Yes. I have experience with both (although I consider myself a pc guy). My g/f has a macbook pro and I own a pc (built myself). In my experience, mac is prettier and, usually, lighter. However, macs--possibly due to their small size--have heat issues. My g/f's macbook pro has actually overheated a few times (now, this is mostly due to the fact that she was using it on her bed without a book or anything to allow circulation). BUT, you pay a between 500-600 for the same hardware of a pc. Just check out these laptops. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2030260032+1039323203+103980232+1040614737+1040229027&name=NVIDIA+GeForce+8600M+GT. Asus is a very reputable brand; probably under the radar for those who aren't computer nerds.
To evince my point, take a look at these two: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834100025, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220215. They are identical except the Asus has a faster, larger HDD (200 gb, 7200 RPM vs. 160 gb, 5400 RPM) AND, the Asus is $550 cheaper (24% cheaper).
Dell? Your husband's Dell? In most Dells, they put 2 year old technology and components bought from the lowest bidder. So you end up with a slow machine that you can't upgrade, because no one makes compatible parts for $&%* from S.E. Asia. Not to mention, if your machine breaks 2 years from now $&%* will be out of business, so good luck finding your part! My friend's brand new Dell scored lower on benchmark test than my 3 year old homebuild (3 yrs. is a century in computer years). Comparing your Macbook to Dell is like comparing an Audi to a Hyundai (no offense to your husband, I've owned both a Hyundai and a Dell in the past).
Now, about the whole "mac doesn't get viruses." The Windows machine is built with the IT in mind, so it caters to people being able to change code. This is not the case with Linux or OS. Plus, the majority of the population uses Windows. Nefarious technocrats, computer scientists, or anyone with the know how to write a virus wants to target as many people as possible to attain his/her goal (which is usually to "track" people or steal information). Why would they spend hours targeting an OS or Linux user, when it may only reach 10% of the population? It's like, why spend 100 million dollars on creating an ad when it's going to be aired at 1:00 AM on Telemundo?Anyways I use Ubuntu exclusively for internet use and reserve my gaming windows pc for games (and other programs not available on OS or Linux). It's very similar to OS (in both interface layout and lack of viruses/malware) but it's free. That's right, totally free. And, it uses up fewer system resources, meaning that it runs faster.
Most macs are built with virtually the same hardware as PCs. Mac gave up on trying to produce their own processors after getting killed by AMD and Intel. They were still expensive back then and the only people who would buy them were graphic designers.
Mac's philosophy takes advantage of the ignorant consumer by charging an arm and a leg for neatly designed, heavily marketed mediocrity. Of course, you have to hand it to them, they're ad campaigns are successful. The Macbook Air well represents this philosophy. Sure, it's small and light, but it lives up to its namesake; it's air. You are paying $2,000 for a 1.6 ghz processor and an 80 gig HDD. Why not just buy a calculator? They're small too!
Why are Macs so expensive? There are several reasons. 1) They can be. Essentially, they are a monopoly. Don't believe me? Answer this: How many brands of PC can you name (essentially limitless, since people can build their own PCs)? How many brands of Mac can you name? Just look at their revenue versus profit: 24 billion, 3.5 billion respectively. Compare that to another computer manufacturer (Dell) 57 billion, 2.6 billion. So Dell brings in a lot more money, but they don't make as much net income. Why? Because they don't overcharge. 2) Their ad budget. They spend Billions on ads and product placement. 3) They employ some of the most innovative, talented designers. 4) Okay, okay, their product is of decent quality, at least as good as other top manufacterures. There, I said it.
Let's compare macs and pcs to a import sports car and a souped up sedan. The sedan may even outperform the import, be considerably cheaper--and even have ammenities not available on the import--but the import has star power, grace and beauty. It's as much of a piece of art as a car. Now, while I'm obviously PC biased, I can't deny the physical attractiveness of Mac design. But, I look at a computer as more of a tool than an element of artistic expression or source of status.
As far as "user-friendliness," (with names like "Airport", it's obvious which one's more friendly--joke) the short answer is that it depends on what you are accustomed to. Even if it were true that Mac were more ergonomic, if you have extensive experience with Windows, using OS will not be user-friendly. Consider the QWERTY keyboard versus the Dvorak. The Dvorak has been proven to be far more efficient than the QWERTY. However, if you started to use one, it would take you years to become as efficient as you are with the QWERTY. Just imagine using a keyboard where almost none of the keys are in the "right" place? So, even though the Dvorak should technically be more ergonomic, it's not for most users. Essentially, being user friendly means that something works the way a uers is used to it working or thinks it should work (e.g., you wouldn't press a down arrow to go up). So, if you are used to a windows os, any other os will be user-unfriendly.
To answer the second part of your question, you can run windows on a mac by using the program "fusion." My g/f uses it to run CAD. As I understand it, you can use this program to install a windows partition onto your hdd, then boot windows as if your mac were a pc. For the opposite, you can download a program called "boot camp," which will allow you to boot OS programs on your PC.
It is, as I said, a matter of preference. But don't let the cute commercials fool your into thinking that Macs have superior hardware (without a doubt, they don't). The software is a different story. If you find OS more usable, get a Mac or get "boot camp", buy a PC and put OS on it. If you're just worried about malware, get ubuntu.