The price of Macs...bonkers

[archonforest]

Apple hardware is reliable (I manage several higher-ed computer labs with very few hardware or OS problems), but yes, overpriced. Which again is why I have ugly and cat-affected computers ;-)

I think a correct PC workstation is just reliable as an Apple machine. I have Dell Workstations around(not mine) running 24/7 for years with zero problems and the price still lower than a Mac. And software actually can be a problem as for example Photoshop CS3, 4, 5 can run on a Win Xp, 7, 8 or 10. This is not true for the Mac. One of my friend has an older MAC OS installed and that is not running for example CS5. You have to buy the latest OS for that. Now this was the moment I told her to trash those MACs as they just a big hole where you can keep drop your money for really nothing extra....except the design. I like the design of the MACs...except the trash bin version...

[plugsnpixels]

I think the difference in software support has to do with Apple always pushing forward at the expense of the past, while Microsoft tends more toward backwards-compatibility.

The problem with this is your still-working-fine Apple hardware gets left behind.

Apple also has the walled-garden philosophy (an ecosystem where their hardware and software work together well), while Microsoft's Windows has to somehow work in the Wild West of hardware from anybody and everybody.

FWIW, rumor has it a new Mac Pro is coming, but I am personally not in the market for one or anything else for that matter, because I already have an ugly Mac/PC and a wet Mac ;-).

[PabloMack]

I recently heard that iPhones are making Apple a lot more money than their computers. This probably disincentivizes them to put much effort into chasing the computer carrot. As I have always believed, the rest of the World is a lot more innovative than just Apple alone. For Apple alone is all that can improve their systems because it is a closed system.

[plugsnpixels]

I understand that is the case. So it would be nice if they released the desktop OS (which is their main strength) to run on generic hardware. Would even be worth paying for under that scenario. Again, that would be many more App Store and iTunes customers.

As much as I have loved Apple hardware over the years, I can now live with alternatives while running macOS. Right now I am on the MacBook Air attached to a 24" ViewSonic TV/monitor and that's perfectly fine for me. Bigger than the 21" iMac and with an unannoying matte screen.

[PabloMack]

So it would be nice if they released the desktop OS (which is their main strength) to run on generic hardware.

It may be that Apple needs some of the profits from sales of their HW to pay for their OS development. I'm sure they sell fewer copies of the OS as compared with Microsoft. Keeping an OS current takes a huge effort and that requires $$. Manufacturing and distribution costs for software are next to nil but development costs will theoretically be the same no matter how many copies of the OS you sell. So either they subsidize the cost of SW development or the cost of the OS will have to be somewhat proportionate to the inverse of the number of copies sold. If OS-X development depends on sales of the OS alone then it might just be priced right out of the market place.