To begin with a short summary, the source article is about the striking similarities of palmOne—at one time, the leader in the handheld computer market—and Apple computer— at one time, the leader in the desktop computer market. It is ironic that both companies have taken a back seat to Microsoft. Now why is that?

In trying to explain the reason from the Apple-Windows PC side, the article explains that, in an attempt to copy what Apple was doing with Macintosh, Windows started out clunky, but kept getting better and better, but...

At the same time Windows PCs were less expensive than Macs. Steve Jobs wasn't worried. He believed people would pay the extra money to get what they think is the best. Turns out he was right... sort of. Only a small percentage of people will pay a premium for quality. That's why Windows dominates the desktop world, while less than 5 percent of computers sold are Macintoshes.

Now, I hardly see it that way. Macintoshes are great computers [aside - now, I awaitthe explosion of this Windows PC]; I've enjoyed using the ones I've worked on. Granted, it would take me some time to learn all the intricacies of Macintosh in order for them to be on par with Windows as I know Windows. So, I recognize the quality.

But I disagree with the claim the article makes, as quoted above.

A small percentage of people will pay a premium for quality these days because they value that quality over the market support of Windows. If I could afford it and there were enough stuff on the market to buy for it, I would definitely buy Macintosh. But, as it stands, there's more software and development going on for Windows PCs right now than there is for Macintosh, though Macintosh is beginning to catch up.

Now, I also recognize that this is a vicious cycle. There's more support for PCs out there because more people have bought into PCs than into Macs, and so it continues until Macintosh can garner more third party support, perhaps even allow a third party or three to produce Mac clones.

So, it may have started out being a quality versus cost thing, but the cycle is feeding itself now that more people buy PC because there more PC stuff out there (and a whole slew of companies who make PCs and still only one Apple). All things remaining the same, but the market support for Macintosh equal to that of PCs, I'm sure the percentage of Macintosh sales would be much greater than 5; I would say somewhere on the order of 30 to 40.