“Apple’s Mac Mini is a step in the right direction for the Appliance PC and what consumers are looking for. Last month I focused on the negative aspects of Apple’s new products to make a point. And, based on the feedback I got, the point I appeared to have made is that there are an awful lot of Apple folks who really don’t like anyone who disparages their beloved products,” Rob Enderle writes for DesignTechnica.
“While there are a number of trade offs that Apple made for the Mini that I don’t think were necessary, the product is actually closer to what I think the consumer market is actually looking for in a desktop offering. No, Steve Jobs didn’t just arrive at my house with explosives, or worse, attorneys. I just think it is time I acknowledged that there are a couple things I really wish the other vendors would learn from what Apple has done,” Enderle writes.
“I am convinced it is time we also rethink the operating system. Windows was largely based on OS/2, which came out in the mid 80s, and both Linux and the MacOS X are based on UNIX which is even older. All three platforms are based on the way the world was in the 80s and both hardware technology and users have changed dramatically since then. When these OSs were new, users were still relatively technical while now the platform has to deal with a much lower understanding of the core technology as users increasingly abstract these old cores behind applications,” Enderle writes.
“Particularly when you look at the security exposures that exist today and the inability of traditional virus companies to get signature files out quickly enough and the massive problems all three platforms are having with patches I believe it is time to take a step back, lose the religion, and see if we can’t do better. In fact, I think we should probably do this about once every 20 or so years,” Enderle writes.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: What “massive problems” is Mac OS X “having with patches,” exactly? Enderle has no credibility.
Hmmm…. Looks like Mr. Bell is due for a tasty IP bomb.
My treat.
Ben wrote: “You just don’t get it. Stop labeling those who choose to remain with their platform of choice as stupid. Its just that, their CHOICE; believe me, we are all aware of our alternatives….”
I don’t think people like this are stupid because they choose to remain with Windows. If they like Windows, fine, I couldn’t care less. But when their reasons for dismissing Apple are based on ignorance, and the real answers to their concerns are found with just the slightest bit of research, I find that stupid. To dismiss the Mac because there’s supposedly no software available is absolutely ludicrous. There are over 18,000 software titles currently available for OS X alone, and the truth is, Macs ship with all the software some people would ever need.
Another reader posted something about how the fact that OS X is Unix based means nothing in regards to security because a recent study by Mi2g found Linux was the most successfully breached OS and it’s based on Unix too. He failed to mention, conveniently, that that same report found that the most secure system was BSD Unix, which, surprise, is the foundation of OS X.
Yet another reader expresses his distaste for the Mac because there aren’t “buckets of cheap software” at Staples, it won’t run software he already owns, he’d have to pay for every minor upgrade, etc. OK, let’s see, just because Staples doesn’t carry buckets of cheap software doesn’t mean you can’t get it. Go to VersionTracker.com and download scores of cheap or even free quality software from the comfort of your own chair. Most vendors will do cross-platform upgrades of Windows software to Mac software, and some will even give you the current version for the price of shipping. And, again, the Mac ships with tons of great software. For many users, they wouldn’t need their old software anyway. Lastly, Apple only charges for major upgrades, and you get a lot for the price. Minor updates are free. Microsoft does the same thing. If you’re running Windows 98 you pay for Windows 2000 or XP. It’s no different.
Other readers posted drivel such as that there are no keyboard shortcuts in Mac software – false – that, if something goes wrong, you can’t get under the hood to find out what’s wrong – false – that Macs are incompatible with other systems – false again. I could go on and on.
Very little research and an open mind would show these folks and others like them that the Mac is much different than they’ve been lead to believe. They are no at all aware of the alternatives, they just think they are.
From the “Designtechnica” quasi-blog ‘news’ site:
Ian Bell – Editor-In-Chief
Ian Bell co-founded Designtechnica Corporation in June 2000 and currently resides as the site’s Editor-in-Chief. Ian studied marketing at the University of Oregon and the University of Phoenix. Prior to working for Designtechnica, Ian has held positions with Semiconductor Technology America, Lockheed Martin and Intel Corporation.
Tool.
Send all mail bombs to:
ianbell@designtechnica.com
ndelc’s points are excellent, and unfortunately for Ben, his post hilights the very ignorance he attempts to obfuscate.
By the way, for being unabashed Windows apologist who admittedly cater to the “95%” who are Windows users, why is DesignTechnica running their site with Apache on Linux?
Ah, the hypocrisy.
By the way, for being unabashed Windows apologist who admittedly cater to the “95%” who are Windows users, why is DesignTechnica running their site with Apache on Linux? – BSOD
Most likely because that is the package they chose to use from their hosting service….Notice “Global Network Access”? They own the (Netblock) server that the site is being hosted on…That is why they appear to be using linux…So what…I remember a time when Apple ran Solaris and IBM was runing linux aswell…Its just hosting dude. and really, you dont know what they are running on, as that could be just a redirect or a Domain caching server…You dont know exactly what a company is running unless the own the netblock…
NoMacForYou – No shit, dumbass. But they could easily find a Winblows host. Of course, last year Microsoft was running Windows Update on linux servers because they were getting bombed.
