Originally Posted by
JClishe
What's going to happen to this argument once Snow Leopard and Windows 7 both start shipping? Snow Leopard's hardware requirements are going to undeniably shift the "longer useful life" argument to Windows 7.
Right now the useful life argument is rather subjective and based largely on personal preferences around what level of performance someone can put up with. Therefore there's no clear winner, as is obvious with some of these responses. However, in a few months from now this argument will no longer be subjective. Snow Leopard simply will not support legacy hardware dating back as far as Windows 7 will. It won't be a debatable point; Windows 7 will have the advantage in the "longer useful life" argument.
"Windows 7 beats Snow Leopard on older hardware support":
http://www.techchuck.com/2009/06/11/...dware-support/
Hmmmm..... Sound enough argument though I suspect many Mac Users will continue to use pre Snow Leopard versions of OSX for years to come. There isn't really any degree of built in obsolescence (I suspect XP will be used for years to come for the same reason). A computer's life span isn't necessarily defined by its ability to run the latest/greatest OS.
That said, it does look like Microsoft has had quite a re-think after being booed off the stage with Vista.