I have never spent more than just inutes removing any malware.......When I see an IT tech claim it took him days then I wonder who certifired him..
I've had malware that was removed in minutes and viruses too but I've also had viruses that nearly destroyed a PC (others here said they've had viruses wipe out hard drives). Also, I never claimed to be a certified IT tech, but said that I was responsible for overseeing the IT system at a former job. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a computer guru but I did hold a technical director position dealing with audio, video, etc...and that company made it my responsibility to manage the IT system. I ran/installed updates, helped fixed user problems (i.e. my speakers don't work), and called the proper certified people when we had problems. Also, that position was at a church and I wasn't spending time "pursuing the underworld."
I agree with you that for those that like to tinker and build their own machines, PCs are great and for that, better than Mac. I may want to upgrade a hard drive, RAM, or video card (I've done such on both PC and Mac) but I don't have the desire to overclock a processor, tinker with code, and/or create my own programs. I think it is much like automobiles. Some prefer a Ford Mustang so they can spend hours adding aftermarket parts and tinkering until they have it tweaked to their desire. Some prefer a Honda Accord that required little maintenance and runs great with little to no work. Both are nice and will get you from point A to point B rather comfortably, they are just different animals.
As for your treatise, that's not my claim and I hope you don't stereotype every Mac user. I began using Mac in '96, switched to PC around '99 and then went back to Mac around '04. The switch has worked well for me and I've encountered more reliability/less headaches and I do run much more than a screen saver. Daily I run Adobe Creative Suite CS4 as well as other professional programs, and if I chose, I can run Windows. I've yet to find a computer that runs flawlessly and perfectly 100% of the time but when reading a thread like this, where people talk about running scans while booting in safemode, I don't regret purchasing a Mac.
Allen