Apple To Distribute OS X Lion via the Mac App Store 517
An anonymous reader writes "Apple this Summer is expected to release Mac OS X Lion. As opposed to other OS X releases, however, Lion will also be available for purchase via the Mac App Store, further solidifying Apple's efforts to make the Mac App Store an integral part of the Mac user experience." A lot of questions surrounding this related to the ability to make bootable disks. And also, why don't they just use apt-get? I gotta admit: it makes me nervous getting my OS from an App Store — which is strange considering how many kernels I've downloaded, built and booted over the years.
Re:Can someone step up to the plate? (Score:5, Informative)
With the advent of App Store for OS X and problems getting GPL software in app stores (how to distribute source?), what is needed is an open source app store.
Can someone port Synaptic (or any other repository-based system) to OS X and Windows? The benefits are huge and should be obvious.
I'm not a programmer, but wouldn't mind paying a token sum to get a free app store for OS X.
You've already got 3 repository type systems for OSX : Fink [finkproject.org], MacPorts [macports.org] and Homebrew [github.com].
Re:Macs will be a closed platform in the end (Score:2, Informative)
Techies and slashdot users in particular SUCK at predicting the future, particularly where Apple's concerned.
That's because they insist on calling Apple gear "fashion accessories" yet they themselves have no sense of fashion to begin with.
Re:Macs will be a closed platform in the end (Score:5, Informative)
Type >console as the username and no password.
Viola.
It's still there. Stop spreading FUD.
Re:Bootable (Score:5, Informative)
No kidding. Not only does Apple NOT prohibit disk imaging, they include the software to do so with every Mac and provide directions on how to do it:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=DiskUtility/10.5/en/duh3.html [apple.com]
As usual, a FUDdy claim about Macs is easily squashed with a tiny amount of exposure to the platform and a google search.
Re:Macs will be a closed platform in the end (Score:4, Informative)
Viola.
Learn your french. "Viola" literally means "raped" which I doubt is what you meant.
The proper term is 'Voila' which is even better written "Voilà".
Re:Macs will be a closed platform in the end (Score:4, Informative)
If it had 3 logic boards it should have been swapped for a new machine.
I know Apple aren't going to universally have good service, or that all the individual stores will be the same etc, but they generally score extremely highly in customer satisfaction surveys, so they do try.
We had a logic board issue with one of the early Powermac G5's (issues with the ethernet port dropping to 100 speed on our gig switch, but working fine in direct connection to another PM G5 (which worked just fine on that switch). Rather than have take it in for a logic board swap, since it was one of our edit machines then sent out a PCI gigE ethernet card at no expense for us to install so we could make do until it was convenient to have the machine taken in for a logic board replacement.
Speaking out of interest, what computer manufacturer offers a direct swap out on the standard warranty on the first fault? From my experience Apple Care (the default 1 year unextended one) is pretty good in comparison to other places - it's at least as good as other manufacturers. Of course it's not going to be awesome every time, and you're going to have occasional lemons (a logic board swap usually cures the issue right away, or a bad stick of ram being replaced, or a hard drive etc), so it's not cost effective to just swap out whole machines - it will just drive the prices up - when simple repairs will cure the majority of issues. It is unfortunate you had a system with an ongoing fault, but it is not the norm.
I'm not trying to "give them a pass" or anything - if you are treated badly you should let them know so they can address it, or look for options if you are feeling your "time is being trivially abused" - sort of like our repair situation. I mentioned the issues with losing a production machine at a heavy time and they came up with a solution that kept us happy, and then they fixed the machine. It cost them whatever a GigE card cost at that time, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to customer satisfaction.
If you had a bad experience, you should tell them about it. It's the only way to address shortcomings (short of random monitoring etc). Nothing like bringing it to their attention.
Re:Macs will be a closed platform in the end (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Apt-get??? (Score:4, Informative)
MacPorts and Fink are more trouble than they are worth, usually. They just don't have enough package maintainers, sadly, and their policy of constant updates also means constant breakages. I've switched to jhbuild for making .app bundles.
Debian and Ubuntu are in a totally different class. Their repositories are just wonderful -- huge choice, expertly packaged, thoroughly tested -- and have saved me days and days of thankless tinkering.
Here's hoping OS X and Win get something as good in less than 5 years. You never know.