They are in now, but the "real world" is harsh and with rare exception has little use for such things - regardless of efficient and hardy operation.
Of course, through necessity, like so many others, I am a drone within the Windows machine.
When Apple decides to focus on true enterprise solutions, create a desktop that is tailored to business needs, and has affordable notebooks that do more than make nice media (a port replicator/docking station would be nice too) then the "real world" may actually embrace them.
Plus, the photo looks like a bad photoshop job.
Actually, the Digg comments indicated it's a university where the students are required to have a Mac, so it is in fact real.
There isn't anything a Mac can't do, and in fact I can do more at home with my Macs than anything on a Windows box, and most of that is without buying anything extra. And the hardware is nicer too. :) Apple still isn't targeting the corporate world, and I doubt they ever will because they don't want to turn their product into a cheap commodity. That doesn't mean they'll never be adopted though.
The docking station thing is the only really legitimate criticism I ever hear, but given how not-well the standard Dell docks work (or don't work), I don't know that Dell is adding any value in the first place. Someone in my team inevitably has to reboot daily after docking or undocking.
I actually heard recently that some schools are requiring Macs. I have a cousin whose daughter just started at the University of Findley and a Mac was the requirement. Since the life span of a PC is 18-24 months (for most people) starting with a Mac isn't detrimental to entering the real world. I just hope these people realize that unless they are in the creative arts (I use this loosely), it is much more likely that their work computer will be a Windows based PC.
On a personal level I don't have a strong opinion either way. At work my experience with Windows XP Pro have been positive. I could not tell you the last time my machine required a reboot for anything other than a routine Windows update, and those seem to be rare. Maybe I am the exception. I do have to reboot my home notebook on occasion, but that's because I did something stupid at some point and Acrobat Reader hoses up my memory or because my wonderful Time Warner broadband circuit drops.
I am not a big Dell fan. My kids have Dell PCs but that's because they are kids and they were cheap. Every notebook I have ever had (my wife too) personally or from work, has been an HP/Compaq. These seem to work very well and I loved my docking station.
I will be getting a new one for work soon and hopefully the company will continue to purchase HP notebooks - my desktop is a Dell. No problems, but not my favorite.
I've had a Sony, HP and Dell notebooks. The Dell was actually the least offensive. My MacBook Pro is my favorite computer ever, for its form factor and for OS X.
It's not a disservice to use a Mac, regardless of what profession you go into. Windows, and most software in general, isn't hard to figure out. It's just that using a Mac is so much easier and transparent to doing normal everyday things. That is why people love them I'd much.