why not OS X?

[Konstantin Riabitsev]

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On Tue, 2002-06-04 at 18:27, Brian Watson wrote:=20
> Not that I like to fuel these off topic debates, but why run linux on=20
> Apple hardware?  It's more expensive.  I pay to use Macs for the GUI=20
> and Apple branded OS's.  I have a YDL box on an old machine that=20
> can't run OS X (although I hear that X Post Facto might soon fix the=20
> 6400/6500 OS X incompatibilities :) ).  If you want to run linux for=20
> some high powered stuff, do it on x86 hardware.  It's far cheaper.

I fully agree. Now, I run YDL-2.2 on a Ti, but that's because I got a Ti
to evaluate OS X in the first place. :) I will stand by my judgement --
OS X is an excellent choice for someone who is unfamiliar with computers
and wants a "black box" for his/her home that does simple things and
looks pretty doing it. This is where OS X shines. I don't run OS X on my
Ti because I am a professional and get much more done on Linux, than OS
X. Plus, I also have ideological objections to using closed-source
software.

I wouldn't generally run Linux on Mac hardware. You are correct -- it's
not cost-effective at all. The only reasonable application I see for
Linux on PPC is as a firewall, simply because it will successfully stump
script kiddies who try to install their x86 rootkits or try x86-based
buffer overflows (memory mapping would be completely different on
linux/ppc). Other than that -- no, I don't see a reason to run Linux on
PPC.

> Also, a lot of big Universities like Sun's better than Linux in terms=20
> of scalability and support.  When it comes to big universities and=20
> corporations, licensing fees and cost of support are a non-issue.=20
> They need their stuff to work.  They can't rely on mailing lists and=20
> hobbyists when their 24 box primary e-mail cluster gets whacked.

Well, let's put it this way -- big universities (and I work for one) use
Sun for two reasons:=20
1. Some software they have been using for the past decade or two has
been written to work only on Solaris and no Linux version exists.
2. They are too inert -- people tend to go with what they are familiar
with, so they continue to buy expensive stuff not bothering to
investigate the alternatives.

I am talking out of experience -- we have successfully phased out all
remaining Sun boxes out of our department, and many other departments
are following suit, at least here at Duke. Sun solutions are a) more
expensive, b) require more admin time to support, c) a security concern.
Sun doesn't exactly push security fixes quickly, and since it's
closed-source, you can't really patch their software if you need the fix
out NOW.

In terms of stuff that "just works", Red Hat/IBM will happily sell you
"large iron" with a very nice support package. I know, I've seen it
happen. :)

Regards,
--=20
 0>  Konstantin ("Icon") Riabitsev
/ )  Duke Physics Systems Admin, RHCE
 ~   www.duke.edu/~icon/pubkey.asc

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