Macs are cheaper. It's been successfully argued plenty of times. More outlay (although not much if you really compare like with like) and then they just keep working for 3 or 4 years without crashing, getting infected etc – no downtime.

Looks like Windows 7 has closed the gap aesthetically but I can't see the security being as strong as a Mac.

If your kids are creative, having Garageband and iMovie (as part of the initial cost) will be great for them.

The argument that no-one wants to write malware for MacOSX is such a load of rubbish. It's a huge target – mainly because of how secure everyone says it is – what trogan writing geek wouldn't want to infect it?!

…like I said, what better start for kids than to go to school with an innate sense of superiority, you know it makes sense. When they grow up they'll thank you for it, then contribute to threads like this one.

…or alternately they will grow up all bitter and twisted for being denied a mac and feel the constant need to take a unnecessarily vitriolic stance in threads like this.

…just saying.

pjbarton – Member

Macs are cheaper. It's been successfully argued plenty of times.

If that were true, the majority of the worlds businesses would have moved over to them years ago.

lodious – Member

Looking at getting a computer for the kids (age 8 and 4). I made the mistake of calling into PC world on the way home. After playing with the imac for 10mins, the PC's look bloody awful. The imac looks like a much nicer, friendlier option.

Well done. You've successfully passed the audition. At least you're not trying to pretend that it's anything other than "looks".

We've got Mac's and Windows PC's (and Linux ones) at home and when replacing their desktops with laptops recently both kids chose to go with Windows ones. My kids are both teenagers though so having the ability to access most games and other standard software was important to them. They both have to use Macs at school but don't find any problems switching from one to the other. My wife also uses a Mac at work (she's a teacher) but chose a Windows laptop for home use.

Our office allows people to choose Macs or Windows PC's and, while Windows machines are in the majority, there are quite a few Macs in use. We don't seem to see a lot of difference with reliability etc. (we buy decent PC's and laptops not cheapo ones) although we seem to get more networking compatability issues with the Macs, especially when on customer networks or using VPN's.

If your kids are young and therefore undemanding users and you know little about computers then a mac might be ideal for you.

People who moan about macs are just poor people, right?

People who moan about macs are just poor people, right?

they also ride inbreds, eat own brand haribo and use tioga tyres. 😆

or alternately they will grow up all bitter and twisted

My first computer was a Mac, I still use one on occasion, as well as PCs. I'm strangely fortunate in that I'm able to see that the tool is less important than the job, hence my scorn for the golden delicious fanboys…