Oh, I think it's still a compliment to Linux. We geek-types all know Linux is better than Windows ME, yes. But that is not the same as convincing normal users who care not about the technical side, but about everything working just like they were used to.
What if Microsoft sued some rumor site that was leaking information on the Xbox 2 or Longhorn?
I love Apple's products and detest Microsoft, but I wouldn't blame either of them for defending their secrets. People should not expect to get away with publishing information that was obtained through the violation of a contract. Yes, I believe in freedom of the press but that doesn't mean people should publish information that the source had agreed not to share, assuming they were not acting as a whistle-blower.
No, that didn't sound like a troll or flamebait. I was going to post the same thing! Why should it matter? As long as they get the job done, I don't care if an OS was made by one person in a basement of a team of thousands.
Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver) and Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Door) systems both had room for 2 5.25" optical drives, PLUS 4 internal 3.5" drive bays.
The QuickSilver models were only equipped to handle a Zip drive in that second bay. There was a sled for the optical drive and optional Zip, similar to the one found in the Graphite models. It might technically be possible to mount one but it would require a casemod to do so. For reference, check out this URL: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/quicksilver_noi se/quieting_quicksilver_noise.html
Note the last photo. It's cropped a bit close, but you can see where that metal part surrounding the drives is large at the top but smaller on the bottom, making it only appropriate for Zip/floppy-sized drives.
Please, there's no need to throw insults. There is more conversation between the original post and mine, which you conveniently left out. My initial reply was to hunterx11's comment in which (s)he said:
Don't you have to hack OS X just to get it to install on a Quadra? For that matter, does OS X even support old world firmware? Frankly NetBSD makes more sense.
As you can see from that quote, I was responding to someone who clearly thought the origianl post was talking about booting natively because of their comment on firmware. All followup messages from me were simply trying to clarify things for the person who asked the quoted question.
Yes I know what "architecture independant" means. But just because something is architecture independant doesn't mean it runs absolutely everywhere immediately. It still has to be recompiled at the very least. Perhaps I used the term "port" too loosely but the intended meaning was "a 68k version of PearPC."
The parent (to your post) was joking. Quadras are Motorola 680x0 machines, not PowerPC. You'd have no more luck running OS X on one of those than you would Windows XP.
You need to prepare studnets for the real world, and in the real world there is more than Windows. Particularly in computer science where embedded systems that don't run Ms Windows are big. Not to mention artists who generally don't run MS Windows.
This is a valid argument. But be prepared for some potentially strong disagreement. Remember, the for most people the "real world" is Compaq and Dell running Windows XP. There are people out there who don't know that Apple is still in business (though as of late that would be hard to miss considering the popularity of the iPod.) Likewise there are people who think Linux is no longer free because they saw a copy of Mandrake on the shelf at the local computer shop.
Thank you! There are so many mainstream Windows apps that include spyware it's not even funny.
Just a few days ago I helped a friend try to clean up a family member's computer -- the 2+ GHz machine was literally taking a minute or two to draw menus and open Explorer windows. We mananaged to run Spybot S&D and Ad-aware in safe mode, and found more than 3,000 "objects" (yes, I realize many of them may have been simple cookies.) You *can't* deny that this is a big problem for non-geek users, and a pain for those geeks who have to support people running said software. Maybe the mod(s) who got to my original post work for Microsoft.:P
The question is, were they reputable to begin with? I never used Kazaa but I understand the standard version included spyware or adware.
I don't want to sound like some FOSS fanboy, but we need to step back and consider the state of Windows software today. You're putting your privacy at risk every time you install anything that's not open-source (or from a very upstanding developer) on that platform. It doesn't hurt to be a bit paranoid and assume the developer is guilty until proven innocent when it comes to closed Windows apps.
Interesting idea. But I get the impression that the server that was "hacked" was specifically for email. I doubt the FBI would store that sort of evidence on a mail server, let alone in a location that is sufficiently accessible to the public for a bot to stumble across it.
