My 2 computers:
Desktop: personal build about 5 years old now, running XP, upper middle shelf parts then, still handles admirably with few problems (2/3 of my RAM came unseated once), and with almost a TB of storage and dual screens, serves as a great work computer (one screen for word, the other for source material, or more likely a movie).
Notebook: ASUS m50-A1 which is a very good universal notebook, 15.4", doesn't excel in any one area, but is well above average in both gaming and multimedia, and with a full numberpad, it is great for work too. With all the bells and whistles, it still cost less than other comperable notebooks (and 1/4 the price of similarly benchmarked Apples). It has an incredible waranty too (1 year "we don't care if you 'accidently' dropped it off a 10 story building into a swimming pool we'll repair/replace it" accidental warranty). I thought about installing XP, but I've had no issues with Vista, and most benchmarks for the m50 show Vista compares well with XP in performance.
I love my PCs. The hours spent building my own computer is incredibly rewarding and I'd recommend it to anyone. As for style, I think my ASUS notebook looks better than any Apple too, which is nice because ASUS designed the current Macbooks as well as Sonys (ever notice how the Sony Vaio and a Macbook look alike? My ASUS looks completely different though). For most people out there, it is a matter of preference. I've been luck enough to have a few Macs crash at work. It is a trainwreck. Never had a PC fail though. However, I could not imagine paying $4000 (3999.99 sale price) for a notebook that I think is less attractive and less useful than my $1200 one. Only my opinion, and if you like Macs, go ahead.
. I actually find it slightly irritating when I hear TV ads telling Microsoft to "fix Vista." I've had a very positive experience using it for the past year and a half, and while OS X has its own numerous merits, there's really nothing putting Vista in the red.
humanities majors. 
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