My first personal computer was an Apple IIe way back in 1984.  I  subsequently drifted into the Win-Tel universe until I was seduced back to the Apple fold in 2002 by the “lamp-shade” iMac G4 and Mac OS X.  I’ve been completely “Windows-free” since and the happier for it.

Clients and associates often ask me for advice on purchasing PCs for their businesses.  In most instances, I have no hesitation in recommending that they go the Mac route – it simply is the most logical choice in the long run for a small business.

Wondering whether the make the switch for your business?  Check out MacLife’s compilation of 10 reasons your small business should run on Macs.

Over the past few days, a couple of our clients have been struggling with a range of niggling PC-related issues. Both clients have a mix of PCs running Windows XP and Vista operating systems. Their problems ranged from general instability in the Vista machines to insidious malware on the XP systems.

Having switched to an exclusively Mac OS environment some time ago, I had quite forgotten the constant struggle it took to maintain system security and stability in the Windows world. This is not to say that Mac users are completely immune to such problems, but modular operating systems like Apple’s OS X, as well as Linux and Solaris, are inherently more stable than any of the current Windows flavours.

A recent Economist article reports on Microsoft’s attempts to cure the ills of its flagship OS product. Microsoft is already paving the way for Vista’s replacement – Windows 7 – expected to be released in 18 months time. However, the more ambitious goal of a “total rethink of the whole Windows metaphor” will apparently have to wait for a project code-named “Midori.” Unfortunately, this Windows core is unlikely to be ready for action until four or five years down the road.