(1) You're not forced to upgrade, and the apple cycle is getting longer as the OS matures - currently running at about 16 months.
(2) Free OS != free apps. You can get paid-for apps in OSS and free-beer apps - including linux ports - for OSX
(3) please explain how X rendering is better than the font rendering technology apple helped develop. You can get Firefox for OSX. OSX has some of the most advanced gfx and font rendering (with colour accuracy built-in for free) in any OS. Even Longhorn won't match some of it's features.
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Co nceptual/OSX_Technology_Overview/MacOSXTechnology/ chapter_4_section_3.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP400 01067-CH207-TPXREF156
(4) not everyone wants/needs this, but if it floats your boat go ahead. You have the opportunity at least with the Darwin core.
(5) Apple has been dying for the last 20 years, you're right to be concerned.
Apple and OSX are not perfect but the points you raise are not their major failings. Rant about the Finder interface, SAMBA networking, thread locking and MP performance and you'd have a point.
ObNitpick:" That is an objective geek opinion" I think you mean subjective. Also more people than geeks love iPod, as shown by last Christmas's sales, and international press coverage. Apple is an acknowledged innovative industrial and computer design powerhouse. Dell is an acknowledged shifter of boxes, and excels in global logistics and supply chain management. Not saying one is better than the other - it's just the way they are. Nothing to do with Good vs. Evil.
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(1) You're not forced to upgrade, and the apple cycle is getting longer as the OS matures - currently running at about 16 months. (2) Free OS != free apps. You can get paid-for apps in OSS and free-beer apps - including linux ports - for OSX (3) please explain how X rendering is better than the font rendering technology apple helped develop. You can get Firefox for OSX. OSX has some of the most advanced gfx and font rendering (with colour accuracy built-in for free) in any OS. Even Longhorn won't match some of it's features. http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Co nceptual/OSX_Technology_Overview/MacOSXTechnology/ chapter_4_section_3.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP400 01067-CH207-TPXREF156
(4) not everyone wants/needs this, but if it floats your boat go ahead. You have the opportunity at least with the Darwin core.
(5) Apple has been dying for the last 20 years, you're right to be concerned.
Apple and OSX are not perfect but the points you raise are not their major failings. Rant about the Finder interface, SAMBA networking, thread locking and MP performance and you'd have a point.
ObNitpick :" That is an objective geek opinion" I think you mean subjective. Also more people than geeks love iPod, as shown by last Christmas's sales, and international press coverage.
Apple is an acknowledged innovative industrial and computer design powerhouse. Dell is an acknowledged shifter of boxes, and excels in global logistics and supply chain management. Not saying one is better than the other - it's just the way they are. Nothing to do with Good vs. Evil.