There is no doubt as to Apple’s growing PC market share. They continue to grow while the rest of the PC market shrinks as people turn to tablets — a market that Apple has thoroughly cornered. Still, Apple remains behind PC titans in PC shipments, despite their more than 25 straight quarters beating the competition in shipments. But that doesn’t mean everyone wants to switch to Mac.

With recent developments in the PC market, consumers might actually choose to dump their Macs in favor of Windows PCs. It might seem unfathomable to the Mac faithful, but not everyone is enamored with their products. There are plenty of users who would like to switch back to the PC Windows format. Here are a few good reasons why.

1. More users

We live in a networked world. Before the internet, devices were basically standalone. You ran everything locally, and every piece of software had to stand on its own. But after we started connecting computers, the network element took over. While there are some standalone programs now, most new developments require multiple users. When that happens, we encounter a rule of thumb: the more users, the more enjoyable the experience.

Having more users on a platform means:

• More software developed on the platform
• Greater level of community support
• More enthusiasm for future platform development
• More third parties making innovative improvements

The downside, of course, is the rampant targeting by malicious software developers. Windows PCs get targeted more than Mac PCs, because there are so many more users. But if PC users remain vigilant, they can offset that concern while reaping the benefits of a platform with more users.

2. More open source software

Computer software can get massively expensive. Pick up a copy of Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and a few other choice programs and you’re talking about a bill tallying more than $1,000. Finding cheap or free solutions is key to maintaining a computer on a budget.

While Mac does offer some open source software, such as Open Office, it lacks many free solutions that Windows PC users can use. These open source programs help keep software bills reasonable, allowing PC users to grow their software libraries without going thousands of dollars into debt.

3. Easier repairs

Mac users who have tried to repair their computers might have encountered difficult times. Everything inside the Mac is proprietary. Sure, you can switch out memory, or maybe a hard drive, with standard parts. But for the most part you need the assistance of Apple to make any significant repairs. That means leaving your computer at an Apple Store overnight, or perhaps for many days. It’s not a fun thought for those who need computers in their daily lives.

Repairing a PC is much easier. Parts are standard, so you can easily swap out a broken one for a new one. There are also many manuals and tutorials on how to make these changes. Instead of letting someone else open up your computer, taking several days to do so, you can take matters into your own hands and have your PC back up and running in far less time.

4. More troubleshooting resources

This goes back to the benefit of having more users on a platform. Those users will encounter troubles, and some of them will write about those troubles for future users. This ranges from the most basic of tasks, like opening up a folder, to complex tasks like running database queries. No matter what the task you want to accomplish, computer help is at your disposal, whenever you need it.

It might seem unfathomable to the Apple faithful that anyone would switch from a Mac to a PC. But there are many advantages of doing so. There is more available software, with more support and easier repairs and how-to manuals. That is to say, it’s easier for the average user to accomplish his or her goals on a PC. It might not seem sexy or in-style, but it’s a logical, pragmatic decision that many users are making.