Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 8th Dec 2006 21:24 UTC
Mac OS X OS X is more appealing to enterprises as a desktop operating system than ever before and although it is unlikely to take market share away from Windows, the Mac could reduce the number of Linux-based desktops, according to research group Gartner. In a report published by Gartner this week titled Enterprise Mac Clients Remain Limited, but Apple's Appeal is Growing, analysts Michael Silver, Neil MacDonald, Ray Wagner and Brian Prentice, said that administrators will most likely have to prepare for more Mac systems in their environment even though OS X is "not a suitable enterprise wide platform". Ars weighs in on the issue as well.
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Well
by Sodapop on Fri 8th Dec 2006 22:08 UTC
Sodapop
Member since:
2005-07-06

I would think so. At least, it's more appealing to me because of the games available like C&C Generals.

It's certainly easier to use. Drag the app to the HD to install, move it to the trash to uninstall. Myself, I like the Mac install/uninstall system more than the Windows way of doing things.

Mac's are a bit expensive, to me anyway. Overall, while I wouldn't mind having a Mac over a Linux computer, Linux is catching up. Slowly but surely. I've personally enjoyed watching Linux grow over the years.

I don't have a problem with either one. They both have their ups and downs. I'm just glad we have a choice of OS.

RE: Well
by StephenBeDoper on Fri 8th Dec 2006 23:44 in reply to "Well"
StephenBeDoper Member since:
2005-07-06

Drag the app to the HD to install, move it to the trash to uninstall. Myself, I like the Mac install/uninstall system more than the Windows way of doing things.

I've often read praise for the ease of software installation in OS X. For the last week though, I've been setting up an old G4 (10.4 installed) and I've found it often requires jumping through a ridiculous amount of hoops. Especially with driver installation, I've run into two or three situations where the install process is: download a SIT file, it gets automatically decompressed after download (with no indication where the files are actually decompressed to - I had to run a search the first time), then you have a DMG file to double-click, it mounts, and there's an install wizard inside it (oh pardon me, install "assistant").

I can't for the life of me figure out why I couldn't have simply just downloaded the binary for the installer in the first place - or a SIT file simply containing the installer. I don't see what advantage the additional packaging of the disk image adds (especially when in many cases, the apps themselves are further "packaged" within a bundle). I've also seen situations, with people who don't fully understand the concept of disk images, where they don't realize they should move the app to their Applications folder and end up running apps directly from the DMG all the time.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 5

RE[2]: Well
by MikeGA on Fri 8th Dec 2006 23:59 in reply to "RE: Well"
MikeGA Member since:
2005-07-22

Well to be fair, drivers are a bit of a special case. And there are still a few idiots who package an installer inside a disk image inside an archive.

Apple has a standard package installer. Place that in a disk image. Please.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

RE[2]: Well
by alcibiades on Sat 9th Dec 2006 08:00 in reply to "RE: Well"
alcibiades Member since:
2005-10-12

Cannot help a wry smile at this. Surely the whole thing about OSX was, it avoided Driver Hell by being specially designed for its hardware as one integrated whole....Now we have a guy installing it on a Mac, and what does he complain about?

Drivers!

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3

RE: Well
by jessta on Sat 9th Dec 2006 05:04 in reply to "Well"
jessta Member since:
2005-08-17

The users that will leave GNULinux for Mac OS are uses that don't value the freedoms/less annoying headarches associated with using free software.

It's their choice, but I'm sure they will regret it somewhere down the track.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 5

v RE[2]: Well
by monkeyhead on Sat 9th Dec 2006 05:21 in reply to "RE: Well"
RE: Well
by rajj on Sat 9th Dec 2006 05:54 in reply to "Well"
rajj Member since:
2005-07-06

What do games have to do with enterprise use?

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 3

RE[2]: Well
by dylansmrjones on Sat 9th Dec 2006 15:45 in reply to "RE: Well"
dylansmrjones Member since:
2005-10-02

Well, you do know that MCSE means Minesweeper Consultant and Solitaire Expert? ;)

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 4

RE: Well
by dylansmrjones on Sat 9th Dec 2006 15:43 in reply to "Well"
dylansmrjones Member since:
2005-10-02

You do realize that you can install applications the same way in GNU/Linux? Not to mention that you can install applications in many other equally simple ways.

OS X isn't the only OS to have AppFolders, you know. Nor the first OS to have it ;)

The Windows way of installing applications isn't that bad. It's the lack of a framework for installing, uninstalling and updating installed applications that is the major issue.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2

RE[2]: Well
by Bit_Rapist on Sat 9th Dec 2006 18:57 in reply to "RE: Well"
Bit_Rapist Member since:
2005-11-13

The Windows way of installing applications isn't that bad. It's the lack of a framework for installing, uninstalling and updating installed applications that is the major issue.

The windows installer is the standardized way to install, update and remove applications via .msi files.

The standard has been there for a few years and is in heavy use.

Reply Parent Bookmark Score: 2