[CS-FSLUG] Macs replace university's Linux desktops

[Eduardo Sanchez]

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Honestly, Tim, you should return to GNU/Linux... though I'd most 
definitely be with you when you say that you would run it on Apple 
hardware.

Blessings,


Eduardo

On Saturday 28 May 2005 16:27, Timothy Butler wrote:
> On May 28, 2005, at 12:28 AM, 國產 Wei-Yee Chan (Made in Chinar)
>
> wrote:
> > No doubt that it's $199 for the family pack, but I suppose not many
> > families own more than 1 computer.
>
>      More than you'd guess. I believe two system families have become
> the norm in the U.S., if I recall recent statistics.
>
> > Think of all the expensive hardware
> > that Apple sell and you'll see why they're willing to offer the
> > family pack to U for "a steal".
>
>      Apple's hardware really isn't expensive. If you compare a Mac
> mini to a low end PC, it is just a bit more. If you compare a
> PowerBook to a Pro-sumer or Business line laptop from the leading PC
> manufacturers, again, you find it is about the same, perhaps even
> cheaper. This is no small feat, for you are talking about a RISC
> architecture (which, as you know is more expensive) loaded with
> features that usually do not come standard. When NASA did
> benchmarking of the PowerPC G5 vs. Intel chips, they did not even
> bother to compare functions that could use the PowerPC's AltiVec
> ("Velocity Engine") extensions, because the 128-bit AltiVec
> subprocessor just is so much faster it wasn't even worth trying to
> make the x86 do the job.
>
>      Apple is not going to compete with white box manufacturers, but
> they are fairly competitive with high quality OEMs. Lots of people
> like running GNU/Linux on Macs because Apple makes having a RISC
> workstation affordable. You also have to consider that AppleCare is
> generally ranked best in service and support by publications, so part
> of the cost is going toward that too; not to mention that Apple does
> much of its own R&D.
>
> > The package might suit U, but not the masses.
> > I believe that most Mac users purchase the single user license,
> > which costs $129.  That's like almost double the price of an OEM
> > Windows XP Home edition.  And as U have said, unlike Windows, U
> > don't get an upgrade discount.
>
>      Well, the masses don't buy OEM copies beyond the one included
> with their computer. So, $129 for Tiger (less at Amazon) is roughly
> comparable with $99 for XP Home edition. And, when you consider that
> Tiger has all of the extras included in XP Pro edition, you are
> really saving $70 for the full OS X over the upgrade XP Pro.
>
> > I agree that the Mac OSX is a "different" operating system due to
> > all the re-engineering work.  To each his own - I guess it all
> > boils down to
> > whether you'd wanna spend heaps of time  building your own OS or
> > buy it
> > off the shelf.  OS X is a great OS, but I prefer Linux over it  cos
> > Linux is free.  Feel free to call me a cheapskate if U want to. 
> > :-)
>
>      I like the freeness of GNU/Linux too, although I especially
> prefer the Freeness. My problem is I found I don't have "heaps of
> time" as you put it. So, I switched to Macs, thereby permitting me to
> continue to enjoy *nixy goodness without dedicating as much time to
> the proposition. :-) Someday, I may return to GNU/Linux as my primary
> system... although I may just run it on a PowerPC rather than an x86
> (presently, I continue to run Linux on x86's).
>
>      -Tim
>
> ---
> Timothy R. Butler | "Turning and turning in the widening gyre
> tbutler at ofb.biz   |  The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
> timothybutler.us  |  Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
> uninet.info       |  Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world..."
>                                                  -- W. B. Yeats
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> http://cs.uninetsolutions.com

- -- 
Prof. Eduardo Sanchez
Asuncion, Paraguay, South America
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 Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and the best
 That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
   Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
 And one by one crept silently to Rest.

	-- The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
	   

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