VG CHARTZ widgets,

[alpha_dk]

omgwtfbbq said:

alpha_dk said:

omgwtfbbq said:

stof said:
Don't you have to get Vista to get the widget rip offs on Windows? (what are they called again? gadgets?)

So don't you have to subject both your computer and yourself to abject torture just to wait for the inevitable windows rip off?

If that's not the case, I apologize.

Whatever you have on your mac has been available on Linux for a long time.

Now don't get me wrong, i love linux, and my main computers run linux (the only thing that runs something else is my dualbooting OSX/XP pro laptop)... but that's just wrong. Adium is by far the AIM program to beat on any system that I have used... Kopete is the closest I have found on Linux, and Trillian on PC. IMO, of course, and if you know a program on linux that is as good as Adium I would love to know it, because the main reason I even have my laptop on ever is because Kopete annoys me.

Also, I have yet to use a media player I liked more than OS X's version of VLC. The windows and linux versions just are not as easy on the eyes, and the linux one at least lacks a full-screen controller. I haven't watched movies on my windows partition in a long enough time that I won't comment on it.

Furthermore, I don't care what you say, rsync is not in the same LEAGUE as time machine. It has its uses, and I use it extensively, but in terms of ease of use? Not in the least. If time machine gets people to use backups, then all the more power to Apple; an easy *incremental* *automatic* backup solution is something that should have happened a long time ago... rsync comes close, but is not nearly easy enough to set up that Joe Q. Public will use it and have it be effective.

That said, linux does have its strong points in terms of stuff that *isn't* really available on a mac. KTorrent is by far tied for the best torrent program I have used (with µTorrent). Macs have Transmission.... and Transmission (and Azeureus) Transmission doesn't support encryption yet; that means that those whose ISPs packet shape (cough comcast cough) will be SOL if they use it to download, say, the newest Kubuntu distro (can you sense the bitterness here?)

So yes, Linux is awesome - but saying that *everything* is available on linux is patently wrong.

interesting you pick adium, since it's based on the open source libgaim libraries (now known as libpurple) which debuted on Linux for the gaim (now pidgin) im program. VLC as well, since it is an open source cross platform media player which is available on all three major platforms (no idea which it debuted on though). Also, funny how you point out time machine and then go on to say linux has an equivelant (rsync, which has been around since 1996)

You have bascally proven my exact point. All these things you have mentioned were either on Linux first or (actually in all cases) developed by some small-time open source developer to be cross platform. Apple have on strength, and it is not in inventing new features, no matter what 90% of Apple fanboys will say. Apple takes features from other platforms, and makes the interface simple and polished. Almost every amazing new feature is developed by some random guy with a great idea and is implemented as a third party add-on for mac/windows/linux. The open source nature of Linux means many of these features get quickly built upon and integrated if it's good.

Of course, the nature of open source development is that most development happens "to scratch an itch", and developers tend to write programs for themselves rather than other people. As such, these programs tend to be powerful and functional first, and easy to use (where easy to use = pretty gui) second. Apple takes these ideas and polishes them up. Microsoft then takes these ideas and bollocks them up. Saying every single little feature is available on Linux is of course wrong, but I would say almost every major feature in mac osx has been available on Linux in some form or another for years previously.

 The fact that they are all built on OSS libraries (except transmission, I don't think thats OSS and I have no clue what it is built on.  I hate it anyways) is actually the reason I chose those programs.  They take the backend of all these programs, and have a massively improved user interface and inner workings (IMO).  It's nothing that couldn't be done on linux -- it just hasn't yet.  That's what pretty much exemplifies the way OS X works in my mind.  It takes great ideas that may just not be easy, and makes them easy.  It says "What does this program do that isn't necessary 95% of the time" and hides them, while takeing the stuff that *is* needed and making it easier and more obvious; all the functionality remains, but it is hidden so that you only find about about it when you need it.

 For example, at any time on an OS X machine you can press control and use the scroll wheel, and it will zoom in on the screen.  I have been using OS X for 2 years now and I first found it out about 2 weeks ago.  And I keep finding those kinds of features!  Added functionality that most people will never need; but it is there and easily accessible for those who do need it.  And *that* functionality is what I am talking about being present in OS X development but not really anywhere else (although it is present in linux development... I think Compiz does this well).