Much of the dislike for Microsoft is historical. At various points, Microsoft has beaten competitors by means other than making the best product at the best price, and some of us don't really like doing business with that sort of company.<p>There's also the fact that some versions of Windows have been less than shining examples of the art of computer programming. Perceptions of a brand take a while to improve. 7 doesn't seem too bad, but Vista wasn't exactly universally loved, and some of us still remember Windows ME.<p>As for price - my Thinkpad was only cheaper than a Macbook Pro because it was refurbished. I don't think it's fair to compare either to a lower-priced consumer-grade PC with similar specs on paper.