It's not the install that's difficult, that is mainly automated nowadays and even recognizes hardware and initiates Network Devices and all that sort of stuff.

The part that catches most people is the compiling, or installing a binary file instead of a source so they don't have to compile it, or even learning to comprehend what any of that means so they can manage their machine on their own.

Yes, it's true, with the money saved they can go take a course to learn the operating system better, but how many people in the general population really want to do this?

The majority of the general population wants to turn on their computer and have it walk and talk for them and do all the work and most of all, just, "work." They won't get that with a UNIX or BSD machine when it comes to doing anything other than normal everday things, and if they had any sort of a minor problem they wouldn't be able to fix it without taking that course you speak of.

Believe me, I wish we all used pure BSD or *NIX machines and everyone took the time to learn about them, we'd have far less problems as far as security and worms and virus' and all that crap, but the bottom line is people don't want that. They want a pretty GUI that makes everything easy for them.

 

Let's say I want to install Firefox.


cd /usr/ports/www/mozilla-firefox
sudo make install
....



Done.


Rather download it?

Download tar.

pkg_add mozilla_whatever.tgz
.....



Done.

 

Double posting because you'll probably have responded to this by the time I haul off this load of tripe.


Pre-installed doesn't mean just operating system, AKA you boot the first time and you're in a shell. Pre-installed means when you boot you go straight to XDM, log in and you're at a GUI. No monochrome command-prompt death.


I use blackbox and a command prompt because I can, and because it teaches me more. But you don't have to. With Gnome or KDM as a desktop you've got a full-fledged GUI at your fingertips, with graphic file exploring, integrated (shitty) brower, the works. That is all Mac OS X is... a pretty GUI on top of BSD, with everything closed up in binaries.

I don't have a problem with OS X. If Apple released it for x86, my ass would be down at the store buying it so I could fiddle and see if I could strip it down to a level I'm comfortable with. And they could release OS X for PCs with extreme ease. The hardware support is there, the proper kernels are there, sure you'd need to tweak the GUI a little bit but the work required would be laughable.


Why don't they? Because hardware is where Apple whores you out. In an age when computers are ten times more flexible and upgradble than they were even four years ago, Apple is still stuffing the same old inflexible, pre-packaged products down your throat. Why? To force you to purchase new computers sooner than you normally would. And that is why I refuse to buy their products.

 

IMO, PC > Mac. Because I have already invested so much time getting familiar with Windows. The perks for getting a Mac is not worth me getting familiar with a whole new OS. Notice how I use the term ME and IMO.

But holding my Dell laptop, and holding the Apple iBook, the built quality of Apple products are superior. But wtf is up with that annoying round mouse they use to have

 

i almost didnt notice the term ME :deek: :db: :hugglez:

 

I installed x86/xfree86 on this Apple machine the day I got it.

You have valid points and concerns about Apple's hardware, but I don't have those same concerns so it suits me fine, and a lot of others.

That install *is* easy, no doubt; but you have to realize a lot of people have trouble clicking "My computer" let alone typing in a command to install software.

 

Exactly, it's personal preference. I decided, along with my family, to "switch" and it was completely painless. Some might not have this experience though.

As you said, the build quality of an Apple is significantly better, but yea, what the hell is with that mouse? LOL.

 

Trying too hard to be different, imho. :dunno:

 

The majority of the general population wants to turn on their computer and have it walk and talk for them and do all the work

apple, the AOL of the OS world. Making idiot boxes since whenever.

 

That's not true...