Return of the Mac 1499
Ben Gutierrez writes "Paul Graham has posted a new essay on the Return of the Mac which begins with: 'All the best hackers I know are gradually switching to Macs.' Tim O'Reilly said some similar things in Watching Alpha Geeks . From the article: "My friend Robert said his whole research group at MIT recently bought themselves Powerbooks. These guys are not the graphic designers and grandmas who were buying Macs at Apple's low point in the mid 1990s. They're about as hardcore OS hackers as you can get."
OS-X based on BSD (Score:5, Insightful)
That said... BSD is dy^H^Hthriving.
unix laptop = key (Score:5, Insightful)
I've got a mac now. The first of my life, from someone who wasn't ever a mac guy (and was probably more 'anti-mac' than most.) My g/f has one too -- more than once I was like 'just open a terminal and do....'
The fact that she doesn't need to know what the terminal.app is? That's the best part..... I get what I need, she gets what she needs.
Games are the key... (Score:4, Insightful)
Powerusers && Powermacs (Score:5, Insightful)
Last year's Usenix conference was full of Powerbooks. Most of the top dogs in the industry. That prompted me to buy a PowerMac. It's the best computing decision I've ever made.
And? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's the seller, an OS that's stable and powerful, on hardware that's powerful... Less to do with it being Apple, more to do with being better than Dell and HP and the rest of the crap out there.
well (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, their laptops are pretty much class dominant, and compare favourably on price with the high-end thinkpads in the powerbook range.
I would rather say... (Score:3, Insightful)
But it's true - all my friends form Unix/Linux years who can afford it buy Macs. Especially Powerbooks.
Re:Powerusers && Powermacs (Score:2, Insightful)
From the Article... (Score:4, Insightful)
That statement would defintely hold more water if they actually had numbers from five years ago to compare to. Even though their site didn't exist five years ago, maybe check out a similar site that DID exist way back then...
Re:Games are the key... (Score:5, Insightful)
as strange as it may sound, I bought my Mac to do work.
Re:OMG... (Score:5, Insightful)
Most /. advocacy seems to stem from the following:
Macs aren't Microsoft (unless you used Word or something on them)
You can install Linux on them (not that you can't even an electric toothbrush these days)
They were an underdog, which made those really cool Apple ][ computers back in the day (some of us have the emulators installed on our PC's and still fiddle with them.)
They had a sense of style, which the monolithic PC companies still can't seem to get (PC's, seen them lately? Was Dell/HP styling inspired by pinching a loaf?)
They were evolving, which always inspires some hope.
did I miss anything?
Re:Author is on crack (Score:5, Insightful)
Are you sure about that? Think about messing around on the Internet. Ten years ago that was just getting popular in universities and now it's perfectly normal in the home.
old news (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What did you expect? (Score:1, Insightful)
Glad you asked.
1. Incompatible with windows games
2. Not free software (as in freedom)
3. Expensive
4. Have to learn a new user interface
I know not everyone sees it this way, but for me at least OSX is the worst of windows and GNU+linux combined.
Common People (Score:2, Insightful)
But, as enjoyable as those debates are, I just want to make a point about one thing Graham said:
I think this is only very slightly true, or maybe it depends on your definition of "ordinary". To me, "ordinary" implies "total newbie." Not to mean that in a negative way, it's just how it is.Most people in this world don't care quite as much about computers and tech as much as we do (gasp! - sacrilege!). Sad but true.
So honestly, I can't see the vast majority of "ordinary people" wanting to learn any of the things that people like /.ers would enjoy, like programming for instance.
Your average Joe is *not* going to be a stylin' C++ wizard in 10 years. He's going to be using fancier machines than we're using now, of course, but he's going to want to have stuff that works without knowing HOW or WHY it works. That's how it's always been, and I can't see that changing.
Re:Author is on crack (Score:5, Insightful)
Linux - 1 grad student at Helsinki University
GNU - bunch O' long hairs at MIT
You were saying something about the author being on crack? Those are 3 examples off the top of my head that have not only influenced but re-defined the software industry. I'm sure there are probably at least a couple more out there
Keyboard included at your house (Score:3, Insightful)
That of course assumes you're retiring some computer recent enough to have a USB keyboard and mouse, a computer which is still probably usable for most purposes. So it may take another two or three years before it's time for a new computer for you. At that time you can get a brand-new keyboard and brand-new mouse and brand-new monitor, or you can increase the Wife Acceptance Factor by claiming you're saving a few hundred bucks by reusing the old pieces.
