For every Gates or Zuckerberg, there's thousands more who don't succeed, but no one thinks about them.

Exactly this. And what's odd is that these same people would completely tear into their contemporary if he said, "I'm going to play in the NBA". Statistically, that ball-playing kid has a better chance of making it in the NBA, then any of those geeks has a chance of becoming the next Jobs, Woz, Gates or Zuck.

The reality is that a programmer who isn't a genius, but is capable, on time, able to write clear code and come in punctually every day, while being sociable and capable of working well with others... they're the ones who are making bank and able to pick and choose between job offers.

What sub version is that?

Oh man, this is like an echo chamber from 10-15 years ago. The vast majority of printers were not supported by Linux for years and years, now most of them are due to CUPS. You know, that system created by Apple. Anyway, I had to google printer support for iPads (although I had heard they have it) because in 2012... I don't print documents. I've had to print 2 sheets of paper since summer 2011, I just emailed them to the print shop and had them printed out for me.

Can we stop with the FUD again? If Linux is free then Apple is damn cheap since Mountain Lion clocks in at a whopping $20. Windows is extremely expensive, with Win 7 Pro Upgrade coming in at $170.

If we're talking about hardware then realize that Linux does not compete with Apple as pretty much nobody no major retailer offers ready-to-go desktop products with Linux installed. Now, I have no qualms about calling Apple PC hardware a premium priced product. Please do realize that they have a total of 7 product lines, two of which don't actually exist among any other manufacturers - I'm referring to the MBP Retina and Mac Mini. Their ultrabooks are priced between Asus ($900) and Sony ($1800) for the $1100 MBA I bought last year. That's not 'ungodly expensive', it's middle of the road and it came with a Unix installed.

You know what, prove me wrong. Show me the market where Apple is working against Linux on the desktop. The marketing strategies they've used to go after it, to combat it.

You... don't know. Here's a list of a couple hundred printers that work with the iPad, here is a roundup of keyboard/case solutions for the iPad from The Verge. I'm not going to search for mouse setups for a multi-touch device for various reasons.

You know what really bugs me about your post? Since the first time I logged into slashdot, I've been reading about cases of FUD working against Linux and Open Source Software. Now I'm seeing Linux and Android fanboys with their heads up their asses, spreading the same kind of FUD. "Oh, as far as I know, it doesn't work with external keyboards." sure brings me back to the times of, "It seems to me that if it was good, they'd charge money for it."

It's kinda sad that Apple hates on Linux then actually released a product that's less functional, less flexible, and less compatible with other software than Linux.

Apple hates on Linux? Linux isn't even on Apple's radar. What they've made is a product that's more functional and flexible than a phone, while being considerably more portable than a laptop. They weren't trying to create a new laptop, they were aiming for a product between laptops and phones. Most people have extremely low demands of their computers. Email, Skype, a browser and a photo editing application. Hell, my girlfriend is technical enough to fix her own router, but I haven't seen her do anything on her laptop that she couldn't do on a tablet in the four months we've been living together.

I don't. For anything but photo books, I can't find a compelling reason to use paper books. Less comfortable to flip, much heavier, harder to read at odd angles, can't be operated with just one hand, etc. Not only that, but I have to handle all my books: store, transport, clean, etc. If I can get rid of the bookshelves I have when I buy a flat, it will save me thousands of dollars in real estate (not kidding, literally thousands of dollars).

[quote]People are more likely to have an iPhone but they're more likely to be using Android. [/quote]
What? There are more Android phones out there, so people are more likely to own one. They are much more likely to be the 'default' choice while picking a phone (free with a contract, etc) so people are less likely to be using them. If you care enough to select and pay the premium for an iPhone, you're more likely to actually use it.

You shoot that off as a derogatory comment, and that's why you're missing the reality of modern life. I've never done anything with my car mechanics-wise in the past 6 years other than top up fluids, replace a headlamp and change a flat. I'm neither technically inept, rich or foolish - I'm just an adult.

See, my reality is that I work pretty hard, earn a decent living and it is easier and cheaper for me to hand my car over to a competent mechanic to fix it, that it is for me to a) diagnose the problem, b) buy the tools, c) source the part(s), d) find a space to fix it and, finally, e) do the work. I am by no means technically inept, I just don't find car repair interesting in the least. And by that measure, I can understand people who don't find computer repair/upgrade skills to be of any value to them. They're not worse, they're just interested in other things than you are.

No, this is what you want, this is not what Apple needs. This is a machine for people who build out their own hardware. It's an extremely vocal minority on hardware/CS forums, but in reality it's a part of the market that fits snuggly in the margin of error of most statistical models (3-5%). Why would they dilute their line with a machine like that?

The Warsaw subway is only one line, but it's clean, doesn't stink and is pretty clean of graffiti.

Ford is the second best selling car brand in europe.

I always tell people who go into ideological rants about drugs, abortion, etc: "We can be 'right', or we can effectively solve the problem".

While that's true, what we think of as smart phones (QWERTY keyboard or large touch screens) aren't what these stats consider to be smart phone. The candybar Nokia E51/E52 is considered a smartphone.

You might build computers comparable to the Mac Pro, but I'm willing to bet you're not building computers comparable to an iMac or Mac Mini. Or are you really building i5 machines the size of 4 CD jewel cases?

And of a completely different form factor. You can have an iMac on a table with literally one cable running up into it, did you calculate that into your price?