I didn't learn to use an "IBM compatible PC" until about 5 years ago. Don't even know if that's still the correct terminology for them. I was a very early convert to the Apple Mac. LOVED my first Apple Mac SE. It came in a box and was EASY. I plugged in 1 cable and turned it on. It came with 1 part not installed, the programmer's key. Early on, the Mac fanatics separated into 2 groups, those who installed that key and those who didn't.
When I was in my law practice, I had 3 Mac SE's set up - not a programmer's key in sight. The other "side" called us SUITS; those who expected to turn on the Mac SE and it would work - no curiosity as to how or why. That's me. I want my computers to work. I don't care how or why. They are just inanimate tools to me. Well, I want them to be inanimate tools but sometimes I'm not so sure they are completely inanimate.
Well, anyway, along came Mac's System 7 that many of us saw as the sell out to the PC world. My SE's are in storage and not a one has System7 on it. Of course, transferring those old files would probably be a nightmare and of little use to anyone but I kept the computers so I could at least access the files if ever needed.
Fast forward and I'm on Compaq laptops. I don't know why I chose Compaq as my favored brand but I did and they've been fairly easy as PC's go. I miss my days as an Apple SUIT - just turn it on and it works; if something goes wrong, reboot and it's all better. And I'm still mad at Apple over that little System 7 issue. (Yep, as my mother used to say, I can hold a mad longer than most.)
However, I do hear good things from the new generation of Mac users; that newer Macs are closer to my "Suit" version again. So I'm considering switching back or at least adding a Mac to my arsenal because whatever is accumulating on this laptop hasn't crashed it but it has slowed it down to unbearable speeds, sucking up time to accomplish the most basic tasks. However, I don't trust Apple to tell me about the Macs.
What are the Mac options these days? Recommendations? Is Apple still off and on with support?
On Norton, yes, indeed it worked better on Mac than PC for years because it was originally a Mac program. I suspect it still works better on Macs than PCs but one of the reasons I like it is that it doesn't require much of my attention; again, that SUIT attitude of mine :) I also have AVG running and AVG and Norton 360 have actually been running with a reasonable level of compatibility - with some tweaking, of course. You see, I do have a wee bit of computer geek in me but I just plain resent having to access that, to devote brain cells to those tasks. Like what is happening with my laptop, doing that slows me down because I learned to program back in the days of 80/80 punch cards. I grasp the very basic underlying concepts but certainly haven't kept up so my abilities to fix things are mostly hit/miss/frustrating.
So tell me about the new Macs please and I'm going to go cuddle a kitten while I do my first of many reboots for the day.