The GUI was actually invented by Xerox, who allowed Apple to develop it further. Apple did not steal it from Xerox, in fact they were later compensated for it. Bill Gates and Steve Balmer (then a budding Microsoft) had bought a clunky OS for 50K from a guy in Seattle (it was called DOS). They were also doing some work developing apps for Apple. When Steve Jobs made the mistake of showing the new Macintosh OS, Gates promptly stole the idea and created "Windows". The rest is history. Gates and Balmer were devoid of any moral conscience about stealing from someone who had given them work. They released a cheaper, clunkier, uglier GUI that worked on cheap, foreign made beige boxes from Taiwan. Apple on the other hand released their OWN (American made) machine with their OWN OS. Is it any wonder that Macs cost more? They are better built machines with a native OS, something that no cheap PC is. Microsoft does not make machines, just software. So comparing the market share is not really an accurate assessment of the strength of the product. Microsoft software, from the start has been bug ridden and full of problems. The way they tie everything into their OS is ludicrous. Especially the lamest of attempts to destroy Netscape by linking MS IE into Windows and claiming that it couldn't be uninstalled. Please, how stupid do you have to be to buy that one? I'm not saying that Mac OS's are without their own problems, but every version of Windows has had major problems associated with it. Not to mention that upgrading Windows also means that you have to upgrade most of your Apps with it or they won't work on the new OS. So in the long run you are paying MORE for your Windows based Apps than Mac based ones because you don't need to buy an App upgrade when you upgrade your Mac OS. Apple has never been indicted or tried by the Federal Government for trying to stifle competion illegally. In my eyes Gates and Balmer are just as bad as Ken Lay of Enron. Any dirty deal under the table is legit to them as long as it makes them a buck. I can't support a company like that, I don't own any MS software nor would I ever use any form of Windows. Even without viruses Windows would still be the clunkier, uglier alternative. Mac OS is still the easiest for Non-Geeks to use. I am completely self taught, never took a class. I bought a Mac and was using it the same day. My brother on the other hand, needed to take a class to figure out how to use his 'inexpensive' PC with Windows 2000. Tack the cost of computer classes, video card, and other add ons onto the list price and stock Macs come out about even costwise.