Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
So I had a friend who can't stand Macs, tell me that Mac OS X has recently become more of a Linux OS than Unix.

Has anyone ever heard this? :confused:
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
And that friend probably didn't tell you why "it has become more like Linux", hasn't s/he?
Mac OS X is still based on UNIX and it is a certified UNIX version, something Linux isn't.
Maybe ask that friend again, what s/he exactly means?
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
So I had a friend who can't stand Macs, tell me that Mac OS X has recently become more of a Linux OS than Unix.

Has anyone ever heard this? :confused:
Your friend is sadly misinformed. Even if that were true (which it isn't), what difference would it make? Does your friend have any intelligent reasons why they dislike Macs? Or is it just an emotional response, without basis in reasoning? Also, what difference does it make what they think? If they don't like Macs, they don't have to buy one. You can buy whatever you like, whether your friend approves or not.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,447
43,366
Please quantify what you mean by "more linux" OSX does not use any linux code. Its based on BSD which is unix. That statement really makes no sense.
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
And that friend probably didn't tell you why "it has become more like Linux", hasn't s/he?
Mac OS X is still based on UNIX and it is a certified UNIX version, something Linux isn't.
Maybe ask that friend again, what s/he exactly means?

I asked him, says.. Because the source code is very similar.

Your friend is sadly misinformed. Even if that were true (which it isn't), what difference would it make? Does your friend have any intelligent reasons why they dislike Macs? Or is it just an emotional response, without basis in reasoning? Also, what difference does it make what they think? If they don't like Macs, they don't have to buy one. You can buy whatever you like, whether your friend approves or not.


Says macs are too overpriced, and the hardware used is old compared to what he can use building a custom tower.

I personally think macs are built better.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
And that friend probably didn't tell you why "it has become more like Linux", hasn't s/he?
Mac OS X is still based on UNIX and it is a certified UNIX version, something Linux isn't.
Maybe ask that friend again, what s/he exactly means?

Also says:

it really just a different GUI that makes it osx

there are differences, but there are more similarities than differences.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Says macs are too overpriced, and the hardware used is old compared to what he can use building a custom tower.

I personally think macs are built better.
So he doesn't have to buy one. It's a personal decision as to what computer best meets the needs/wants of each user. Let him build his own, and you enjoy your Mac.

I prefer Harleys to other bikes. That doesn't make other bikes deficient in some way.... it's just preference.
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
Please quantify what you mean by "more linux" OSX does not use any linux code. Its based on BSD which is unix. That statement really makes no sense.

From my friend:

Linux is a kernel in Unix, so yes both ways.
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
This is funny. Because they are both written in C? If your friend is not an experienced programmer, how could he tell any difference?

No he is not, but he is one of those really good " I know it all, cause I am awesome" type of people, and I just do not know enough to refute these claims. This is pretty daily. Today I wanted to see what you guys knew about what he was saying. Ill ask him about them both being written in C.

So he doesn't have to buy one. It's a personal decision as to what computer best meets the needs/wants of each user. Let him build his own, and you enjoy your Mac.

I prefer Harleys to other bikes. That doesn't make other bikes deficient in some way.... it's just preference.

Agree with you 100%

Here is more... "but Linux is different . the code can be rewritten without being recompiled, so it can be changed much easier , osx uses a modified Linux kernel called XNU"
 
Last edited by a moderator:

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Here is more... "but Linux is different . the code can be rewritten without being recompiled, so it can be changed much easier , osx uses a modified Linux kernel called XNU"
... and? It sounds like your friend is suffering from a desperate lack of self-esteem and craves acceptance by displaying his ignorance in a pseudo-intelligent fashion. Just acknowledge that he probably knows everything about computers, was a mentor to Einstein, helped Al Gore invent the internet and cooks a mean cherry pie. That should keep him coddled while you move on to more important things. Encourage him to use big words. That always impresses!
 

steviem

macrumors 68020
May 26, 2006
2,218
4
New York, Baby!
From my friend:

Linux is a kernel in Unix, so yes both ways.

Your friend doesn't really understand what kernels or operating systems are.

Yes, OSX does make use of - and helps improve many GPL projects - in fact, this lists them for him: http://www.opensource.apple.com/

Despite this, the only part of OSX that is anywhere near similar to a GNU/Linux Distribution is the Darwin project.

Linux is a kernel for UNIX-like systems, Mach is a kernel for OSX, a certified UNIX system.

When you start looking at the layers above Darwin, you see many proprietary aspects which sets OSX apart from Ubuntu, Slax, Red Hat and BSD.

