Full disclosure: I own a PC. The only home computers I’ve ever owned were Windows-based PCs. I’ve never had a Mac. I’ve worked on them though. I like them more with every spyware incident or trojan alert my security software detects. I like Apple’s commercials. I like that Apple forced the music industry to shave their inflated prices down to .99 a song. I don’t own an iPod but they look nifty. After about thirty OS installs, after thirty hard drive formats, my attraction to Apple computers is increasing. Plus, they look cool.

"I like the way that Apple stuck it out and evolved with the times and the trends. Mac users are a faithful bunch, defying convention all these years."

I’ve priced the iBook, MacBook, PowerBook, Power Mac G5, MacPro, Mac Mini and the iMac. Being a cheapskate, I search for used or refurbished Macs on Ebay first. You know what I’ve noticed? Apple computers don’t devalue like PCs do. The resell value for an Apple is much better than a Windows-based computer. Right at this moment I can search on Ebay and find a two-year old Windows PC/Monitor for a ‘Buy It Now’ priced at around $400.00. Hell, I can snag the tower alone for $200.00, Operating System pre-installed. Remember that those tower/monitor Windows PCs cost a $1000.00 new just two years ago.

Now, go and price three-year-old Power Mac G5 computers via the ‘Buy It Now’ tab. $1000.00, $1500.00, $1999.99. Those are the prices you’ll find for used desktops from Apple. Those Intel processor Macs announced in 2005 ­ same story. And refurbished PowerBooks? Forget about it.

Granted, Apple/Macintosh computers have always cost more than Windows/IBM PCs. That was the point of Microsoft’s business model. Gates and Co. insisted the hardware be cheaper than a Mac while having IBM hardwire Windows OS compatibility into every motherboard. When Apple first introduced the Macintosh in 1984, things looked sunny for a whole year until Gates came out with Windows 3.1 in 1985. Then fortunes slid for the Apple computer and its only saving grace was its ability to render graphics and handle desktop publishing software and applications.

The same fateful year that Microsoft introduced Windows ­ 1985 - Apple founder Steve Jobs left the company under less than congenial circumstances. Back in 1976, Apple was just Jobs and Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. They assembled their $666.66 home computer kits in Job’s parent’s garage. By 77, Wayne sold his shares to Jobs and Wozniak. In April 1977, the Apple II hit the market complete with 5 ¼ floppy drive. Whereas, Jobs saw the potential for the Graphical User Interface (GUI), he fell into a power struggle with new CEO John Sculley and departed Apple in 1985. He went on to form his own company and a new platform that would later bring him back to Apple.

From the late 1980’s through most of the 1990’s business went up and down for Apple. The company developed the first aesthetically appealing and functional portable notebook in 1991. That year they also upgraded the OS to System 7, which made a vast improvement in popularity and sales for Apple.

Sadly, they still couldn’t catch up to Microsoft’s lead and decided to sue Gates and Co. for theft of intellectual property. The suit never went anywhere and eventually, Apple changed course again. At first they tried making digital cameras and PDAs. They worked and worked on new platforms and kept pumping out new models of Macs. But Windows 95 was king and things looked bleak. Then in 1994, they teamed up with former competitor IBM’s subsidiary company Motorola to manufacture processors. After a while Apple realized that the new processors needed a new Operating System and after reviewing several big-name candidates, the chose an OS named NeXTSTEP, created by one Steve Jobs. Apple did a complete circle and things were suddenly right with the world.

In 1998, Jobs unleashed the iMac to a world weary of gray and tan boxes. The candy-colored wonder was a hit. So what if it the user could never upgrade the hardware? For once, an Apple computer retailed for less than a Windows-based PC and the thing looked wicked awesome. Buyers bought them like crazy and Apple had its first profitable year since 1993. Apple catered more to its graphical/video strength and kept upgrading its processor and OS. They opened retail stores and in 2001, they gave the world the iPod.

From there, the iPod morphed into a now billion-dollar online music delivery service called iTunes. Now there’s the video iPod and a whole sub industry dedicated to accommodating these tiny players. Then this last year, Apple declared that they would integrate Intel processors into their computers.

I fancy an Apple more and more and I’ll probably get one soon. Anyway, most software is Mac compatible already. I seriously doubt I'll miss Windows and Macs are hella easy to learn. I like the way that Apple stuck it out and evolved with the times and the trends. Mac users are a faithful bunch, defying convention all these years. I like that Macs are relatively safe from spyware and hackers. I like that Apple doesn’t regurgitate. They innovate. Yes sir. I’m liking Apple.