[NCLUG] OS X isn't Unix

[Terry M. Gray]

And some would argue that it is the "hardware monopoly" that 
guarantees the success of the OS. No different than "real" UNIXes on 
SGIs, IBMs, HPs, Suns, etc. For some of us, that's a feature not a 
problem--something we're willing to pay for. But I suppose that here 
we're back to the rather fundamental questions of the benefits of 
"open".

TG


>I think all this ideological discussion misses one important point:  Apple
>is a hardware monopoly.  If I want OS-X, I have to go buy one of *their*
>overpriced machines, and I am subject to Apple's idea of what's necessary
>and what's not (e.g. 1.44M floppy discs).  I can work on the machine if it
>breaks, but if I get one of their cheaper machines, I'll need to be a pretty
>patient fellow because it's all crammed into some high-style case (think
>iMac).  I get access to *some* popular software, more than I get on Linux,
>but less than I get on Windows.
>
>If I want Linux, OTOH, I can scrounge a pentium-class machine out of a
>metaphorical dumpster and buy, borrow or beg an OS cd from someone in the
>community, legally.  (Or I can buy parts or a whole machine from a
>marketplace kept lean by competition, if I'm inclined to want better
>performance.)  If something breaks, parts are readily available and
>reasonably priced.  *I* get to decide if I want to use Zip, or CDRW, or
>floppy, or whatever.  *For me*, it's this combination of "free (libre)" and
>"free (gratis)" that makes Linux a compelling choice.
>
>Even if we grant that OS-X is "better" than Linux (something many are
>clearly not ready to grant), we have to ask ourselves if its *enough* better
>to justify the price differential and loss of liberty WRT hardware &
>software. 
>
>Clearly, some of us will say "yes, it's worth it" and some won't.  That's
>OK.  It's important to recognize that a Mac OS-X user is doing more for
>computing diversity than a Win user, even if they are arguably doing less
>than a linux user. 
>--Rich
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-- 
_________________
Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado  80523
grayt at lamar.colostate.edu  http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801