PCs and Macs are basically the same.

Well I'll pick this up and run with it I guess. You argue that neither is better - I argue that PC outstrips Mac any day. I'll go down your list and provide my arguments for why there is a difference, and why that difference leans towards PC... 1. Newer Macs running Win32 and Win64 apps simply add another layer of things to go wrong between the software and the user. It is clear that more games are written for PC. Also, there is no such thing as a "gaming" Mac - Macs are decent for gaming, but don't come NEAR the performance of a Gaming PC. And one other thing... that one button mouse is WORTHLESS for gaming... 2. Upgradability is a HUGE bonus for me. If I'm buying anything - not just a computer - I'm going to go with what is upgradable. That means PC over Mac. 3. Anymore, the price issue isn't really all that much of a consideration. For the same CPU, HD, and Graphics, Macs and PC's are roughly the same price - expensive. The reason PC's are more affordable is that you can build them - you don't have to buy pre-built systems. My desktop is more powerful than new Mac desktops, and cost less than half as much because I built it. 4. Ease of interface isn't something that really should enter the debate between the two in my opinion. Between PC and Mac, I think it depends most on what you used as a kid, which would be PC for me. But I have mine kind of set up like a mac, with a double row taskbar, where the top row is all quick launch. So - in this case, I'd advocate a hybrid. But if you REALLY want ease of UI, get Linux or Unix. 5. I disagree here - I believe if you tallied 3rd party software, PC would win in a landslide. Tallying USEFUL software might produce different results though. I think the distinction here is that most of the 3rd Party stuff came for PC first, giving it that developmental edge. 2nd set of points... 1. Neither platform crashes if properly maintained. Or at least - doesn't crash often. I leave my desktop running for weeks at a time without a crash. But I boot XP on 28 processes and have a powerful machine. The point is that proper attention by the user can prevent 98% of crashes. 2. Neither platform has an advantage in any area... Standard Macs are usually better at media processing than standard PC's, but again - that's an issue with obtaining comparable equipment. PC has more productivity software, but a lot of it is available for Mac too. I would say that neither side has a definitive advantage - or that Macs might have one in music and video, but PC in 3D modeling and programming. 3. No argument here... 4. I think PC's are more user friendly, actually... I don't find the Mac UI very intuitive. And that one-button mouse is a pain. Macs aren't very friendly with their interface to storage devices and folder trees either. IMO - PC wins this one. 5. This portion should be eliminated - it's pointless. The hardware can be taken out of a computer and put in almost anything. Although PC's are much easier to stick in new cases because Macs have some ridiculous case designs. Basically, anything with an ATX-based form doesn't matter as far as looks go. I think that PC wins this one though, because it's ATX-based 99% of the time. While a certain amount of what you want to do will determine which platform you get, as a general computer user, you can't go wrong with a PC. Take for example the time when most people are looking at getting a computer - college. Unless you are a Commercial Music or Graphic Design student, a PC is almost certainly the way to go. They're more network-friendly with systems that are already in place, offer a wider range of software for things like word processing and entertainment, and are also usually cheaper. Now if you're doing fairly specialized work, you might want a Mac, but only for certain areas - and if you're going to spend that much money anyway, you might as well get a comparable PC and save some hassle with compatibility. In my opinion - there is a difference. PC wins in nearly all categories.