I just finished Chris Dawson’s piece, My anti-Mac bias rears its ugly head,  and it bought to mind a friendly discussion
I had with one of my colleagues just yesterday about my favorite ‘red
herring’ — the perpetual claim that the Mac mini is Apple’s answer to
entry-level computing.  Of course, this red herring is a circular
argument that goes something like this …

(First, let me freely admit that now that Apple uses
Intel processors, and has invested significant sums of money supporting
“Windows-on-a-Mac”, that Dell and HP price-points are nearly identical
to Apple’s when comparing hardware, ahem …  “apples-to-apples”.  {8^)

Windows guy: 

“I can buy a decent dual-core Dell system with Windows Home Premium on it for under $600.”

Mac guy: 

“You should buy a Mac mini for $599 instead.”

Windows guy: 

“If I want to add an Apple-branded display, mouse,
and keyboard, it’ll cost me more than for a new iMac — and the iMac is
more powerful.  Besides, for $600, the Dell comes with a 20″ monitor
and keyboard/mouse, just like the iMac.”

Mac guy:

But you can use the monitor and keyboard that you already have.

Windows guy:

I need new ones anyway — and they are included with the Dell.

Mac Guy: 

“But the Mac mini has better graphics.”

Windows guy: 

“Dell’s graphics card upgrade is only $50 and the Dell has twice the HD space.”

Mac guy:

“But the Mac mini has better multimedia software.”

Windows guy:

“I don’t need to do anything with multimedia except
tweak some photos and listen to music and watch videos.  Windows Home
Premium does everything I need.”

Mac guy:

“But, but but …”

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