I disagree with the premise of your argument. For God's sake, look at the picture you included.
Those Mac ads throw up two stereotypes: a corporate suit and a slacker. Between the two, the smarter one has got to be the one who showers regularly.
I was also in a local Border's one day overhearing a conversation between two cotton-tops. One of them was looking to buy a new computer, asking for help from the clerk as to any good books he might recommend. The woman standing next to her piped up saying, "Oh, you've got to get an Apple. They're just sooo easy to use." I can't argue with her recommendation, but the reasoning is clear, don't you think.
That from a guy (me) who really, really wants to get a Mac but could never justify the excessive pricing for a machine my kids use in school.
Excellent post. I, too, spent some time in the not too distant past on this exact same query, "programming." I gave up with my head spinning.
I hope Apple listens. And you're right, Amazon does a fantastic job.
BTW -- love Stephen R. Donaldson, too. But I wouldn't refer to his work as "newer" since he's been writing the Thomas Covenant series circa early '70s. ;)
Do People Who Don't Know How to Use Computers Choose PCs?
Improving the ITMS