Hi Sue. I recently purchased a Macbook Pro. I've been using every version of windows and countless UNIX/Linux distributions since '94. For me the Mac was/is a little hard to get used to. I'm accustomed to doing things the "hard way". I'll either sit down write my own software or read through man pages (documentation) to have the machine do what I want.

Apple does a very good job of simplifying what would be under other OS'es more complicated from the perspective of a non-computer savvy person. So much so that I and friends of mine, who like me are very adept with computers, find ourselves over complicating things. I have to keep reminding myself: How would my mom do this? Invariably if I stop myself from trying to get it to do things how I think it should, it does what I want it to. For most non-techy folk it will be very intuitive.

Apple puts a lot of focus on reducing the options down to what is just needed and therefore the user is less likely to make an error. (Less is more) That's not to say just cause it's idiot proof they won't make a better idiot. I've worn that hat many a time.

As for viruses, software "aging", or the system slowly degrading. It will happen on Windows/Apple/Linux whatever. It's either user error, bad programming, or malicious programming. Computers are tools and like any tool if you don't learn how to keep it from damage or how to repair it... be ready to pay someone else to do it for you or replace it.

Like JohnE said if you have an Apple store nearby play with the machines there. I've seen people at the store spend hours surfing the web and just using the machines. If he's a student or has a student in the house you may even qualify for a discount (they don't check anyways). Oh and yes they may tend to cost just a little bit more. Thus far I think my purchase was worth it. Then I just spent a little over 1k on a Drobo and an Elgato usb tv tuner..... sigh

-H