New macs can be set up to run windows based OS and Mac OS without rebooting.

Sure. But can't you do Mac virtualization on a PC as well?

It's not virtualization on the macs. At least that's what I understand. I'll know for sure once I get mine. I prefer mac, but I need to use some software for stained glass that's only available on windows and won't work with bootcamp.

Also, a large draw to Macs is not just the software but also great hardware. Their displays are some of the best on the market, making them ideal for graphics and video editing. Also, other hardware is nicely idealized as well such as the 12 core processor powermacs...if you wanted to build a 12 core PC you'd have to basically adapt a server to PC use ($$$) and then integrate windows to be able to use all that power instead of it being out of the box and having software designed to optimize the specific specs of the mac.

You sure about that?

I run lots of virtualized OS. VMWare is pretty impressive.

Let me know how the Mac runs XP without rebooting or virtualizing. I can't picture it.

At some point I move from PC's to U*IX and I have all the power I want.

Google has the ENTIRE internet in RAM (think about that). It's running on thousands (tens-of-thousands) of PC's running linux.

When I started there were good ($$) reasons to go with a PC. Now I do not claim that there are. But every time I get on a Mac I get frustrated because I cannot access a right-mouse click, see a command prompt, or access more core-level processes the way I can on a PC.

It's not virtualization. My son's macbook dual boots windoze or mac os. In earlier years, you had to run windows within the mac os platform. A proggy called Virtual PC. It was awful and not worth the trouble. Since Apple switched to Intel processors some years ago, virtualization is a thing of the past. At startup, he elects which OS he's booting into.

There are pirate ways to get Mac OS to run on Pee Sees, but Apple doesn't support "Hackintoshes". Tough noogies. :D

There's no reason to write off a Mac. What few issues there may be are easily remedied. For instance, iWork from Apple contains 3 programs for $79. Keynote (powerpoint), Numbers (Excel) and Pages (Word).
Pages will open Word documents and it's amazing how close the formatting will stay. Also, Pages can save as a .doc file for use with others who have Word. You can copy all your fonts off your PC to your font folder on your Mac to ensure that the files you are migrating will retain their fonts. I installed the whole font suite of MS Word on my Mac at work to ensure that any .doc files I opened would retain the fonts used by others.

Of course, Numbers will open Excel and Keynote will open Powerpoint. But if you want guaranteed migration, just get OfficeMac.

Core level processes are a cinch. The Unix core terminal on a mac is one click away. For geeks, everything can be done from there.

Nobody said there wouldn't be SOME learning curve, but it's not a steep slope at all.

No, the Mac version is Office 2004. There was no 03 For Macintosh. The Mac iterations were Office Macintosh X, in 01, the first release for the new OS, and then Office 04. There is now 08 and I believe a new Office 2011 is either out or on it's way.
What I'm wondering is to what extent the newer 08 and 11 Mac versions are backwards compatible with files created on older PC versions of Office, say Office XP or something.

What are you talking about??? You can't use right click? Access core level?? Do you ever try to use MAC??
You either using Mac from 2000 or earlier or you just enjoying arguing.

Today Mac's can be booted simultaneous on Windows and OSX, You split your screen and you can work at the same time in both operating systems, transferring files etc. The new Microsoft office for Mac give you the chance to save any office document in numbers of different ways.
Word for example can be saved in 16 different formats.
You really need to educate yourself before making ANY statement.

08 and 11 give you the option to save any office document as DOC (97-04 windows format) or you can go for DOCX which is the new version.
See my previous post

O4 Has similar functionality. What I'm talking about is this:

You have old files, created on a PC with an ancient version of Office for Windoze.

Now you want to open them on a Mac.(original topic wasn't file creation remember, it was file migration)

Office 04 for Mac will open those fairly well most of the time. Will the new versions for Mac do at least as well or better on these files?

I encounter Mac's fairly often.

I have learned how to accomplish my goals on a PC.

I am always frustrated when I encounter a Mac.

My education level is acceptable for the statements I have made.

You need to learn how to speak with people who you do not know. If you speak with me in this manner again you'll join my Ignore List. So you can decide if we will interact again.