[OT] really?

[Cian Duffy]

> This is certainly the strangest, but most exciting thing that I've
> seen in the Mac world since I started using the Mac 128 before the
> start of time. It's far more profound than the switch from System 6 to
> 7 and from 68K to PPC.

OSX wasn't stranger? From bashing UNIX to being UNIX in 10 years?


> For us Mac (hardware + OS) users this is a win-win situation. We get
> access to a fast laptop (FINALLY) and we get access to Windows
> software, all in one fell swoop. It does open us up to X86-based
> viruses and exploits, but proper software design will minimise that
> danger -- Linux for Intel has a signficant user base now yet viruses
> and spyware are still virtually unknown.

Viruses, except ye-olde fashioned boot block virus-on-a-floppy-disk,
aren't architechture dependent. Entirely OS dependent. Same goes for
spyware.

> This is (potentially) the start of a desktop monopoly for Intel (not
> much different from the status quo anyway), but, given that many of
> the Intel patents are expiring or have expired anyone can get in on
> the game, even IBM or Motorola if they want ;-).

Most of Intels interesting patents will not be expiring for some time
- sure, the basic x86 instruction set is fine. but the only reason we
have clones is because AMD and Via both have patent-sharing
agreements.

As goes the GUI's - until OSX comes even close to BeOS for me, its not
a good GUI. GNOME gives me the closest I'm going to get on a UNIX
system...

Cian

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"We're busy running out of time"