beginning and the free apps before that - I admit in recent times .mac seems to have been neglected a bit by Apple.
For example, we use to get free audio (to use in iMovie projects), updated templates with older homepage setup, and I did like the old virus app before it disappeared (as it just made me feel better. There were also free games here and there, and apps like stickies, circusponies notebook to make it sweet along the way.
All of that seems to have stopped though - the sweeter bits. However I use .mac everyday and I would be lost without it:
Pros:
- My automated scheduled daily backup of all my modified work - if someone steals my desktop or fire etc - I have not lost my work.
- iDisk, invaluable at uni when working on PC's - my work is always one click away - and via a password is always available to my supervisors via the apple servers
- iCal access anywhere (I don't have a portable at this point)
Cons:
- that oh so cool ....@mac email address is useless to me - as way too much mail goes missing / undelivered and unsent. This is a known problem with apple (and not just with me) but they are silent on the fixes - so I no longer use this email address - too risky and it's cost me a bit already in missed emails. Who knows just how many emails I didn't ever get.
- probably a bit pricey - but it has come down in price for Australian users - I paid (from memory) closer to $200.00 for the first subscription.
It isn't perfect - but I couldn't be productive without it - and I feel I get more out of my apple apps with it - as I tend to use the apple suite of apps to within an inch of their lives.