An Apple computer is just a computer. And the market for computers is an old, big, diverse market. So there are functional equivalents for every Apple product.

An Apple computer is just a computer. And the market for computers is an old, big, diverse market. So there are functional equivalents for every Apple product. And Apple products do have their own flaws and complexities, which one learns by using them, the same as any other thing of nontrivial complexity. What Apple is really killer at is cultivating this kind of brand loyalty. The fact that Apple fans couch their reasoning as 'Apple products are just the best' does not indicate that they are the best, it just indicates that said fans are completely convinced. Which is not to say that they are wrong - any more than the guy who smokes Camels instead of Lucky Strikes is wrong. Familiarity contributes a lot to your comfort and efficiency with a tool, and it's important to be happy with what you have. Many of the things you like about Apple products are bound to be true. There's nothing wrong with buying Apple products, they are just fine. But it is just wrong to say that there is something wrong with people who choose the non-Apple alternative (like that they are just cheapskates, or poor, or nerds who don't value their time). These things aren't true. It's just that most brands do not have the same hard core of extremely pushy, inflexible evangelism on display here. I don't question that Apple products are just fine. I question the idea that there are no viable alternatives, and that you are what you buy.