Monitors in particular haven't improved much lately. You probably even have a CRT sitting around gathering dust. Unless you have a particular sensitivity, remember that people used CRTs for years without too many ill effects. LCD screens were a luxury until really recently.
Re:Lemme guess... (Score:5, Insightful)
I bet you also voted for whoever your favorite actor told you to.
Sheep. Baaaaaaa! B-a-a-a-a!
Sometimes taking unspoken advise from those whom you respect is a conscious choice, not mindless groupthink. There are developers out there who are better than I am, and when they speak, I listen. I also pay attention to what tools they use. This is neither blind nor foolish, when not taken to an extreme.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:1, Insightful)
And if you don't want a one button mouse, then don't buy one. Multi-button wheel mice work fine on macs, and don't even need drivers for the first few buttons and wheel.
I find it really absurd that after years and years of people clamoring for a low priced bare bones mac, now that apple has released one, many of the same people are now whining that the mini in fact *is* a low priced bare bones mac.
Windows - Linux - Mac? (Score:5, Insightful)
Leaving Windows wasn't a problem, but sticking with Linux is. Sure it's very fast on my machine, and I have all the familiar Unix tools from the GNU chain, but so much doesn't work right. Linux on the desktop is close to a joke. I've tried both GNOME and KDE and neither is bug free (cf. Win2K which was very, very stable), and there are so many hardware incompatibilities that it's a pain.
Ultimately, I want to support F/OSS, but I may have to switch because it's a productivity drain for me to discover that gnome-panel has crashed something and now Evolution can't open the File dialog. Ugh. Or figure out why gaim's icon disappears in the tray some of the time, or have gdesklets eat the CPU for no apparent reason, or...
John.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:4, Insightful)
Right. Games are key for you. For these MIT geeks? I remember my college days, and if I wasn't in class, writing code, writing papers, reading, doing problem sets, eating or sleeping, I was decompressing ( partying, playing foosball, hiking, playing music, anything NOT near a video screen ). If you have time to worry about playing Halo2 or Doom3 or whatever the -very- second it comes out, you're actually -not- the guys they're talking about in this article, as much as you might like to be.
The games aren't key for me, either, even years out of college. I'm more interested in writing my own 3D OpenGL code than shooting an endless series of monsters someone else created. Occasionaly, I do want to do some gaming, but I generally find UT2k or even ( gasp! ) some of my old PS2 games like GTA Vice City fill that need just fine, even though I've played them through many a time... I understand your mentality, but you have to realize, it's just you and a relatively small group of your peers who feel the need to be on the cutting edge of high-performance video gaming. *Most* people are willing to wait, and the *true* tech geeks don't really have the time to spend on games that you do. If they do have that time, they eventually decide they'd rather create their own game engines.
Also, why not have a Mac, too? I haven't used it in ages, since I can't think of a good reason to do so, but I do have my PC sitting in my shop. Real geeks collect computer hardware just to check it out, and don't get rid of it until they're either out of space. A Mac laptop might make sense for a guy like you, if you have a use for a computer on the go, since gaming on a laptop kinda sucks anyway... but then, if you have no desire to work on anything but your WinXP box, don't know *nix, and don't need a mobile machine, maybe you shouldn't bother with anything different, if gaming is your #1 use for a computer. The guys they're talking about here, though? Gaming is not the #1 concern for them. It's not even number 2 or 3...
Price is important to many people. (Score:3, Insightful)
Powerbooks are very pricey. Worse the superdrive is a $150.00 option on most of them which further increases the pricing.
The key issue is relevance. People will have a hard time swallowing the price of any MAC when they can see a similar looking and peforming machine running windows for a lot less; in some cases half.
I priced a 15" powerbook recently with a superdrive and the cost was over $2100.00. While the OS is technically superior to Windows that does not excuse the cost. I am curious which major manufacturer actually makes the powerbooks.
On a side note instead of a mac mini I would recommend a iMac to people new to the mac experience. The all in one, comes with all needed items, is a much better option.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:1, Insightful)
I'm sure www.apple.com/games will surprise you pleasantly
Re:Powerusers && Powermacs (Score:3, Insightful)
Come on, people. Popularity and quality are orthogonal. We should all understand this by now.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:3, Insightful)
so my options are:
1. high-end game-playing laptop - about GBP2000
2. iBook + PC = GBP800 + about GBP1000 = GBP1800
3. iBook + console = GBP800 + GBP100 = GBP900
THAT's economy.
