Cobalt is based on BeOS, right? The OS that started as a MacOS alternative? Hmm.. let's see:
- started life on powerpc - is based on BSD UNIX - was once considered for purchase by Apple to become OSX...
plus, they said this in their presentation:
PalmSource made the decision due to changes in the hotsync architecture and how the new PIM apps work. The new PIM apps have be re-architected to more closely resemble Microsoft Outlook fields and the internal database use a new SQL like schema to store records.
OK.. so... 1) MS Entourage on Mac? eh? what? MS on Mac? huh? 2) OSX has a frickin' SQL server built-in! Not like 'SQL-like schemas' are foreign or anything... 3) I thought the point of a DB was to get information out of proprietary formats so that data-retrieval clients would be smaller and more platform-transparent?
I don't get it. Are they *trying* to be stupid? Or are they just a bunch of incompetent programmers? Or do they Just Not Care(tm)?
Hmm.. something doesn't add up here... are they going to give the Offical Palm Blessing to missing sync? 'Cause otherwise I know many who wouldn't trust their data with a 3rd party util.
The VIA Ethernet driver lets you choose whether to run it in PIO mode or MMIO mode.. regardless of whether you have Packet Socket: MMapped IO set or not... It doesn't tend to work well if the two don't match.
For the longest time, I thought my kernel was broken and that I'd need an eth card on my new dual-cpu VIA board! Oops! Would this file under Linux annoyances or Stupid User Tricks?:p
Anyone else notice that while the Dells were 3.06GHz P4s, the Macs were only dual 1.25s???
Where are the dual 1.42s??? How much of a difference would that make??
Also, they mention the machines are 'similar', but never state the configurations. Mac OS X chokes on anything less than 384MB of RAM, and when running the apps they were benching, the machines would be better maxxed out...
Shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone who read over those 'Shared Source' slides yesterday.
M$ actually used TCP/IP as an example of how the software market has been harmed by free/open-source software instead of commercial software.
Looks to me like they hold the creators of TCP/IP in contempt for not making it licensed, closed-source software!
And at the same time, they steal and modify the TCP/IP stack from BSD UNIX so they can forward their own business goals! Oh wait, they call that 'innovation'...
Most of these things would make any hard-boiled Linux user scream, but they are things that make a computer more accessable to the general public.
1. Case-respecting but case-insensitive filesystem: Jake Allen is not a different person than jake allen, but ROTFL.TXT will *not* become Rotfl.txt.
2. Directories that make sense. Away with the 3-letter, lazy typist names for the linux directory structures. If extfs can handle 255 char filenames then USE THEM! Or at least shove all those dirs into a System or Linux directory. It makes a computer much more intimate to the user (remember them? the USERS?).
3. A linux control panel. No user in his/her right mind wants to edit configuration files manually.
The rest of these are to make Linux a Good OS, not just another *nix.
4. Less politics. (hides behind table) The GNU GPL, while very nice for academic experimentation without fear of adverse legal actions, has little place in an OS. Open-source is good, don't get me wrong, but if Joe-I-buy-software-at-comp-usa wants to run some obscure app, most likely it's on a proprietary OS that doesn't advocate source disclosure whatsoever (to the public, at least).
5. Less elite-ism. Linux experts' reputations tend to precede them, and they aren't always positive. (ducks more flames) I've learned this by simply talking to my favorite end-user of them all: my fiancee. The expert, standoff, elite attitude of a large amount of the Linux community is a no-no when talking to joe- or jane-user.
There's more, but I think I've said enough to warrant a full mailbox of flames already.
I had hoped this wouldn't happen on Slashdot of all places. Now we get to see all the wintel trolls come out and whine.
(sighs)
As far as the laptop hardware concerns, ie: hardware failure, repair, expense, etc.
1. Price: The iBook costs $1,059 at education level pricing.
2. Repair: Yes, laptop tech is expensive. But this is closely related to my next point:
3. Hardware Failure: Anyone who has owned a Mac (come on, stand up and be counted!) knows the quality level of Apple's hardware. I personally own a Centris 660av (ca 1996) that still works 100% perfectly. Not old enough for you? I also have a Mac Plus (ca. 1986) that *also* works 100% perfectly. How many PCs can you say that about? The myriad of broken PC parts I have strewn about my room can attest to that.
Anything that gets tech into our schools and into the minds of students faster will only be beneficial. How many people here really do wish that there *wasn't* the kind of tech we have today? No PCS phones? No ebay? No Internet? No Linux? No Slashdot?
Why not jump in the pool instead of just complaining about the water's presence?
Slashdot Mirror
What are they smoking?
