There's an AP story doing the rounds on the web today looking at why Apple customers keep coming back for more, even when Apple ships products that are seriously flawed. Like MacBook Pros with endemic screen corruption. Or iPhone 3Gs with pathetic battery life. Or Mobile Me, which doesn't work on so many levels.

To me the answer is obvious:

Apple is to Microsoft what a car is to a horse and cart. Unless the wheels fall off the car totally and the engine of the car blows up and can't be repaired, you're not going to go back to the horse and cart. In fact, even if your car did totally blow up, you're not going to go back to the horse and cart. You're going to try to find another car.

This is exactly why Apple users keep coming back for more. Despite Apple's imperfections — which are HUGE — the product is still streets ahead of the fundamentally flawed products Microsoft churns out — Windows and Windows Mobile.