I'm not saying computers are for work, but bought mine to do work. once running the latest PC 3D FPS isn't your main priority, a whole new world of computing options open up to you. and once you step through, looking back on all the money you spent just to get a decent frames/sec in a long-uninstalled game seems quite absurd.
the way my Mac helps me Get Thing Done easily wins over any desire for games. YMMV.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
Switch, or Switch Back? (Score:3, Insightful)
These guys ( and gal ) are all security engineers with CISSP/etc certs whose job is to protect the company's assets ( which are 90% digital, billions a year ), so I would say they're pretty l337, too.
Anyhow, I didn't want there to be some rosy picture of everyone switching to Mac's when that is not the case I think it is a strong trend just like Java applets, dot coms, and other fads once were, but how long will it last?
On the other hand, I haven't seen anyone who was unhappy with their iPod or miniPod.
It's been said... (Score:2, Insightful)
The Smart use *nix
The elite use a Mac!
Re:Powerusers && Powermacs (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OMG... (Score:3, Insightful)
It just turns out that being "cool" is less profitable in the personal computer market.
Re:Captain Obvious Strikes Again (Score:2, Insightful)
The Real Story Here... (Score:2, Insightful)
The big thing is the Windows to Mac switchers and, more importantly, the role that the iPod plays in influencing that switch.
Windows users who buy an iPod to use on their Windows machines end up getting a slight taste of what it's like to use a Mac. iTunes is presented in the OSX GUI style, and the iPod itself is a fine example of Apple's signature simplistic beauty.
Once their curiosity has been raised and they see the almost cult-like enthusiasm that Mac users have for Apple and its products (and you know it's true), they start looking at Macs to see what all the fuss is about.
Then, after playing with one in their local CompUSA, they're hooked like a heroin junkie. (but I mean that in the nicest way.)
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:4, Insightful)
What are you using to click on the Reply button. A mouse? Good! Two down, one to go.
Now, what are you using to make the letters appear on your monitor. A keyboard? Brilliant!
What were you complaining about again?
Re:Lemme guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
These times, they are chang'in (Score:2, Insightful)
I would love a mac, but the pricing is insane (Score:1, Insightful)
3.2 P4(800FSB)
1 GB Ram
Geforce5900FX
x16 DVD-R
A pretty cool ALU case
TWO 19" viewsonic TFT screens, with way faster update speeds than the apple screen.
Everything in the machine is faster/better than the elements inside the Apple, the screens are larger. And it was a good deal cheaper than the iMac would have been.
If Apple wan't my business, all they have to do is make a model with a sane price/performance ratio.
Re:well (Score:3, Insightful)
I wish people would stop acting as if graphic design isn't work. It's how I've eaten and paid my rent for six years. I even have a degree in it. Sheesh, it's not like we're selling magic crystals which make your car get better mileage. It's work, with clients and deadlines. Most of us use macs because we learned on them, and because the workflow is fast, reliable, and transparent.
And yes, I actually did use to do graphic design on PCs, for a couple years ( on win2k ). And it really was worse. It's hard to explain how -- win2k was reliable enough -- it just got in the way of my workflow.
Re:great hardware (Score:2, Insightful)
Power: battery staying power is much better on the macs (currently)
Support: Devs have much less crazy hardware to support on the PPC/Apple side, thus everything being supported.
Freedom: To explain why I feel more comfortable in Linux than OSX is inpossible, I just do. Yes, I can download/compile all that stuff on OSX, but what if I want to run Fluxbox, and not the OSX desktop? I can't. I can run both in OSX, but why? Instead I can run Linux, choose whatever the hell I want/don't want, and even have the option to run Mac on Linux http://www.maconlinux.org/ and do whatever the hell I want. Listen to iTunes while in Linux? Use iPhoto in Linux? No problem.
bo
Good for You (Score:2, Insightful)
Good for you. All the best hackers I know are building their own machines and downloading Linux for free.
Linux (x86) and OS X cornering MS (Score:3, Insightful)
x86 Linux is gaining ground here in germany. Corporations are pondering the alternatives to MS left, right and center, while just the other day a guy at Saturn [saturn.de], a german mass market electronics chain, told me that the mac mini is selling like hot cakes with iMacs going away in its wake and that they'll stock up seriously on mac games within the next few weeks because of that. They currently have two mac compliant games in stock and plan to have 30 in stock by the end of next month!
It's as I've said earler: Linux from below, OS X from above. We have some interesting times ahead of us in IT.
Malware, Viruses (Score:4, Insightful)
By the way. Virus protectors are as bad as the viruses themselves. Does any body else complain about these pieces of crap?
