Archived thread 1034564 from Mac OSX. Markdown source: Mac_OSX/thread_1034564_Any_Good_Reason_mac_is_so_proprietory..md
Why does apple have to be so proprietary sometimes? They have absolutely sensational products, but no one can access them because they are EXTREMELY expensive and have special use requirements. For Example: To create a macintosh native installer - Mac OS X required To program an iPhone/iPod Touch - Mac OS X required To run Mac OS X - $1000+ Macintosh Required.
Well, that's my rant... Anyone else have anything to say? Maybe helpful advice for those of stuck with these issues?
Look how much money they're making. I'd say that's a good reason.
zmjjmz said: look how much money they're making. I'd say that's a good reason.
+1
Yeah, but wouldn't it boost their popularity with developers if you could actually develop for their platform without spending thousands of dollars? Great reason anyway though...
Tamalin said: Yeah, but wouldn't it boost their popularity with developers if you could actually develop for their platform without spending thousands of dollars? Great reason anyway though...
Since when do they care about small-time developers?
EDIT: Couldn't resist... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6304687408656696643
zmjjmz said: Look how much money they're making. I'd say that's a good reason.
If I were selling a product that only ran on one piece of hardware and made millions or billions selling this bundle of soft/hardware, I would make it proprietary, too.
Quality code would be my guess. Of course I have nothing to back that up because it is closed, but I have used many applet products and rarely have issues with them. Of course, I rarely have computer problems at all as I set things up right, but still. They:
To expand on 4, when you have paid developers, things get done in a fashionable manner with a standard on how the code is written, which everyone on the team went to school for. They know it inside and out. They have a deadline. Now I realize that linux does this as well, but we have watched the compiz project slow (first thing I could think of) and a regular release (Ubuntu) doesn't mean that it is ready and/or needed (7.04 to 7.10 to almost even 8.04 did little).
Not always the best reasons, but they sure make a product that presents itself very well and worth some money.
These, of course, are my opinions and you are free do disagree. I have nothing against linux. All my computers use it for everything but games and that is even going downhill this summer when I turn my game rig to a server. When linux/android goes to the iphone, I will install that. I'm just saying that apple makes quiet good products out there that many have no problem paying for.
steveneddy said: If I were selling a product that only ran on one piece of hardware and made millions or billions selling this bundle of soft/hardware, I would make it proprietary, too.
Aye +1
steveneddy said: If I were selling a product that only ran on one piece of hardware and made millions or billions selling this bundle of soft/hardware, I would make it proprietary, too.
I'm going to have to go with a +1 on this one.
zmjjmz said: Look how much money they're making. I'd say that's a good reason.
It's all about the benjamin's, or in apple's case the grover clevelands.
Mac marketing is leaps and bounds ahead of Microsoft's, IMO, who apparently thinks that because they have an all-time-low share of 89.7% of computers they don't need to market. But I bet they took a big hit because of all the Vista crap. Think of the price of Macs - more expensive = better quality, more prestige, in American society (and most, I guess?). Plus, they're a one-stop-shop for customer needs, and increasingly pervading the media and phone market, putting aside the almost subliminal messaging and mass use of Macs in TV shows and movies.
The reason Mac is so proprietary, so special, is because of their marketing: They make money that way and by keeping prices up with bundles of software, they're getting an ever-increasing number of customers, and they like it that way. Of course, Mac isn't so "proprietary" - exclusive, I mean - now that they run on "PC" hardware (well, since 2005 or something like that), haha.... Which takes away from a Mac being a Mac, IMO, but at least it helps streamline everything. (Maybe we'll see one, big mesh of OSes and home automation one day that works with everything, runs your toaster and heats your car, monitors the house security and starts your morning coffee.)
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple was in bed with the (... media producers, I guess? Or gov't.?) in some way or another, with all the DRM and media protection and etc. that Mac continues to utilize, (*off-topic:* such as Big Brother webcam monitoring programs which are absolutely disgusting and totalitarianist/Communist/Facist/Marxist. If you haven't read *1984* I'd gladly buy you a copy if you can't read it online, hahaha...!)
