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Staying with OSX?


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View Poll Results: Would you stay with whatever operating system Apple offered?
Yes 9 19.15%
No 6 12.77%
Depends 23 48.94%
Beer 9 19.15%
Voters: 47. You may not vote on this poll

Staying with OSX?
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Jason
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
 
2010-02-02, 01:17

With the announcement of the iPad, a lot of technology bloggers are ruminating on a future where OSX may not have any kind of accessible file system and all applications would have to pass through the store (in a manner similar to iPhone software).

In addition, the OS would be locked down to the extent that one could no longer tinker to one’s own preferences. Indeed, some of these concerns have been expressed on here.

My question is, five years down the road (which is more like ten years in technological terms) if Apple were to do this, would you switch to another operating system such as Windows or Linux?
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JohnnyTheA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
 
2010-02-02, 01:27

You mean if I couldn't run unix commands, develop my own programs, use third party h/w and s/w? Ofcourse I would move to something else. But outside of media content lockdowns, I don't see Apple locking down their Macs any more than they already are. For me Macs are a nice compromise of ease-of-use (their very good GUI) and power (I can use unix commands IF I want to) that I can't get anywhere else. Its why I switched. And I don't think I'm switching back.
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joveblue
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
 
2010-02-02, 01:33

I'm not someone who really likes to "tinker"... I've never opened Terminal, for instance... so yeah, I would.

That said, I don't see the Mac as losing this kind of functionality in the next 10 years. I'm sure they'll endeavour to make it simpler for the novice, but without making it less accessible for the expert. I think we might see some new 'computing paradigms' in future versions of OS X, in fact I hope we do, but this probably won't mean the end of the Mac as we know it.
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PKIDelirium
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Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2010-02-02, 01:34

Should probably have a "Maybe" or "Depends" option on that poll.
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Bryson
Rocket Surgeon
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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2010-02-02, 01:48

Beer option required, as is traditional.
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PB PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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2010-02-02, 02:01

If Apple locked things up too much, or required me to buy all my software through an app store, I think I might just with Windows full time, vs. 50/50.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2010-02-02, 02:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by PKIDelirium View Post
Should probably have a "Maybe" or "Depends" option on that poll.
Agreed. Given how completely unknown and speculative this is, black and white yes/no options really aren't fair.
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Jason
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
 
2010-02-02, 02:31

So now that you've altered my poll, people will ask "what does 'Depends' mean?"
The future is speculative by it's very nature. I just wanted to keep things simple.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2010-02-02, 02:42

But "Depends" is really the only logical option, since it's not like this thread describes in detail what a theoretical OS Y would be like. It's just, "would you like it?" with no explanation of what "it" is.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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joveblue
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
 
2010-02-02, 02:59

I think it's more of a no matter what question...
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ShadowOfGed
Travels via TARDIS
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Earthsea
 
2010-02-02, 05:52

One thing to consider, even after watching all the iPhone / iPad paradigm shifts, especially that the hardware doesn't lend itself to tinkering:

You still have to sell at least one platform capable of building executables for itself and/or other platforms. Since that is necessary, it will also be possible to build and run things yourself on that system, if you so choose. So I don't imagine the "fears" inspired by iPhone OS will manifest themselves in Mac OS X, since it's the development platform for both Mac OS X and iPhone OS.

Apparently I call the cops when I see people litter.
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2010-02-02, 06:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShadowOfGed View Post
One thing to consider, even after watching all the iPhone / iPad paradigm shifts, especially that the hardware doesn't lend itself to tinkering:

You still have to sell at least one platform capable of building executables for itself and/or other platforms. Since that is necessary, it will also be possible to build and run things yourself on that system, if you so choose. So I don't imagine the "fears" inspired by iPhone OS will manifest themselves in Mac OS X, since it's the development platform for both Mac OS X and iPhone OS.
But Apple might require developers to obtain (annually?) a special license for that.
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2010-02-02, 11:39

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad View Post
Agreed. Given how completely unknown and speculative this is, black and white yes/no options really aren't fair.
Almost too speculative.

