Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor, OS, Software
The Little Things: there are only two versions of Mac OS X
It's been a while since we've had an entry in The Little Things, a series that examines the unsung features of the Mac and its community that we appreciate. A post from The Macalope brings to light a great one: Apple's KISS policy towards the versions of Mac OS X and how they're named. [Update: Mike made a great point in the comments: the six versions of Vista only encompass consumer-focused editions of Windows, i.e. - Windows Server isn't even a part of this conversation, so I probably shouldn't have considered Mac OS X Server in my post. In this context, there is only one version of Mac OS X. I guess ultimately (no pun intended), I was just trying to be nice to the visiting team by giving them a fighting chance and doubling their odds with two versions of the Mac OS.]
The Antlered One points to (and laughs at) an eWeek article that asks Which Vista is the Right Vista?, examining the 6 - yes, count them, 6 - versions of Microsoft Windows Vista that will hit the streets soon: Vista
So thanks Apple, for not splitting Mac OS X into Gutted, Home, Premium, Even More Premiumer and Ultimately Shiny versions. Mac OS X does everything for everyone it needs to (and for bonus points: Apple's media center comes on all of them Update: save for the Mac Pro, good call Mr. Hugenstein), and Mac OS X Server's name is obvious enough to let most customers know that it's probably not their cup of tea. Good show Apple, and thanks for letting me check that bottle of Advil at the door.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dmitry said 5:36PM on 10-25-2006
" (and for bonus points: Apple's media center comes on all of them)"
a comment made by someone that clearly has never used media center edition.
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toblak said 5:55PM on 10-25-2006
Come on David, let's not spread FUD.
"Why doesn't Home Premium do networking - after all, it's Premium, right?"
The author was referring to Active Directory and Domains, which I would assume, very few home networks have.
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Jim Gaynor said 5:56PM on 10-25-2006
Actually, there are four versions:
MacOS X Single user
MacOS X Family pack (up to 5 Macs in a single household)
MacOS X Server (10 simultaneous file service connections)
MacOS X Server (unlimited file service connections)
The complexity is unbearable...
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Mike said 6:03PM on 10-25-2006
Actually, there's really only one version of OS X if you want to compare apples to apples (har har). OS X Server competes with Windows Server 2003 and its successors, not the consumer line.
Also, there is no difference at all between the single and family version besides licensing terms. PRobably the same for OS X server.
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Kaiser Sose said 6:05PM on 10-25-2006
I'm with you Dr. Hugenstein, I cannot get front row working on my MacPro.
Does your hard drive need to be defragmented? Mine is CONSTANTLY working on overdrive to the point that this fast beast get slowed down. Any suggestions?
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the misfit said 6:08PM on 10-25-2006
The Four Versions that you are talking about for OS X are not really versions they are Licences for a single copy as is my understanding!
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DarkPenguin said 6:10PM on 10-25-2006
Remember: Apple makes computers not software. Apple's point of view used to be (and still is) "we make the OS to supplement the hardware we are trying to sell"
Microsoft on the other hand makes all it's money from software. So they need some reason to charge you 300 dollars for an OS that normally should only cost 100.
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John said 6:16PM on 10-25-2006
Strictly speaking, the six releases of Windows Vista doesn't include Windows Server, so why add that to the list for Mac OS X?
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Jim Gaynor said 6:38PM on 10-25-2006
Misfit: two versions - Client and Server - each with two licensing options (single/family or 10/unlimited).
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tofu713 said 6:45PM on 10-25-2006
Umm... what about the Mac OS X for Intel (x86) and Mac OS X for PowerPC.
Then the same goes for Mac OS X Server.
So there is four. right?
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David Chartier said 7:03PM on 10-25-2006
#4: To be clear: different license packages of Mac OS X do not constitute different *versions,* i.e. - one is not more feature-capable than another. They're all Mac OS X, whether in a single license package or a deluxe 12-pack. Same for the two slightly different builds for Intel and PPC - they don't have different abilities like, for example, Vista Home and Vista Ultimate.
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Manuel said 7:03PM on 10-25-2006
You do know that you access Front Row by using the remote that comes with your laptop, right? You press "menu" on the remote and there is front row...
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Alex said 7:06PM on 10-25-2006
To see if Front Row works on the Mac Pro try holding down Command and Esc?
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mx3 said 7:17PM on 10-25-2006
All the different versions of Windows Vista ship on the same DVD, so I don't know what the big deal is. Most consumers will be looking at either Home Basic or Premium, so I'm not sure where the mind-blowing confusion is coming from.
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David Chartier said 7:19PM on 10-25-2006
#3: Touché, and I've edited the post accordingly to have a bit more of a descriptive joke about Premium's networking (though after that Get a Mac commercial, I'm questioning my use of 'touché' here).
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Manuel said 7:38PM on 10-25-2006
It is not mind-blowing, but is it smart? You are paying to use an intellectual property: what would you say if you had to buy a 300 page book and pay a price if you wanted to use only the first 100 pages, a higher price to use 200 pages and an even higher price to use all the pages? Doesn't the model itself create an incentive for piracy? Aren't you asking people to break the seal of the second half of the book? As in the case of the single price for songs on itunes, simple and clear rules are the best way to create honest and happy customers. Why Microsoft doesn't think so? What do they know that we don't?
