I don’t know why but I thought they were some special inaccessible computers.

It’s their marketing. Marketing, marketing, bullshit and marketing. Macs get viruses, Macs have vulnerabilities, Macs crash. Doesn’t matter how much their indoctrinated fans might claim otherwise, Macs are just weird PCs. In that context, their refusal to allow their owners to control them is all the more jarring and makes owning the older models like you mentioned all the more sensible.

Corrections:

MacOS:

• Featureless Apple™-branded oblong with 195% profit margin (support for 160% profit margin dropped in Apple™ Mac™OS™ 12.8.3.1.6.4 West Coast Yuppie Resort)
• Devices no more than two years old
• No pride, self-respect, personality, etc, except that provided by ownership of Apple™ products.

For Windows:

• CPU generation newer than an arbitrary, shifting and easily-bypassed watershed.
• 1, 2, 4, 16 or 128GB of RAM, depends who you ask.
• Windows License 😉
• Copilot+ AI requires Microsoft CoPilot+ AI compatible Microsoft CoPilot+ AI CoProcessor+ and Microsoft CoPilot+ CoProcessor+ AI Microsoft CertificAItion+
• A lack of awareness or interest in operating systems.

For Linux:

• Turing-completeness.
• Memory, networking, inputs, outputs, power (optional).
• Another computer to occasionally Google who ‘initramfs’ is and why he won’t let you boot.

Pipe cleaner crew checking in.

MacOS: “The world came into existence fully formed ten years ago so it would be silly to even try running software older than that.”