And for those like me that aren't technically oriented I can talk to a real tech person based in the US whose name might really be "Bob"

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If you want it to be portable and thin and don't mind the lack of optical drive then go with the Macbook Air. For all other reasons, go with the Pro.

Also, the Macbook Air is upgradeable to 8gb now, despite what was said above..

I was exaggerating a little by just typing the code, but if it was like you say (productivity increases a LOT - "through the roof") then there would be ZERO developers developing not on OSx.

This is a strange thing to say. Eating healthy provides an obvious benefit in a number of areas, so why does McDonalds stay in business? This is why I'm not willing to education you ... even a little.

Its wrong comparison. There are many variables to eating MCD, couple of them - takes less time to "prepare", some likes the taste and so on. Plus its food and subjective preferences, and when we are talking about developers and their work/business they do what is more productive.

So on computers and developers:

you have 2 options:
a) buy regular laptop and do your job in x hours
b) buy OSx laptop and do you job in way less than x hours

Why would anyone choose a? Besides tiny fact that osx laptop cost more, but thats irrelevant (because that price difference would be earned back in no time, since developers earn good money).

So serious question - why would any developer choose to have worse productivity?

Its actually perfect logic - why should developer choose non OSx if by choosing OSx his productivity increased a LOT ("through the roof")?

Do you lack basic reasoning skills?

1) Some people aren't willing to invest the time into learning how to be productive on another platform, so they stick with Windows.
2) Maybe they are using windows only software a lot of the time and they only want to run one OS - e.g. physical engineers who may do some coding but also have to use windows only CAD software.
3) Many "developers" are really only glorified hobbyists who can't work comfortably in a true unix environment and need windows gui handholding.
4) Some lunatics probably just prefer windows. There are plenty of windows fanbois out there who refuse to try anything different... Sad individuals that they are.
5) There is a massive and lucrative market for software built to run on windows platforms e.g. all that corporate software that runs on windows / activedirectory, windows mobile, game dev etc. and obviously you have to use windows to develop for MS platforms.

If you are a unix developer and you're using windows then you are clearly insane... If you are not a unix developer or you haven't actually tried OS X for a while then you don't have the the perspective to voice an opinion.

"don't want to learn new platform" - if you run business or job you learn it, its not that difficult to move from windows to mac..
"windows fanboys" - no comment, leave fanboys be, but I assume any person who develops for a living is choosing platform that is more productive, not the one that they are "fanboys" to.
You mentioned few instances where people NEED to have windows, we are not speaking about such cases, we are speaking about people like OP. Why did he switch just recently, was that a big secret that OSx is more productive for him? I mean if its clear that Osx is more productive everybody would know that, he would have know that way before he made a switch and so on.
I mean OSx is such a magical tool that increases your productivity through the roof but no one knows that fact? It should be common knowledge.

I know OP will ignore my post and will talk about how worthless this discussion would be so he would not bother to answer...
So my last question to OP:
When you say your productivity went through the roof, what +-numbers are you talking about? +50% ? +30%? Even it was +10% it would be sensational, however hardly could be called "through the roof".

It is common knowledge amongst the developer community and especially amongst people who work with unix for a living.

Go to any SEO conference, any technical webdev conference, go to defcon, walk into a lab of any science or engineering dept at any university and count how many macbooks you see...

Googlers (technical engineers, not marketing / accounting etc) get the choice of a mac or linux laptop, and the majority choose macs...

It's all already been covered in the thread: OS X gives you bash and all the gnu utilities, along with all your usual desktop software, with a slick and productive UI that requires less clicks to get stuff done than the clusterfuck that is windows, and without the hardware configuration headaches of linux on laptops.

It also really depends how portable you want it, and how much power. I have a Macbook that I purchased before the Macbook Air's came out. It's small and light enough and the battieries last about 4 hours. The MAcbook Pro is faster but that means its heavier too. The AIR is the smallest and lightest and ships with an SSHD standard, but it may be a slower machine when it comes to video editing for example.

Bottom line would be "buy whatever one you want". They are all excellent. Which ever once has the best performance vs size is the best one for you.

I had the same question a few months ago. I ended up going Pro and I'm glad I did. The Air is light and everything, but unless you really can't handle a few extra pounds in your bag, that's not really reason enough.

Oh yes. I was running Linux at the time, and always looked with jealousy at the guys who were running the Macs at Google ... except when they tried to print, which was a nightmare at the time (1999-ish). :1orglaugh