Wow. Holly Off Topic Batman!
Random Thoughts (that response to all the posts since my last one-follow the bouncing ball, and read the thread with me):
The Lian Li PC Case is kick ass, and if you think it's more than you need to spend to hold a pc, ok, but it is a better product like the Mac Pro case is, and well worth it. I spend lots of time looking at my PC and using it-so I feel the case is worth it. Not to mention, you can reuse it many many times-so why cheap out? I have owned this case's predecessors, and it was well worth every cent.
Never cheap out on your Mobo, it's the foundation. It is all your PC can become and do. I say go all out here.
DDR3 is expensive, but why put it off? All the best Mobo's are using it. Your going to have to take the plunge sooner or later. If you go DDR3 now, that's less you have to rebuy when you upgrade again. Prices will drop for upgrades in the meantime. In fact, I found 4GBs on Newegg today for $500.00, so the prices come down all the time.
Zalman Fans are quiet and, my ears like that. My wallet likes to listion to my ears, so 2 super quiet high end Zalman Heat Sink Fans (GPU and CPU) plus thermal stuff is worth 100-125 US Dollars to me.
Vista Ultimate Retail is useful because it comes with both 32bit and 64bit discs, and can be moved to other Mobos as you upgrade. OEM versions do not have both versions in the box, and they are tied to the Mobo you install them on.
Games are not on the Mac, but that's why I use a PS3 or Boot Camp. Mac thrives on Pro Apps, so yes, a Mac Pro can do lots a Mac Mini can't. Photoshop is not going anywhere, and will still be on Mac. Vista versions do differ on max RAM, OS X is only limited by the machine you are on. The Mac Pro goes up to 32MBs of RAM, and that's a good advantage.
OSX updates are free too, and they are more often than Windows IMHO. And the updates are mostly welcome by all, and Apple comes up with cool new features all the time. The same can not be said of every update from Windows. My Dad even avoided CS2 for a long time, due to bugs. Major updates happen more often than Windows, and require money. But the breath of features that come with it offset the cost. And I like my OS to look nice, even though it is a tool. That's why I buy Honda instead of Toyota. They are a better looking tool to me.
Apple is missing a machine between the iMac and Mac Pro. That's why the Mac Pro can seem like there is no use for it. But I know that to be false. For creative pros, that power is maxed out very easily. For users that just want the fastest machine they ever used, with computing power that will stay useful a few more years than normal, it's a good buy too-and it is the only way you can get a flexible Mac tower until Apple fills this missing link.
It takes time to rewrite software for new formats, and Photoshop will be fine until it gets to where it needs to go. Mac transitions are more easy going than say, XP to Vista. Just look at how smooth the transition from OS9 to OSX went, or from PowerPC to Intel chips. Hell, When Microsoft called out Vista, and we said Go Fish, we want Xp Pro back for a bit. Perhaps it is time to end legacy code, and start from scratch again with a real next gen Windows OS. Apple can do this better because of the fan base and they have less to lose. When Apple makes a change, that industry follows it. Noone says they don't want an Intel Mac, or that they want to stay on OS9-Apple leads, and Adobe, me, you, everyone else follows. I of course can point to how many people decided they wanted to stick with XP again, or avoid regular updates until they are bug free, but I rest my point. Apple is far more easy going with software rights too. OSX does not need an internet handshake to work, or does it put harsh limits on how many Macs you can install it on from a single purchase. If you buy a new version of OSX, you can use it on several (I think 8) Macs. Also, hobby guys make these cool, easy to use little programs all the time for the Mac, like itune alarm clocks, Little Snitch, MacTheRipper, ETC.
Performance of the OSs can differ for how long it takes to do the same tasks, but the power of the OS is considered very good in OSX, if not more efficient for what it is doing, when compared to say Vista. If you want to compare Xp, compare it to OS9.
I don't think kids in school have that many issues using Macs. I dug it back in the day. MacBooks made learning fun again, you know it's true-and just how many Macbooks are in an average StarBucks nowadays?
Roosetta PowerPC emulation was a great reasonably fast solution in its day, but now that time is over in just a few years. Everything is Universal Code now, and they can focus on optimization. It will take Windows users at least that long just to stop demanding that Xp Pro still be on the store shelves along side Vista.
Not to mention that because of Boot Camp, I can be brave enough to run Vista on my Mac, or cling to XP Pro like the rest of them, so this thread is not a software thread, it's a hardware comparison thread!
Comparing Nero to iDVD is stupid, iDVD comes with the OS, Nero does not. Compare it to Roxio Toast or something. I lost faith in whatever that article was comparing, and I didn't even have to read it. By the way, OSX comes with DVD player software, Xp does not (unless the manufacturer throws it in for them)-now that is a more gross oversight in this day and age. First thing after downloading Xp, I have to haul online to shake hands with MS, then download VLC. OSX comes with the Apple DVD Player application, and it works nice within moments of booting up, for your digital lifestyle pleasure. Handy if say, the internet is not connected right away. Things like this make me think it is fair to say that Xp is not up to OSX Panther, much less Tiger, or Leopard, but I know some will argue otherwise. Vista may be better in this regaurd, I dunno as I have yet to use it, but it is not an embraced OS like Leopard, and I doubt it is up to a fair fight with Leopard yet. Apple got it right like 5 years ago, and has been fine tunning ever since, and we are still waiting for Vista to show its chops.
That said, the first thing I want to do on my Mac Pro is load up Vista, and rock some Team Fortress 2. In that respect, Vista has some game. My biggest wish is to someday build my own Mac, like a Windows PC. So MS did allot of things right too. Just not any that begin with the letter "V".
And for the love of the 12 gods of Kobal, this is a hardware comparison thread in a Mac centric forum. Take your off topic OS fighting outside! A software debate is better left to a separate thread, and misses the point of this one. That said, I now know I placed it in the Apple software section, so perhaps it's my bad.