I understand the value of frugality but I am not a cheapskate and even though Macs do cost more than PC's they make up for it in saved productivity. For those in the creative arts, such as graphic design, desktop publishing, etc., nothing beats a Mac.
Unfortunately I have to use a PC at work (and it seems that I'm calling tech support for something or other at least once a month). I despise the stupid thing.
Having been involved with computers pre-Microsoft Windows (althought I did use a Microsoft Basic on a Tandy computer) I familiarized myself with the workings of the computer.
I spent endless hours 'crashing' the computer and doing everything possible to screw it up, just to see what the effects would be.
Even went so far as to introduce different 'viruses' on it to see the effects.
Having done that seems to have helped me cope with just about anything that Microsoft can throw.
I know the 'average' person probably wouldn't be this intense, but I've always believed if your going to operate a 'machine' you should be familiar with how it works.
But, that's just me I guess.
BTW! I have a Mac emulator on my computer and have experimented with it.
Problem is, most emulators run 'old' software, which make them obsolete as soon as you install them.
My Macintosh simply died on me after a few years - and at that point, it wasn't worth anything beyond its scrap part value. Sure, I've had PCs that stopped working after many years of devoted service - but I didn't pay $1000 + for them either.