Jack
Re:Funny... (Score:5, Insightful)
The mac mini HAS to be as serious turning point. Finally, you can buy an economy mac without paying for redundant hardware you most likely have (monitor, ram, hard drives). It's as close as you can get to being able to buy a PPC motherboard, G4 CPU, copy of OSX, and do with it as you please. I got my mini last week and was pretty much able to take all of my old PC hardware and shuffle it over to the mini thanks to a USB 2.0 HD enclosure, spare ram, exisiting monitor and USB mouse.
I've been one of those fence riders for a long while about buying a mac, but damnit, now there is no reason not to. If you were like me and liked Linux for the *NIX'ness, but also wanted mainstream apps like Photoshop, etc with a GUI that beats the snot out of Windows, get one of these mini's. It's the best of both worlds. You can be a geek with a crapload of terminals open and still be chic.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:3, Insightful)
(Please ignore the Mac DOOM3. It is a mistake. Please put down the DOOM3 box, and walk away. Look over there, at the other Mac games that at least run acceptably.)
Besides, if you don't play them on the PC then who cares when they come out in relation to the PC? My only gripe is when they make games that won't network with PCs and Macs. That is inexcusable in 2005.
Re:Powerusers && Powermacs (Score:5, Insightful)
Um, no, smarter because they're smarter. We're talking about people we admire here. You don't understand my comment at all, do you? I said that when you see somebody smarter than you carrying a Powerbook, you notice. I didn't say that people who carry Powerbooks are automatically smarter than you.
They built their own Altair? They know the registers on an Apple II? That earns my respect. That quantifies "smarter" in my book.
Okay, so your definition of "smarter" hinges around having a pathological interest in stuff that's utterly obsolete and of no practical use to anybody. That explains so much.
You know, I really wish your nickname were literally true.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:0, Insightful)
Re:What? (Score:3, Insightful)
Your argument makes little sense. What most people who know their UNIX have learned is that Apple's operating system, unlike Windows, and like most *Nixes, doesn't get in the way. They can have as much OSS on their computer as they want to install, living concurrently and working just fine (even ditching the GUI if necessary).
Apple is Open as in Install-What-You-Like-On-Hardware-We-Make-To-Work
Re:sorry, just won't buy it. (Score:5, Insightful)
Not flaming you (although I think that's what you want). Most anti-Mac folks I run into these days haven't touched a Mac since the System 7 days and continue to carry that prejudice.
Stating that Apple refused to adopt backward compatibility is ignoring the fact that you can still run ancient software in Classic layer and will be able to for some time.
Can't use a floppy?
I haven't missed it, but I can go buy a USB external for peanuts.
No two-button mouse?
Never mind, I'm not going there
Seriously
Anyway, I guess I don't understand where you get "Apple thinks it's customers are idiots" out of any of this.
All I can say is fear not, there is enough room in this town for two OS's.
They can switch. I'll stick with *nix and free updates, and save myself $140 every other year in upgrade costs.
Too bad, those $140 (sic) upgrades are friggin' awesome.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:5, Insightful)
I used to think that way. Until I looked at the pile of games I have that I can't play anymore because of:
- OS Upgrades
- New graphics cards (less of an issue now, but I do have a lot of games that no longer work because of this)
- New soundcard (see above)
- RAM upgrade (I shit you not)
- Driver upgrades for video cards or sound cards
- Needed upgrades to get latest game working
Then I looked at my PSOne and noted that with the exception of the CD I ran my chair over, every game I bought for it still works. Every game. The same is true for my Dreamcast and my XBox. With the exception of id Software titles, almost none of my games as old as most of my PSOne games still work. I have refused to upgrade from Win2K to WinXP because even more of my games will stop working if I do that.So, which is the better economy, a stack of games that no longer work added to the cost of constant upgrades to keep up with the latest titles or a stack of games that will continue to work until either the media fails or the hardware to play them on fails?
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:4, Insightful)
Does that 450USD system have onboard or dedicated gfx?
Does it use shared ram or dedicated VRam?
Does it include any software similar to iLife?
Does it include Windows XP Pro?
Does it include a DVD-Combo drive?
Does it include CD Burning software?
Does it include a USB Keyboard with USB ports?
Does it include Firewire ports?
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
whats your point? that the mac mini isnt upgradable but these cut rate PCs are?
they have the same target market... the low end. sure, you can put a bad ass card in that cut rate PC and you will have a cut rate PC with a bad ass video card... still not a good gaming PC for a variety of reasons. yes... you could keep upgrading it but by the time you are done it wont look very much like the computer you started with.
the mac mini trumps similar PCs with its video hardware and that is all there is to it. Its not fair to compare the mini to computers that are in a totally different class. The mini is not meant to be a gaming powerhouse but it does have pretty darn good video hardware.
you simply cant say that about cut rate PCs
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:2, Insightful)
Most people would prefer their next computer to be an UPgrade...
