Calling all Mac Users

[CA1900]

One other note about the mac. Since is Unix based, its possible to download free linux programs (called "packages"). That opens up a whole world of possibilities.

Yep, it sure does. Do note that the Mac is UNIX-based, not linux-based. Linux was designed to look and feel in many ways like Linux, but it's not the same codebase underneath, and that means differences in software. You can often compile source code, but the actual programs need to be written for FreeBSD, not linux.

The Fink project is also a great place to start, since they've done a lot of the porting already:

http://finkproject.org/

 

[gunfyter]

One other note about the mac. Since is Unix based, its possible to download free linux programs (called "packages"). That opens up a whole world of possibilities.

I have a mac notebook for the road and a PC at home. I converted the home PC over to Ubuntu several months ago and have not looked back since.

Which do you prefer. The Ubuntu or the Mac system?

 

[ozpilot]

Which do you prefer. The Ubuntu or the Mac system?

A good question. I like Ubuntu because it runs on PC's and theres a wealth of free software that you can use.

I also like the fact that the OS integrates with any applications you download. For example to install graphic design software you start the Ubuntu package manager and search for "graphics design". Ubuntu will provide a list of programs you can choose from. Select what you want and it is downloaded and installed automatically. If at a later date, the program is updated, Ububtu notifies you and offers to download and install the update. Neat.

On the other hand, Ubuntu is not as user friendly as Mac OS X or Windows. You will need to get down to th command level at times to make applications work. The good news is that as long as you know how to google, you can find answers to most problems.

So, Mac for the mac and ubuntu for the PC.

 

[gunfyter]

How well do your Windows programs run on ubuntu?

 

[wolfpackpilot]

I know this. I'm sitting on the end of the ramp at San Jose, serving the net, eating a sandwich while my Itunes is blasting out blue oyster cult.....

and my partners Dell cant even get a signal... Oh yeah and I saved his bacon with a blue tooth pickup on a printer so we could print out a maint form created in Word.... which I have for Mac!

I have seen the light people, and it aint Bill Gates with a windows flash light.

Go to macmall.com and get ya one of these things.

 

[CA1900]

...so we could print out a maint form created in Word.... which I have for Mac!

Ironically, Microsoft Word was a Mac product in 1984. It didn't come out for Windows until five years later. (Similarly, Excel for Mac was released in 1985, and the Windows version came out later in 1987.)

Enjoy the new machine!

 

[OHGOON]

I too have joined the cult three years ago and love it, no problems that need more than 5 minutes to solve etc. Real plug and play rather than plug and blue screen, hairpulling etc. However, how long will the no virus situation last when we keep trumpeting Mac's merritts?

On other matters, Citations may let everyone be jet pilots.. but today in many cases they are among the better paid jet pilots to boot.

 

[CA1900]

However, how long will the no virus situation last when we keep trumpeting Mac's merritts?

Probably not forever, but I'm not worried much yet. It's more than just obscurity -- the system is fundamentally more resistant than Windows because UNIX was designed from the beginning to be a secure, multi-user operating system. That means a program can't muck up things (like the core OS) that it doesn't have access privileges for without express user authorization (which involves hand-keying the password). That makes a huge difference, because it means things like spyware simply can't install without the user's consent.

Windows was built as a single-user OS on top of DOS, originally. Security was added on later, but lots of holes and vulnerabilities had to be left to keep from breaking the older software. Those holes are the reason we have the virus/spyware situation today.

It's been eight years since the first public version of Mac OS X came out (the initial server version), and there are still zero viruses out in the wild for it. It might happen sometime, but it hasn't happened yet. Sure makes life easier.

 

[OHGOON]

Thanks for the response, I too am a former CommutAir's man. Though a bit before your time I suppose. Miss the people, the plane but definetly not the pay scale...

 

[stupidpilot]

There's no way I would ever by a Mac. That D$ckhead Al Gore is on the board of directors of Apple. I don't ever want one cent of my money going to that piece of garbage!