Of course I won't stay aboard under any circumstances. But right now I don't see any problems other than iPad angst.
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2010-02-02, 11:43

10 years? Pheh. iNet will have become self-aware by then. We'll either be dead or fighting in the resistance, communicating only by OTA Gmail.
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Banana
is the next Chiquita
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
 
2010-02-02, 11:43

Quote:
Originally Posted by chucker View Post
But Apple might require developers to obtain (annually?) a special license for that.
Would it be viable? I would imagine that if the barriers to entry were sufficiently high, there'd be no new blood to 'tinker' and eventually turn into developers. After all, that's more or less Microsoft's rationale for its comparatively open documentation & free tools even for mobile devices, IINM?
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thegeriatric
geri to my friends
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Heaven
 
2010-02-02, 12:04

So long as icons can be changed, and general settings are left ie dock, folder sizes, etc. Then yes.
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Noel
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chicago
 
2010-02-02, 12:31

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason View Post
So now that you've altered my poll, people will ask "what does 'Depends' mean?"
The future is speculative by it's very nature. I just wanted to keep things simple.
Without a "depends" option, the question could be rephrased as "Are you an irrational Apple fanboy?"
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hmurchison
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2010-02-02, 13:06

Any Blogger ruminating about locked Mac OS X will promply get deleted from RSS and Bookmarks. I don't
have time to waste listing to speculation without a hint of logic.

Apple has distinctly branded OS X differently. Mac OS X has Unix , comes with legacy support and sits atop hardware that helps the user multitask and do heavy crunching.

iPhone OS X is relatively legacy free, doesn't engage in command line and other tweaky stuff and sits atop hardware that is best suited for running a couple of apps at a time.

Where Apple is being smart is in how they are tailoring the UI and hardware to complement mobile competing versus the braindead PC market that just wants to sell you a diet laptop shrunken to ridiculous proportions running yet another Windows OS.

If the Tech press follows Apple I expect more from them and sadly with every new Apple announcement so many "remove all doubt" once again about how idiotic their perception of technology is.


The Mac versus Mobile OS X platforms serve two different needs yet they share a lot of API when it makes sense. Mac OS X will never move to a file management system that isn't user accessible and Mobile OS X will never get so complex that I'd fear for my sanity by giving it to a elder computing newbie.

People are making things far more complex than they have to be. The devil here is in the detail and execution. There's no hidden secret.

omgwtfbbq
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leachboy
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
 
2010-02-02, 21:13

I plan on using the best (as in best for me, YMMV) combination of UNIX and laptop hardware. In that regard, Apple is currently untouchable. If they were to drop UNIX, I'd switch back to running linux.
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Ryan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
 
2010-02-02, 21:28

I'll stay so long as it meets my needs. Who's honestly going to answer anything different?

If it gets too restrictive, I'll switch to Ubuntu.
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FFL
Fishhead Family Reunited
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Slightly Off Center
 
2010-02-02, 21:29

Given the rampant pants-crapping that's going on over a completely speculative "question", I'd have to say that "Depends" is the perfect answer.
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scratt
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2010-02-02, 21:59

I can't even take the premise of this thread seriously. The title needs to be changed too IMO.
Steve Jobs is more likely to start using Windows 7 before desktop OS X was locked down in a similar way to any mobile OS X.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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dmegatool
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: At home
 
2010-02-02, 22:10

What about an hybrid ? I would love to see the iPad to be able to run a full version of OSX. Like you're in the iPhone OS as it fits Wifey, kids and everybody else's needs, press a button and launch the "classic" OSX. Would be great.

But if not, as a developper, I can't live without 3dr party apps (Adobe CS, Maya, ...)

Dave Mustaine :"God created whammy bars for people who don't know how to solo."
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Kickaha
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Join Date: May 2004
 
2010-02-03, 00:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt View Post
I can't even take the premise of this thread seriously. The title needs to be changed too IMO.
Steve Jobs is more likely to start using Windows 7 before desktop OS X was locked down in a similar way to any mobile OS X.
QFT.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see a split, with two lines: consumer (iPhone-esque) and prosumer (Mac OS X).

But I think that if that happens, they'll remain distinct and very different, as they are now, and won't be mixed in the way the OP seems to think.
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joveblue
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Melbourne
 
2010-02-03, 01:09

I'd definitely like to see the iPad evolve to the point where it is self-sufficient as a computer, i.e. you don't need a Mac or Windows PC to activate it, it has facilities to migrate all your data/files to a new iPad/computer, printer drivers, etc.

As it stands, it'd potentially make a great computer for a few of my relatives, but if they have to have a Mac/Windows PC as well, I can't really see the point in recommending it right now...
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scrouds
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Orlando, FL
 
2010-02-03, 01:38

Bring back At Ease!
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