[Sussex] The Indie recommends Linux!

[tealeg at tealeg.uklinux.net]

Ian wrote:
>With respect Geoff, I am responsible for the output of the Broadband
>division of Europe's
>largest independent market analysis firm and work closely with our New
>Media guys.  I do
>actually know what I'm talking about on this and I think the reporters
>are being
>naive in their assessment.  We are very far from convinced of the long
>term viability
>of Apple's strategy.  I may occasionally adopt a vigorous presentation
>style but it wasn't
>a "rant".

Fair enough.  I'll bow to your superior knowledge.  BTW - I wasn't suggesting that you were ranting, only that I don't think the newspaper reporter was either.  That said I'll be the first to say that the technology  writers in major newspapers are not always the best informed, but importantly their "expert" opinions help create self-fulfilling profecies in consumer markets in the same way that market analysts strongly influence the stock markets.  Both Intel and Microsoft realised the value of these "experts" and made it their missions to get the support of such people in their (succesful) campaigns to gain market dominance.
 
>On the other hand, I am just a Mac enthusiast who has used their kit
>since 1980 but
>can see only declining reasons to continue to support Apple for my needs...

.. fair enough.  I had used Macs but found them frustraiting prior to the advent of OS X - at that point I purchased an Apple for the first time for my wife to work on, principally because at that time it was simpler (i.e. less support time for me) than giving her a Linux box.  If I were making the purchase today she would almost definitely get a linux box (unless she had objections).

>Why is it better than a PC architecture?  Not being a computer
>scientist I can't
>see the benefits.  PC hardware is cheaper and more Linux stuff works
>on it. These
>will be more important consideration for many users.  So a cheap PC
>platform running Linux
>is more attractive than a Mac with MacOS X.
<snip>

Can't argue with you there.  My point however was that the people who needed Unix were Apple themselves.  If they had carried on releasing new versions of the old Mac OS they would have been a like Bristol or Morgan - a manufacturer of much loved, classic kit for a very small market of extremely wealthy individuals.  In the end, as a company it is better to produce a better product that can attract a growing market than continue to court an ever shrinking band of fanatics.

Sure, Steve Jobs stormed in their and took a big risk in alienating Apples existing user base, well sometimes you've just got to listen to Neil Young - it's better to burn out than it to rust.

If anything I'd say that Apple didn't move far enough away from a pure Mac OS experience - they fact that I can't trivially get a shell script to run from the GUI, but instead have to write some Applescript to create a .app to run it for me, if frankly shocking.

In isolation of the existing market base I'd still say that Mac OS X is a better platform (on its own merit) than either Windows XP or Mac OS 9.  Problem is Linux desktop distros are getting really good these days and Mac OS can't compete with Linux on the server - and of course Linux has a much stronger idealogical grounding (and price) than OS X.

>From my point of view, I couldn't give a crap if Apple succeeds - I'd like to seeing wider adoption of a range of OS's all working on common standards where necessary and differentiating themselves where possible.  I'd like to see Open Sourc at the core of all those things and I'd prefer that Apple don't adopt Micrsoft style tactics to force themselves into a market place (Apple are trying to ride iPod as Microsoft has ridden DOS, Office, IE and WMP).  The thing that I do care about is the breaking down of Microsofts monopoly.  Not because I hate Bill Gates or because Windows is crap, but because monopolies do serious economic damage to the world we live in and that damage has a serious cost in terms of the relative wealth of the average individual on the planet and in lives lost in that majority of the planet who live in poverty.  I've said it before on this list but I'm always going to say it again - massive profits come at the cost of human life and ecological damage.

-- 
GJ Teale
mailto : tealeg at member.fsf 
http   : www.tealeg.uklinux.net

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