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Games are the key... (Score:2, Insightful)
For an extremely small fee, you can get a load of rock delivered. Or you can rent a U-Haul or similar for $20-$50 depending on the load for all moving needs. That's a one-time fee for a one-time job. That's a lot cheaper than buying the truck outright, not even taking into account the insurance payments involved.
It's not exactly equivalent for PCs vs Consoles, but it's getting there. The gametypes are different, but what's left on PCs? First person shooters, which are usually getting ported to consoles (without the driver conflicts), sim games, and real-time strategy games. Oh, and MMORPGs which aren't graphically intensive anyway. Why spend so much money for what amounts to relatively few games? Why buy the cow (that needs expensive food and someone to clean up after it) when you can pick up milk for a few bucks down at the grocery store?
Re:What amazes me most (Score:5, Insightful)
What really made MacOS X work is that Apple already had a very secure decently sized niche market for Macs. That is, there was a guaranteed devoted userbase that:
(1) Hardware manufacturers bother to write and include drivers.
(2) Software companies bother to release OS X versions of their applications.
That means that "things just work" - hardware works, and there is enough software, all built for the specific platform, that it all plays together nicely.
Imagine, for a minute, that there was a Linux distributor (Call them X) that standardised on a fixed platform (say GNOME for example), and had enough guaranteed userbase that Adobe wrote a version of the Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) for GNOME, Microsoft released MS Office for GNOME, and lots of other serious software companies also wrote GNOME versions of their commercial applications. All of a sudden distribution X would be a viable platform that had all the software you need, and it all works seamlessly together inside GNOME. Presuming you also have hardware coming with distribution X drivers, dsitribution X would be quite reasonable competition for OS X - it would certainly have the "it just works" factor.
You can redo the whole gedanken experiment with KDE if you like, you'll get similar results.
What made OS X really work was the guaranteed userbase and the fact that it could run old mac software to ensure a smooth transition of that userbase and an immediate supply of software. Honestly, if a small startup company wrote a brand new OS that was as good as OS X but lacked the userbase, and hecne software and hardware support, it would just potter along and probably eventually die or get bought out (see BeOS, NeXTStep etc.)
Jedidiah.
Re:Let the flame war commence! (Score:1, Insightful)
"Hey everybody! Haven't you heard?? All the "whatever" are switching to Mac! Isn't it time you did too??"
Yeah right. Sit down, fanboys.
Corporate America made Bill Gates a billionaire and then the stupid, home-user masses, having no independent knowledge of what makes a good computer system, followed Corporate America's lead and made Gates even richer!
Corporate America still thinks Apple is a toy for children...oh, I mean the cool, hip, 18-35 demographic that wants a sesame street system to pretend to be creative on with iGarage, iMovie, etc.
Now Corporate America is fed up with Gates and is pushing the greasy grunge Apple crowd to the side (again), in favor of Linux.
Apple: always a bridesmaid.
Re:OMG... (Score:4, Insightful)
Sue fan sites [iht.com]
Tried to use the DMCA [theregister.co.uk] to remove content from source forge
Promise upgrades but never follow through(ibook [appleinsider.com],performa)
Use DRM to lock product(itunes) to device(ipod) [theregister.co.uk] and threaten to use the DMCA to protect the lock in
Reciever of numerous customer lawsuits from selling used products as new [theregister.co.uk], and to lie about about the battery life [macobserver.com] on ipods
For a company with only less than 3% market share, they sure seem to get sued a lot for shoddy products or unethical business behavior.
And this post will probably last 5 minutes before apple fanboys troll, or flamebait it even though i just posted facts.
Re:Why is this trolling?? (Score:3, Insightful)
Your mistake is thinking that Apple is a hardware company. They're not. They're a software company that sells hardware with their software. They're not alone there, Cisco has a similar business model.
You saved $350 on the machine, and didn't get the most important part... Mac OS X. If that's not the part you wanted, if you're satisfied with Windows or Linux, then you probably shouldn't have been looking at Macs in the first place.
Me, when I switched from the PC to the Mac, a couple of years ago, I "upgraded" from a P4-1.7 and 4x AGP graphics to a used G3-400 and a PCi Rage 128. The "Mac Tax" to get a machine comparable with my PC would have been about $650, not $350, even if I bought a used Mac... so I got something slower and less capable.
In the intervening time the "Mac Tax" has dropped from a factor of two or more, to about 50% more. I think you're just a wee bit churlish to complain that it's "insanely expensive". It's not... Macs are still expensive, but at least they're not completely unaffordable for the ordinary joe any more.
