Whilst the discussion of historical Mac users vs windows converts/recent Mac users is interesting, the issue here is an OS the previously gave the user maximum flexibility is now implementing options that hinder user preferences and efficiency, which is bad. I am a windows convert from 4-5 years ago, and I initially found the need to quit apps strange, but quickly came to see the wisdom of that feature in OS X.
Claiming the logic that if a user closes the last window he must want to close the app is short-sighted and basically a Windo$e-type mentality. And the main reason I hate this feature, apart from the fact I am used the need to user-quit, is efficiency. Why, you ask? Because I use various apps from time to time during my computer usage, and I want the apps to respond instantly (or almost) - why else have quad-core processors, 4 GB of RAM and SS drives? When apps auto-quit (e.g. Preview), I then later double-click an image or PDF and the icon sits there bouncing 4-5 times until the file opens. That is utter BS - when apps don't quit, they respond immediately when a user needs them.
This is why the Auto-Quit feature from Apple $uck$ big-time, and why it better get removed or as a minimum have a global user-selected preferens or command-line on/off hack (like forcing the /User/Library folder to reappear - I bet the same genius that came up with that "feature" also siggested auto-quitting apps!).
