Well, most of the Mac users I know (my clients) aren't rich... or even well off. They are average people struggling to get by like everyone else. And because they don't make a lot, I don't charge a lot, and consequently I don't make a lot (which is why I supplement my Mac service business with web design to get by).
I don't spend a lot of money on computers (I don't make a lot, so there isn't a lot to spend). Since 2000 I've spent less than $4000 on computer related stuff (hardware and software). I usually get my computers for free or very little. My main system is a 1999 PowerMac G4 (which was given to me) and my mobile system (which I am writing this on) is a 1999 PowerBook G3 (which I spent $75 on).
And because I've been given a lot of systems for free, I've given away many to needy families. To one family with 8 kids (who started out with a single iMac G3/333) I've given them a PowerMac G3 MiniTower (with AV card), PowerMac G4 (same model as mine), an iMac G3/400 (replacing the iMac G3/333 when it couldn't move beyond 10.2), a PowerBook G3 (same model as mine) and an iPod shuffle. I helped them buy their daughter (who went away to school) a used iBook G3 and the mother a used iBook G4.
And very few of my clients buy new Macs... and the ones who do it considered it a long term investment. One client who just bought a new 17 inch MacBook Pro was replacing her previous 15 inch PowerBook G3 from January of 2003. That PowerBook had replaced her PowerMac G3 MiniTower from 1998 (which was now one of the systems given to the family above). Each were new systems from Apple that she used for her graphic design business. And they had paid for themselves by giving her more than five years of service each, so her new MacBook Pro was looked at as another five year investment.
So... where is the glitz? Where is the glamor?
I want my clients to have reliable systems, and they do. I take care of around 100 Macs (with an average age of four years old) and receive about one real service call a month. I'm the
Maytag Repairman of computers.
All I ask of my systems is that they do just about anything I can think of and that they do it reliably. And they do that... the only thing that takes my systems down is a power outage. Of the two systems that have internal batteries (two of my PowerBooks) the oldest (a 1997 PowerBook 3400c running Mac OS 8.6) has been up 125 days and this one has been up 236 days.
I'm sure (or at least hope) that PC users can say the same thing. My experience with PCs (from 1997 to 2001) was marred by constant virus and reliability issues... and it seemed like people needed to spent too much time (which in my book would be any amount) maintaining their systems. People seemed to spend a lot of time fighting attacks, worrying about attacks, doing chores to safeguard against attacks... just to use their computers. It seems backwards to spend that much energy just to have a computer when none of my Macs, Suns or SGIs have ever required that much of my attention.
But I will never... EVER, advocate for Windows users to use Macs. Windows users should use Windows, Mac users should use Macs, moving people is more of a headache than it is worth (at least to me). So if you are a Windows user, ignore those Apple ads and keep on using what you are using!