A) When a macbook is about to run out of power it suspends to disk. Then when you plug it in and turn it on it restores in seconds. I honestly don't understand why linux and windows laptops don't behave this way by default. Closing my linux laptop lid, having it go to sleep, run out of battery over the weekend and then just die loosing everything is stupid.

B) Yes I have to install mac updates. But that is a few times a year.... And the update takes longer then the boot so again the boot is moot.

C) I find closing the lid the normal way I 'shutdown'.

D) The first time I boot a new computer it doesn't actually boot up the desktop because it immediately prompts you for language, make a user, etc. So again booting the desktop doesn't matter in this case either.