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I can only speak to the first question.

I bought my first computer only about two years ago. I spoke to friends and family and got advice. Almost everyone I know has Windows based computers and did their best to tell me, not that theirs was better, but that Macs were not as good as they claimed; they got as many viruses, they crashed as often, they had all the same problems that Windows had and that they cost more.

My uncle is a retired systems analyst. He unequivocally recommended I buy a Mac. My sister had been persuaded by him to buy a Mac in addition to her Windows PC. She wound up preferring the Mac. For me the clincher came from the author of one of the "Dummies" books about computers. I emailed him (he put his email address in the book he wrote) and told him the book was very helpful, but didn't answer my question, Mac or PC? He answered me by saying that I should absolutely get a Mac. He said if he didn't have to have them to write about them, he wouldn't own a PC.

I bought a Mac. It has been great. It is so easy to use! Any problems I have had (minor ones, except for a graphics card that went bad; it was replaced for free), have been fixed quickly. I can always get someone on the phone, any hour of the day or night and get questions answered if I need to. I just love my computers. I have a MacBookPro and an iMac. I also got something called Time Capsule, which is a combination wireless router and backup disc. Both of my computers back themselves up every hour. I don't have to do anything, it does it all by itself.

dash,

You certainly posted enough ammunition to give this posting a very long lifetime! You may want to browse some older posts about buying a new computer, and the question for the ages: "what brand should I buy?"

People will be passionate in either "camp", so be prepared.....

1. I have both, but I'm nuts! I like them both. The Dell needs way more anti-virus "care" and preening than the Mac. Neither of them crash or are slow or stuff like that. Both "blaze" through stuff.

2. Don't know about Nintendo.

3. Because hackers are continually finding things in IE and in Windows to exploit. Because MSoft (contrary to what others may say) is trying to keep on top of the simmering kettle of bad guys out there.

4. Seven has no compatibility issues with ISP's. It'll permit applications like Firefox or Internet Explorer to browse the web just fine. Is it better than XP? The politically correct answer is "it depends". It still has some issues with drivers from peripheral device (read: printers and scanners) manufacturers, but it's closing the circle on them. It IS the operating system for Microsoft's immediate future, so I'd suggest getting familiar with it. Ya can't hardly buy a PC without it anymore.

5. This should really have been 4 separate posts, but we'll handle them with our usual aplomb!

Good set of questions!

What say we all?

Pete

The Mac is going to cost you a lot more. A Mac is over $2000. You can get a PC for less than half of that. You can spend $2000 for a PC (mine cost that much) but you don't need to.
There is far more software available for PCs. And therefore the software tends to be cheaper.

or you could load linux and get all your programs (packages) free.

1. If you're already used to using a PC you won't find it easy to switch to a Mac. I think that the extra cost that Apple charge for their computers (and everything else they sell) is not justified. The idea that they are virus free is nonsense - they are much sought after for botnets because their owners believe they are bulletproof.

3. Windows updates are necessary to keep the system free of viruses and to incorporate the latest improvements to it. If you close the Windows update window you'll will be given the option to restart later : choose the 4 hour option and you'll be able to delay the restart until close down.

Linux is only a good idea if you like programming type activity. If you don't like Windows updates you won't like the attention that Linux requires.

I'll take on the Nintendo question. I never used a Gameboy, but the DS & DSi are something different. They can use Gameboy cartridges as well as native mode DS cartridges. The DS's claim to fame as far as I'm concerned is the availability of programs for us older folks, like Flash Focus, an eyeball exerciser, the Brain Age series and some others. They have lots of titles for kids too, but it's nice that somebody remembered us old coots for a change.

Love the nintendo DS.
My kids got me one after having a stroke T-Day 2008, to keep my brainactive. Mostly have word and number games. Brain age 1&2, scrabble,Word Jung, Margos word zoo, crosword, word search, classic word games, and a math one (up to level 18 now) also have the one with the walking meter to track how much I walk every day.
Keeps me busy and I always take it with me when I have an appointment or meeting friends ( I am always early/they always late.)
I don't think the price of the games are out of line, I budget one a month, Costco has some for as low as $12.99

The DS evolved into the the DS Lite and recently to the DSi (includes a useless camera). I loved the PSP 3000, but the new PSP GO is the ultimate, IMHO.

However, one famous expert, "Tom's Guide" ran a 15 page comprehensive guide view link Go to his "Final Verdict" on page 14 and the winner is the DSi.

"We found Nintendo’s DSi to be the best gaming console overall, both because of its wide range of available titles and its unique gameplay functions. It is the technologically weakest of the three devices, but developers have learned quickly how to use the DSi’s user interface properly, and many of the games available for the DSi are excellently designed. The PSP may have larger, better looking, and more intensive games, but worse battery life and limited collection of available titles for the Go keep it behind the DSi."

Cathbad, I spent much less than $2000 on my MacBookPro, and much, much less on my iMac with a really big view screen (I forget the number, but it is probably twenty some inches diagonally. I think there is one size larger than the one I bought.

Sure you can spend more if you buy every conceivable upgrade, but you don't have to.

Macs do cost more than Windows based PCs. To me the ease of use and reputation for being trouble free were worth it.

Mr. T Sauce, the people I know who switched from Windows to Macs did not have any trouble at all making the switch. Given the wide variety of people in the world, I am sure that some people have a problem, but none of the people I know who have done it have had a problem. Macs are just real easy to use.

I don't know anyone who believes that Macs can't get viruses. They certainly can. There are exponentially far fewer viruses that are developed for Macs than for Windows and the underlying operating systems are different enough that what will be harmful to Windows will usually not affect Macs.

Here's a useless but intriguing statistic: Regardless of the hype about Apple products, Macs make up only about 5-6% of the personal computer market.

In the PC world, HP is the #1 brand in the US, followed by Acer, then Dell, then everybody else.

Yup - Acer beat out Dell in the 3rd quarter of this year. I'm sure Dell will be back, though.

But, even though HP's #1, that still equates to "only" a 20% share of the PC market. Acer has about 17%, Dell about 15% and on down the food chain.

There's a ton of competition out there!

pete