Re: XyWrite Mac DOSBox Printing

[Russ Urquhart russurquhart1@xxxxxxxx]

On Aug 14, 2007, at 10:05 PM, Robert Holmgren wrote:
> The thing I simply don't understand is, why did Mac go to an x86
> architecture and BSD if it isn't going to run *nix stuff out of
> the box, or you can't compile it?
Well you CAN compile unix applications and run them under OS X. I've
done it for several Linux and unix applications. (In fact the
forthcoming version of OS X (10.5) has already been through the
standards process to certify it AS a true Unix.)
As for the switch to x86 architecture, there are several ideas. I
think realistically Intel was able to offer different processor
configurations (laptop, desktop, server processors) in the timeframes
and quantities that they needed. IBM wasn't really able to give the
priority, and performance, in the timely manner needed, imo. As they
already had OS X compiled and tuned for the x86 architecture running
in the labs, it all fell into place.
> What's the sense of it? And
> if it won't run *nix stuff, then why would anybody buy an OSX
> Mac? What's the advantage of a Mac over straight Linux?
Well, as it CAN run Unix apps compiled for it, as well as
applications written for OS X (like apps from Adobe, MS, and Apple)
you have a wide array of applications to use. Also now, using the x86
architecture, via emulation of Windows OS (via Parallels, Wine, or
VMWare) or direct support using bootcamp, users can now use apps that
they run under Windows.
> Or
> conversely, if the hardware and proprietary programs of a Mac
> are so much better than *nix, then why doesn't everybody buy a
> Mac?
"better" is a subjective term. Lots of people like macs. Lots of
people like PCs. Lots of people like Linux. I think people DO buy
what they think is better. What makes something better is, however,
not the same for everyone, so everyone buys something different.
> I'm trying to understand what niche they wish to occupy --
> and I really don't get it.
I can't really tell you. I know that, having purchased and used Macs
since about 2000, and having stood in numerous lines with other Mac
users waiting to purchase either the latest OS or iPhone, I can only
comment that the typical Mac user, while all over the place wrt their
uses for their Macs, are all in agreement that the apple products
they have bought were high quality with a high attention to detail
and enabled them to do what they wanted to do, with no surprises. Any
problems with these products, and there has been in the past and
probably will be in the future, are addressed in a quick,
professional and qualitative manner. There is just the impression
that Apple has a certain threshold for their products and they strive
to not have their products fall below those thresholds. (Actually
Jobs said something just like this at their iMac introduction.)
You and other people may feel different about them, but most of the
Mac users i have talked to are happy with their products, get their
jobs done, and usually keep their old Macs when the buy new ones.
Some are so happy with their old Macs that they don't even upgrade.

Hope this helps and wasn't too long!

Russ