Week 3 Reading Notes

Introduction to Linux I was glad to read that brief introduction as I have wondered about Linux since I first heard about it. Yet I wish I had taken a computer science class as an undergrad. so I knew more about codes and such. Although I believe the author means well when they say that beginners can still use Linux, I'm still wary of installing something I don't understand that was created by people much more computer savvy than me who did not create it initially with the intent of helping me more readily use my computer. With that being said, it is a great concept that almost everything could be FREE! I definitely see the application in the LIS world. If a librarian could have a decent knowledge of Linux, or at least hire someone who could run Linux on a library's computers, imagine how much money a library could potentially save. The downside is that if patrons couldn't get used to a different interface, it might discourage them from using library computers, which would decrease library use. What is Mac OS X? This site outlines the basics of Mac OS X, beginning with its history. Steve Jobs became involved in Apple again in 1997 as the acting CEO. His projects NEXTSTEP and OPENSTEP were integral components of the new Mac OS X. Darwin 7.0 uses Apple as well as open source packages. Open Firmware is important for booting up a Mac and can be used for other purposes as well. BootX is a little confusing to me, but seems to make sure the computer boots up the way the user wishes it to. From Bootx and beyond this text got more and more confusing to me. There are so many acronyms and other forms of abbreviation that I didn't understand. Too many in fact to look each and every one up in an online dictionary and manage to gain even a kernel :) of understanding. I'm hoping our class this week helps a little. I am interested in learning more about the history of computers. I may have to rewatch "Pirates of Silicon Valley." While reading about Mac OS X I had fun figuring out when I first got a computer (1993 Macintosh Performa) and how that related to Mac OS X. I also got an iMac in 1999 which I think ran Mac OS 9. It was a big deal back then too. My iMac loaded web pages in about 1 minute whereas I had to wait 10 min. on my Performa. Also the iMac had a build in modem, which used to be a big deal. I haven't kept up with the Mac world in college as I learned on Windows computers after elementary school, but I have friends that always complain that they can't play video games (like Spore) on their Macs because they have tiger and needleapard or something. Back to the article, I really enjoyed the sampling of Mac OS X features. Changing a battery without powering off could come in really handy in some situations. I remember having fun with the speech interface on my iMac. It wasn't very accurate, but for a middle schooler it was fun to play with. However, for a college student, Mac laptops are just a little spendy in my opinion. Also there still are comparability issues with some applications professors want you to run. I know that most of the programs I used in my biology classes couldn't be run on Macs. Also I now remember that in high school I wrote my papers on the iMac and had to print them from a Windows machine at school. Wow that was obnoxious! Mac OS X Wikipedia First statement: I should have read this article before the previous one. It was much easier to follow. I have a couple questions now though. Is the Windows Aero theme similar to the Mac Aqua theme, because they sound identical? I know they used the large cats as code names that eventually became public as well, but why did they choose large cat names? Furthermore, what happens when they run out of large cat names? Also, if they made the iPod Touch, why havn't they created a tablet laptop yet? They're really handy for taking notes, and I'm surprised with Mac's apparent talent of making great portable devices that they havn't explored that market. An Update on the Windows Roadmap Also interesting to read. I've used Windows 95, 98, XP, and Vista. So far XP has been my favorite, as I still seem to get more glitches on Vista. My brother-in-law actually has a beta version of Windows 7, and he says that it's much better than Vista. I'm willing to take his word for it more than I am the word of someone trying to sell me something. I loved how Bill Veghte skirted around actually saying that most customers were not happy with Vista and wanted to go back to XP. I guess that's why they're offering support for XP so far into the future. Yet overall my experience with Windows has been that a lot depends on the hardware. My five year old HP laptop that runs XP is still doing just fine, and is not really all that slow despite its age, but my husband's two year old Toshiba running Vista has so many weird quirks he's ready to chuck it. I also have a 2 year old laptop running Vista, but it's an HP and I never want to let it go. It helps that it's a tablet PC and so much fun, but still. I do have issues with how long it takes for Vista to start up. Even just taking my computer out of sleep mode is a test of my patience, but for all I know that could be an HP quirk. I haven't tried out other brands enough to be an expert.