Sheepfarmer-
One great thing about computers is that they evolve. All the things that used to be a royal pain in the tuckus to work on are now pretty much automated, no matter what the OS (Most flavors on Linux are still very manual but some are automated, like Mac OS which is just a super Unix/Linux variant).
The latest desktops have power that Supercomputers of 20 years ago could only dream of. Then people go the more simple route with their iPad, other tablet and just email and do social stuff, no need for the horsepower.
That is why the research is so important, there are so many more choices. To Cave Creek Ray's point, he found something he really likes and like many Macophiles shouts his joy from the rooftops. There's nothing overly wrong with that, but where I get a bit frustrated is when perceptual information, that is mostly myth, gets added into the mix in order to find converts. That is why it's called the Holy War as computer choice tends to come across just like religious choice. I certainly support Ray's enthusiasm for the digital world, however my approach is all about finding the best solutions for people and fit them with the proper computer.
If Macs are what you are into, Ray's method is the best fiscally. Many Macophiles are ravenous adopters. They buy the latest Apple item every year, new iPad, new iPhone, new laptop, new desktop. Many sell the recent 1-2 year old items on ebay or Craigslist for a song, or at least down at new Windows PC prices. If you are on a budget and want Mac, that is the way to go.
Having said that, with powerful PC's down at the $300 mark for the basic system, it's scary cheap for a PC that will last you 4-8 years. You can also go WAAAAAY overboard and build custom systems that have $10,000 of components in them and rival entire blade processor systems for pure horsepower.
The PC world is huge, and from smart watch (Calling Dick Tracy) to the ever expanding world of Artificial Intelligence pursuits, it's not getting any smaller.