MacIntoshes, Java, Linux, ...
Mac OS X is a hot topic in Java developer circles. Many people bought G4 based Mac OS X machines in the past year. And they all are eagerly awaiting the release of the G5 based Next Big ThingTM from Apple.
Go to java.net or Artima.com or javablogs.com, and you will see the question being asked again and again: should I buy one?
I'm not in the market for a new computer right now. But if I am, I would seriously consider a Mac. Here are my compiled list of pros and cons:
Pros:
- James Gosling uses one.
- James Duncan Davidson uses one.
- Dave Thomas uses one.
- Brian Gilstrap has one.
- Brad Shuler has one.
- Brian Coyner has one.
- It's Unix with a good GUI.
- The G5 is more powerful than the Pentium 4.
- Mac OS X has superb applications with wonderful UIs.
- Swing is accelerated on Mac OS X.
- I'm familiar with the Mac---I used a Mac in 1985.
- I've been using Linux/x86 for too long. It's time for something different.
Cons:
- It's going to be a whole new platform. And it has a one button mouse.
- It's more expensive.
- It has less applications. Whatever there are, Apple is trying to kill them off.
This reminds me of my switching to Linux almost a decade ago. I did not go through any of these analyses. I simply downloaded the floppies, all seventy-two of them, and started the installation. Never mind that it was hard. Never mind that my hardware didn't fully function under it. Never mind the three days of surfing the Net to figure out how to make my proprietary interface Sony 2X CD to work. I was so glad when I got the login prompt!
I was running away from Windows 3.1 then. I'm not running away from anything now. The choice between Linux and Max OS X is a genuine one, at least for me.
Having genuine choices is always a good thing!
Re: MacIntoshes, Java, Linux, ...
I have to admit I tried the no button "push down with your palm" mouse which came with my iMac for an hour. I liked it a lot. It really was more ergonomic.
But.. I hated hitting the apple button to get the option menus to popup and quickly plugged in my Windows mouse..
Apple is not purposely trying to kill off competition. The pattern is that someone ports their software to Mac OS X, but doesn't exploit the full API. Apple then steps in and writes the app from scratch and (1) exploits Apple only optimizations (such as hardware graphics acceleration), and (2) integrates with other Apple software. This makes the app superior and everyone moves to it. Safari and iChat are examples. I see nothing devious or wrong with it on Apple's part.
Compare that with Micro$haft. They compete by writing a crappy product, then on the second version it is less crappy. At this point they force EOM's to dump competing products. No one complains. Then just when everyone wakes up to the fact that a crime is committed, Micro$haft comes out with version 3 which kicks butt and everyone shuts up.
Re: MacIntoshes, Java, Linux, ...
+ Chris Cleeland has one
+ IDEA runs fine on Mac OS X
+ When you want to develop, go to town; when you just want to "get things done", go to town
+ You can tease Mark Volkmann about *still* not having switched back to a Mac
Cons:
+ You'll have to put up with people talking about how they got <some feature that "just works" on a Mac> working and it only took them two weeks and four re-installs of Linux.
+ You'll have to listen to Windows people with three unused Firewire/USB/Ethernet/Audio/etc cards in their closet talk about how a Mac of comparable power is $200 more expensive than their PC. When you point out how much they've spent on extra hardware, they'll look at you uncomprehendingly.