9 reasons you should not get drawn in the operating system discussion black hole

Since the appearance of Windows 3 and the proliferation of Microsoft’s operating system, the comparison with Apple’s Macs and operating systems is a popular and never-ending issue of discussion. A lot of ink -and now web pages- are devoted to a topic with no clear answers in sight. The equation became even more complicated when Linux entered the market in several different flavours, each with its own virtues. And not only that! Microsoft users have got in the debate process as to whether it is worth moving on to Vista or sticking to XP.

I consider the whole process of trying to convince other users as to the superiority of a particular operating system as a waste of time -therefore the ”black hole” title. And here is nine reasons:

1. Most people participating in the discussions are simple users, and by this I do not imply a low level of sophistication for applications they use, but simply the fact that the operating system is the underlying platform on which software is run for work or pleasure. So if for example you are a graphic user that uses Photoshop 90% of the time what is the difference between operating systems? Nothing, absolutely nothing!
2. Instead of arguing about a situation that you can only change with your personal choice, focus your attention on your work instead. Having an opinion is a good thing, but being a supporter of any company is not going to win you extra money. Concentrate on your work instead for extra income and satisfaction.

Torvalds calls Apple file system “utter crap”

I was reading last week how Apple fans feel an air of superiority against Microsoft users. Well it seems that Linus Torvalds, the famous Linux boy, is not eating any of this. When in Melbourne for Linux Conference Australia that finished on February the 2nd, he was asked to compare Microsoft Windows to Apple OS X.

Depending on what you read and who you speak to, you will hear opposing opinions. Well Torvalds did not hesitate to say that the OS X file system is “utter crap”. This sinks in heavily, but wait for the second part, he thinks that “OS X in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for”. One would expect that Torvalds would prefer to compare Linux against Windows and Apple separately without getting involved in the endless Microsoft against Apple debate.

As far as Torvalds is concerned, I am limited to what everybody knows of him related to Linux and his involvement with open source operating systems. But I have a suspicion that he is a guy that has got bored of listening all the time by Apple users how much better OS X is, and how it turns everything else into dust. And as an open source driving force, it is certain that the close approach that Apple takes with every single piece of software and hardware it delivers is hardly promoting a neutral stance, against everything that Torvalds and Linux represent.

Twentieth Century Fox movie rentals coming through Apple iTunes store

Only yesterday we wrote about internet TV and how large players with power in the marketplace will certainly try to get in the TV and movie business in a big way. Reuters reports that Apple and Twentieth Century Fox will announce such a deal that will let consumers rent Fox’s movies via Apple’s iTunes online store. It is a significant move and if followed by other movie studios would change the $9 billion movie rental business in the US. After the news Netflix and Blockbuster shares are down 4.5% and 4.8% respectively.

Movie downloads are a natural progression for the iTunes store, especially now that Amazon and others have entered the music download arena with DRM free files. Hollywood is definitely in search for new distribution channels but I would have thought that if iTunes were successful with movies, the DVD rental middlemen would be replaced by a single more formidable one. As always, pricing and the ease of viewing the movies with mobile devices and at home theaters will be the critical factors that will tip the balance one way or another.

Link: Reuters

When is the market dominated by a single player?

This post is a direct result of recent rumours in several blogs that state that Intel’s Penryn chips might appear later in the market than originally projected because AMD currently has a very weak product line and is not a threat even for Intel’s current CPU models! Of course Intel has the last word in this, but even the rumour is enough to make me think that there are cases when users do not receive the freshest technology developments as they become available at company R&D departments. For this to happen, the particular company must be the absolute leader in its market, the undisputed number one. Here is some examples:

• Intel obviously. It dominates computer CPUs for ages now.
• Canon in photographic cameras.
• Microsoft in operating systems.
• Apple in portable music devices and music downloads.

So apart from market share how do you judge that a company is in such a strong position?

Where do Apple computers stand in Greece?

We owe Apple a lot. They manage (together with Linux) to remind both users and Microsoft that yes there are alternatives in the market and they offer as much or more to both casual and professional users. Since the smart move of switching to the Intel platform, Apple computer sales have increased impressively. The iPod has been so successful that now Apple is holding the music industry by the neck, in similar fashion to Microsoft in operating systems… The share price has soared, the last few years are indeed success, success, success…

So where does Apple stand in small markets like for example the greek one? Well, up to the start of the decade its operating systems have offered incomplete support for greek characters. The market might not be India but yes people here happen to use a non-latin alphabet. The result? The Apple computer platform has been abandoned in the late 90s and the start of the current decade like a sinking ship, following bad reviews by the local press and users struggling with language support problems. Notably, the local as well as most greek universities switched completely to Microsoft more than five years ago, and these are all well educated people that happily go out and buy computers for their studies and even more importantly for their professional lives after finishing their degree… The only group that remained loyal was graphic designers.