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Macinquirer said 9:46PM on 10-25-2006
From an article at our (currently on hiatus) blog at macinquirer.com:
Windows Vista Home Basic: described as providing a simple setup for users who want to surf the web and retrieve email, but want added protection against viruses and spyware. Home Basic will avoid viruses and spyware by being unable to actually connect to the internet.
Windows Vista Home Premium: this one is Home Basic with added functionality, though Microsoft's idea of "functionality" normally consists of convincing people they need to buy additional Microsoft products to make the ones they already own work properly. The "Premium" refers to the fact that it will cost 50 bucks more than Home Basic.
Windows Vista Starter: designed to give users in "emerging technology countries" an affordable easy to learn and use computing experience. If this sounds like a tall order, keep in mind that approximately none of the computers in those countries will meet the minimum system requirements to actually run the OS, so Microsoft will never have to deliver this version at all.
Windows Vista Business: the functionality of Vista Home Premium, but requires a full-time IT staff to maintain. Will be used by all the bad guys on the 2007 season of 24.
Windows Vista Enterprise: operates on Microsoft's new "V'ger" software platform, and comes packaged in a glowing cloud that has eaten entire solar systems and is now on a direct course for Earth. Can be prevented from destroying humanity only by feeding it a member of the IT staff, who will become one with the machine forever. Director's Cut version contains 20 minutes of additional footage.
Windows Vista Ultimate: For those who want the most capable and reliable OS available, with built-in security and state-of-the-art media capabilities. Will consist of a Mac mini and a copy of Mac OS X version 10.6.
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Peter Payne said 10:13PM on 10-25-2006
There's one more BIG benefit of OS X: it is all language versions wrapped up into one, from Japanese to Chinese to Arabic and English, with nothing left out. If you want to think about agony, consider what it was like to be a Japanese-using Mac user during the OS 6.x-OS 7 changeover. It took Apple a year or more to bring out the Japanese version of OS X, so everyone came up with these silly hacks to install parts of OS 6.x in OS 7 to make it work in Japanese as needed. Wow, that brings back memories. Now every version of Apple's OS are the same all over the world. Correct me if I'm wrong (I may be), but Windows will probably still not offer full support for changing the entire OS to other languages since they wouldn't then be able to tack on 25% or more to the Japanese version over the U.S. version. (Note, apologies if I'm wrong on this feature in Visata.)
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jbelkin said 11:01PM on 10-25-2006
The difference is Apple's naming explain it all - FAMILY & SERVER as an addedum pretty much tell you what it is - what is really the premium versus office edition? And on top of that, there are stickers that say VISTA READY & VISTA CAPABLE - aagin, all fine for the hreprise market but home market, I can see a class action lawsuit happening because the Vista Ready $499 Pc they bought this winter cannot run all of features of Vista Premium (OSX like Aqua) or is it Vista Ultimate?
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Magno Urbano said 11:14PM on 10-25-2006
VISTA WILL BE SHIPPED IN 468 VERSIONS
As I stated in a post in my blog, a few weeks ago, in fact Vista will be shipped in 468 versions (Yes, you read correctly!), as you guys are forgetting the server versions and flavours designed specially to demands of European Union and Korean directives. Let's do some math. The versions released will be 22:
1. Vista Starter
2. Vista Home Basic
3. Vista Home Premium
4. Vista Ultimate
5. Vista Business
6. Vista Enterprise
7. Longhorn Server Itanium Edition
8. Longhorn Server Web
9. Longhorn Server Computer Cluster
10. Windows Midmarket Server
11. Windows Midmarket Server Premium
12. Longhorn Server Standard/Standard Core
13. Longhorn Server Enterprise/Enterprise Core
14. Longhorn Server Datacenter/Datacenter Core
15. Windows Vista Mobile
16. Windows Vista Media Center
17. Windows Vista TabletPC
18. Vista Home Basic N (special version for EU)
19. Vista Business N (special version for EU, without Media Player)
20. Vista Business K (special version for Korea, bundled with third party links)
21. Vista Business KN (special version for Korea, without Media Player and Messenger)
22. Vista Enterprise K (special version for Korea, bundled with third party links)
The first 17 versions will be produced in 25 languages, so: 17 x 25 = 425 different producs.
Items 18 and 19 will be produced in 20 languages (number of languages in the EU). So, 2 x 20 = 40 products.
So, 425 + 40 + 3 (items 20 thru 22) = 468 different products.
On the other side of the galaxy, Apple will produce 2 packages that will work in 15 languages each.
MacOS X code is independent of language, that's why Apple can do magic. Windows is a legacy OS and has to be built and recompiled for each language.
The post is in my blog
http://www.efeitosvisuais.com/blog/2006/10/09/548-versoes-diferentes-do-windows-vista/
for those who can read portuguese.
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