(OSX86 FTW, even though I've never gotten it to work. >.<)
~Night
[EDIT]: Apple can do whatever the heck (heh heh) they want, though - I don't care. Good for them, and at least we're not yet at the point where Apple is *forced* to release their source code or proprietary applications to the public. They're a giant corporation, but at least they're not government controlled.
It may be runs on PC hardware, but it only runs on mac hardware, so there is no way you could run it on any kind of PC.
I hate the marketing of apple, but I love their products.
As for the development ? In my case, If you want to develop stuff for the iphone, you just jailbreak it and then write stuff in .debs for cydia.
emshains said: It may be runs on PC hardware, but it only runs on mac hardware, so there is no way you could run it on any kind of PC.
I hate the marketing of apple, but I love their products.
As for the development ? In my case, If you want to develop stuff for the iphone, you just jailbreak it and then write stuff in .debs for cydia.
Have you checked out the OSX86 project? I guess it's not allowed to link here, but it's on like, InsanelyMac or something (Google it~~). It runs on some computers and I've nearly gotten it to - I mean, excuse me - I've *never* tried to run it on this computer. But like you said, it's very picky about hardware (however, it works *basically* out-of-the-box for certain motherboards, configurations and laptops), but "It may be runs on PC hardware, but it only runs on mac hardware" is kind of a paradox, haha.
What is it you dislike about their marketing?
~Night
nightfire117 said: Have you checked out the OSX86 project? I guess it's not allowed to link here, but it's on like, InsanelyMac or something (Google it~~). It runs on some computers and I've nearly gotten it to - I mean, excuse me - I've *never* tried to run it on this computer. But like you said, it's very picky about hardware (however, it works *basically* out-of-the-box for certain motherboards, configurations and laptops), but "It may be runs on PC hardware, but it only runs on mac hardware" is kind of a paradox, haha.
What is it you dislike about their marketing?
~Night
The god damn idea, that if You want something, you have to pay for it, and you have to pay apple. Like, hello, how much do the iPhone earphones cost ? About 80$ at the place where I live. And the iPhone is not compatible with any kind of stereo bluetooth earphones !? C'mon. And the idea, that if it isn't signed by apple, it isn't run on apple. And the idea, that your software/media belongs to you only. That means there is no way to stream music via mediaserver from the iphone to a ps3. And they totally dislike open-source stuff, check the appstore, the only open-source game there, that is for free, is cube, xbmc remotes sometimes are not free, neverball is not for free, although I am going to sue their sorry [censored] about that. And that their hardware is only compatible with their approved soft, which is macOS or Windows. At this point you might think I am only aware about apple's hand held products. Well, that's because I am not ready to pay a 1000$ for a mid-performance desktop or a lappy, so I can't comment it. About them earphones, I used those big stereo phones with my 'pod, and I had to take it to the iDoctor 3 times before it died, just because I wasn't using their earphones, which suck.
we plug the iphone directly into our audio system or stream via airport express
emshains said: it only runs on mac hardware, so there is no way you could run it on any kind of PC.
Mac OS X is, on the hardware access level, just a modified version of BSD that runs on x86 hardware. It has standard computer parts, with the exception of the EFI chip, which is not *always* included on motherboards. There's no magical Mac hardware, even the PPC Mac's used IBM-PC hardware.
Frak said: Mac OS X is, on the hardware access level, just a modified version of BSD that runs on x86 hardware. It has standard computer parts, with the exception of the EFI chip, which is not *always* included on motherboards. There's no magical Mac hardware, even the PPC Mac's used IBM-PC hardware.
It's the magical mac bios info, that makes macs so special.
emshains said: It's the magical mac bios info, that makes macs so special.
It's the Magical EFI info. Mac's don't have a standard BIOS, they have the improved version of it, the EFI chip.
it is all about markenting...
Because apple but a lot more work into their products than you think as i learned from my business teacher the other week.
One - they outsource the designs of their products to professional designers. two - they would argue to having the best OS for the end user three - because hardware and software comes sold together they would also argue it is completely ready out of the box. four - no rubbish programs that you get when you buy Windows box from a company five - all the features and programs you get bundled into the OS (although the usefulness of some programs is debatable) six - Apple are an innovative company ahead of the rest so we pay a premium for that as well
Plus now the ipod creating a halo effect around the company theirs the 'cool' factor.
