Possibly in fear that hackers will be able to find backdoors in the Intel Darwin version and allow OSX to run on PCs other than Macs, Apple has only posted the sources of Darwin for PPC for the latest version.
Open Source Darwin for Intel a No Go?
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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And this applies only to the new 10.4.4 version. Old versions are available just as before so the description written by Eugenia is pretty misleading.
But the question is forward looking … will it be in the future.
How is it misleading? I believe that the Intel version is 10.4.4 and so that is that only version that would be affected by this. Since the subject says “Darwin for Intel” it would have to imply 10.4.4.
Darwin has been available for PC since Darwin 1.3.1 (Os X 10.0). You can checkt at http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/ if you don’t believe me.
Someone will figure it out; it’s just a matter of time.
There are other versions that are older that work on the Intel. I was confused by the summary as well. So doesn’t this in essence mean they changed the license for it? Can they even take the source code for one specific platform and change the license for it? I could understand if they just distribute the source, but no ISOs… bah, like it matters, someone will more than likely hack the full release anyhow to work on random hardware.
Leech
Basically, the majority of their core code is BSD as well as proprietary. The BSD license does allow for the binary distribution of code with only crediting the author. One of the joys of the truly free BSD license.
“The BSD license does allow for the binary distribution of code with only crediting the author.”
And agreeing to not sue the author, and that the notice must remain in place in both source and binary form. If you’re gonna bash it, at least get it right ;^)
Edited 2006-01-14 08:22
Actually, I’m not bashing it. I’m a BSD user myself and prefer the BSD-license over GPL!
Isn’t it possible that they’re not releasing the source until after the first Intel Macs ship? They always wait until a few days after a release has been available to release the code. Maybe they’re not considering the Intel version to be “released” until the Intel Macs hit the streets.
I think a little patience is in order.
I’m not seeing on that page any thing that says the source code is platform specific.
http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/ Check the parenthesis. It says “for PowerPC”. These sources are not for Intel. They don’t contain the Intel boot code.
That doesn’t make any sense…it’s a BSD type license…they wouldn’t have to release the boot code.
Maybe it was “cheaper” for them to just not release the Intel version that try to pick and choose different parts and not open sourcing them. This process is not an easy one and not a cheap one either. Besides, they played it safe that way.
Whoops – neglected to post this on the right thread. Sorry
Edited 2006-01-13 18:23
then why are the older versions available for x86?
opendarwin is just lip service to keep the open source zealots at bay. It’s worthless and I’ve yet to see a commercial product or any significant installation of Open Darwin.
why bother? BSD/Linux are available. because an OSS project sponsored by a company is not popular does not mean that it is lip service.
> because an OSS project sponsored by a company is not popular does not mean that it is lip service.
It does amount to lip service – ever heard of people bashing Apple and MacOSX?. No and why not?. Because all Apple has to do is say hey the kernel is open sourced and that basically shuts people up. Now what can real programmers do with Open Darwin – basically squat!.
Shut who up, exactly? Mac OS X is a proprietary, non-open source operating system and they don’t seem too bothered about it.
ever heard of people bashing Apple and MacOSX?
I realize you’re new here, but are you also new to the Internet? Apple’s the second-favorite target of malcontents, right after Microsoft.
Nailed that one, ‘Open’, would appear to be just another buzz word to be bandied about as it suits Apple. It was pretty obvious when I went looking for a quicktime producer for linux or any other os, I recall the only thing open quicktime on linux seemed to be good for was serving up the mov’s made on your mac in an expensive closed app. The open source community would be ahead of the game if it just completely ostracized them.
“Now what can real programmers do with Open Darwin – basically squat!.”
Uhm…how about just about anything you can do with any other UNIX-clone out there? Just because the userbase is small, the product isnät worthless or useless.
I feel this story is slightly premature. It’s not based on a (un)official statement or anything.
In the past there are x86 versions. Their faq – http://developer.apple.com/darwin/projects/darwin/faq.html – says:
Q. I heard that Darwin runs on Intel processor-based PCs. Is that true?
A. Yes, and we’re partnering with the Darwin developer community to enhance support for this platform.
Surely we ought to wait-and-see before jumping to conclusions.
That FAQ is old. There is a good chance that it’s out of date and Apple has taken a different decision since then.
Or, we indeed jumping the gun. Time will tell. Apple won’t.
I’m sure that the full source for the base system will be available in the near future, but like Eugenia said, “Time will tell.”
It’d be a shame were it not to be released, but realistically, how many people are going to lose sleep over it?
How much did the boot code change? If you really wanted to, you could theoretically use the PPC kernel, but with the Intel boot code from an older version.
he sources for Darwin 8.4, which correspond to Mac OS X 10.4.4 (for PowerPC), are available for download. [Jan 10 2006]
Perhaps they made some significant changes recently due to the EFI implementation, etc and the releases are not longer equivalent. At least the wording above makes it appear that way.
Everybody needs to relax. The machines arent even shipping yet.
what the hell is with all the rampant guessing that goes on online. its stupid! not to mention annoying.
I assume the EFI bootloader code was rushed since developer transition kits were BIOS based. So the last minute additions of EFI probably require some sort of internal approval process before opening up. Instead of delaying the 10.4.4 updates in general, they probably decided to just release the current PPC versions as they have in the past.
They cannot keep EFI boot loading out of darwin because that effectively kills the darwin project once PPC machines become obsolete.
“that effectively kills the darwin project once PPC machines become obsolete.”
Exactly. Of course they’re going to post the Intel source. If they don’t, they kill Darwin. Remember, eventually there will be no PowerPC.
That FAQ is old. There is a good chance that it’s out of date and Apple has taken a different decision since then.
Or, we indeed jumping the gun. Time will tell. Apple won’t.
What sentimentalism!!!
Apple will post the update a little later.
That’s all.
Mark my words.
No reason not to, unhacability-through-obscurity is bogus.
that’s the point… “they, they, they”. it’s their own work, done with their money, under their licence.
probably they will release it soon, and anyway afaik they don’t get that much help from outside apple. if community developers whined, they migth have a point.
not me, so i don’t
I am tired to hear this hype about bla bla bla, we will get OS X on standard PC, bla bla bla…
I’m working with OS X and Apple products every single day, ok? And I can assure you that without Apple support OS X on standard boxes are worthless. And not only that – After three-four months you there will be posts all over the place “my OS X86 leaks memory!”, “it is 500lb gorilla!”, etc. OS X is _heavy_, period. And their apps leaks memory like a hell. Sure, OS X has nice parts – visual design, functionality is VERY well thought out. But I personally feel that lot of other sides of operational system are left out in the cold. For example, OS X Tiger Server has Server Admin – cool app, first with good way to edit Apache, Postfix, Bind, etc. configuration. However, it eats memory like a desert and can bring CPU of your server to its knees. Yeah, sure, my pick is that they waited for going over to Intel so they can debug and optimize it then on it.
OS X is nice, but it has it’s own share of problems. Personally I would pick my Gentoo installation with GNOME over it any day. Still, for artists it is OS for them without any doubt.
post scriptum – Expose will make you to hit F9/F10 regurarly on your another Windows/Linux station, be warned