Apple Closes OS X Intel Kernel Out of Piracy Fears
Apple Closes OS X Intel Kernel Out of Piracy Fears
by , 2:20 PM EDT, May 17th, 2006
The Intel version of Mac OS X has a closed kernel, thanks to fears over piracy, according to InfoWorld's Tom Yager. While the kernel in the PowerPC version of OS X was open source, and thus alterable, the new one "no longer possesses the quality that elevated Linux to its status as the second most popular commercial OS," Mr. Yager wrote.
He added, however, that Apple's official position on the matter is that the OS X x86 kernel is "in flux," and his hope is that when the company ships Intel-based Xserves and Power Macs, its "flux settles into a strategy that favors demanding users and developers."
There's more in his opinion column, which is available at MacCentral.
Observer Comments
Wed May 17, 2006 2:48 pm Subject: OS X on a Dell?
This is to keep OS X off of other companies PC hardware, right?
I'm just guessing but it sounds like they thought they'd be able to keep it locked onto Apple hardware using other methods but when those failed they gave up and locked the whole thing down.
Hopefully they'll work it out in such a way that it doesn't limit legitimate users.
This seems like a stupid arguement given that the #1 most popular commercial OS has a closed kernel. And then when you consider how horrible the acceptance of Linux on the desktop has been along with the fact that Apple clearly wants to remain a consumer-oriented product company, it becomes even stupider. Like they want to support people running a bunch of hacked up kernels with poorly written "enhancements".
Biff, based on what I read in the fulll column, these are the people this will most affect:
http://www.apple.com/science/
Based on that link, wouldn't you say that Apple is interested in that market? It looks that way to me, anyway.
Wed May 17, 2006 7:02 pm Subject:
I think the lock down will only effect Developers. Most likely, if you are a legitimate developer, Apple would provide the source code. Also, at a marketing standpoint, charging for the source code can create another revenue source for Apple.
Apple is in Business to make money and increase share price. Couple of things that effect share price is revenue growth, actual and potential, and market share. If company fails to grow its revenue or increase market share, ie Cisco or MicroSoft, stock price will be stagnant or decline.
...and I think the "virus" explaination is crap too. I think it can be shown that while an open kernal allows a virus writer to take advantage, the open source community can take away that advantage much faster than a monolithic company can. (How many windows patches came too late for you?)
I think Apple is doing what it can to control it's operating system and keep it off non-Apple machines.
I understand it from a business perspective but I don't like the "virus" white-wash.
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