My father - while being one of the first to promote "one desk, one computer" - knows how to type an e-mail. That's what he knows. Don't ask him anything else. He's needed 6 years to figure out how the CD player worked. It had FIVE buttons. My father is an extremely intelligent man, and when he worked a highly successful individual, the kind of success most people dream about. Don't however ask him to do anything technical.

For a surprising amount of PC users this means he shouldn't even come near a computer. He is however capable of using e-mail... on a Mac. On any other system he's lost. Not that there's such a difference between e-mail clients. Those other systems need maintenance that goes beyond clicking a shiny button whenever Software Update has found something to update.

I've taken my father as an example, I know lots and lots of people like that, actually, my whole family.
- My sister's computer works about 3 days in 20 - after someone has come around to do something arcane to it. Since it's a home-made PC I don't touch it for fear of making it worse. - My stepmother doesn't use her home PC at all, because her kids have infested it with everything imaginable. It gathers dust. - My brother finally bought a Mac laptop, he now does all his photography (he's a professional photographer) on that thing. He doesn't understand the first thing about computers.
- my father in law is on his second mac, he's incapable of using PC's. His prior experience was a typewriter. The PC managed to eat up all his documents, and yes, it was his fault. Explain this however to a 70+ year old. He loves his new iMac, he's now doing DVD authoring.

Everybody I know who doesn't really like computers and went for windows doesn't use his/her computer anymore. That's a cool statistic, especially for someone who happens to favor macs.

So this is what I found out, and what the author talks about:
If you happen to LIKE computers for computers sake, you use everything you like or need. If you're indifferent to it, or worse, share about 90% of the people's incapability to cope with most systems maintenance demands, buy a mac. Not that it's trouble free, but it's the next best thing.

If you like to give free support, yeah, install linux or buy windows for your granny, why not? It's a cool passtime and you're helping people. If you don't have the time, skill or inclination, recommend macs.

If you don't agree, most likely that's because you're one of those people that "dig" working with PC's (any kind) and lack the empathy to see most people just don't. There are many worthwile things in this world apart from computers and we've managed for thousands of years without them (although don't ask me how, ye gods!)

Cheers