Re:What amazes me most (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm sure it didn't hurt to have NextStep to build off of.
Holy crap.
I like to call OSX NextStep 5.0. Of course NS had been around since the mid-late 80's, so OSX didn't exactly spring out of Steve's head in 2000.
10K engineers? Crap, I should think not. What a disaster that would be - kinda like windows (OK, I'm trolling).
Let's see - supposing that NS happened in '85, that's 20 years (holy crap, I'm getting old). To have had 10K different engineers working on it over it's whole lifespan, it'd have to flip 500/year.
Hell, in the NeXT days there weren't a total of 500 engineers. I doubt they ever broke 200.
In short, I guess I'd believe 10K engineer years over the life of the product - maybe - if I saw some more numbers. That 10K different engineers actually worked on it? Naw.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
Does that include DVD mastering software? Movie editing software? A music creation program? When people talk about the Mac experience, they're not talking about word processing.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:right click (Score:3, Insightful)
Anyone who says "But it only has a one button mouse" has effectively held up a big flashing sign saying "Hi, I'm ignorant and have no clue what I'm talking about but feel the need to say something anyway."
Add those people to your foes list because it's doubtful they've got anything useful to say on any other tech subject as well.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
So throw out your old big, noisy Windoes box and UPGRADE to a small, quiet Mini. By the time you do all the upgrading you are taking about you will have spent as much or more, especially if your time is worth even minimum wages, than what the Mini costs. In the end you will still have a big, noisy, ugly PC box with a lot of outdated software. Guys like you would complain if Apple gave their computer away for free!
Re:OMG... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh the shock and horror. Apple is a "corporation" which has to protect its IP and trade secrets from being leaked to the competition.
# Tried to use the DMCA to remove content from source forge
See above.
# Use DRM to lock product(itunes) to device(ipod) and threaten to use the DMCA to protect the lock in
I have news for you, the labels want and demand DRM. But it can be easily circumvented legally with a thing called a CD-R disk.
# Reciever of numerous customer lawsuits from selling used products as new, and to lie about about the battery life on ipods
Those lawsuits are being pushed by disgruntled resellers, not consumers. Have those cases been proven?
Does the competition speak honestly about their battery life? No. Companies like Dell and Sony forget to mention that their "numbers" are based on testing using the lowest bandwidth settings with no user interaction.
YMMV but I've experienced battery life on my 2nd generation iPod which exceeds Apples claims for battery life but then again, I don't use the backlight and I'm not deaf. What this means is I usually listen on Shuffle mode and my volume is less than a fifth of full volume.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
"But lets be honest, if I can get an AMD system with a 15inch LCD screen, Sempron 2200 proc, and half a gig of ram for about 450usd, how am I gonna convince my wife that I should buy a 600usd mac mini, plus 250usd for the monitor, plus the keyboard and the silly one button mouse?"
Pardon my French, but what the goddamn fucking fuck are you using to access
You obviously HAVE a keyboard. You OBVIOUSLY have a monitor. Odds are that you have SOME kind of input device akin to a mouse or a trackball.
That's whay the Mini is sold without all that other stuff. If you're upgrading from a Windows desktop, you already have the peripherals.
And, frankly, unless the Apple Enforcement Gundams are pointing guns at you, you are not being forced to even contemplate buying a Mac Mini, no more than you are being prevented from buying that AMD system you mentioned.
Re:Games are the key... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:G3 and OSX is fine (Score:1, Insightful)
Graham's a few years late on this trend spotting.. (Score:5, Insightful)
However, my powerbook purchase brought the joy of computing back into my life. I frequently read the comments of those who decry the overpriced Mac when compared to constructing your own box (which I used to do - and I still believe that a Mac is equivalently priced with Dell/Gateway/IBM hardware, when all things are factored in properly) and while true on one level, it misses the mark on the total picture. That is depending on your interests and usage desires:
Life got a lot simpler when I replaced my wife's Win XP box with an iMac. No more weekly degunk sessions, antivirus, malware consternation and constant admonitions for her to be vigilant about keeping her machine clean were necessary. And she took to it like a charm -- things were unfamiliar (and still sometimes she stumbles on a Win -> Mac how-to-do question) but she is enthralled with it now and spends more time on email/web browsing than she ever did on the Win box. The iLife/iPod deal is just gravy and really we've experienced firsthand on how much more hassle-free life became after the Mac switch.
