Just like Mac OS X must be equivalent to Windoze because it's all just lines of code? Just like you must be just like me because we're both made of molecules? That's a ridulous statement. I feel for you, we all wish we could have a G5 for $500 but it's simply not realistic (at least, at this time). If that really is your absolute limit, buy used or go down to Costco and get your $500 eMachines. Within a month you will be hating life and going blind from staring at the crappy monitor you added for $50. I have a number of friends who went this route and most now regret it (IOW, no computer is better than a bottom-of-the-barrel cheapo one).