if you have to ask this question now this is my opinon because all intel based macs can run windows i would recommened a mac and why you ask simple because it gives you the best of both worlds first you can run al the cool freeware and opensource applications in mac osx and in windows you can purchase software and download a few opensource applications but you still need to watch out for spyware and the nasty outlook express viruses
I'm sorry but there is no way you will get straight answers. There is just too much of an issue in actually trying to explain it all. Check both of them out, and see what you like best. Also depending on what you are using this with. It is difficult to understand responses when everything is just long run-on sentences.
IN MY OPINION, MAC OS IS MUCH BETTER, AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUY AN INTEL BASED MACINTOSH, TO INSTALL WINDOWS, YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE WINDOWS IN YOUR MAC, GET VIRTUAL PC BY A !!!TORRENTASTIC ACTION!!!. AND IF IT IS TOO MUCH MONEY TO BUY A MAC, GET OS X86 BY TORRENT AND GET YOUR PC USING OS X AND WINDOWS AT THE SAME TIME!!!!! =)
I think you need to decide two things: how much you want to spend and what you need the computer for. Traditionally PCs were much better for office and database applications (that's where Bill Gates made his millions with Windows and Microsoft) and the Macs were adopted by the creative community. But now it is no longer true that one platform is much better than another at each task. Both Macs and Pcs have come a huge way in a very short space of time. I remember using a 40 MHz 486 only 10 years ago and it had a 200MB hard drive and 16MB RAM. And I thought that was pretty fast. What computers can achieve today is staggering. You will be happy with either a Mac or a PC, but at the end it comes down to which you feel most at home with and which one you like using. PCs may still have the edge as far as gaming goes, but the gap is closing. Macs traditionally suffer far less from viruses and crashing. Perhaps an intel mac would be your best bet (virtual PC is a good stop gap, but it is nowhere near as efficient as running windows on system specifically designed to handle it). Go around the stores and try the machines for yourself. The decide which price and which machine suits you best. And be very careful where you get your software from.
I tend to prefer PC's over the Mac systems because of the abundant alternative choices in programs that PC's have over the MAC's, such as, if you're trying to rip a DVD and you need to have FixVTS to do it, but there is no Fix VTS program for the MAC. Then the burn is on you. Also it kills me not to have a second button on the mouse. Oh how I hate that. However, many people swear by MAC's over PC's, mostly in the graphics development community. It's best to just call those people hippies and point and laugh though... cheers. =)
no issue about ripping dvds.. http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/125996 bluetooth mighty mouse 2 Butoon http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/ usb mighty mouse - 2 Button http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/detail~dpno~766223.asp
http://www.logitech.com http://www.macally.com http://www.kensington.com http://www.macmall.com take your pick