So, I'm not swayed by saving a couple hundred dollars. Just like I wouldn't buy a Kia or a Yugo, I'm not going to opt for a bargain basement PC over a quality machine like a Mac. No, it's not perfect and presents its own set of flaws, but at this juncture, it seems to be the product of greater quality for me.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:4, Insightful)
My god, people will come up with all sorts of excuses. You can pay $500 for something you want that will work as advertised, or paying 80+% of that cost for something that won't.
And sure, I can come up with some freeware crap-fest software to install on a Windows box to make it sorta work if I wanted. But that's just pathetic... I'd spend hours doing it, the software would be anemic, and my OS would be crippled.
Where's the comparison again?
Re:Then why....? (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes. And note that Next/OpenStep had very similar technologies in a different form with Enterprise Objects Framework.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:5, Insightful)
For anyone who has owned a computer the cost of upgrading to Mac OS X is no more than $600. The excuse that it costs too much is gone. Find another one.
Re:Author is on crack (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:G3 and OSX is fine (Score:1, Insightful)
Only someone who has never seen OS X "run" (for lack of a better term) on a G3 will call this comment sensible.
..is not only non-positive, but is non-factual and downright flamebait.
And yes, I own a G3 iBook. It's all about the RAM, bay-bee. Load it up with a lot of RAM and you can get over the really slow harddrive.
Re:unix laptop = key (Score:4, Insightful)
Maybe the answer is to simply support both, and have app-specific menus appear and disappear when you activate a "show menu" window decoration, or tap the alt key or something, and just remember the setting. I hate to say "make it a preference", as it's a copout for design, but this really does seem to demand one.
There's also more radical notions like pie menus, but they have their own problems..
Re:I wouldn't call it a crapfest, but. . . (Score:3, Insightful)
Anyway, if you only wanted to do one thing at a time, I think MacOS6 was superior to MacOS9. At least it ran on antiques. Granted there were things it didn't do that needed to be done but it usually worked and it was very small.
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I would buy a Mac... (Score:4, Insightful)
There definitely isn't a set of applications for Linux to match iLife/iWork. IPhoto alone has no match on Linux. Besides which, we all know what happens with most of these Linspire machines. People buy it for the hardware and throw a pirated copy of Windows and about $1,000 worth of other pirated software on it. Unfortunate but true.
So, I see the machine, but I don't see the legal software and the usability that goes with it. Of course, that's just my opinion, but it's based on direct observation that tells me Linux still isn't quite ready to compete with OS X except in niche markets (where it usually kicks butt). As a general desktop OS it is sorely lacking. I mean, lately I've tried some of the very newest and most "user friendly" distros like Knoppix, Kubuntu and Mandrake 10.1, and none of them will even auto-mount a simple USB key on the desktop!
And I've never yet met a Linux file manager or desktop environment that made it easy to navigate (or even find) the various drives inside and connected to my computer, at least not in any way similar to how it works in the Windows/Mac/BeOS file managers. Linux still seems to be stuck on the whole
These kind of things should be considered showstopper bugs if we want average people to use Linux as a desktop. We do want that, don't we? So far I haven't really seen any Linux software even going in the right direction.
Re:Captain Obvious Strikes Again (Score:3, Insightful)
Have you ever actually looked at the specs of a Dell or HP $500-$600 machine?
Dell Dimension 3000 $596 [dell.com]
Looks something like:
2.4 Ghz Celeron D
256MB RAM
80GB HDD
48x CD ROM or a 48x CD-RW or a 16x DVD-ROM
Integrated Intel Graphics
Only USB2 ports
Case: Standard ATX case
OS WinXP Home
Apps: Wordperfect 2005, some craptastic re-badged Ulead stuff, Trial versions of Quicken, McAfee, etc
The periphrials:
A 17in standard CRT
A basic Keyboard/Mouse set
Mac Mini: $599 [apple.com]
1.42Ghz G4
256MB RAM
80GB HDD
Radeon 9200 32MB
Combo DVD-ROM CD-RW
USB2 and Firewire ports
Custom Case, basically a Small Mini ITX case
OS: Mac OS X (10.3 now, 10.4 whenever it comes out)
Apps: iLife 2005, Appleworks, Quicken 2005
Now I'm not going to argue that a G4 would hold it's own against a P4 clocked at 2.4 Ghz in most cases, but the Celeron is a different beast, built for economy instead of power. I'd imagine that performance-wise we are at a draw, with a bit of a lean towards the G4 given the OS and Apps are built to exploit it's abilities.
