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General discussion

The Macintosh As A Seriously Technical Platform

Jul 23, 2007 9:42AM PDT

I have grown up on the Windows/DOS platform, I love that platform, and would/will never give up that platform. But I am interested in the developements coming out of Apple the past few years. The developements have triggered my curiosity so much that I am looking into purchasing a Mac laptop (I say laptop because - a: I do not know whether I want a Macbook or the Pro, and b: because I enjoy building my machines too much to ever go with a desktop system) so I could experiment with the platform.

But there are several things keeping me from doing that. And the biggest is the technical background on the Macintosh. Mac has always been advertised as the easiest computer in the world, and that may be true, but I am not usually looking for easy. As a Computer Engineer/IT guy, and all around computer enthusiast (I breathe computers) I am not looking for easy and simple. That is why I am posting this forum to get some insight into the technical side of the Macintosh Platform.

Is the Macintosh a technical leader? I personally know that I am guranteed a technical experiance if I so choose to have one on the Windows platform. Can the Mac keep up with the technical side of Windows, or is it strictly easy to use (computers for novices). Now I have researche the Mac platform extensively, and I understand the entire architecture, the Mach Unix kernel, and so on and so forth, but I am still not convinced. Thanks to all who help.

Discussion is locked

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(NT) ??? Define "technical"
Jul 23, 2007 9:58AM PDT
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This is basically the same question
Jul 23, 2007 10:54AM PDT

as you asked last time.

Without a definition of "Technical", which you seem to equate with not having a good and easy computer experience, how can anyone say whether you will have a "technical experiance" (sic)

So if you are looking for a machine that you have to fight tooth and nail just to keep it running and performing to your satisfaction, don't get a Mac.

Stick with building your own, apparently not that successfully, and you will have a happy "technical experiance"(sic)

As an aside, the Unix kernel used in OS X is not the Mach Unix kernel.

P

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RE: This is basically the same question
Jul 23, 2007 2:03PM PDT

Firstly this is not the same question as I asked in my previous posting in this forum. My first question centered around the hardware architecture of the Macintosh Platform. While this question revolves around the usability and functionality of the Macintosh platform. Secondly the first question was based on a theoretical situation targeted mostly at the desktop market, where as this question is to help me make a purchase decision in the laptop market.

As for the technical aspect of this posting. I do realize that using the word technical is implying a broad range of things. Basically this is what I am contemplating. I know that I can control my experiance on the Windows platform, meaning I can make it as easy or as challenging as I want. Honestly this is not a good description, but I am really trying my best to put into words what I am thinking. Let's put it this way, can a platform which is advertised for it's simplistically be a serious workhorse, powerhouse computer? Can the Mac handle all the complicated Ops I am capable of running in the IT world on the Windows platform. Is it a serious working computer, for things other then fancy iLife documents? One thing I noticed is that I never see the Mac advertised or boasted in a powerhouse IT scenario, I mean do computer power users (geeks) use Mac? Do you understand what I am trying to say?

As for the comment about my own unsuccessful construction, this was uncalled for. I am here asking for help and you take a stab at a person, who is trying to learn a new platform, what is that?

Finally about the kernel comment, yes I stand corrected the Macintosh kernel is called the XNU Kernel, it was based on some the aspects of the Mach kernel developed by Carnegie Mellon University. The OS itself is based on darwin. What I was trying to express was that I want more of an explanation other then, "the OS is Unix compliant and has the power of Unix behind it, how can it not be a powerful platform?" I want more of an explanation then the core is somewhat Unix.

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Technical
Jul 23, 2007 9:59PM PDT

Can the Mac handle the "complicated Ops I am capable of running in the IT world". Yes.
Now tell us what complicated ops you run and we can be more specific.

Why is a Power User, a Geek? Define each.

For you to move forward on this one you are going to have to come to terms with the fact that a lot the the so called "Tweaking" that you seem to be so enamored with, is not necessary with a Mac.

Your research is seriously flawed if you have come to the conclusion that iLife documents are all that a Mac can produce. You might try asking the IT folks at AWC how they are getting along now that they have ditched MS for Apple. They don't seem to be having a problem with their infrastructure and I'm sure they do all sorts of "complicated ops"

Build your own. You were the one who suggested that you have to tweak everything, all the time, to make those machines you build, work correctly.

Unix. OS X is not Unix compliant. It is Unix with a GUI. Access Terminal and there, right before your very eyes, is UNIX.

P

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re: "handle complicated ops"
Jul 23, 2007 10:42PM PDT

Look, not to give you a hard time but you're just not being very clear about what you are asking. I get the impression that you think mac is all "fancy" fluff and no substance. What confuses me though, is that in the realm of professional content production... pretty and fancy is what a client is paying for (I'm looking at this from a designer's POV).

Can apple perform in the IT world? In a word... yes. You can take a mac and set it up as a server using the basic software it comes with and not a whole lot more...

http://www.freemacblog.com/mac-server-series-initial-set-up/

Can apple go on to compete in the "real" IT world? Do they have the products and software? Try this link...

http://guide.apple.com/uscategories/servers.lasso


I get the impression you're asking how a computer can be user friendly and also do real work (you need to be more specific about what the "real" work is). Compare a DOS driven IBM of the 1980's with an IBM 726 introduced in 1952. Is the DOS machine more user friendly? Of course it is. Does that make the IBM 726 the more serious machine? Of course not. Sophistication and ease of use often go hand in hand but it also, usually takes away the ability of the every day hobbyist to tweak his machine.

Years ago I used to change and adjust my own brakes (brake pads, hydraulic fluid, master cylinder, every thing) on my car and was confident I'd done it correctly... now, I wouldn't have a clue as to how to fix a car with ABS, despite the fact that ABS makes driving easier. Ease of use usually indicates more sophistication, not less. It also usually means the average joe has less tweaks they can do to it themselves. Can a power user tweak an apple to their hearts content? Sure can... just takes more knowledge.

Let's get around your confusion here by being specific. What is it that you can do with a windows computer that you want to recreate on a mac? Unless you give us some detailed examples we could be going round and round al day on this.