Why are there so many Mac users?

Could I rip with EAC on the PC, store the files on an extarnal HD, and have the Mac play the tunes?

Someone correct me here if I'm wrong: You can rip using EAC, but you would then have to convert the files (I think from FLAC) to an iTunes-recognizable format like AIFF or Apple Lossless or WAV (In order of my personal preference). This method STILL sounds better (than the same file ripped in iTunes to the same format), to my ears, at least in the case of one experiment a friend and I conducted with one file on two systems. This was at the suggestion of Steve Nugent (Empirical Audio) - who has done a lot of work around this aspect of audio reproduction and makes some of the best devices out there to implement digital audio. He contributes here so perhaps he can chime in on this, as he may have something new to say or correct me if I've misstated anything. Anyway, I believe EAC is among a few PC ripping solutions that have superior error correction over iTunes. I think that actually hearing these differences will depend entirely upon the system/components you are using to listen to the files on. What may be obvious on a very resolving system, might not be on a less resolving one, for example.

Here it is in a nutshell:

FUN = MAC....

WORK = PC....

Simple - it's UNIX based, not crappy-Windows

I just put an IMac in my system and love it...you can see how I have it hooked up on my system page...

Also have an airport express running the bedroom stereo--it receives music wirelessly from the IMac thru my router and has a mini rca plug to go directly to my pre amp--easy, no wires to run and now I have the same music playing on the main stereo as in the bedroom ...

Still have a PC in my office and am learning the differences twixt them...

Mitch

Couple things: First MAC has between 5-8% of the installed PC base worldwide and roughly 6% of the browser market. No idea about iTunes. Second the reason that MAC do not generally have a virus issue is directly related to the above stats as well as the guts of MAC OS are UNIX and most hackers are running some sort of UNIX/Linux/? and they are not stupid enough to create something to bite themselves. Last time I looked there were 3 virus' (virii?) out there that could hit a linux system. Might be more now? Third by most credible sources the MAC platform is not more reliable than a PC. From a hardware standpoint there is nothing in it. The data is messy enough that a meaningful conclusion is frankly difficult. Bottom line on reliability is that a good PC and MAC will be about the same from a reliability standpoint. MAC should be better IMO as they not only get a premium price but have no off brands crudding up their reputation.

It really comes down to apps and usability. if you like the look/feel/taste than do a mac. Same for apps. MACS are good PC's but they can suck for some things just like a Wintel unit.