If Macs are really better and cheaper than PCs, then why don't more people own them?

Most people don't buy PCs instead of Macs because they are cheaper. PCs are available at every price point. However, the cheapest PCs are slow and lack storage space. While certainly some buyers choose $500 PCs, most don't. So, I'm guessing that the average PC price is within a few hundred dollars of the average Mac price.

So, why do more people buy PCs? I'd argue that its because they are actually better computers. For one, they connect to every and all peripherals without much fuss. Example: where I work, we have a computer projector. Its only about a year old. Nevertheless, it takes a brain surgeon to connect a Mac laptop to it. However, PC laptops never have any problem with connecting. Plug it in, switch your screen output using your function keys and you are ready to go.

Gripes about the Windows operating system are no longer valid. I will grant you that the early versions of Windows were buggy and clearly inferior to the Mac OS. However, XP is very good. I've had XP running on this computer for 4 years with no OS crashes and no reason to reinstall, etc. Occasionally (perhaps once every 3-4 weeks), an application will crash. However, the OS seems bulletproof. Admittedly, Vista has had some problems. However, its safer and even more stable than XP.

The virus issue is a red herring. True, there are more viruses written for PCs. However, a $30 virus protection program has kept this computer virus free for 4 years.

There is more software available for Windows PCs and much of it is as good or better than the Mac software. I recently went looking for a video editing package and found a variety of possibilities at a range of price points and features. Multiple choices exist for most applications and competition keeps quality high and price low.

There are many other reasons why Windows PCs are better than Macs. The average consumer knows these reasons and makes their choice based on a real comparison of the two platforms. The common Mac-user assumption is that most people don't own a Mac because they are ignorant is just plain wrong.

My experience is that most Mac users have never touched a PC and really have no idea what using one is like. I bet this is case with our writer. I'd like to challenge Farhad to actually use a modern, state-of-the-art PC (no $500 Walmart specials) for a few months and then blog about his experiences.

Yesterday, there was a job waiting for you at the plant with union wages, full Blue Cross health care (does that even exist anymore?), a pension (not a 401K), and all the overtime you could handle. If you wanted more, college was affordable. Today, what awaits a high school graduate? A job at Walmart or McDonalds. College costs have gone through the roof. Its no wonder so may inner city kids end up in prison. I'd rather risk prison than try to live on $7 an hour too.

Evil presidents? Nixon may have played dirty. But, no president has every been scarier than Bush Junior. We are currently involved in two wars with no end in sight and we are contemplating a third with Iran. On domestic policy, Bush and Reagan are running a close race for worst in history. Nixon started the EPA. Bush vetoed SCHIP and would love to drill in ANWR. No contest.

Cold war? Pakistan, who owns a field-tested nuclear weapon and is itching to use it on India, just underwent a military coop. All of those Soviet weapons scientists are now unemployed, hungry, and bitter. Assured mutual destruction sounds pretty good right about now.

Personally, I'd rather live in post-WWII, pre-1970's oil recession American than now.

I enjoyed the column, nonetheless...

That's "coup," not "coop"... Ugh.

Yep, you're right. I'm a sheep that keeps using Windows despite the fact that a Mac is a better computer. I do this because I'm ignorant, lazy, and myopic.

Like I said: "The common Mac-user assumption is that most people don't own a Mac because they are ignorant is just plain wrong." Most of us have tried Macs and we're not convinced they are better computers. Stating otherwise just doesn't make it so. PCs are more popular because they are judged to be better by most users.

If I thought a Mac was better, the next time I needed to buy a computer, I'd switch.