One of the great debates out there, even for those who aren’t particularly geeky, is whether or not they find themselves better represented by the world of Apple or the pull of the PC. Ever since Steve Jobs and Bill Gates first had a conversation and then struck out to one-up one another for a decade, there has been a fierce competition in the clientele and the companies themselves. And the introduction of smartphones and the growing popularity of the Powerbook and MacBook lines of portable ways to get online have only stoked the flames, igniting passions and keeping people abuzz for years.

For those who have never used an Apple, there might be less of an understanding why sticking with a Mac makes sense, and how customers end up feeling so loyal in the first place. But ask anyone who has ever had the chance to sell an Apple 3G laptop to a loyal customer, and the truth is that even though Mac might be taking the money, you’d think that they were doing customers a favor. That’s why there are lines every single time Steve Jobs announces a product launch, and why entire news reports are spent singing the praises of Apple. It’s just a company that has managed to strike a chord, and every time they launch a new product, they manage to do it again.

But this is the only shortcoming of Apple, one that people tend to complain about even if they love the company. It just seems unfair, many customers whine, that the Apple Store can sell an Apple 3G laptop one day for a high price, then roll out the 4G model and knock down the cost of the 3G to something incredibly affordable. It’s as though early adopters are actually being punished sometimes, while those who wait it out are rewarded for patience. And this has launched fierce debate about what the right move is when embracing the world of Mac.

Whether or not they continue to launch products that make those sitting on desks across the country is not the point: the real point is that there’s no reason to not stick with Mac even if they do it time and time again. For one thing, it is not as though this is planned obsolescence. The fact is that the engineers and thinkers are Apple are paid to innovate, and that sometimes innovation doesn’t happen to coincide with release dates of products in a way that keeps them fresh for countless years. For most people who are using computers, there’s no reason to sell an Apple 3G laptop to upgrade, because the laptop is still getting the job it was needed for done. It’s more of a matter of jealousy, the grass-is-greener syndrome that leads people to invest in objects that they don’t actually need. So before freaking out and spending too much to upgrade, consider whether or not it’s actually essential.

There is another advantage to sticking with Apple, though, and one that many Mac fans don’t think of. In the fast-paced world of new Mac products, there’s always the chance to make a buck. Someone who times the chance to sell an Apple 3G laptop exactly when the price is still up but in time to turn that cash into the next generation model can make a profit that does not exist even two weeks later, just by paying attention. And there is always a demand for old Apple, whether for refurbishing purposes or just because people have an affinity for a particular generation. So in terms of resale value, it’s a whole lot more feasible to make a profit off of a Mac than it is off of a PC. Business and cultural savvy really do come together for Apple products, and it’s no wonder why the fan base is so rabid–and widespread.