[NTLUG:Discuss] Mac v. Linux

[Terry]

On 6/7/05, MontyS at videopost.com <MontyS at videopost.com> wrote:
> This is just my opinion...
> 
> Mac OSX should be looked at like Linux-lite.  Mac doesn't have the toolset
> that you are use to seeing in your standard linux distribution.  However,
> Macs are quite stable, and their GUI is very user friendly.  Their
> os/hardware package is far superior to Microsoft's offerings.  Heck, the
> same could be said during Apple's Classic days.  Expecially 9.x.
> 
> If I could get a desktop system that is Mac OSX based for the price of a
> Windows box, I would do it in a heartbeat.  I bet you most others would as
> well.  It all just depends on how Apple prices out their hardware.  That has
> been their problem all along.  Clearly they know how to market their
> products...
> 
> At the end of the day, I wonder if much will change at all.  I doubt that
> Apple is going to become a software-only company.  They are still going to
> require 64bit dual-processors, they will still put their systems in artsy
> boxes, and they will still mark up their prices by a huge amount, although
> they have become more reasonable as time has passed.
> 
> The only way Apple will become a factor in the desktop market is if they
> sell their os in a box, and you can install it on generic hardware.  Order a
> Dell computer with Mac OSX software.  Other than that, this is just a repeat
> of a few years ago when Apple left Motorola for IBM.
> 
> I still think that most people would move over to Linux if it was easier to
> install and get around.  I mean easy for non-technical people.  For
> instance, to do simple things like play Quicktimes or WMP files, you have to
> jump through hoops.  MP3's?  More hoops.  These are just examples of what
> normal, everyday people want to be able to do by a click of the mouse.


Maybe other users are having to jump through hoops to play MP3s, but
not Slackware or Mandrake users - probably others too, but not sure
which ones.

I've been doing Slackware lately, 10.0 and 10.1 and find that mp3
encoding is pre-installed and so is java and a few other convenient
extras.

I've had the privilege of handling a couple of Mac's lately and yes,
they are nice and solid - good, high quality hardware - yea, it's
good, but not that good, and a bit limited for my taste.  I want a
more choices, I want something that's more versatile, I want to
customize my desktop to look and feel the way I want it to.

I've built a number of Linux desktops lately and have converted
several MS users to Linux  with very little effort, Linux sells
itself.  (I can build a Linux system, Macs you have to buy.)
MS users are being eaten alive these days by virus'  & worms and the
the anti virus software is time consuming and problematic.  When
presented with a nicely customized Linux desktop and told they don't
have to deal with anti virus and anti spyware applications, they're
usually overjoyed.

I find are more options with a Linux PC.  
Linux systems are [truly] Personal Computers - IMO