“Since OSX, Apple users have had a taste of mainstream-OS agony, enduring pay-to-play service packs like ‘Jaguar’ and ‘Panther.’ Late last month, they were treated to a critical security flaw, along with the griping that comes from security professionals when the folks at headquarters don’t treat it as seriously as they should. The most severe of the threats was patched only this morning, with little fanfare,” Seth Jayson writes for The Motley Fool.
Full article, mostly concerned with reports that Microsoft has decided that the 20 most common pirate keys would be shut out from Windows XP SP2, here.
MacDailyNews Take: Jaguar and Panther were not “service packs.” They were not “point upgrades” in the most widely-used sense, either. These were major new versions of the Mac OS X opertaing system. Apple’s insistence in using a confusing “point” naming system continues to confuse the easily-confused and those unfamiliar with the Mac OS X operating system. Mac OS X has had five major versions so far: Mac OS X Public Beta, Mac OS X 10.0 “Cheetah,” Mac OS X 10.1 “Puma,” Mac OS X 10.2 “Jaguar,” and currently Mac OS X 10.3 “Panther,” with Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” to be previewed at WWDC on June 28th. These are not “point updates” as anyone who has used them easily understands. Also, overblowing a so-called “critical security flaw” that actually caused little or no damage in the wild is foolish nonsense. And finally, we’re “Mac users,” not “Apple users.” One is a platform and the other is a company. The only “Apple users” we know are Microsoft’s R&D department.
“The only “Apple users” we know are Microsoft’s R&D department.”
That was a good one MDN!
Reason # 52,457 why I love MacDailyNews:
“The only ‘Apple users’ we know are Microsoft’s R&D department.”
ROTFLMFAO!
Actually, you are an Apple user. The Mac is but the current Apple computer. There were other Apples before the Mac and there will be others after it, but they will be Apples.
No, they are a Mac user. Just as you’re a Windows or Linux user regardless if you’re on an HP, Dell or Apple computer. The operating system is what people go by when referring to a computer user over and above the manufacturer of the hardware. Besides, whether you’re using an Apple, HP or even a home built built computer, there are components from several companies in the box.
If I try to use a Dell, am I a “Dell User” or a “Windows PC User?”
I haven’t been an “Apple User” since I ate a Red Delicious last week. Or since I last fired up my Apple IIe in 1980-something. I am a Mac user and, if you’re a Windows user, I am smarter than you.
Okay, this is driving me nuts. Just because it is taking Shlonghorn a very, very long time to be released we should not think that Apple is out of order with all of its “Pay to Play” updates.
Hmmmm, 1998-Windows 98, Late 1998-Windows 98 Second Edition, 1999-Windows ME, 2000-Windows 2000 Professional & Windows 2000 Server, 2003-Windows XP Home & Windows XP Professional & Windows 2003 Server. I think I see quite a few “Pay to Play” updates in a similar five year time span in the Microsquish world also.
In a capitalist society we vote with our money, my vote is for Apple!
MOO!
that’s “MOOF”
I’m a proud Apple User. I use an Apple iPod, an Apple iMac and (maybe not so proud here) an Apple Performa. I also use a Dell system at work and a Dell laptop (until the G5 PB’s come out). For those uses, I’m a Dell user (as distinct from an HP user or a Gateway user). Once upon a time, I was an Apple II user. For my cell phone, I’m a Motorola user (I don’t say that I’m a Verizon user unless I’m cursing the service). For my television, I’m a Sony user (I don’t say that I’m a Cablevision user, except, again, when my service goes out).
The point being, there is plenty to criticize in the referenced article, but attacking a factually correct description of people who use Apple products is petty and serves as fodder for those who say “See, they’re being ridiculous and pigheaded about nomenclature, they must be wrong in their criticism of the article and of the Windows operating system.”
Also, it seems odd to me that people on this site wouldn’t want to be associated with the Apple hardware, but only the software (which, by the way, is also ultimately Apple branded). I presume Mr. Jobs feels the same way, otherwise why would he be contesting the Beatles’ lawsuit so vigorously – why not just change the company name to “Mac”.
Finally, to follow this logic all the way through, you should probably refer to yourselves as “Panther users” or “Jaguar users” or “System 9 users” if you really want to make sure people understand that you’re only with Apple because of the operating system, and not the total package.
I don’t understand those moronic year-based releases. They force their own unrealistic release schedules: “Win 97 will be out any month now…whoops, now it’s Win 98!”. I’m surprised Microsoft used “Longhorn” as a codename instead of blatantly calling it “Windows 2005, er 2006…wait, make that 2007…”. Maybe it works for games (Unreal, Madden, etc.), but not for operating systems.
And it’s a hell of a lot easier to say “Ten-Three-Four” than something like “Windows 98, Second Edition, Service Pack Three”.
The Motley FOOL has been “reporting” on Apple alot as of late, MS must have called and said they were stopping their checks if there wasnt more bad Apple press.
Lets give em credit, its hard work these days finding bad things to say about Apple, these guys are doing overtime to come up with petty gripes and FUD to get their pay. =P
paying for patches like panther?!
LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH MY GOD!!!
Poor Snobby/Rich Apple Users have to pay for patches oh my god that’s classic
“The only ‘Apple users’ we know are Microsoft’s R&D department.”
According to rumor, Microsoft used to refer to Apple as “R&D South”.
this guy is just wrong
Perhaps the Motley Fool prefers the M$ approach of selling a subscription service, but not backing it up with OS product releases?? That would be the “pay not to play” or “just pay” approach, to take a Nike spin
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If this guy is really concerned about security, he should look at the real culprit. Microsoft’s track record on security is a awful. Why does the general public have different expectations of quality when it comes to a car or a TV than for their computer? Where is the lemon law for Microsoft? Where is the public outcry? Where are the class-action lawsuits?
Who are they? I didn’t bother to give them a hit. Can some tell me what they do? Are they a news site, or some tabloid drivel?
Hey KSL, it is Apple’s fault. Apple fails to tell the consumer their is a clear difference. The salesman at the computer store isn’t going to set them straight.
Apple is afraid to take on Microsoft, period.
If you want to get “realistic”, albeit illegal and unfair, Mac OS X does not require an activation code, like XP. In short, I could “lend” my Panther CD’s to my buddy, and never hear a word from the law, or Apple. XP SP2 (about friggin time I might add), is locking out known pirated keys. While I don’t condone piracy, especially stealing from Apple, let it be known that M$ is very much money hungry, and their idea of innovation is to come up with activation keys and phone home schemes that protect not the end user, but M$ financial department. Apple has no such scheme in place, and their upgrades are strictly to give a better user experience to the people who buy Macs, not fall over themselves trying to implement technology that keeps tabs on it’s user’s, and making sure that M$ comes first with the bill, and user experience is secondory.
As far as activating XP, I thought that was supposed to happen when I push the power button on. Apparently “activating” means that M$ is satisfied that you haven’t stolen from them, yet. It really shows where their loyalty lies.
Apple is either Clueless or Gutless, I don’t know which. Their marketing sucks! Hey, Apple, get some balls!
“Full article, mostly concerned with reports that Microsoft has decided that the 20 most common pirate keys would be shut out from Windows XP SP2.”
Once again, Microsoft and its followers brag about what they MIGHT have in the future. Where’s the announcements of software innovation and new software products like AirTunes ( http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/airtunes.html ) ? Rendezvous has been out for a long time, and Microsoft doesn’t have anything like it; not even a poor copy of it.
A million promises don’t hold the weight of a real product actually sitting on the store shelves.
MS Windows: broken promises are apparently much easier to fabricate rather than a fix to the broken OS.
Personally, I think Apple should forgo the point numbers from now on just to keep morons like this from complaining about things they don’t understand. That way they can just call it Mac OS X for as long as they want instead of having to do something different when they run out of point numbers. The distinction could just be made by the different animal name. My two cents.
Oh, and I think we are both Apple Users, and Mac Users. But MDNs comment about Microsoft was priceless.
Apple User, Groups of people generally end up with a name that the majority of them decide to call themselves. In this case the name is “Mac User”, not “Apple User”. There are magazines called Macworld, and MacAddict NOT Appleworld and AppleAddict. If you want to call yourself an “Apple User” go ahead. If you are from New York you can also call yourself a New Yorkite if you want. Your choice bro, go for it. Knock yourself out.
I read an interesting article recently that theorized that one reason there are no Mac viruses is that the Mac User Community has zero tolerance for vulnerabilities (let alone exploits!). It was compared to gradual degradation of an Urban neighborhood. If you have a broken window in a building and do not fix it right away, pretty soon there will be a lot more broken windows. Litter being present begets more litter, obnoxious panhandlers accosting citizens increases chances of getting mugged, etc. This Foolish article saying Mac Users “were treated to a critical security flaw” that wasn’t take seriously is ridiculous. All flaws were fixed in three weeks after they were made public. But even BEFORE the official Apple fix came through the Mac Community had two separate fixes available for free on the internet within days (I used the RCDefaultapp one). Man, the broken window was fixed right away. Zero Tolerance to even vulnerabilities. Windozer users on the other hand live in a slum with litter everywhere, most of the windows broken out. I mean EIGHTY THOUSAND plus viruses and TONS of adware/spyware for windoze vs ZERO viruses and ZERO adware/spyware for the Mac? That is is just unbelieveable. These fools are really reaching to say something negative about the Mac Platform.
Motley Fool only shows us that the real fools are at Apple. If Apple can’t make a clear distinction in their ads, why should the unwashed masses think there is difference. Newbies think that Windows is the same, runs more software, and is the industry standard. And since a computer is a computer is a computer, I may as well save money.
Good job Apple! You are scared of what Microsoft would do to you if you attacked them. ASSWIPE. BROWN-NOSE.
MDN got it right. The moment the article mention “service packs”, you know that the writer is a Microsoft oriented writer. Pretty sad, really the state of todays journalism. A little Googling will point right away that 10.x are major upgrades while 10.x.x are minor updates. A little bit more research will show that vulnerabilities is not as threatening as an outright attacks. *Sheesh*