Hardly. It was monochrome, not even grayscale! http://www.lowendmac.com/tech/macintosh.html
I'm not bashing Macs (I'm a huge fan) but the original certainly did not have color.
Linode is great! You get to select which Linux distro you want to use and you get full control over it, including root and the ability to install software or even upgrade your kernel. Yes, it's on a shared server, but it looks and behaves as if you had your own dedicated machine.
However, a few advantages over the iBook are: DVI out instead of VGA, 32 MB of video memory, faster processors, built-in Bluetooth (though it's an option on the iBook), and audio line-in.
What you say makes sense to you and me, but you have to realize that computers are detached from the real world of elevator buttons. In other words, for normal people computers are not a part of the real world. They're some crazy alternate reality where two buttons on a mouse are confusing, or people can't find their Start menu when you try to help them over the phone, or they can't set up their own computer even when all the ports and cables are color-coded and can only fit in one place anyway. It's a world that the average person believes they'll never understand and so they don't try to understand.
The iPod effectively has 5 buttons and a scroll wheel. Seems like a fine platform for a GB emu to me.
I love my iPod, but the placement of the buttons would make for a pretty bad game-play experience. iPods either have the buttons in a circular formation around/on the wheel, or in a row above. This means it would be quite difficult to play with two hands, making it nearly impossible to use A/B and a directional control at the same time. Consequently most games would be basically unplayable.
Regarding the iPod Mini and the Mac Mini, it's clear that Apple is leading the charge in the latest trend... Mini is the new X!
"Mini" is not the new "X" any more than "i" is the new "Power." They serve different purposes. Apple uses different prefixes and suffixes to signify different product types.
Consumer: iMac, iBook, iPod
Professional: PowerMac, PowerBook
Server: Xserve, Xgrid, Xsan
Small: iPod mini, Mac mini
The thing is, most desktop-oriented distros have an easy install process and are comparable in terms of hardware support. So what's left once those things are taken care of? Well, a lot of people value a good default theme, menu layout, and configuration tools. And screenshots are good at showing these differences. Even if it is, for the most part, a pretty stock Gnome install.
Besides, why make MacOS a special case? The cumuled marketshare of all Linux distros is well over the Apple one.
Disclaimer: I an not trying validate the ignoring of Linux. I use quite often myself.
I think it's not as much a matter of how many overall users there are as it is who they are. While there are lots of Linux installs out there, how many are actually desktop systems rather than servers? And of those, how many are someone's primary system? Etc.
In terms of mainstream users, Linux still seems to have very very few. I wish that would change, but it seems to be the sad truth right now. I run into other Mac users quite often, but in "real life" I have only ever met one person who used Linux as their primary desktop and one more who who dual-booted about 50/50 with Windows. And this is coming from someone who tends to hang out with other computer geeks.
The point is, it doesn't really matter how many Linux installs are out there if "normal people" aren't using it. And until that changes, we can't really blame the article-writer for not going out of his way to mention it.
That may not be how it's marketed, but why would they do that if such a store doesn't exist (yet)? If someone wanted to use the Mac mini as part of a home entertainment system, its size (and presumably low noise level, though I've never seen one in person) make it perfect for such an application.
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Oh, I think it's still a compliment to Linux. We geek-types all know Linux is better than Windows ME, yes. But that is not the same as convincing normal users who care not about the technical side, but about everything working just like they were used to.
I mean "OR a team of thousands". Duh.
No, that didn't sound like a troll or flamebait. I was going to post the same thing! Why should it matter? As long as they get the job done, I don't care if an OS was made by one person in a basement of a team of thousands.
Thanks, and sorry for any confusion. :)
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/quicksilver_no
Note the last photo. It's cropped a bit close, but you can see where that metal part surrounding the drives is large at the top but smaller on the bottom, making it only appropriate for Zip/floppy-sized drives.
Yes I know what "architecture independant" means. But just because something is architecture independant doesn't mean it runs absolutely everywhere immediately. It still has to be recompiled at the very least. Perhaps I used the term "port" too loosely but the intended meaning was "a 68k version of PearPC."
