"I have an XP based laptop. I dislike the way the software demands to dial home in 
order to make it work. I dislike the activation keys that suddenly fail and which 
Microsoft will not honour. I reinstalled XP on my sister-in-law's computer and found 
that the key on the computer would not work. I rang Microsoft who told me to ring 
HP. I rang HP and they refused to give me any help, saying the computer was out of 
warranty. 

I didn't like the way XP had to dial home where users had effectively to ask permission 
to use something they had purchased. That goes against the fair use laws in most 
countries. I don't like that key help will not be given by the software vendor either."

OEM licenses for XP are supported by the OEM, in your case HP, not by MS.  If you 
wanted support from the manufacturer of the Operating System, then you should have 
purchased a full retail license for XP, which is supported directly by MS.

Your problem with activation on your sister-in-law's computer sounds like it could 
have been from not using the manufacturer-supplied recovery solution, which in most 
situations does not require the input of Product Keys.  If you use a "foreign" CD, 
then you will have to jump thru some minor hoops to get your installation activated.

When you get your Mac, don't forget to get the $169 to $349 AppleCare protection 
plan if you want OS support past the first 90 days:  http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA520LL/A

You'll also want to get familiar with the Firefox browser, if you aren't already. 
 The browser that comes with OS X Macs, Safari, is soooooo bad that Apple hosts downloads 
of the Mac-compatible version of Firefox on its own website:  http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/internet_utilities/mozillafirefox.html

You'll also want to set aside a cookie jar to start saving for the next version of 
OS X.  What Microsoft calls Service Packs and gives away for free, Apple's superior 
marketing machine names after big cats and charges $169.

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