With the advent of the intel-based Macs which are able to run pretty much any flavour OS (thanks to the brilliant Parallels and VMware virtualisation products) and Windows XP/Vista with Apple's own Boot Camp, I'm seeing an interesting phenomenon at work. One by one, people who'd either resigned themselves to putting up with Windows or had been getting along with various flavours of Linux (which, like Mac OS X, rocks) have been making the switch to Mac hardware. These aren't just garden variety users, they're smart, savvy IT professionals. I think the security blanket of "well, I can always boot up Windows/Linux if I need it" (read: familiar ground) is the last nudge they needed. Getting jack of Windows' constant security, virus, spyware hassles is also a driver: what's the point in using an OS that a) you don't trust, and b) you spend more time maintaining than using? Let's not mention the Windows Update "okay here's your update but before you get it [shines light in face] PROVE YOU'RE NOT A PIRATE!" thing. "Genuine Advantage" is what it's called. That's funny. That's lawyers talking through Marketroids on crack.

And then they experience Mac OS X.

And they finally see what they've been missing: a rock solid "I'm not here to get in your way, let's just do stuff!" OS that is truly user-friendly, secure, savvy with corporate environments as well as anything the internet can throw at it and plays very nicely with others. Everything is intuitive, everything just works. And then they wonder why it took so long to make the jump from working around an OS, to enjoying an OS and having it work with you. So far the switch count in the little department I work in is three going on five in just the last few months. One such switcher while, I'll add, extolling the virtues of Macs to a curious Windows user who asked "are they good?" said - and this is a guy who seriously knows his stuff (hi Ben!) - said "Best move I ever made." Without exception that's the reaction I've seen with our switchers.

Aggressive hardware pricing is likely another driver. With .edu discounts, the current Apple MacBook line is significantly cheaper than a Dell laptop. That's quite something.

But as always there's the resident M$ fanboy saying things like "another person fooled" when he hears of another colleague switching to Mac OS X. Deluded xenophobe. Bless. He's probably still trying to stay in denial about backing the wrong horse.