Windows vs Mac
I grew up on Microsoft operating systems. I programmed for them and knew them well. When Vista came along I thought it was time to get a new computer so I splurged and bought top-of-the-line laptop with Vista on it. Blew about $3000 on the computer and latest Microsoft software. The following year was a complete and total disaster. Vista kept crashing. Every other month I would get told I would have to reinstall Vista. When you reinstall a Windows operating system, you have to reinstall each of the programs. I spent endless hours typing in key codes and inserting disks. I twice lost databases. Except I'd made backups of the databases. Except Microsoft tech support explained they could not remount such databases. So while all the data was sitting there, you couldn't access it. I lost a year of my life trying to cope with all the insanity of it. Finally I went out and bought a Mac and started over.
Instantly the insanity ended. The Mac never crashes. It's been three years and it hasn't crashed yet. Not once. Solid as a rock. I no longer spend my days recovering from the latest computer foul-up. It was explained to me when I bought it that even if a problem develops and you have to reinstall the Mac operating system, you don't then have to reinstall all your software. Since the problem never crops up, I'll have to take their word for it. Because the durn MacMini does NOT KNOW HOW TO CRASH (have I mentioned that already). I have become an Apple disciple. I will never buy another Windows computer again.
When I got the Mac I bought a program that would allow me to run my old Windows programs on the Mac. Except it's rather annoying when the Windows sesson takes over and I wouldn't recommend it. Just get Mac versions of things and put the Windows world behind you. Be forwarned that there are some specialty programs not available on the Mac. If one of those is essential to you. Maybe Windows 7 is more stable than Vista was. That's what Microsoft keeps saying. Oh, and my favorite monitor didn't work with the Mac. Mystery why. Another one I had sitting around the house did. You may find little moments like that when switching. It's not totally painless.
Visually there are things I liked about Windows. I have had a couple of moments using the Mac where I went to do something and realized that I like the Windows way better. But I now know what peace of mind feels like. I'm in the Apple camp now. And it's heaven.