I've used Windows based computers primarily for the past 16 years and I just dabbled in Macs until about 3 months ago when I switched to Mac for good. Both operating systems have their good points but Mac computers with the Mac OS can run better on less hardware (i.e. RAM, CPU, etc.) and not show any lag in performance. If you tried to run Windows Vista on 2GB RAM you would definitely see some lag and drop in performance. When I first got my early 2009 iMac, it came with only 2GB RAM and a 2.66GHz cpu and I have been able to simultaneously run Adobe Photoshop CS5, Microsoft Word, Safari, iTunes with my iPad connected, Mail, and Parallels 5.0 running Windows XP. I doubt a Windows based PC could multi-task that well on 2GB RAM and a 2.66GHz cpu. In fact, my iMac has performed better than the HP laptop that I replaced and the HP laptop is running Windows 7, it has a quad core cpu and 8GB RAM. The lack of performance from the HP Quad core laptop is what made me decide to replace it with an iMac after I ordered my iPad. I wanted to make sure my iPad would be connected to a computer/operating system that would afford me the best ability to use every aspect of my iPad. I'm still finding things that run a lot smoother using a Mac product to interface with my iPad (such as iPhoto). I definitely don't find myself missing my pc. All that being said, I do wish Apple and Microsoft could work out some kind of compromise to make it easier to use some applications on either operating system. Apple offers Safari for Windows or Mac but Microsoft stopped offering Internet Explorer for Mac in 2004.

I sync with my Mac Mini 1.5 core solo only

Are there other environments besides MAC OSX?

I'm sure the die hard Linux guys have their iPads jail broken and are syncing without iTunes at all.

neither because it won't let my iPad be the main one and have the others sync with it. I want to download music, make Picts etc, on my iPad first, it is after all what i always have with me. When I plug it into a computer now it wants to delete everything on my iPad and sync with the computer. No fricken way, I just won't sync it to anything. If one day I lose everything, I will go complain about it everywhere! However, losing it one day, once, is better than losing it every time I sync it to a computer.

I believe if you log into your account (the same one you are using on your iPad) in iTunes and then you sync, it instead of erasing all, it should offer to copy all your purchases to the computer. Then through various options in iTunes you should be able to basically make the iPad the master of all your media.

Think Different!

Looks like most of us sync to mac

I use a laptop running windows 7 on one hard drive and Linux on the other no problems so far.

MacBook Air. Have not used a PC for a while.