Acadia, I read the HORRORS you went through with your new Dell. My heart ached for the tears you shed and I thought, "Why doesn't she make the jump?" "Do it! Do it! Do it!", I cheered from the sidelines. What is the appeal of a Mac?, you ask. This reminds of a story written by a reporter who went to interview both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. He was most struck by the two companies very different approaches. While in Mr. Jobs office, Steve was describing the new Mac line-up. There was a long shelf behind Mr. Jobs with all the models lined up on it. He spun around in his chair and began, almost reverently, speaking about each one, his hands passing over them. To Mr. Jobs, each Macintosh had to be, first-most, a thing of beauty. Sleek, elegant, silent, and powerful. He stopped talking and was silent for quite some time as he brushed his hands over the new form factors. The reporter knew that to Mr. Jobs a Mac, above all else, had to be clean and elegant. A sympony when powered up. When he visited Microsoft's headquarters, the impression he had was quite different. Neither Gates or Balmer were interested in esthetics. They constantly talked of destroying their 'percieved' enemies. Their obsession was completely and utterly crushing companies and then pulverising the ruins. And schemes were bantered about on taking total control of markets. All markets, any market that they could muscle into. Microsoft left no doubt that they want to own everything, right down to the wires. That is their only objective. Now, who would you want to give your hard earned money to?

 Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things!  ; )