[Tfug] 2 weeks of Hackintosh fun..

[Bexley Hall]

--- On Sun, 11/9/08, Shawn Nock <nock at fastmail.fm> wrote:

[snip]

> If we are to compare proprietary OS to FOSS OS in this
> forum further, I think we should stick to discussing the
> free portions or to compare them as objectively as possible
> on their merits as opposed to our anecdotal
> notions about them.

Unfortunately, it is those "anecdotal notions" that reflect
actual usage/experience.

I run W2K, NBSD, Slowaris (and some other things you'll typically
not have used :> ) in my day-to-day business usage.  None is really
"by choice" -- I use each because I *must* for some particular
reason (e.g., applications only available on a particular platform;
tools only available on a particular platform; target hardware
to match *my* target hardware; etc.).  So, the first issue on my
llist is "does it do what I *need* to get done"?

After that, my next criteria is "how much effort is required for
me to get it set up and *keep* it running correctly"?

Since the first criteria can often be largely answered from a
glance at the application/tools "specs", it isn't a major issue
for me (though I'll note that on one toolchain I had a choice
of Red Hat vs. Slowaris and am reasonably sure my choice of
Slowaris was the best choice).

The second criteria is theoretically easy to evaluate -- though
in practice it is often much harder to quantify -- especially if
you are your own IT department!  :-/  An amusing experiment might
be to give "install disks" for each OS/environment to "casual
users" and see how long it takes them to build a working
environment that they feel comfortable with.  I know building
a W2K system from scratch usually takes me most of a man-day.

Allegedly (?) Macs are easier to setup/maintain than PC's -- which,
IMO, are easier to set up/maintain than a UN*X box (e.g., it takes
me *three* days to build a new NetBSD system).

I don't have any good numbers on *practical* maintenance costs
for any of these, though.  Partly because I don't tinker with
my tools once they are running.  "No, I don't need to update
to version N+1 of application/OS ABC just because it was
released today, thankyouverymuch."  I just can't afford the
overhead of tweeking something that already "works" just to
see if the tweek will "make it work better", etc.  (hence the
reason I run W2K instead of XP or -- gasp -- Vista)

> The idea that FOSS OSes are only for tinkerers is an idea
> that I think is false these days (although oft invoked), and
> very damaging to a very valuable community.

How many folks using FOSS OS's *just* install it out of the box
and leave it "as is"?  How many of your parents run Linux, etc.?
How many of your neighbors?  Teachers?  Now, look at the *types*
of people whom you answered "yes" for -- anything in common?

Now, repeat the exercise for Windows.  And OS X.   And ...

How many Winston Cup drivers have Camry's sitting in their driveways?