Author Topic: About The Mac  (Read 3240 times)

ghostofra

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About The Mac
« on: 25 November 2005, 03:08 »
Hi I am currently a linux user and I am quite happy with the os but was considering buying one of those mini macs as I cant afford one of those nice bigger machines that apple makes and i have a few qustions to ask about the os i know it's based on the unix platform.
#1 consern usability. I need a strong os and machine as i do Audio and movies personal and work related.
#2 also i like to play the ocasional game. Is their many games for mac?
#3 Security like unix/linux is anti virus need or dose it use the same root structure were a good firewall is only needed?
Thanks to all that can help clearfy these qustions for me :)

Mutch Thanks
Brian(Ra)

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cymon

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #1 on: 25 November 2005, 05:07 »
MacOSX is based off BSD, so that answers questions one and three with a solid yes. There are many games for the Macintosh, including ports from Windows games, and many of the Free *NIX games end up ported over.

Dark_Me

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #2 on: 25 November 2005, 05:48 »
It is, or so I'm told also possible to get software which will allow you to use Windows software on you shiny new Mac (lucky bastard). Not sure if it's an emulator or not.
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WMD

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #3 on: 25 November 2005, 06:41 »
Quote from: ghostofra
Hi I am currently a linux user and I am quite happy with the os but was considering buying one of those mini macs as I cant afford one of those nice bigger machines that apple makes

Good for you.  I bought a laptop from them and I love it. :)

Quote from: ghostofra
#1 concern usability. I need a strong os and machine as i do Audio and movies personal and work related.

Macintosh is the premiere audio/video platform.  The Mac Mini may be a little weak for that kind of stuff, though.  Anything with a G5 will fare much better (the iMac is $1300, though).

Quote from: ghostofra
#2 also i like to play the occasional game. Is their many games for mac?

The game selection numbers somewhere between Windows and Linux.  And there's lots of simple/abandonware stuff out there that still works and is still fun.

Quote from: ghostofra
#3 Security like unix/linux is anti virus need or dose it use the same root structure were a good firewall is only needed?

Mac OS is just as secure (or obscure, as some would argue) as Linux, so no AV is needed - although firewall is always good to have.  It comes with one but it's turned off by default.
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ghostofra

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #4 on: 25 November 2005, 08:16 »
Thank you all for answering thes qustions for me Now to head off to microcenter to play with one going to take time to get used to the 1 button mouse idea.

Freedom from windows, Linux is the way to go.

Dark_Me

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #5 on: 25 November 2005, 09:24 »
It's not one button anymore. It only looks like it.
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WMD

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #6 on: 25 November 2005, 09:45 »
Plus you can plug in any USB X-button mouse you want, and have it work....
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Dark_Me

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #7 on: 25 November 2005, 11:13 »
Without drivers. :eek:
That goes for a lot of hardware. Like tablets.
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If your a selfish, self-centred prick, who is willing to leave half the world in poverty, then yes.
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Aloone_Jonez

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #8 on: 25 November 2005, 11:31 »
Quote from: Dark_Me
It is, or so I'm told also possible to get software which will allow you to use Windows software on you shiny new Mac (lucky bastard). Not sure if it's an emulator or not.

It's Darwine and it's an emulator and so it's very slow and it's not too good either. I haven't used it acctually but I know this as it's a WINE port to Mac and WINE isn't very good. Yes I do know that WINE isn't a hardware emulator for Linux (just Windows API) but the Mac's hardware is totally differant to the 86x hence Darwine is an emulator. If you like DOS games there's DOSBox for Mac but it's very very slow even slower than on than it is on the 86x (more hardware emulation is required) I've been told it's equivalent to a 486 (at best) on a brand new Mac!
This is not a Windows help forum, however please do feel free to sign up and agree or disagree with our views on Microsoft.

Oh and FUCKMicrosoft! :fu:

Dark_Me

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #9 on: 25 November 2005, 15:19 »
Isn't Apple switching to Intel CPU's? Which would mean that the hardware would be x86, unless x86 is the arcitecture. Therefore someone just has to port WINE to run on OSX.
Capitalism kicks ass.
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If your a selfish, self-centred prick, who is willing to leave half the world in poverty, then yes.
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WMD

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #10 on: 25 November 2005, 19:28 »
Quote from: Aloone_Jonez
It's Darwine and it's an emulator and so it's very slow and it's not too good either. I haven't used it acctually but I know this as it's a WINE port to Mac and WINE isn't very good. Yes I do know that WINE isn't a hardware emulator for Linux (just Windows API) but the Mac's hardware is totally differant to the 86x hence Darwine is an emulator. If you like DOS games there's DOSBox for Mac but it's very very slow even slower than on than it is on the 86x (more hardware emulation is required) I've been told it's equivalent to a 486 (at best) on a brand new Mac!

I think he was talking about Virtual PC.
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sjor

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #11 on: 25 November 2005, 19:37 »
On the Intel Macs, you will be able to install Windows as a secondary OS, so you won't actually need Virtual PC. Not that I'd want to...
 

Kintaro

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #12 on: 2 December 2005, 14:14 »
You should keep in mind that their are copies of OS/X for x86 floating around, even some with patched kernels that support SSE2 only processors. So if you really want to be sure before you shell out some coin on new hardware, it is worth trying.

Also I would like to point out that Apple have always in my experience made the most reliable desktop computer hardware available, and even if your not happy with OS/X you can always run Linux on your Mac anyway which is a bonus.

cymon

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #13 on: 3 December 2005, 04:24 »
Quote from: Aloone_Jonez
It's Darwine and it's an emulator and so it's very slow and it's not too good either. I haven't used it acctually but I know this as it's a WINE port to Mac and WINE isn't very good. Yes I do know that WINE isn't a hardware emulator for Linux (just Windows API) but the Mac's hardware is totally differant to the 86x hence Darwine is an emulator. If you like DOS games there's DOSBox for Mac but it's very very slow even slower than on than it is on the 86x (more hardware emulation is required) I've been told it's equivalent to a 486 (at best) on a brand new Mac!



Sort of. Darwine is not an emulator, it is a translator for the Windows system calls. It contains the QEMU F/OSS x86 emulator, but that is just so it can use x86 instructions. I am a bit sad about the Intel Macs, it is my belief that the PowerPC architecture is far superior to the x86.

worker201

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Re: About The Mac
« Reply #14 on: 5 December 2005, 23:18 »
Quote from: cymon
I am a bit sad about the Intel Macs, it is my belief that the PowerPC architecture is far superior to the x86.


That might be true.  But the way I heard it, Apple wasn't having their processor demands met.  They needed fatter processors to go in the PowerBook, and IBM wasn't making one.  And the G6 wasn't set to arrive on time.

Well, whatever.  As long as Apple doesn't put any of that Celeron crippleware in the Macs, it'll be okay.