The Other Switchers: Linux Users Coming to OS X

LowEndMac.com ^ | December 19, 2005 | Kostas Theofilis

[HAL9000]

Apple's 'Switch' campaign was addressed to Window users. And indeed, according to stats, many Windows users - aided by the iPod halo effect, Apple's reduced hardware prices, and the Mac mini - switched to Mac OS X.

But something unpredictable happened. Even before Windows users started switching to Macs, Linux users were coming to OS X in masses.

That wasn't in the plan, was it? The switch campaign was focused on Windows users.

The numerous conversions from Linux to OS X are not publicised in the way the corresponding Windows conversions are - maybe because Linux was never the evil enemy. Maybe because Apple's main target is Windows users.

What does OS X provide to attract Linux users? A full-blown Unix operating system without the distributions wars, without the desktop manager wars, with an interface universally acknowledged as the sexiest ever (and not a rip-off of the Windows GUI).

Mac OS X shows that it's possible to have the best of both worlds.

Linux: Where's the Innovation?

While Linux is an important operating system for a variety of reasons, the simple truth is that it's a step or more behind in some areas, even when compared to Windows:

* Plug and play support
* A universal interface
* Documentation

No one blames the open source community for focusing on the underlying code and not on the documentation or innovative concepts. Or for not being able to write drivers for every piece of hardware that exists, especially given the unwillingness of many companies to disclose specifications.

The fact remains that something is lacking with Linux, and GUI applications that are a rip-off of Windows ones are not the most exciting things in the world.

Commercial apps are not evil when they are well-crafted and reasonably priced. This is especially true with innovative ideas and implementations that have no counterpart in the open source world, such as DEVONthink.

As long as you're focused on implementing features already found in other operating systems instead of devising new ones, cool things like Automator will never originate on Linux.

After all , even the most hardened hacker likes the fact that in order to have Bluetooth connectivity, for example, he just has to press a button. That in the next revision of the operating system he can expect things like Spotlight and not "better support for the X graphic card and the Y hardware protocol".

And what a relief to actually have strict standards!

PowerBooks Everywhere

Actually, if you attend hackers' conventions, you'll see more and more are coming with their PowerBooks and OS X.

Sometimes, especially after the 20-something age mark, work has to be done. Food, housing, and clothing are not open source; they cost money. It's one of the facts of life, and when you use a computer as a tool, you need everything to just work - not spend time on configuring problems.

Yes, fiddling with the computer is a hobby for a lot of people, but what Mac OS X is great at is providing you with the ability to work simply as a user by day and play as a geek by night. This is greatly appreciated by people who earn their living working on their computers, geeks or not.

Some people in the Linux community adopt a defensive and foolish approach - fan-boys who insist that "real men do it on a keyboard" and users who think that because they use Linux, they're "hax0rs".

Particularly amusing was an article that appeared on a well known and respected site where the author was reporting his experience with OS X. He wrote, "for GUI things Mac is ok but for command line, like when I want to scp, linux is better". Just how scp on Mac OS X is different (let alone better) from the Linux one is a mystery to me.

Luckily, most serious Linux users are well aware of the limitations of their system's model.

Linux Is Amazing

Linux is one of the most astonishing accomplishments of the 90s, an amazing showcase of collective programming. It's already vital for the technological progress of developing countries, and everyone wants it to gain more momentum and succeed (and maybe conquer the world of OSes).

But Linux needs to be more polished around the edges. Before the coming and maturing of Mac OS X, Linux had many excuses. "Yes, it's less polished, but it doesn't have viruses (or is it virii?)."

Then OS X showed that the world that Unix doesn't have to be frightening.

OS X has set the bar higher for Linux, and the latter struggles to catch up. Still, a stronger Linux share can only be beneficial for all of us, so let's hope that Linux keeps improving.

[Pessimist]

And this is open source? I mean open source not in the sense that you'll provide the customer with source code once he buys it, but in the sense that its been created by a variety of people for free (like Linux).

If its actually open source in the Linux sense, how do you guys make any money?

[ShadowAce]

We sell the specialized hardware it runs on. We support it. We write it. We provide closed-source applications (the real heart of it) that run on the open OS.

[Pessimist]

Ok, I'm puzzled. I'm trying to picture what your product is if it only runs on Linux, on proprietary hardware, it "converts protocols" and its the leader in its field.

Freep mail me if youd don't want to "broadcast" it. (Believe me, I understand...)

It sounds like we work in similar industries

[postaldave]

off topic but what does BSD and OSX have in common? i've heard OSX is BSD but not sure if that is true.

[ShadowAce]

OSX is actually built on top of a BSD base.