Cobalt is based on BeOS, right? The OS that started as a MacOS alternative? Hmm.. let's see:
- started life on powerpc
- is based on BSD UNIX
- was once considered for purchase by Apple to become OSX...
plus, they said this in their presentation:
PalmSource made the decision due to changes in the hotsync architecture and how the new PIM apps work. The new PIM apps have be re-architected to more closely resemble Microsoft Outlook fields and the internal database use a new SQL like schema to store records.
OK.. so...
1) MS Entourage on Mac? eh? what? MS on Mac? huh?
2) OSX has a frickin' SQL server built-in! Not like 'SQL-like schemas' are foreign or anything...
3) I thought the point of a DB was to get information out of proprietary formats so that data-retrieval clients would be smaller and more platform-transparent?
I don't get it. Are they *trying* to be stupid? Or are they just a bunch of incompetent programmers? Or do they Just Not Care(tm)?
Hmm.. something doesn't add up here... are they going to give the Offical Palm Blessing to missing sync? 'Cause otherwise I know many who wouldn't trust their data with a 3rd party util.
Thought. Value: $0.02.
-Andy
The G5's Q3 scores tipped me off.. they're half of what they should be:
According to Bare Feats... it should get closer to 300 fps
makes me wonder about the other tests as well...
The VIA Ethernet driver lets you choose whether to run it in PIO mode or MMIO mode.. regardless of whether you have Packet Socket: MMapped IO set or not... It doesn't tend to work well if the two don't match. For the longest time, I thought my kernel was broken and that I'd need an eth card on my new dual-cpu VIA board! Oops! Would this file under Linux annoyances or Stupid User Tricks? :p
Anyone else notice that while the Dells were 3.06GHz P4s, the Macs were only dual 1.25s???
Where are the dual 1.42s??? How much of a difference would that make??
Also, they mention the machines are 'similar', but never state the configurations. Mac OS X chokes on anything less than 384MB of RAM, and when running the apps they were benching, the machines would be better maxxed out...
M$ actually used TCP/IP as an example of how the software market has been harmed by free/open-source software instead of commercial software.
Looks to me like they hold the creators of TCP/IP in contempt for not making it licensed, closed-source software!
And at the same time, they steal and modify the TCP/IP stack from BSD UNIX so they can forward their own business goals! Oh wait, they call that 'innovation'...
-Dragoth
--
"And harm ye none, do what ye will."
And, depending on your interpretation, 'none' can (and usually does) include yourself.
$0.02
-Dragoth
This is what Mac OS X does. All preferences (*.plist) are XML templates.
...before touching the desktop.
Most of these things would make any hard-boiled Linux user scream, but they are things that make a computer more accessable to the general public.
1. Case-respecting but case-insensitive filesystem: Jake Allen is not a different person than jake allen, but ROTFL.TXT will *not* become Rotfl.txt.
2. Directories that make sense. Away with the 3-letter, lazy typist names for the linux directory structures. If extfs can handle 255 char filenames then USE THEM! Or at least shove all those dirs into a System or Linux directory. It makes a computer much more intimate to the user (remember them? the USERS?).
3. A linux control panel. No user in his/her right mind wants to edit configuration files manually.
The rest of these are to make Linux a Good OS, not just another *nix.
4. Less politics. (hides behind table) The GNU GPL, while very nice for academic experimentation without fear of adverse legal actions, has little place in an OS. Open-source is good, don't get me wrong, but if Joe-I-buy-software-at-comp-usa wants to run some obscure app, most likely it's on a proprietary OS that doesn't advocate source disclosure whatsoever (to the public, at least).
5. Less elite-ism. Linux experts' reputations tend to precede them, and they aren't always positive. (ducks more flames) I've learned this by simply talking to my favorite end-user of them all: my fiancee. The expert, standoff, elite attitude of a large amount of the Linux community is a no-no when talking to joe- or jane-user.
There's more, but I think I've said enough to warrant a full mailbox of flames already.
Feel free. I'm here: dragoth@mac.com
-Andy
I had hoped this wouldn't happen on Slashdot of all places. Now we get to see all the wintel trolls come out and whine.
(sighs)
As far as the laptop hardware concerns, ie: hardware failure, repair, expense, etc.
1. Price: The iBook costs $1,059 at education level pricing.
2. Repair: Yes, laptop tech is expensive. But this is closely related to my next point:
3. Hardware Failure: Anyone who has owned a Mac (come on, stand up and be counted!) knows the quality level of Apple's hardware. I personally own a Centris 660av (ca 1996) that still works 100% perfectly. Not old enough for you? I also have a Mac Plus (ca. 1986) that *also* works 100% perfectly. How many PCs can you say that about? The myriad of broken PC parts I have strewn about my room can attest to that.
Anything that gets tech into our schools and into the minds of students faster will only be beneficial. How many people here really do wish that there *wasn't* the kind of tech we have today? No PCS phones? No ebay? No Internet? No Linux? No Slashdot?
Why not jump in the pool instead of just complaining about the water's presence?
-Andy