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

[James Thompson]

Why is that? I'm a Mac fan boy and wouldn't run anything else without
some serious incentive. I run Fedora Core 2 and FreeBSD on my servers
because they are the best for what I need but wouldn't run linux on my
desktop because I can get my work done easier thanks to Applescript
and the high quality of the software I use which isn't availble for
Linux. But I say use whatever works best, even if that might be
Windows, although very few things that most folks NEED to do couldn't
be done just as well or possibly better and easier on Linux or Mac.


-James

On 5/28/05, Eduardo Sanchez <lists at sombragris.org> wrote:
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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
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > ChristianSource FSLUG mailing list
> > Christiansource at ofb.biz
> > http://cs.uninetsolutions.com
> 
> - --
> Prof. Eduardo Sanchez
> Asuncion, Paraguay, South America
> - --------------------------------------------------------------
>  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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-- 
James W. Thompson, II (New Orleans, LA)