When looking after individual users, with computers on internet and networks we found 1 PC Technician was frantic with 40 - 50 users, without locking up the PC. While it would be nice if Macs never broke down that's not really true. On the pool of about 1000 Macs we support, (1 technician and 1 Help-desk) we have an average of 3 on the workbench. Most common problem is lightning strike, then hard-drive deaths. Our Power and Telecom system is all overland on poles. Taken as a pool and total costs, Macs are cheaper to maintain, but getting a single Mac repaired can cost more than a PC because: 1. Apple service centers are normally staffed by Apple Certified Technicians, so the labour rate may be higher. There may also be less competition. If you have a brand name PC and seek out the qualified service center for that brand then the rates would be comparative, but who does? Just about any old Joe Bloggs thinks he's qualified to build and service PC's. 2. If the service part is an industry standard unit, such as RAM or Hard-drive then the price should be equal. But you may find that a uniquely Apple service part is more expensive. I'm not sure how Apple price the parts but I think they must include additional handling and storage costs. They do have a very generous discount for module exchange. I always purchase AppleCare so if a part fails it's Apples problem. And a good insurance policy for accidental damage also keeps the repair costs down. I have noticed that organizations with over 5 Mac's may be better off not buying AppleCare and taking the risk of part failure themselves. YMMV. And yes, the Unix underpinnings of OS X helps with support and stability.