[geardoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessingx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is this repeated statement is in response to my comment? If so where were developers mentioned? ..... Finally I wonder how many of the +3 have spent a good chuck of time with OS X ...

Your statement was the trigger for me to question my assumption that open source is in the interest of the common good instead of corporate profit. All the free software is just so great, I sometimes can't believe it.

I am forced to use Windows at work, but at home I have all three and do on each what ends up the most comfortable, or very difficult on the other two. I've to confess that I've not spent as much time on the Mac because the other two lend themselves better to what I do on them:

Windows XP: this is the only decent OS to do GIS, GPS, mapping applications, eg Arcview, Oziexplorer... including GoogleEarth sync. Foobar2000 is great. Certain apps only run on windows.

Mac OSX: good for secure internet browsing or confidential info, syncing with ipod and playing on the *nix command line. Marvel at the ease with which some things get done (eg, installing an app by dragging a file to the Applications folder)

Linux (Mepis): Amarok, KDE customizability, security, file management, and general computer use, reading and writing just about any format in any configuration with any disc type: vfat, ntfs, ext3 etc. Fewer barriers to try out new things and venture into the unknown (eg, compiling a kernel, seeing the entire network and accessing other machines, alternate desktops and window managers, writing scripts)

 

[error401]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blessingx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Finally I wonder how many of the +3 have spent a good chuck of time with OS X (sounds like you may have error401)?

Just going to answer your question here, not wax eloquent on my ideas about software these days. Quick rundown of my experience with various systems.

I've been a computer junkie since I was a toddler, starting on DOS 3.3 on an IBM XT and going from there. I've spent a lot of time with all the Windows releases since 3.0 (except Vista, which I see no reason to upgrade to). I currently run XP as my primary OS on my desktop machine. I've used Linux on my servers for about the last 8 years, and have tried it out on the desktop periodically since then (usually for a couple months solid, then I go back to Windows to sate my Counter-Strike addiction or work on a .NET programming assignment or something), but didn't find it fit my needs until recently. I now run Ubuntu full-time on my laptop, which sees about as much use as my desktop these days. My Mac experience is a bit more limited, but I've still seen quite a bit of it. Through school I spent a lot of time on MacOS 7-9. We have a G3 iBook that was the only laptop in the house for a couple years, so that's where I've seen the most of OSX, though as many people's 'techie friend' I've spent some time on more modern machines as well.

And for the record, I am still a rabid OSS evangelist when it comes to servers. There is absolutely no justification for running the abomination that is Windows on a server that needs to be reliable and available. I see the effects of this travesty every day in my job, where we took the misstep of going from NeXT to Windows instead of Linux or Solaris. On the desktop this doesn't factor in though, and I'm pretty open to whatever works, though I tend to avoid proprietary software (ie. Office) when adequate OSS alternatives exist, even if they're slightly inferior.

 

[lowmagnet]

OK, after reading the OP, it's a pretty specific question, and it's easily answered without getting into philosophy (as interesting as the discussion is).

The answer is, as far as torrents and ripping, a low cost Windows system would do the trick for you. It'll work out of the box, require little configuration, and the most you'd have to upgrade is the CD drive if it doesn't work with EAC well.

If you're going for a laptop and want something you can use for a little more than that, then eMachines has some decent hardware for the budget conscious, and so does Dell. Unfortunately, in the laptop space, Macs are a bit expensive.

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geardoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif The question you want to ask is, can you get the fetch feature without transmitting your personal listening habits and information to Apple?

ITunes fetches album info and cover art exactly the same way everyone else does. When your query goes out to fetch the info, there's no identifying info that matches it up to your particular machine.

Security is important, but I can't see why anyone would care about whether you listen to Pink Floyd, Howlin' Wolf or Nine Inch Nails. Big brother is more interested in other things.

See ya
Steve

 

[bigshot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fwojciec /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's rather simple. Mac OS, in principle, restricts your choices with regard to how you can use use your system rather than trying to give you the full control over your hardware

Well, when I pop out my Macbook and iPod at the coffee shop it isn't restrictions that my PC friends are jealous of- it's the abilities and ease of use.

See ya
Steve

 

[ozz]

helped sell a few that way myself.

 

[geardoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...When your query goes out to fetch the info, there's no identifying info that matches it up to your particular machine....

Only when you have istore turned off, correct? Or is it "deauthorize audible account".

There is not doubt that the mac is really cool and well integrated. I love it. But I keep leaving it for the other os's to do real things. Maybe you don't see the restrictions if you started with a mac and kept using it. The boundaries are more apparent coming from linux and windows.

 

[error401]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot /img/forum/go_quote.gif ITunes fetches album info and cover art exactly the same way everyone else does. When your query goes out to fetch the info, there's no identifying info that matches it up to your particular machine. Security is important, but I can't see why anyone would care about whether you listen to Pink Floyd, Howlin' Wolf or Nine Inch Nails. Big brother is more interested in other things. See ya Steve

Well this is getting really off-topic, but that's an argument that's been raging for a decade or so. The data is useful and valuable in the aggregate, but not necessarily individually (though I don't doubt the RIAA would love to get their hands on it so they can sue more people). It's pretty much undeniably good for the marketplace that this information is available, as it lets content and product creators create more of what people want and less of what they don't, and target advertising that people actually want to see. It stifles originality to some extent though as it lumps everyone together into one big group rather than catering to a more individual presence. Needless to say, this sort of data collection goes on everywhere these days, your grocery store loyalty card, or even your debit card is used to track purchases and databases shared among companies. Google keeps track of your searches and your e-mails. Etcetera etcetera. Personally I don't see a problem with it, but the more this sort of data collection goes on, the less privacy we have. It's a covert channel, in that collecting enough of this 'public' data and correlating it can reveal a hell of a lot about your personal life. Some object to this.

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geardoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Only when you have istore turned off, correct? Or is it "deauthorize audible account".

The view MiniStore (which granted is on by default) sends and receives information. If you have an iTunes account and not logged off, among the info sent is data which identifies your account and as mentioned used for recommendations. If the MiniStore is not being viewed (filling X percent of the screen with information - see below screenshot as an example of the MiniStore) that info is not transmitted. As someone who gives his grocery store false information, etc., doesn't use a FastPass on bridges for this reason and previously worked for a banks IT & marketing dept so a little privacy aware, I don't consider this similar at all.