Boutique brands, I think is what you're talking about. I come from a graphic design background and I built up resentment on the elitism I experienced in that industry. 20 years ago you couldn't get all the leading edge graphic design software on the PC, which I why I bought a Mac in '95. It was a hunk of crap and died within a couple years. I started building my own PCs after that and never looked back (and the graphics software versions "caught up" on the PC to the Mac counterparts not long after). But even so, the attitudes remain.
Actually I'm not sure what's more annoying, Apple elitism or Linux.
I don't need status, I don't need to make a statement, I'm just trying to get crap done and Windows 7 is finally a decent version of that OS. Thankfully I was able to skip ME and Vista. Ugh. I wish I could build my own laptop like I do my desktop, but I treat it like an appliance. When my current laptop dies or becomes obsolete in a few years I'll go back to Costco and buy whatever $7-800 will get me. And it will just work.