I think that the reason is simply because Apple is evil. :P
I discovered it when I got my iPhone. First, youtube didn't work unless I synchronized my iPhone with iTunes. Second, iTunes wanted my Visa or MasterCard info. I don't have either of them, so until I googled for a way to get around that, I was afraid that I'm going to be a proud owner of an iBrick. Third, when I eventually registered on iTunes using the way I found to get around the need to enter credit card info, I discovered that some of the apps I wanted to get for my iPhone simply aren't there, even though I remembered reading about them before. At first, I thought that they just aren't available anymore, maybe because the developers were preparing some updated version. But the truth was much more sinister - Apple CENSORS the App Store depending on where in the world someone lives, and I couldn't get these apps simply because I live in the wrong (according to Apple) country. The good thing was that there was no problem registering on iTunes again and checking USA as my country... now I can enjoy an uncensored access to the App Store.
But I can't really think of any way these practices actually help any customers... it seems to me that the only purpose of all the things I've listed is to annoy customers and discourage them from getting Apple products again. After all, the next time I get some Apple product, they could already fix the holes that made it possible to get around some of these "features"...
Starlight said: I think that the reason is simply because Apple is evil. :P
I discovered it when I got my iPhone. First, youtube didn't work unless I synchronized my iPhone with iTunes. Second, iTunes wanted my Visa or MasterCard info. I don't have either of them, so until I googled for a way to get around that, I was afraid that I'm going to be a proud owner of an iBrick. Third, when I eventually registered on iTunes using the way I found to get around the need to enter credit card info, I discovered that some of the apps I wanted to get for my iPhone simply aren't there, even though I remembered reading about them before. At first, I thought that they just aren't available anymore, maybe because the developers were preparing some updated version. But the truth was much more sinister - Apple CENSORS the App Store depending on where in the world someone lives, and I couldn't get these apps simply because I live in the wrong (according to Apple) country. The good thing was that there was no problem registering on iTunes again and checking USA as my country... now I can enjoy an uncensored access to the App Store.
But I can't really think of any way these practices actually help any customers... it seems to me that the only purpose of all the things I've listed is to annoy customers and discourage them from getting Apple products again. After all, the next time I get some Apple product, they could already fix the holes that made it possible to get around some of these "features"...
It doesn't help users, that's not it's purpose. It's to make apple money and it undoubtedly does that very well.
By making the operating system so proprietary it will work on the hardware it is installed on almost guaranteed which is a huge marketing boost to most computer users who simply care about their applications not crashing
Frak said: It's the Magical EFI info. Mac's don't have a standard BIOS, they have the improved version of it, the EFI chip.
EFI was developed by Intel and it will be included in PC's soon.
jrusso2 said: EFI was developed by Intel and it will be included in PC's soon.
Aye
IBM creates the BIOS; AMI/Award/Pheonix reverse engineer the BIOS; Intel improves the BIOS.
I have an EFI motherboard.
Probably the single most important reason is that the majority of Mac/Apple buyers don't give a s*** about the operating system or the hardware (other than LOOKS). They want it to work out of the box and to keep on working without any real intervention as the machines are bought to do some form of actual WORK (be it music, video, publishing, whatever) and they care NOT about what is beneath the skin. For that peace of mind, they will pay the premium price. (and because it is primarily for legitimate work, not blowing hours playing games, the COST is deductible from their taxes .. be it business or school expense!)
IF Linux can crack that same issues market, it will be off and running as the cost of the hardware is much lower. They just have to concentrate on melt your eyeballs graphics and drain your sinus audio and EASE of operation. Until that is met, Linux will still be running behind. And part of that problem is that Linux has NO CONTROL over the hardware nor the DRIVERS for that hardware. Apple DOES!
donkyhotay said: It doesn't help users, that's not it's purpose. It's to make apple money and it undoubtedly does that very well.
Hmm... So they are greedy and evil :P But, to be honest, I have no idea how Apple or anyone else could benefit from not allowing people in Poland to use Google Earth on the iPhone, especially since the desktop version can be downloaded and used here with no problems.