Have Mac, will open-source
Some in the open-source camp would have you believe that open source is an all-or-nothing proposition. For such people, to believe that Linux makes for a superior server operating system is also to dedicate oneself to using open source for business applications, personal productivity, mobile, and likely brushing one's teeth. Open source on a proprietary platform like Mac OS X? Perish the thought!
But life is more complicated than that, and it turns out that there is exceptional open-source software for the Mac (or for Windows, for that matter).
The H Online has kicked off a nice "Open Source Stars for Mac OS X" series, one that I'd recommend all Mac users review. But for those who just want to know the best of the basics, here are my favorites:
- Firefox (Web browser) - Given Firefox's availability for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, this one won't be a surprise to anyone, but if you haven't used it lately, do give it a try. It continues to be the most feature-rich Web browser due to its large and variegated add-on community.
- Adium (instant messaging) - We will use Adium in heaven. Not only does it let me dress up my icon in an Arsenal uniform, but it manages all of my different instant messaging accounts (AIM, YIM, MSN, Skype, Facebook, Gtalk, and even Twitter/Identi.ca). It's like Trillian for Windows, only about one trillion times better.
- Zimbra (e-mail) - While geared toward enterprise-class messaging, you can use Zimbra (either the Web client or desktop or, in my case, both) for personal e-mail, as well. With the ability to extend its functionality through Zimlets and a Web user interface that continues to be best in class, Zimbra rocks.
- OpenOffice.org (office productivity) - I don't use this open-source alternative to Microsoft Office for word processing or spreadsheets, in part because I rarely use Word or Excel except for contracts and the occasional spreadsheet, two things with which I don't want to risk file format compatibility. But I actually prefer OpenOffice's presentation program to PowerPoint. It has some functionality that PowerPoint lacks.
- Handbrake (video converter/ripper) - I travel a lot and want my movies to travel with me, without having to carry DVDs around with me. So I rip them to my hard drive with Handbrake. It's a tremendously powerful (because it's so simple) program. It's now available on Linux and Windows, but it grew up on the Mac and is still best on OS X, in my opinion. Get it. It was created by angels.
- VLC (media player) - If it has a codec, VLC will play it. Heck, VLC will probably play it if the file even remotely resembles video or audio. It just works, and it works with everything.
- Audacity (audio editor) - Have a music file that you want to convert to a ringtone for your Blackberry? Or simply want to clean up that podcast before you publish it? Audacity is powerful and fairly easy to use.
- Seashore (image editor) - Seashore doesn't have nearly as many features as Adobe's Photoshop, but if you want a basic image editor with more-than-basic functionality, check out Seashore. Based on Gimp, Seashore is easy to use, though I do wish it had image transformations. I do so like making my pictures look even more cartoonish.
There you have it. That's the basic list of open-source applications I use on my Mac. I use them because they work, and in some cases work exceptionally well, far better than their proprietary equivalents.
This, incidentally, is also why I prefer the Mac. Life is too short to use a given application simply because it's open source (or Microsoft, or whatever). Use what works. Increasingly, this will lead you to use open source. But for me, the Mac is still the best desktop platform available, period. I'm therefore loving the combination of Mac OS X and a variety of open-source applications.
Maybe you will, too.
Follow me on Twitter @mjasay.
Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to The Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mjasay. 
...also, referring to OS X as "proprietary" is somewhat misleading. OS X is partly OSS right out of the box. it took all the best parts of the Linux/BSD world (which i used as a desktop for 6 years) and corrected the parts that aren't great (Apples UI is far better than gnome and KDE) and hands you the best of both worlds.
The mac is by far the better platform for all uses. Just an example is my brother, who used to require 3 separate machines at his work, 2 different windows and a Linux, and now between the OS X UNIX underpinnings and parallels is able to do all his work on a single macbook.
Increasingly it looks like all MS is able to make is an office suite. They really should make a windows OS like OS X, UNIX underneath with a "winders" GUI, and devote all their energy to the two things they actually do well. Office, and games. Their OS has sucked since 98 ME...
http://www.opensource.apple.com/ (links to all the code that Apple has open sourced)
http://www.apple.com/opensource/ (all the OSS products that ship with OS X)
It tries to install itself under /var/root! and installation didn't finish.
open source crap!
Windows "Just fails to work."
Ever hear of using a shell?