IOW, the base BSD functionality (hardware access, etc) is BSD. OSX is the eye candy and user functionality on top of it that most users have come to identify as the OS.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

I'm one of those who ditched amateurware for OS X. In fairness, I run Gentoo on an old 15" TiBook out of sheer masochism.

[postaldave]

opinions aside would this be somewhat true?

OSX=KDE=win98
BSD=Linux=Dos

[ShadowAce]

I think, opinions aside, that yes--they would provide the same layer of functionality. The top row would be the user functionality that resides on the bottom row.

[postaldave]

interesting.

so OSX is on BSD and BSD uses linux programs so really it's everyone against microsoft.

i can see why M$ hates linux so much, if they grow everyone else can and will grow with them.

for the record i've dumped linux for now and am using desktopBSD. PC-BSD works well too. i'm working my way up to using freeBSD one day.

postaldave the unix newbie.

[Swordmaker]

Linux users switching to OSX? PING!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[goldstategop]

MacOS X is really a souped up Linux tightly integrated to the hardware. Linux users should feel right at home. The undelying OS X kernel - surprise - is UNIX! The key advantage Apple has is experience and know how in making its distro slick where other Linuxes have struggled.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[goldstategop]

Apple feels the hardware and software should both be designed from the ground up to work together. This means everything is more expensive and software choices are going to be more limited. But there are none of the conflicts that annoy Windows users - like the infamous blue screen of death caused by buggy software or an outdated device driver. With Apple, it just works. With a Windows PC, it can take some guesswork figuring out why your computer randomly crashes and then spending the $$$ to get it working again. Your choice.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Keith in Iowa]

All true - but if Apple were to release a version of OS X that ran on generic Intel hardware more reliably than Windows, it would be the end of Micro$oft as we know it.

[goldstategop]

I doubt it. You can however, make your PC look like an OS X. By just changing the Windows shell and interface. It won't make a PC a Mac but you can pretend you're running one all the same.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Terpfen]

it would be the end of Micro$oft as we know it.

It'd be the end of Apple as we know it, not Microsoft. The Mac platform is fine: the problem is a question of marketing and getting people to try the thing out.

[solitas]

MacOS X is really a souped up Linux tightly integrated to the hardware. Linux users should feel right at home. The undelying OS X kernel - surprise - is UNIX! The key advantage Apple has is experience and know how in making its distro slick where other Linuxes have struggled.

From OSX's help files:

• Beneath the easy-to-use interface of Mac OS X is a robust and complete UNIX operating system called Darwin. Darwin is based on open technologies such as FreeBSD, Mach, Apache, and GCC. It comes with hundreds of powerful UNIX applications already installed.

You access the UNIX operating system in Mac OS X by using the Terminal application. Terminal is in the /Applications/Utilities folder.

• Darwin: Beneath the easy-to-use interface and rich graphics of Mac OS X is Darwin, an Open Source UNIX-based foundation built on proven technologies such as FreeBSD, Mach, Apache, and gcc. Darwin is a complete operating system, comparable to Linux or FreeBSD, and provides the usual kernel, libraries, networking, and command-line environment that UNIX users expect.

• Frameworks: Mac OS X includes a variety of application frameworks to support developers in many different communities. Cocoa is a set of object-oriented frameworks designed for rapid application development, making it easy to add rich Aqua GUIs to existing UNIX software or to create entirely new applications from scratch. Carbon is designed to provide a gentle migration path for developers transitioning their applications from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X. Java allows development and execution of cross-platform Java 2 Standard Edition programs in Mac OS X, including those written using Java Developer Kit (JDK) 1.4.1.

• Aqua: Apple's user interface for Mac OS X, using color, transparency, and animation to enhance the usability and consistency of the system and applications.

[N3WBI3]

And most of the "big iron" guys I've dealt with would never consider risking their jobs on open source code with no support.

RedHat, IBM, Novell, and Dell all offer support for Linux (even on big Iron)..

[N3WBI3]

IBM does sell support and its priced slightly less than UNIX but the real advantage is when contract time comes up I can get the same support from Novell..

[SunkenCiv]

"everyone wants it to gain more momentum and succeed (and maybe conquer the world of OSes)"

Guess again. ;')

[js1138]

If the current rates are sustained, Apple's market capitalization will pass Microsoft's in a couple of years.

And if the tide keeps rising at its current rate, we will all be underwater in a few days.

Macs are great, but they will not approach MS market share with closed hardware. Perhaps Jobs will surprise everyone in a couple of years and license the OS. My guess is the switch to Intel is a step in that direction.

I would expect dual boot Mac/Windows machines in five years. After all, the OS is cheap, about the price of a few games.