On the RAM front, it would be nice if everyone was a little less stingy, Neither XP nor OS X runs well with only 256MB. Again though Apple has to get the nod based on the fact that the PC's integrated graphics is going to slice a chunk of main memory off the top, so instead of 256MB you are really only going to get 224MB
HDD we are at a draw, You can open up the Dell and add another HDD internally, or get a USB 2 drive (depending on how many ports you have open) On the Mac Mini, you can't add a drive internally but you can add Firewire or USB 2 drives.
Graphics-wise you have to give the nod to the Mac-mini, the 9200 isn't exactly a powerhouse, but it's nicer than the Intel solution, the fact that it has it's own memory is a big plus as well.
Optical Drives: Mac Mini you get the Combo drive, on the PC you have to choose between the CD-RW and the DVD-ROM.
Ports: Both have USB2.0 ports, the Mac has a Firewire port, if you have a digital video-camera this is certainly a plus. Firewire is also going to give you over-all beter transfer rates for external drives.
Case: The Dell is much larger, but gives you some flexibility with internal expansion (though even that can be limited, many don't have an AGP slot), the Mini is tiny and attractive to those without much desk-space, though you are stuck with only external periphrials.
OS: It's hard to compare WinXP Home and OS X, XP Home is compatible with pretty much every bit of hardware out there, though most hardware makers are supporting OS X now. You can't really talk about software compatibilty since you can get equivalent applications for either platform. In terms of Games, this PC doesn't have the "umph" to run most of the 3D games out there and the ones that it can run have OS X equivalents. Under the hood you simply can't compare the two, you would really have to compare it to XP Professional which is going to cost you an extra $80.
Bundled Apps: iLife simply dominates the competition. You aren't going to find the same quality of software on the PC without spending extra and even then...
Would be nice if Apple included iWork instead of the older Appleworks. Dell probably edges ahead here with WordPerfect.
Nice to get a full version of Quicken rather than a the Trial on the PC.
Obviously for the brand-new computer user it is nice to get the monitor, keyboard and mouse with the Dell, though chances are the user is going to want a better Display especially if they are limited on space. 15in LCD's are fairly cheap and 17-19in LCD's are coming down. The keyboard/mou
Re:Can I switch? (Score:3, Insightful)
This is roughly...impossible. Rarely, if ever, will there be a perfect 1-to-1 relation, nor will there be any way of understanding how important a particular application is to you, nor can they know of every available product, nor can they provide such a service without there being some sort of implied endorsement of one or another product.
A more realistic proposal might be a kind of community site (moderated or wiki-style) and allow people to enter in their own findings and ratings of alternatives. Such things already exist, in very scattered and unhelpful fashon, but there is no single reliable site for such things.
Surely you wouldn't be opposed to researching compatability if there were a single authoritative site for such information.
Re:Can I switch? (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:And? (Score:1, Insightful)
Okay, so I can't completely blame you for being ignorant, as the media has completely mis-lead the entire public on the IBM/Lenovo deal. Please understand, they didn't literally sell off their divison, they own a large stake in it. Thinkpads are thinkpads, and will remain thinkpads. IBM is still doing R&D, and is still doing support. They are trying to take advantage of the cheaper costs because Dell (The Walmart of the industry) has the country thinking $750 is a great price, even for a laptop put together with elmer's glue. ThinkPads will remain the most robust laptops on the market moving forward.
By the way, Toshiba and Sony make really cool laptops too. Don't start the "Sony price" thing, because powerbooks are
This entire post was written on a dual 2.5ghz Powermac... and will be later reviewed for comments on an XW6200 HP workstation @ work
Re:Captain Obvious Strikes Again (Score:3, Insightful)
You may be interested in this. [systemshootouts.org]
Re:"The conservative right is always wrong" (Score:2, Insightful)
Please. Communism is an economic ideology, democracy is a means to govern. You could have a communist democracy if you were so inclined, only you should first ensure that all the people that participate in it are ideal. Just as in anarchy.
If you want to compare, go ahead. Only compare items from the same drawer. Capitalism in and of itself is not guaranteed to be democratic. See Pinochet, Franco, Perón etc, all for free trade under the guiding hand of a dictator.
Yes, it is a common misconception that there was ever communism in the Soviet Union. And no, there wasn't. There hasn't been communism anywhere on a scale like this after the hunterers and gatherers. It's an utopia; please, stop mislabelling a noble idea of Plato with the stained record of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was never communist, not even in name. It was an oppressive form of socialism, led from the fifties on by gerontocracy. It may have been striving (in words) to achieve a Marxist state, but even that never came even close.
We could go more in-depth, but one thing must be clear from the beginning: the Soviet Union was never communist. Not even the KPSS. This may, however, not be the best place to discuss this and as usual, there are tons of ways to mince words, so that at the end, everyone feels stupider.