OK, if you want to include emulation then technically it might be doable with a 68k port of PearPC. But it's not going to happen natively.
The parent (to your post) was joking. Quadras are Motorola 680x0 machines, not PowerPC. You'd have no more luck running OS X on one of those than you would Windows XP.
Thank you! There are so many mainstream Windows apps that include spyware it's not even funny.
:P
Just a few days ago I helped a friend try to clean up a family member's computer -- the 2+ GHz machine was literally taking a minute or two to draw menus and open Explorer windows. We mananaged to run Spybot S&D and Ad-aware in safe mode, and found more than 3,000 "objects" (yes, I realize many of them may have been simple cookies.) You *can't* deny that this is a big problem for non-geek users, and a pain for those geeks who have to support people running said software. Maybe the mod(s) who got to my original post work for Microsoft.
The question is, were they reputable to begin with? I never used Kazaa but I understand the standard version included spyware or adware.
I don't want to sound like some FOSS fanboy, but we need to step back and consider the state of Windows software today. You're putting your privacy at risk every time you install anything that's not open-source (or from a very upstanding developer) on that platform. It doesn't hurt to be a bit paranoid and assume the developer is guilty until proven innocent when it comes to closed Windows apps.
Interesting idea. But I get the impression that the server that was "hacked" was specifically for email. I doubt the FBI would store that sort of evidence on a mail server, let alone in a location that is sufficiently accessible to the public for a bot to stumble across it.
http://www.lowendmac.com/tech/macintosh.html
I'm not bashing Macs (I'm a huge fan) but the original certainly did not have color.
Linode is great! You get to select which Linux distro you want to use and you get full control over it, including root and the ability to install software or even upgrade your kernel. Yes, it's on a shared server, but it looks and behaves as if you had your own dedicated machine.
Oops! I meant that the iBook has 32 MB of video memory while the PowerBook has 64.
No, the 12" PowerBook does not have PCMCIA.
However, a few advantages over the iBook are: DVI out instead of VGA, 32 MB of video memory, faster processors, built-in Bluetooth (though it's an option on the iBook), and audio line-in.
What you say makes sense to you and me, but you have to realize that computers are detached from the real world of elevator buttons. In other words, for normal people computers are not a part of the real world. They're some crazy alternate reality where two buttons on a mouse are confusing, or people can't find their Start menu when you try to help them over the phone, or they can't set up their own computer even when all the ports and cables are color-coded and can only fit in one place anyway. It's a world that the average person believes they'll never understand and so they don't try to understand.
Consumer: iMac, iBook, iPod
Professional: PowerMac, PowerBook
Server: Xserve, Xgrid, Xsan
Small: iPod mini, Mac mini
I agree. I can see how cloning WinAmp makes it look familiar to users. But if you just want a good interface to copy, WinAmp is hardly a good model.
The thing is, most desktop-oriented distros have an easy install process and are comparable in terms of hardware support. So what's left once those things are taken care of? Well, a lot of people value a good default theme, menu layout, and configuration tools. And screenshots are good at showing these differences. Even if it is, for the most part, a pretty stock Gnome install.
Amazing. The CNN editors must not have even given this article a cursory look before approving it.
I think it's not as much a matter of how many overall users there are as it is who they are. While there are lots of Linux installs out there, how many are actually desktop systems rather than servers? And of those, how many are someone's primary system? Etc.
In terms of mainstream users, Linux still seems to have very very few. I wish that would change, but it seems to be the sad truth right now. I run into other Mac users quite often, but in "real life" I have only ever met one person who used Linux as their primary desktop and one more who who dual-booted about 50/50 with Windows. And this is coming from someone who tends to hang out with other computer geeks.
The point is, it doesn't really matter how many Linux installs are out there if "normal people" aren't using it. And until that changes, we can't really blame the article-writer for not going out of his way to mention it.
That may not be how it's marketed, but why would they do that if such a store doesn't exist (yet)? If someone wanted to use the Mac mini as part of a home entertainment system, its size (and presumably low noise level, though I've never seen one in person) make it perfect for such an application.