Why does it always have to break down into OS bashing? Windows works great. I have used XP for years and am currently using Vista. It works great. It does not crash, I have not gotten any blue screens and every piece of software I have ever loaded onto my Vista box, works great. If the only proof you have that Windows doesn;t work are your Apple propaganda commercials, then you have failed. I use it on a daily basis, I administer my network at work and about the only problems I ever encounter is user error.
See, I explained myself and my point of view without one bad remark regarding the Mac OS. Try it.
If you still want the GUI.. the Terminal application gives you all the power of the unix underpinnings.. and you can tinker with the look and feel of the Terminal to your heart's content (background image, transparency, font, colors, shell type... )
The interesting thing about OS X is it's deceptively simple. Every Mac, however, comes with a full suit of developer tools, X11, Terminal App, network utilities... and you can automate the OS till the cows come home.
Or you can just click and drag.
Don't let Apple's stupid commercials fool you. And don't confuse usability with being "dumb." Yes, Macs are easy to use, but they are also full Unix workstations.
On the open source subject, it's not a great list. Most people will know of Firefox,OpenOffice.org,VLC and Audacity (if you are into free software and music) as all these are mulit platform.
In fact a bit more resurch and you could have changed the title of this to open source software that works on OS X, Windows and Linux.
Then again you sometimes get the feeling tech news sites like putting Apple/Mac or iPhone in a topic title just to get people to click on it...
If you install Xcode and X11, you basically have a machine that's like any other *nix developer's box. On a new Mac, the first thing I do is compile and install ncftp (I hate the basic ftp client). From there, it's a cakewalk to grab GNU packages, ImageMagick, and the latest emacs.
And yes, it does "just work." I've spent less time playing sysadmin over the seven years that I've been running OS X than in the first month of running a Linux box.
Because they have a few good open source apps, most of which had a windows port first. By the way adium is just pidgin branded for the mac, which was gaim first and had no mac port.
Congrats on Mac finally starting to catch up, I guess they finally have the market share for some open source developers to notice. That's not a reason to prefer the Mac as it still comes in last place behind windows, linux, and bsd.
By whose measuring stick? I use all three major OSs every single day, and I use multiple variants of Linux. I love Linux and I wrote code for it, but Linux really doesn't compare to OS X. How could you possibly compare CoreAudio to the mess that is Linux's audio subsystem? Or Quartz to X? Or Cocoa to GTK+/Qt/X? Or even the choice to use Obj-C over C with GObject. You might hate Apple for some reason -- and that's fine -- but the proof is in the pudding: OS X isn't perfect, but it sucks less than anything else out there, including both Windows and Linux.
The Mac OS also has access to every native Unix app that will work with X11... that's a pretty large library. The Mac isn't catching up with open source.. it's able to utilize this resource more than any other platform... because.. technically... it can run any open source application made for windows, unix, and the Mac OS. This is why it makes for a superior development platform.. from building web pages to multi-platform applications.. you can do it all on one computer.
Read this again...
"This, incidentally, is also why I prefer the Mac. Life is too short to use a given application simply because it's open source (or Microsoft, or whatever). Use what works. Increasingly, this will lead you to use open source. But for me, the Mac is still the best desktop platform available, period. I'm therefore loving the combination of Mac OS X and a variety of open-source applications."
He is stating that he likes the mac due to his experience..."it just works".. the addition of having high quality open applications is the icing on the cake for him.
As opposed to Linux or Windows? I am writing this on a dell xps which runs Ubuntu 8.10., which incidently also just works, and I am able to install all of the above applications with a single click, without even having to go on the web to find them.
My Desktop PC runs Vista on a Quad core Intel , which also just works. I can install all the above apps very easily by downloading them.
I don't understand why this "just works" slogan is tied to OS X, and in this case, I don't understand why OS X is mentioned into this article anyway. It should have been about the Open Source applications and how easy it is to install them an all OSes.
please,
"the proof of the pudding is in the eating"
The measuring stick used was the amount of open source apps available, which you did not address.
- by wfolta August 14, 2009 10:50 AM PDT
- Let's not forget Sun's free Virtualbox, which lets me run (purchased) Windows XP, (purchased) Windows Vista, and Ubuntu in a window on my Mac. And R for statistics/analysis is growing rapidly in the scientific/statistics field and is fully supported on the Mac, including almost all packages developed for it.
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(31 Comments)And there are EXCELLENT, inexpensive programs for the Mac as well, like the great photo editing program Pixelmator.
The Mac has lots of options, and Open Source