Bitten by the Mac bug!

[petemc]

Originally Posted by Garp

Yet the BSD its based on is compatible with huge swathes of architectures and hardware.

Theres a difference between compatible and knowing the exact hardware inside your laptop.

For me this whole debate basically rests on 1 thing. Adobe. Adobe do not write native apps for Linux so instantly its not an OS I'll use. I don't care how good it is. No Photoshop / Lightroom, no install. Do *NOT* suggest the gimp Its completely different to Lightroom and totally unsuitable for me. So basically its Windows or OSX. I've been using Windows since 3.11 and its boring really. Vista is lots of flashing things without polish. Out the two OSX is nicer to use on a daily basis. Its not faster, and its not able to make the perfect round of toast. It just suits my lifestyle and has apps I know I'd miss if I had to go back to Windows. So its more expensive, but so are SE & Nokia phones over some crappy Samsung or Motorola and you pay the extra because the phone is nicer to use.

[Will]

And because it gives what people wants...

[Dr. Z]

I've never said that OSX isnt good at what it does, but people tend to put OSX on this pedestal as the single greatest OS ever to grace computing. Ultimately, I couldn't give a stuff which OS people use but macevangelists or indeed fanboys of anything at all really bug me.

There are pros and cons for everything, and that includes OSX...

[petemc]

But of course. Windows was obviously a good OS or I wouldn't have used it for over 10 years. OSX is "better" for what I do now. I don't really think anyone is being overly fanboyish here. I know I've seen a lot worse. The funny thing though is, and no offence intended, but popping into a thread saying "If OSX is so good how come you can't buy it." sorta seems a bit, well silly. I'm guessing your point was how come you can't buy it for any PC since its basically x86 with some snooty line of code that looks for the iDongle in the hardware. You could easily say if Linux was so good how come we all aren't using it, since its free n all. People are happy to buy Windows over downloading a Linux iso because it does what they need. I'm happy to buy a Mac because it does what I need in a nicer way to Windows.

[Mark]

I'm obviously preaching to the converted, but I'll say it anyway - asking why people buy OS X, or even why they buy Windows, is really the wrong question anyway, since the vast majority get 'given' (as in included in the price) one or the other with the hardware they buy.

[Robert]

I'd like to use OSX as I've never had the pleasure.

I may badger Kitten and Leo to see if I can have a go with their Mac.

[Dr. Z]

Originally Posted by Mark

I'm obviously preaching to the converted, but I'll say it anyway - asking why people buy OS X, or even why they buy Windows, is really the wrong question anyway, since the vast majority get 'given' (as in included in the price) one or the other with the hardware they buy.

But only because Apple make it that way. If OSX was a real choice for the average man on the street you WOULD see PCs coming with either no OS (unlikely) or the choice of the two. Sadly it isn't, and so its confined to the specialist user that is prepared to fork out for the specific hardware required to run it. At some stage in the process, an operating system is purchased, pedanticism or not.

People DO buy operating systems, many people have gone out and bought Vista (I did, others on here I believe have, many on OcUK have etc etc).

Originally Posted by petemc

The funny thing though is, and no offence intended, but popping into a thread saying "If OSX is so good how come you can't buy it." sorta seems a bit, well silly. I'm guessing your point was how come you can't buy it for any PC since its basically x86 with some snooty line of code that looks for the iDongle in the hardware.

My point was that if Apple were as convinced about the qualities of their OSs as their vast fanboy base is, why isnt it on general sale to anyone regardless of hardware? I believe the fact of the matter is that they cant - in order for them to maintain this faux moral high ground about everything "just working" simply wouldn't be the case if they didn't have a cast-iron grip over every facet of what hardware it is expected to interact with.

I know it probably reads differently because you've got an OSX-shaped axe to grind but I honestly do not have a problem with this OS, why would I? I have a 'problem' with the attitudes of the bulk of people that use them when it comes to anyone that dare compare it to anything else, or dare say that people buy Apple products generally as fashion accessories (which is true, look at the iPod and iPhone for clear examples of "its a crap product compared to the rest of the market but I just have to have one")

I dont get the Linux comparisons - I completely 'get' why its not ready for the desktop, I have never said otherwise. Its almost there and people are starting to recognise that. My parents ran Ubuntu happily for ages before they realised it wasn't Windows, which is a pretty good sign. The sad fact is that the vast bulk of software is coded for Windows and that really is the thorn in the side of Linux at the moment. OSX has Adobe to thank for its success, without them, would you be using a Mac right now? Thats all it will take for a Linux to really gain ground.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by DRZ

look at the iPod and iPhone for clear examples of "its a crap product compared to the rest of the market but I just have to have one")

Sorry - just had to focus on those points. The Ipod certainly isn't crap.

I've had one for three-four years and it has been awesome and I don't own any other mac bits and I don't show it off.

It sounds good and plays the music I put on.

[Dr. Z]

Compared to the rest of the market? You telling me for real that you couldn't have got a better audio device for the same or less money?

[Will]

Not which works as well for me, no. I've tried the Zen and a couple of other devices, ipods really do work really well at what they do and the interface is simple, easy and effective. I'm not a fanboy, but I do like their products I think they're very cleverly marketed and well market researched.