i will give the same answer i gave in a different topic ( windwos vs linux )

FIRST look at the software you are going to run and THEN pick the OS and associated hardware.

I personally don't use a mac , simply because none of the applications i need / want do exist on a MAC platform. ( photoshop, Paint shop pro, Premiere , CAD software for schematic, pcb board layout ,simulation, chip layout , verilog for Altera FPGA , basic c# and crosscompilers for ARM and 8051) Ok photoshop is now available again for mac, Premiere also i think but it doesn't support the RTX-2 HD video processing card (which i have and costs 1500 $. this is not a graphics card , but a card that can take in up to 6 videostreams and perform color correction , titling , effects and animation. The card handles HD video in realtime. there is no waiting. A must if you want to edit HD stuff from your videocamera. Software only solutions have hours of rendering time. This board is realtime). That is pc/windows only.

For work related stuff ( work from home) i run Solaris. Simply because all of our tools are solaris based.

I also have a home storage server and webesrver. There i run ubuntu.

I also have a mediacenter hooked up to the Pc. I was in doubt between an apple tv and XP MCE for a long time. i eventually went with XP MCE simply because it has more posssibilites and isn't as tied down as the apple TV or Frontrow. ( apple TV or frontrow could not handle HD video at the time , 2 years ago , when i bought my first HD videocamera. I shoot video underwater (scubadiving) in HD and want to be able to play it on my LCD TV in HD. I have the MCE hooked up through a HDMI port. works flawless. i play HD directly form harddisk without stuttering (1080p)

So again , analyse first what you are going to run as APPLICATIONS, or what you want to use the machine for. Then look at the operatng system that supports that and then pick the hardware.

It's like buying a car. I really want the supercool slick 2 seater ferrari or lamborghini, but i have 6 kids and mostly drive offroad and dirttrails , and i can't really afford it either ... then buy a ford 4x4 and if can spend more, buy an Escalade or a lexus SUV.

On a MAC you can always dualboot with windows. so that opens doors. on a PC you can always dualboot with linux / solaris . so that gives other possibilities ( there is even people that succeeded in installing MAcos on their PC ... )

that is a non-discussion. First look at the software you are going to run. Then pick the operating system.

Fact is that 99% of the software out there is still made for windows.

I run Xp , Ubuntu (LAMP server) and Solaris at home.

My everyday pc runs windows. Simply because none of the software i use exists for linux , or the stuff that is out there is opnly half finished, has no support, or doesn't work) i use photoshop , adobe premiere to edit HD video, office ( microsoft , openoffice is incompatible because the macros don't work.) some CAD software ( schematic , board layout , simulation) , i program in visual basic and c# which don't exist on linux (except for a half-ass mono project). i write code for embedded processors (8051 , ARM) for which the devtools are almost all pc only. i design FPGA using verilog with Quartus for PC ( The linux version only runs a specific version of red hat that costs more than win xp ... )

If i deal with stuff from work i run solaris (on Pc) because i can remote connect to the software i need and control it. All our development tools run exclusivly on solaris.

And for my own central storage server at home and webserver i run ubuntu. its a no brainer to install and just works.

each operating system has its place in the world. just analyse what software you want to use and then select.
you can always make a dual boot machine or run vmware or wine ( i can't use wine. some of the software i use can not run in it ) Besides, an OEm of XP is 99 $ , who cares.

Just wanted to say hi.