[Aurornis]

> Are there really a significant number of people willing to buy a computer with no concern for the type of software it will be able to run?

Most common software that typical buyers use is available on Mac or Windows: Web browsers, office software, maybe an e-mail client.

This is why Chromebooks are a viable option, too.

Even my software development workflows are mostly cross-platform when I think about it. I can run all of my IDEs and text editors on my Mac, Windows, and Linux computers.

[dheera]

> Most common software that typical buyers use is available on Mac or Windows

That's not how most people think. Most non-techies are either fluent with "how to use a Mac" or "how to use Windows" and they will just stick with that inertia.

For a lot of people, learning a new OS is an ordeal.

[MBCook]

IDK. Until the Neo you basically didn’t have a choice unless you were in the $1k+ bracket, which is not where most machines are sold.

You could buy Windows, or a very cheap Chromebook that felt like it.

People in that $600-700 range have never had a choice like this.

[dheera]

People had plenty of options in the $600-700 range. If you really wanted a Mac and price was the only thing holding back, buy used.

[blacksmith_tb]

Also possible that people have paid for licenses / apps and thus want to stay with the OS those will run on, instead of having to pay again (if it's even an option).

[stkdump]

Which is probably why Apple is now selling to students at what appears to be below cost.

[dude250711]

Besides, the Linux app is available for Windows - no need to run it bare-metal: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install

[ndsipa_pomu]

Depends on how much control you want over the hardware. I find that laptop/desktop windows installs tend to force reboots when it might not be convenient and of course there the issue of unreliable software updates.

I'd much rather have Linux be in control of the hardware and run Windows as a VM on it.