"...Macs can easily (and without drivers) read PC-formatted drives..."
Every other OS can read and (now) write MS's formats (even though they're closely guarded state secrets) but MS stubbornly maintain that Ext3/3, Reiser, HFS/+, JFS, ZFS etc., etc., just aren't real and won't provide any means of reading 'em.
Typical.....
(Yes, I know there ARE ways, but not sanctioned or written by MS)