Saying that OSX is nothing more than Linux with a pretty GUI is akin to saying Windows 7 is nothing more than NT4 with a pretty new GUI. Both statements are completely bonkers.

You can't install Aperture on a machine running Ubuntu, not only because none of the libraries are there, but coding for Cocoa is completely different to coding for GTK.
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
I don't think your friend has any idea what a kernel is.

Just curious as to what he thinks is superior and why?


Oh lets see, went to college for graphics arts design, is a huge gamer, PC Fan-boy all the way. If he is doing it, its because its the right way, and makes more sense than doing it someone else's ways, and than is by everything. Consoles, cars, mac vs PC.

IQ is at 120 he says, but he also mentions he was hung over that day (pff) ...

If you use a mac, you want to be cool, but you overpay everytime for old hardware with mac, because you have no idea what your buying says him.

Stuff like that... gets old, and i thought I would put it to the test and see if he was talking through his hat.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
I don't think your friend has any idea what a kernel is.
Oh, that's easy! It's one of those things that if you add enough heat, it pops and makes popcorn! No! Wait! It's that guy that makes Kentucky Fried Chicken! No! Wait! It's one little niblet of corn! (I know! I know! Too much coffee again!) :D
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
Your friend doesn't really understand what kernels or operating systems are.

Yes, OSX does make use of - and helps improve many GPL projects - in fact, this lists them for him: http://www.opensource.apple.com/

Despite this, the only part of OSX that is anywhere near similar to a GNU/Linux Distribution is the Darwin project.

Linux is a kernel for UNIX-like systems, Mach is a kernel for OSX, a certified UNIX system.

When you start looking at the layers above Darwin, you see many proprietary aspects which sets OSX apart from Ubuntu, Slax, Red Hat and BSD.

Saying that OSX is nothing more than Linux with a pretty GUI is akin to saying Windows 7 is nothing more than NT4 with a pretty new GUI. Both statements are completely bonkers.

You can't install Aperture on a machine running Ubuntu, not only because none of the libraries are there, but coding for Cocoa is completely different to coding for GTK.



So i ran the information from the posts above by him, this is what he told me...

Not true, there base kernel is near Identical, If you knew code you would know that.
its kernel is not the os, they are not they same but they are way more alike then you would like to believe. windows has 30% Unix code. but its nothing like the Linux kernel, osx is modified past the 65% margin of the Linux kernel.


that's why they dont have to comply to the open source intuitive, but they started out with the same direction, of being unix that can be modified without being recompiled the memory usage structure is their biggest similarity . ngome is a pile of s***, but that's what every version of Linux uses, almost.

hey use the same base Ideas but The main xnu is not Unix at all,but it uses very similar response to Linux kernel , they are not even the same code but they do the same thing. it looks like osx has moved even closer to bsd in the last few updates xnu bsd




Okay, so that is what I got back, have no idea where to start.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Okay, so that is what I got back, have no idea where to start.
Pat him on the head and say, "that's nice". It sounds like he's taking the position, "My mind's made up! Don't confuse me with the facts!"

Really, what difference does it make what he thinks? The world has thousands of wannabe programmers who think that after their first programming course, they're qualified to re-write operating systems! His opinion is useless. Just enjoy your Mac and let him revel in his delusion.

"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
- George Bernard Shaw
 

SylarDX85

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 25, 2011
25
0
Pat him on the head and say, "that's nice". It sounds like he's taking the position, "My mind's made up! Don't confuse me with the facts!"

Really, what difference does it make what he thinks? The world has thousands of wannabe programmers who think that after their first programming course, they're qualified to re-write operating systems! His opinion is useless. Just enjoy your Mac and let him revel in his delusion.

"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
- George Bernard Shaw



Thank you, you are right. I pretty much have done under the.. "shaking my head, even though I think your backwards" look. Today, I just thought I'd bring the argument back to people like you, who knew what they were talking about.

Thank you for your help!
 

Transporteur

macrumors 68030
Nov 30, 2008
2,729
3
UK
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."
- George Bernard Shaw

Good one. More drastically: "Don't argue with an idiot. He'll only drag you down to his level, and then beat you by experience."
:D

No seriously, I never got the "let us bash the Mac" think. What's the problem of those people? Isn't everyone allowed to buy what he wants? Why do we Mac users have to justify our decision on which computer we use?
It's just pathetic and gets boring.
Don't waste your time.

From my own experience; people arguing with me why I paid 2500€ for a laptop a few years ago are now completely happy Mac users themselves. :rolleyes:
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.