I guess it is true that any computer can break down, but I guess it is fair to say about computers (as it is fair to say about other brands in life) some pride themselves on quality components whereas others pride themselves on offering a cheap product. That isn't to say that you won't have any problems - but it is to say they are more likely to step up to the plate and repair things because their reputation was important to them.

All my life my mother has given me some money to help me out with getting a computer. That basically meant that I always ended up getting the cheapest new computer that there was on the market. I was happy with them, don't get me wrong, but I never really LOVED them.

Last time I got a notebook I could pick whichever I wanted but didn't really know much about computers so I got my officemate to help me pick one. He was getting really excited about one of them (an Acer) because it had lots of peripheral ports and it had lots of internal room for upgrades and so on and so forth...

Took me a while to figure that none of that was important to me. I had thought I wanted a large screen - but learned I'd happily sacrifice a large screen for portability and battery life. I could only get around 2 hours out of that computer. It was solid - I never had any problems with it - but it really was an ugly beast.

So this time... I wanted to get something that I won't hate in four years. Maybe... I won't love it because there will be other things out there I'll be oggling... But I wanted to set something that I won't hate in four years and something that I won't feel embarrassed using in public! Also (hopefully) something where buying an additional battery is still feasible and where they won't have stopped making the darned things.

I have a few friends who still love what are (now) really rather antique macs. I'm hoping... My computer will become one of those :-)