This.

I would probably go for

Games, compatibility, work = Windows

Cost (linux is free, windows is not) Security = Linux

Nothing = Mac 

That and advanced statistical work.

Well they can be done on a Mac. It just doesn't run nearly as well. SPSS lagged behind at just an unbearable rate until the latest SPSS release which still leaves much to be desired compared to the Windows version... by using a Java workaround.

It's the same with SAS... which doesn't get proper support.

So why would I want a computer that I can't use for work or play?

 I've never used OSX other than a few college classes.  It wasn't bad, it was awkward because I had to learn it as I went.

But other than that, I haven't used Macs, and I can still say I prefer PCs, because they're cheaper, I can build them how I want them, and most importantly, I can play games.

I love playing games on my PC, and I'm not going to spend a fortune on a Mac to get a mediocre gaming system.  I'm good with my $500 PC and $170 22" monitor that lets me play TF2 on max settings.

Linux

Oh and yes. Linux runs statistical programs a lot better then Mac does. Probably because a lot of buisnesses actually are using it for "serious buisness" to avoid really expensive costs from windows for the operating system.

It's just not worth spending a thousand dollars for the Mac version of a statistics program.

Fixed. Mac OS X is still the slowest out of XP and Linux. They made big strides with 10.5 in this department so I didn't include Vista which is about as fast on the same computer. Macs are more secure though. Linux is still the fastest.

Macs use nice Hardware. They are hardly the fastest you can get by a long shot though. They recenetly just included the 8800 on the Mac Pros before this it was the 7300 and Quadro 4600 instead of the newer cards(this is for 10.5.2. and above by the way. They just made the move from GMA 950 to X3100 for their base notebook graphics card. Their Hardware does lag. When you see Mac Hardware runs windows the fastest what you see is them comparing their pro versions with consumer end HW. For instance they compare their xeon based Mac Pros to Core2duo based XPSs instead of xeon based Precisions. They compare their Macbook Pro with different category notebooks as well.

I use both Macs and PCs.  I prefer to edit video on a PC and even soundwork on a PC. It is not a matter of price Avid/After Effects ain't cheap. FCP pro is nice too I do like the color correction tools it has but even that has been improved in Vista and After Effects. For consumer type video programs though Imovie is king and it is fairly nice to rip one out fairly quick with that.

Nah for me it is PC Windows/Linux dual boot and the occasional OSX.

PC... Work/Games/Hobbys

PCs, Macs are overpriced. If Macs werent so trendy they wouldnt have half the market share of what they have now. For some reason it upsets me that kids are buying $1700 Mac laptops so they can surf the web and play mp3's when they could get a PC as good for hundreds less.