You can't say that Linux does everything a Mac can do, because Linux can't run Mac OSX, whereas Mac OSX can run Linux. Linux can't run the iLife suite of apps, which is one of the reasons worth getting a Mac. And Linux is not going to give you the same engineering and design advantages that a Mac does, such as the elegant designs of the Macbook Pro (7 hours battery life, unibody design, backlit keyboard), iMac (everything built into a slimline LCD screen....a true powerful desktop), or the MacMini (a computer the size of 5 CD cases....extremely small and elegant). You are not giving any credit or worth to design of the hardware, saying that an ugly box that sits on the floor is worth every ounce of a Mac's beauty, elegance, engineering and design.
The bottom line is that if you're completely happy with Linux, then hat's off to you! But to say that simply getting Linux is as good as getting a Mac is not a correct comparison. A Linux cannot run every operating system out there, cannot run MS Office natively, and does not give you the beautiful elegant engineered designs of a Mac. We value beauty in our home electronics, since we choose elegant designs in our Plasma screens, flat screen monitors, and in our home theatre systems, yet most are satisfied with a home computer, a device that some of use more than any other piece of home electronics, to be a boring ugly beige white box, or maybe a big black box with pretty flashing lights!
This particular thread is not about whether Linux is as good as Mac OSX. This thread is simply about whether Macs are too expensive, and I think good arguments have been made that indicate that yes, Macs are more expensive, but you get more with them, making them value for your investment.
If Linux is all you need, and you're very happy with it, then I respect your opinions. Just understand that we're talking about more than just an operating system, and simply comparing OS's is not enough of an argument.
