MacOSX finds its way onto my Desktop! « Irfan’s Corner on the Web

19Mar/0713

MacOSX finds its way onto my Desktop!

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I've been a Linux user for years now, I've been around since kernel 2.2.x. What I always loved about Linux is the openness, before Linux I was a windows users, and I wasn't learning much about computers because everything I used was closed source hence knew nothing about how they were made, I programmed in Visual BASIC 4.0, and thought I was the ueber-geek! LOL! Since I switched to Linux my knowledge about computer systems has multiplied, Linux is such a great learning platform, and now it has become increasingly mature to be used on Desktops.The latest distros like OpenSUSE 10.2, ubuntu etc are mature enough that they can be installed in laptops without a single hardware not being supported!

Recently I saw a Google TechTalk on the MacOSX Automator, I loved it! MacOSX Automator is an extraordinarily powerful tool which can automate workflows and not just replace scripts but also extend them (scripts can be integrated into MacOSX automator workflow). From that moment I thought I would give MacOSX a try. Although MacOSX Automator doesnt do anything which you can't do with scripts, but I loved the simplicity of the tool. In Pakistan Mac machines are not sold. So I had to go along with MaxOSX86, I downloaded a torrent for 10.4.8, and try to install it always kept restarting, I downloaded another torrent for 10.4.6, that worked!

So here is my take of MacOSX, from a Linux users perspective:

1. MacOSX has a powerful GUI and a powerful Shell

Linux has a powerful shell, and I love that, because the shell provide you complete control over the system. However, although they've made huge progress, Linux GUIs so far can not beat MacOSX's GUI. I really love the minimalist approach. Windows applications are overloaded with options and menus, unfortunately Linux applications have followed suit, however in MacOSX applications, you won't find this bloat, the menu bar on top of the window is context sensitive, and the menu options change with applications, I really like this approach.

MacOSX draws from the strength of open source, it integrates the BASH shell, and runs on the freebsd kernel, its shell programs are 90% similar to that of Linux. So MacOSX is sort of a mixture of fully GUI based Windows and Shell based Linux, and the mixture is a powerful OS, which can be used for both productivity applications like office etc., and hardcore programming and geeky stuff (MacOSX 10.4.6 ships with python, perl, php, nearly all open source software which is available for Linux can be compiled for MacOSX86). I feel that Linux users can take immediate advantage of MacOSX, whereas Windows users would have to take some time out to adapt to the OS.

Linux users have been whining since long for office productivity applications like Photoshop, Office etc. The real good thing about MacOSX is that all these application are available on it, if you have the money that is! OpenOffice.org is cool, but to be honest, I do all my writing in MS Office 2007 on Windows XP, which I run as a VM in VMware on my notebook.

2. MacOSX86 has surprisingly good PC hardware support

Before installing I thought that I might run into hardware problems, as MacOSX86 can not be expected to work natively with PC hardware, but I was in for a surprise. I tested the following: A BenQ Scanner, Canon Printer, USB external storage, Sound etc.., every single peace of hardware worked with minimal configuration, most of it without any! I recently tested Windows Vista, and I was disappointed to find that it didn't support the Intel 865 motherboard! There was no sound available, as the driver for the Intel 865 was not available either from the Microsoft Website or the Intel one!

3. Software installation is extremely Easy!

Traditionally the only way to install software in Linux was to compile from the sources, recently package managers have become increasingly more user friendly, and in opensuse 10.2, I rarely find myself compiling from the sources. YaST handles everything automatically, just add the installation sources, and click on what you want! In MacOSX software installation goes something like this that you mount some image (it mounts itself), and drag the application to the Application folder or to the desktop, it copies something and done!

These are the top 3 reasons so far, I'll keep adding them as an when I come across them. Now surely some Linux geek will come by and say that MacOSX is evil, because its proprietary, well the entire OS is not! The kernel is based on an opensource kernel, it integrates a lot of opensource software, and you can run any opensource software on it as desired. Compare this with current Linux distros, there are a few distributions which do not come packaged with some sort of proprietary software, OpenSUSE 10.2, tries to avoid it as much as possible but still upon install it prompts 3-4 times that you are about to install a non-opensource software and asks if I agree with the license, of course I do, I don't have any choice!

Since MacOSX supports all my hardware on the desktop, I have no reason to install any other OS (It replaced OpenSUSE 10.2, as my desktop OS, opensuse 10.2 however remains on my notebook). MacOSX poses a threat to not just Windows, but also to Linux because it has all the things people love about Linux (except the freedom) Apple should promote MacOSX86, while the Open Source community should learn from it and see what people love about it and emulate it, rather than emulating Windows.

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Filed under: apple, macosx Leave a comment

Onetrack

Good article, mirrors my thoughts…

After spending years supporting idiot windows users.. burning so many distros that the stack of cds would kill me if it ever fell on me, I decided to go the mac route. But I did as you did, built a custom tower and hand picked all the parts.. It works fantastically well, and development is great.

