There was a time when Apple fans hated Windows, but the new trend is to hate Linux. Apple is turning into a consumer electronics company, where Linux is its main rival. Apple diehards can't seem to live without hating someone.

The difference? Linux fans are a bit more educated than the Apple crowd. Few Apple fans realize that the origins of Mac OS X are tied to FreeBSD, an open-source version of Unix. The origins of Linux are also tied to Unix, which now are mostly used on mainframes and supercomputers.

But Apple fans barely care about the OS, which is a secondary option. The devices matter more. So it's how the iPad is better than Android, not how iOS is better than Android. That makes Apple smarter, as many buyers don't care about the OS when buying a product. People buy the iPhone or iPad because of the device.

Android has made a dent, and has received a boost from phone sales outside the U.S. Some don't want to pay a premium on Apple phones. Android also combines many Linux development efforts led by Apple, which in theory has helped standardize the OS. But some hate Android, and it wouldn't hurt to have another Linux player -- hopefully Ubuntu someday -- to get into the fold.

No matter what, Apple started off on top, and it has only one direction to go -- downwards. Linux will be the main driver for it. It is free, it is becoming available on more devices everyday, and it's in countries where Apple hasn't even reached.