Mainly Macintosh

Tech Gurus Say They'll 'Switch from Mac' - Yahoo! News

Several Macintosh users have said they are considering switching from the Macintosh to the more open source tilted Linux operating system.

Their three objections seem to break down into:
1. Not open source. Actually, Unix and kernel of OS, core of browser too - are open source.

2. DRM. Well, yeah, it is necessary to bar people who are pirates from stealing commercial programs/entertainment - but an unwarranted pain for those who do not.

3. Proprietary data formats. I agree. They suck. However, iPhoto is not totally closed. Apple includes an API to read/write all the images/info in iPhoto. Further, Apple gives .Mac subscribers a program called Backup 3 that can back up iPhoto database and the data of other iLife application suite programs as well.

Tech Gurus Say They'll 'Switch from Mac' - Yahoo! News:

Part of Mac OS X is already open-source.

Darwin, the Unix foundations of the operating system, is available under the APSL (Apple Public Source License), a free software license.

The APSL is not compatible with the GPL, however, because it does not force developers using it to release their software for free. And no other part of Mac OS X, from its user interface layer to the applications (and their file formats), is open source.

Talk about a tempest in a teapot.

Several people switch from one brand of product to another, and it makes the news in a trade magazine.

Oh, wait, the name of the magazine is PC Magazine.

LOL! I get the joke.

Those PC Magazine guys always tickle me.

posted by John Collins @ 8:24 AM