Cheers
One
xexen

One minor correction…

OS X uses a mach kernel and the OS is based on FreeBSD/Darwin.
mozey

wellcome aboard
http://thecrowsdream.wordpress.com/ Hector

Amen! I agree with you. Still, Linux is an awesome alternative–though I use OS X exclusively now. I’d never use windows though.
http://botd.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/top-posts-328/ Top Posts « WordPress.com

[...] MacOSX finds its way onto my Desktop! I’ve been a Linux user for years now, I’ve been around since kernel 2.2.x. What I always loved about Linux […] [...]
http://gracefulflavor.wordpress.com/ Jeff Ventura

Interesting timing for your post, which is very well done. I just wrote about how Linux on the desktop is COMPLETELY INVIABLE for the mainstream consumer desktop market, which is quite a controversial position to take.

I find it interesting, and not that surprising, that you’ve moved to a Mac from Linux, and you’re clearly a hobbyist/enthusiast user.

Great post.
http://www.donnysramblings.com Donny

Mac Attack?
zahadum

irfan …

0) your experience with (a pirated copy) of osx is interesting!

1) but i am very surprised that macs are not for sale in pakistan! …

use the apple reseller serach tool for asia …
http://www.asia.apple.com/buy/locator/

it shows a list of 25 apple resellers in pakistan

but how many of these ‘authorized’ service providers actually carry mac products & know how to sell them???! or are they just ‘collecting; logos so that they hang them in their storefront window to show off?!

i think your readers would be fascinated if you reported the results of your visits to these places! perhaps you could do it in a ‘restaurant review’ style — where you go annonymously & see what the TYPICAL retail ‘user experience’ is like.

2) your readers might also be very interedted in your experiences with developing software XCODE (the free osx IDE from apple) ….

there is a wide range of reports about life with XCODE ….

* shell tools
* osax / applescript studio
* automator (how to add support for it – not just use it)
* dashboard widgets (which can be as simple as ajax or as rich as cocoa)
* java wrappers & bridges to cocoa vs a classic Eclipse IDE / plus there is an xcode plugin for eclipse)
* obviously ,the star the show — full-blooded cocoa!
* even a little bit of carbon (and how to mix & match)
* webobjects!! (the sweet & free osx application server from apple)
* quicktime (with javascript + java + xml/smil support)
* unix apps (C++)

the comparison bwtween an advanced IDE and the spartan gnu CLI (which is also included in osx by default) would be very illuminating for many linux developers in the third world …. they could perhaps benefit from your insight as the the VALUE-ADDED by a mac ….

maybe they will so impressed by the results of a pakistan perspective that they could begin to justify PAYING for a legitmate copy of osx running on a ‘real’ mac

it would also be intersting to see what reaction other pakistan instiutions have to macs … what happens when u show off the powerful features that linux can not match — to professors, webmasters, database admistartors, etc?

look forward to the results of your reporting on your new mac life!

cheers!

ps: u can contact me at my email address if u want.
http://irfanhabib.wordpress.com/ irfanhab

@Zahadum

I looked for macs in the main business center of the capital, they have hundreds of shops there, which sell only PCs. Anyway it mentions 3 outlets in the capital city, I’ll check them out.

Now I dont consider OSX86 a ‘pirated copy’, because Apple doesn’t sell MacOSX for PC anyway so there is not absolutely no loss for them, infact they gain from it, and it provides for PC users an opportunity to test the system, and in my case I certainly like it.

I really doubt that Pakistani institutions will adapt Mac, primarily because Microsoft has such a mind share amongst the companies here that institutes deliberately try to churn out graduates who are adept at MS technologies.

My university started workshops on Linux some time back, but noone was interested because Windows was all they knew and they had heard nothing other than it. But atleast Linux is gained hold here slowly, 4 years back, there were only 2 undergraduate degree projects which were Linux related, in my batch there are close to 8/12 projects.
Louis wheeler

Read the Apple license, Irfanhab, you are in violation it by using OSX86 on a PC. Many people in the third world, teenagers in the west too, have very hazy ideas about the morality of intellectual property. You are a programer. Do you like the idea of people stealing the right to use the programs that you write? After all the time and effort that you put into creating them? Apple puts extreme effort in producing quality software to entice you into buying their hardware. When you steal their OS to use on a PC, you are stealing a sale from them. Don’t kid yourself.
http://irfanhabib.wordpress.com/ irfanhab

@Louis wheeler

I think that OSX86 generates sales for Apple, instead of stealing away from them. After having used OSX86, I plan to get a MacBook Pro 15′, I certainly would never have considered of buying one had I not tested OSX86. I wished I had used OSX86 3 months ago, because I just recently got a new notebook, a Dell Inspiron (preinstalled with Windows XP).

Yes I hate it when people use my software without paying me, but, I think of OSX86 as a ‘trial version’. Software companies give away their software for limited trial version to customer for them to check it out.
http://johnspace.com johnnyt34

Mac os is cool. Hope more games are developed on it
sfsdesign

I thought programmers use PC instead of Mac, I have used mac for a couple of years now and it works great especially for designers and the best thing is that I don’t really need an antivirus to keep it protected.
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http://irfanhabib.com/blog/?p=10047 Irfan’s Corner on the Web » Switched to the Mac!

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