Apple has finally released Mac OS X 10.6.2, the latest version of its Snow Leopard operating system, and be prepared for a massive update for your Mac: 473MB. There's a lot of stuff in here, and among other things, it includes a fix for the guest account data loss bug.
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Member since:2006-05-26
If you haven't figured it out by now, you'll never figure this truth out: Apple wants no part of selling you a low-margin netbook, because.... it's low-margin stuff. Cheapo netbook buyers are NOT who Apple wants to even bother catering to, no matter what: it's not their business model to compete with everyone else on cheap hardware prices, but rather, a different model where the software is a big part of the total package, as well as the packaging of the hardware, because, let's face it, the chips are (for the Macs) basically all the same underlying hardware as a generic PC.
If Apple comes out with something they'd consider as competing with the netbooks, it likely won't be competing on price, and they'll probably be differentiating it in hardware features as well, to make it harder to compare against, and they'd likely resist calling it a netbook. Of course, this is all speculation, based on observation of their pattern of products over a rather lengthy period of time: I don't claim to know with certainty that they will/won't come out with something along those lines! Who ever thought Apple would sell cellphones 5 years ago???
Member since:2006-04-03
This is exactly the case, and for two very good reasons.
1) Those who buy low cost, low margin netbooks will (as a general rule) expect that all support and upgrades will be free or very low cost for the life of the machine because of the initial price of the system, ergo little to no additional income after the initial (low margin) purchase.
2) By not fighting the installation of their OS on other systems, they by default sanction it and therefore leave themselves open to every clown out there who wants to throw together some Frankentosh to start making negative noises about Apple's support.
Now we know Thom and Co love to carry on about their negative experiences with Apple hardware, but the reality is that the majority of the world doesn't experience those problems - which is why Apple continue to top satisfaction surveys year after year - and also makes you ask some questions about those users who do supposedly consistently experience problems. But even unofficially supporting the installation of OSX on non-Apple hardware - by not trying to prevent it - would negatively impact their overall model on many levels.
Sadly there are people who believe it is their right to dictate Apple's business model to them...
Member since:2007-02-17
Precisely. Spot on.
Apple are also saying that if you ARE in the market for a netbook, with its value-for-money combination of low hardware expense, ultra-portability and modest-but-useable performance, then OSX is not for you. Apple don't cater to you.
Happily, when it comes to an extensive range of entirely capable desktop software for netbooks, you are very well served by some other software suppliers who aren't seeking to rip you off, to the remarkable extent that some are asking for no money at all, even though they offer POSIX compliance as Apple does.
Member since:2008-03-08
You seem to be under the mistaken impression that the people who install the OS on different computers are freeloading.
Apple will quite happily sell anyone a copy of the Operating system.
Its a nail and a hammer argument - if you sell the hammer, you have (morally atleast, even if not legally - the latter should be decided by the psystar case) lost the right to dictate that it can only be used on nails from the same company.
If the users were however freeloading, that would be a different matter.
Member since:2005-07-11
Apple can build a hammer that will only work with certain nails, and I guess they are well in their rights to do that.
Now here's the thing, do we as consumers continue to buy a hammer from Apple, or go somewhere else. That is the only argument. I can't dictate to Apple or MS or pretty much anyone else how they should go about their business. At least in the Linux world, I have the opportunity (if I can code or encourage someone else) to make the OS the way I prefer it.
Anyway, I'm not sure why people are so upset by this. If Win or Linux is so good, why do people want OS X on their PC's? I put OS X on an old laptop I have here, then about 2 days later put Ubuntu on it instead which had drivers for a lot more of the h/w than OS X did (the laptop is an old Athlon 2700+ 64bit thing). Ubuntu worked out the ethernet card, gfx, sound etc... Suite!!!
I prefer OS X to Linux, but Ubuntu has closed the gap, that's for sure.
If Apple ever do decide to add support for 3rd party PC's, then I guess all of this will be a different story, but right now that's not where they want to be...
Member since:2006-11-21
Apple will quite happily sell anyone a copy of the Operating system.
That is not true actually. Apple only sells OS 'upgrades' where the terms are that you already own a full OS X licence, something which only comes with Macs and is not sold separately.
Microsoft also sells upgrades which requires you to already own Windows of some form.
Whether this is enforceable or not, I don't know.
Member since:
2007-02-17
Perfectly correct. As the authors of OSX, Apple have full rights to dictate how people may, or may not, use Apple software.
Absolutely.
Of course, having that right doesn't help Apple one tiny bit towards gaining a customer who wants the capability at low price offered by netbooks.