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[Discuss] (OT) Steve Jobs 1955-2011



On Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 11:07 AM, Ben Eisenbraun <bene at klatsch.org> wrote:

> On Thu, Oct 06, 2011 at 10:19:49AM -0400, Matthew Gillen wrote:
> > On 10/06/2011 09:23 AM, Dan O'Donovan wrote:
> > >> My next cell phone will be an openmoko
> > >
> > > I remember saying that five years ago - kinda glad I got an iPhone
> now...
> >
> > I will never buy one of those.  The way they treat jailbreakers (sue
> > them for copyright infringement, brick their phones)
>
> I call bullshit. A cursory Google doesn't return any hits for Apple suing
> people who jailbreak their phones, and I doubt you'll find _any_ reliable
> reference saying that they are deliberately bricking jailbroken phones with
> their updates.
>
> So, references please.
>
> As an aside, there is an incredible amount of FUD spread on this list.
> Instead of concentrating on the cool innovations that are happening in the
> open source community, half of the threads seem to be about how we are all
> getting screwed by Apple/Microsoft/Google/etc.
>
> -ben
>
> --
> inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.     <pablo picasso>
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>

I used to be an Apple hater.  A bigger Apple hater than I was a Windows
hater.  There were two main reasons.  First I thought they were extremely
overpriced.  And second I thought they were forcing user's to do things
their way, not the way I would want to do things.  So for the previous 10
years I ran both Windows and Linux side by side (with Synergy2) and hacked
my way getting things done.  I would have preferred running only Linux, but
I usually had integration issues with non-Linux people/systems.  Working
with all my datacenter assets worked flawlessly on a Linux desktop, but the
Linux desktop did have other issues with being quirky and not very polished.
 Since moving to Mac I've found like so many say, "It just works".  And I
don't find their idea of the desktop experience intrusive or that it
conflicts with what I want a desktop to be.

On the issue of cost, I usually buy higher end laptops (more memory, faster
drive, higher graphics, 3 yr warranty) instead of the $399 cheapo's.  For
the same cost or less I can get a better MBP.  Last summer when I was
spec'ing out new machines, all the HP & Dell machines I wanted were around
$2000-$2500, my MBP was $2100 with 3 yr AppleCare.

Now, I'm running a single MBP, I integrate perfectly in a Windows
front-office, and a Linux datacenter, and I get the desktop experience I
want.  I'll dare say that Mac is the perfect desktop for Linux
administrators.  The only thing I regret is putting aside my hate for Apple
and not trying them out sooner.  I also have an iPhone4 and iPad2, they both
work seamlessly with my MBP.  When I an Android or Blackberry I never had
them work seamlessly with my desktops.

Now some other notes of interest.  Let's say I want lower end desktops for
my office workers.  The MacMini's actually pack more punch for the same cost
of a lower end PC.  Also, the MacMini's use very little power, making them
great for building large clusters in a datacenter or lab (and can run linux
too).  Apple is coming out with more tools to make managing Mac in the
enterprise easier (directory, database, internal wiki, vpn, file, remote
desktop, mail servers).

That said, Apple has been no more litigious than any other large company
(MS, HP, Oracle).  I do find that all the lawsuits.  They do give back to
the Open Source community (WebKit).

So all that said, my only regret is that I did hate them for so long, for
reason's that were based on my own misconceptions.  I wish I had my Mac's,
iPhone and iPad sooner.  Still won't give up on Linux in the datacenter
though :)

Matthew Shields
Owner
BeanTown Host - Web Hosting, Domain Names, Dedicated Servers, Colocation,
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