Macs are not overpriced. They're just no entry level models, no netbooks and no cheap laptops. However, investing in the Mac pays off in the long run as you get a lot of software for free (included), your OS upgrades are very cheap, your iWork Office Suite is much cheaper than MS Office and you don't need an AV.
Microsoft certainly has its faults, but its Windows OS is the least painful, more cost-effective and supports the widest range of software and hardware.
That's a typical Windows shill line. Not that you're a shill but its a general MS marketing statement - it should not be about what Windows supports but what YOU as the user needs. You need an Office suite? You got iWork. Alternatively MS Office for Mac.
You need a DVD player? DVD player is included. You need a dictionary and thesaurus? It's included. You need a backup utility? Time Machine is included - and there are commercial and free open source alternatives available.
You need the expensive software like Adobe PhotoShop - yes you can buy it.
You need AV - ha you don't need an AV. You need to edit your movies captured from your camera - you use iMovie and burn them to DVD using iDVD. If you want more sophistication - get Final Cut Express - much cheaper than Pinnacle software. Virtually every piece of hardware - old and new is Mac compatible.
My old printer is Mac compatible.
My Epson scanner is Mac compatible and comes with software for Mac and PC.
My iBurst modem works in Mac and PC.
My 3G cell phone was easier to tether to my Mac than to my PC.
My USB sticks work with Mac.
My PC mice work with Mac.
My keyboards work with Mac.
It's not what the OS supports - Windows supports a lot but much of it very poorly - Mac OSX maybe supports less - but what it does support it does so very well. At the end you won't be running 10,000 applications on your computer, heck life's too short for that - you'll only run a dozen.
Macs have their quirks - eg Spotlight isn't very nice but it beats MS Windows search. However, they bother you less, are more intuitive and give you less hassles with viruses and junkware - all that shareware and trialware that OEMs put on PCs and people download to try.
We really need to ask why IBM, Apple etc., are unable to compete more with Microsoft. And dont say its because of Billy's dubious business practices. Thats a cop-out. An excuse. IBM where stupid, and Apple wanted to charge excessive prices to be "elite".
MS destroyed OS/2 - they first promised IBM they'd develop it then they switched to NT and also instead of releasing Office for OS/2 they released it for Win95.
Win95 was an inferior OS to OS/2 but it won out.
Apple is not really elite. The cost of owning an Apple computer are much less in the long run and you get better support.
