Dear Tortured Souls,

I know over half my readers are logging on using Windows machines (aka PCs – rhymes with feces). Oh why use such an unreliable and boring system with unfriendly intolerant software? Don't you deserve better?

Apple recently announced the new iMac desktop computer. Fast, elegant, and fully loaded with the best programs normal people actually use (iPhoto, iMovie, etc.). But no, you continue to wallow in your clunky system using Internet Explorer, constantly closing pop-up windows and installing service patches and antivirus updates. Also you're getting the ire of your friends when you email them a 10mb attachment of 5 photos. Oh the agony.

"But Macs are so expensive!" Not necessarily so says this article. PC's are cheaper only in the sub-$500 range. But even in that price range, you can find a very capable used or refurbished Mac Mini. Remember, OS X is what you're buying. The computer is just a shiny container. It's software, not hardware, that will cause the most downtime.

Long-time Mac-basher John Dvorak wrote about his Mac experience:

I have no plans to move to the Mac platform for my personal use. That said, I have noticed that I've been recommending the machine to friends and neighbors when they want to know what kind of system they should buy.

I can see why the Mac is gaining market share, because the rationale for using one is simple. Do you want to deal with the agony of antivirus, firewall, antispyware, and other touchy software subsystems, many of which do not work well? Or do you want to boot Microsoft Word and write a document and be done with it?

Here's another article that claim the Mac is set to soar.

The word of mouth for any Macintosh is remarkably good, and with the negative press that Vista is getting, the shine on Apple only gets better and better. To put it simply, Apple's Macintosh is becoming the most logical choice for those looking to buy a new computer.

But I know many of you will probably never venture onto the fairer platform. You'll continue to ask me for help on converting PDFs, making slideshows and ripping videos because you "can't" do it on your machine. And that's ok, I don't mind helping (I currently have two video projects on my cluttered desk awaiting my attention). I know for you that your next upgrade will be a Vista box because you want the latest and greatest. So to you I offer this article yesterday from Walt Mossberg:

"If you install Boot Camp on a well-equipped Mac model, it can become a blazing fast Vista computer. A few days ago I bought a top-of-the-line model of Apple’s new iMac line, and installed Boot Camp and Vista. I then tested the machine using Vista’s built-in Windows Experience Index, a rating system that goes from 1 to 5.9, with scores above 3.0 generally required for full, quick performance. My iMac scored a 5.0, the best score of any consumer Vista machine I have tested. Obviously, a tricked-out high end Dell or HP box might do as well or better, and a lesser Mac might do worse. But the score was very impressive for a computer that wasn’t designed with Vista in mind."

In fact, our Mac is SO easy to use, today Dustin (age 7) called me on iChat from home to chat during lunch. Surely you are smarter than a 2nd grader.