…and really, I do know what they are running on – but that’s neither here nor there. The Netcraft is just a link to show y’all.
Hypocrisy is hypocrisy. It’s even worse when the credibility-free defenders (you) make excuses for it.
Guys, I was just teasing about Ian Bell’s e-mailm he didn’t really say that. But seriously that article really sucked.
Back to work…
Jake E.
BSOD – You have got to be the biggest tight asses i’ve ever met on MDN..Get a grip..
“Microsoft was running Windows Update on linux servers because they were getting bombed.”
Yeah, and I’m the dumbass?
NoMacForYou, your ignorance has reached new heights. Here’s just one of many, many articles on the subject:
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/2072/
Isn’t recess over? Shouldn’t you go back to home room?
10.3.8 is out.
From your link..Read 1st Fucko.
“DNS Resolving moved to the Akamai caching system, which runs Linux” & “although microsoft.com is reported as running on Windows Server 2003”
Man you are clever. Hows that working for you anyways? Being Clever?
Just so you’re clear on this…http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com is a subweb of http://www.microsoft.com..Just incase you thought windowsupdate.com may be its “own” instance of a webserver.
So you see. Linux wasn’t pushing updates, it was caching updates from a Windows Server…
What part of Moron DON’T you understand…
Oh and MDN isnt biased towards MS either….No, Not at all…
10.3.8 installed and we’re back to tell the tale. Details here
I notice the wake from sleep PowerBook issue has received attention as have graphics drivers. Does this mean I will get a mouse pointer every time now like I used to?
10.3.8 Installed but why does my mouse disappear when i move it into the tools area of Safari……Hmmm….
Here is one for you guys..Ever since the 10.3.6 update…My second processor on my G5 is hosed…anyone have a clue as to why?
My mouse used to do that under 10.3.7, but only on certain websites. If I switched applications and went back that fixed it.
Wasn’t this the Ass clown who said Apple would never, ever do a low cost computer?
Yes, in fact Enderle mocked everyone for thinking it.
Now, that he was as wrong as one could be, he is now ripping on the very object he didn’t think was possible?
What a loser. These PC guys are better suited to going back and reviewing Microsoft’s latest monthly bug fix for critical holes, 10-A127A-144-GA. Now that is more their speed.
Because they simply don’t get it.
I like to keep the Ass Clown around and occasionally beat on him when I’m not abstracting my cores and shit like that.
RE
My penis is very very small…
Just for those who haven’t worked it out the imposter using my nick above is no other than Ian Bell.
Come on Ian, you know that’s really bad form, blows your cred, the internet never forgets.
10.3.8 ???? Enderle is must be psychic !
Nothing wrong with having 40-year old operating systems, as obviously they have evolved over time (though some branches of the OS tree have apparently regressed). I found TOPS-10 to be a great improvement over other mainframe OS’s (nothing much else around in the early ’70’s) and VMS shows some of that friendly PDP heritage too. Unix was a bit of a retrograde step in readability, but the conceptual structure made up for that (even though it was sad to leave TECO behind!). Windows, MacOS, OS/2 all owe a big debt of heritage to these earlier OS’s … DEC pretty much singlehandly (slight exaggeration) the era of relatively friendly and powerful OS’s which we are still in today.
(See IBM and UNIVAC for unfriendly and not so powerful kind of OS’s!)
Magic word is “straight” as in damn straight or as in evolution wasn’t so much a straight monotonic improvement (e.g. see Windows!).
NoMacForYou, you’re cracking us all up. You’re typing as fast as you can, but what you clearly don’t realize is that every word just provides more humour – at your expense – for everyone else reading the comments.
When will you get a clue?
I love seeing you post to a story because I know you’ll so easily get drawn into any bait that’s sent your way. It’s so sad! Give us more! More of your pathetic drivel… PLEASE.
…by the way, NoMacForYou, since you’re obviously having difficulty comprehending the information from the story I linked for you, and since you’re unable to do any research on your own, the history of this was that Microsoft actually off-loaded their entire site (including Windows Update) to Akamai and disabled the domain windowsupdate.com.
This is a very, very old story and was good for days of laughs to all of us on MDN for quite some time. Granted, at that time you may have still been in diapers or too busy watching Dawson’s Creek to know it was going on, but it did happen nonetheless. Like it or not.
Sorry, but your heros in Redmond depend on a UNIX knock-off every now and then, too – just like the idiots who publish Enderle’s slop.
Oh look, the magic word is “children” – how appropriate.
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alright, break it up.
nothing to see hear, nothing to see hear.
go about your ways…