Hello.
First. let us examine what makes the modern Mac.
This is an Intel or Asus board with a TPM chip to verify that it is to be a Mac, a minor BIOS change, a fancy case, but little more.
People run the Mac OS on other computers all the time.
The Dell Vostro A90 is a classic example.
http://gizmodo.com/5156903/how-to-ha...e-os-x-netbook
Not quite right--Macs don't use BIOS, they use a more advanced firmware known as Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI). It performs the same basic functions as BIOS but saying that it's a "minor BIOS change" is inaccurate. Windows can't handle EFI (although Linux can), which is why Apple created BootCamp for people who want to dual boot Windows on a Mac.Originally Posted by KA5PIU
And saying that people run OS X on other computers all the time is also misleading; while it can certainly be done, only a very limited set of hardware will support doing it and even then, it's not for the faint heart.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
It's the details based on facts that usually escape Rudy.
Mac OS is a nice operating system, but I'm not paying a hardware premium to be able to run it. If Apple sold a 100% ready for prime time classic 'PC based' x86-64 version, I might consider buying it -- but even then.. I don't see much advantage over just using Linux.
I have just three words for you, son: Adobe Creative Suite. It won't run on Linux.
I like Linux too. In fact the computer I'm writing this on dual boots OS X and Ubuntu but in my world, one can't replace the other. YMMV.
All the world’s a stage, but obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...8WS.10%29.aspx
Hello.
BIOS is the generic term, Basic Input Output System.
The EFI is nothing more than an advanced BIOS.
There are Windows PC computers that use a form of EFI.
There are computers that can boot an entire OS from firmware, instant on and splashtop come to mind.
And to say that there is something all that special about the Mac BIOS? for the most part it is just the code, firmware that can be updated.
I bought a Mac laptop with a failed Intel motherboard and bad battery.
I was able to order a replacement board with instant on and extended crypto as well as TPM and full boot from network support.
After a BIOS update to make the new board like the old board it works exactly like the old board.
For the battery I replaced the Apple power board with the Intel solution and a generic battery pack.
That was 2 years ago and I have been using the thing ever since.
There is no voodoo science involved.
True, you need to chose the hardware carefully but it is not all that hard.
Sure. I get that some people have applications that require Windows or Mac.. I really don't. I keep Windows 7 on my desktop so I can play with Flight Simulator once every few months, other than that..
Back before Windows, I was a batch file writing fool. Of course, that was during my early Air Force days, where the office was equipped with Zenith 286 machines and everyone was running WordStar. One of my duties was coordinating with several offices for base tours and orientation flights. I had macros in WordStar and batch files in DOS that would generate the letters for the PAO's signature, filling out all of the appropriate information. To me it was just using the tools available. To the PAO and the wing commander, I was a computing GOD.
73 de Richard W4RLR
Southern born, Southern bred, centrist conservative.
Posting messages via HughesNet satellite internet.
Retired U.S. Air Force NCO
Member, Sons of Confederate Veterans
The Ancient Order of Turtles
ARRL, SPAR, Six Meters Worldwide, Chattanooga ARC
ARRL Accredited VE
Always liked PCs and I don't feel that I've missed anything. Wouldn't mind running Mac OS on the PC, but otherwise, there's nothing I find useful on a Mac. I even trouble-shot a down Mac Laptop a few years ago. Talk about building better idiots, someone found a way to munge the startup files.
I have found that Macs have a real place in my life though. Picked one up on the sidewalk in the trash the other day. It makes a great doorstop.
Last edited by N2NH; 08-08-2010 at 02:07 PM.
“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words."
--Philip K. Dick
You don't find Perl, awk, sed, grep, find and a bunch more command line utilities that make Windows cmd look like a bootstrap loader, useful?
There's three things right there at support regular expressions. Windows? Not so much.
Sure, you get those on a Linux box. And you get stuck running XFree86 or Xorg. Neither of those make my nipples twinge.
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