Can I Download MacOS X For Free?(Part2)

[ceejay]

Okay! All of you made your point. Now it's my turn. My only question was, Can I download the OS X for free? And a majority of replies said, NO WAY! And Apple said, "You want it? Buy it!" Plain and simple.

It is not about money, availability nor which part of the world you live in. Even though we're on a 3rd world country, I'm proud to say we are also using top of the line Macs! It's for the user to decide whether he wants it or not! It is his money, right?

I think you can all agree, that if there is an advantage in installing OS X, there is also a disadvantage! If you want to switch to OS X, it's your choice.

My question now is, why did Apple decide on a Public Beta? Maybe because they're not ready? And because people are all screaming and just can't wait for the full version, they decied to release a Beta version. Why should I buy a product that is not fully complete and may disturb may work? Why didn't they did the same thing in other OS version's like OS 9? Even when they released the full version of OS 9, it wasn't perfect, am I right? It is our right as user to complain why didn't made a perfect job on the first place.

Let's just all wait and see after six months or so. And right after the release of the full veriosn of the much hype OS X, I'll bet there will be still a lot of patches and upgrade be downloaded available on the Apple.com.

It's all hype! Plain BUSINESS!
It's not the OS nor MAC, it's the USER using it!
Thank you for your time.


Ceejay
MacNetAdmin
UGEC, Philippines

 

[medz]

I'll just wait for the Full Version instead!
I agree, even if Apple will release the Full Version of the Mac OS X, it will still have some bugs
and majority of all users must download patches and upgraces.
I just hope 3rd party softwares are all ready when the full version come out! Specially the
printer company!
When you want to swirch to OS X, you should use a high-end Mac (G3s-up), upgrade sofware
applications as well.
You're right, even though the OS and Mac continue to upgrade, \
some users are still 040chip!

medz

 

[wmoss]

Why did Apple make the Public Beta available?

More than any Mac OS before it, the user needs time to adjust to Mac OS X. Many machines are going to be made obsolete and many others will need an update in their hardware. Moreover, when you installed Mac OS 6,7,8, or 9 you didn't have to do much. Your files stayed in the same place. Most of your applications continued to work with only minor problems (if any). Features that were added tended to supplement rather than eliminate functionality already present. That's definitely not the case with Mac OS X at all and it presents a difficult chicken and egg problem.

The user needs time to get accustomed to OS X.
Users won't even try OS X until their apps work.
The developers won't update until their users move.
The developers need time to update their apps.

Apple was ready to go with much of this technology two years ago, but they got poor response from either developers or users.

They added Classic and Aqua to appeal to users.
They added Carbon and robust Java to appeal to developers.

Apple had something that would appeal to consumers and developers, but how do you get developers to commit to a platform that has no users? And how do you get users to commit to a platforms that has very few apps?

The answer to both of these is a public beta.

Why charge? Lots of very good reasons that were covered in the other post:
a) it covers costs of additional support
b) it gets feedback from customers inclined to pay for (rather than pirate) software
c) it's a barometer for determining the release price
and many others.

Why would a person be interested in a buggy, pre-release OS? Many people aren't. That's fine. Just ignore it until it is released. You aren't being forced to buy it now or even when it is made final. If you find Mac OS 9 to fit your needs there's no reason to upgrade at all.

It is likely that with an OS this large that Apple will need to offer patches even after it is released. Apple has released patches for old OS's even after the next version has been released. Patching, fixing bugs, and improving functionality doesn't stop with the release of software no matter how long the beta period.

It is impressive to many people that Mac OS X is as solid as it is this early. Darwin seems stable, the Core Foundation seems stable, the imaging layer of Quartz and Quicktime seems stable, Cocoa seems stable. The things that people have complained about in the past (I/O Kit, Carbon and Classic) seem to be showing much more solid work.

But if you look back at the progress made since everyone was talking about DP4 only four months back, giving Apple the same period of four months (late January) is a very comfortable time frame.

Apple published a book on Copland called "Mac OS 8 Revealed" which cost $40 and contained a CD that demonstrated some of the features of the new OS. The demos were impressive, but the feeling was that this thing was years and years away. Though Apple did make a Mac OS 8, it had almost nothing in common with the OS in that book or CD.

Mac OS X Public Beta is here for $10 less than that book & CD. It's visually more impressive. And even though it's something that's unfinished, you get the feeling that it's really right around the corner.

Apple didn't make anyone buy "Mac OS 8 Revealed" nor are they making anyone buy the public beta. But if you are the least bit interested, it's a great deal.

 

[ceejay]

I Agree with you man!
I didn't say don't use Mac OS X.
If you have it, cool! Good for you! I was just airing my views that's all. But you miss my point! What ever happens, sooner or later, Apple will bundle MacOS X in their new Macs, right? You don't have a choice(like the new G4s, it's bundled with OS9). So what's the rush? Whatever the outcome, or how many bought the BETA I think Apple and it's 3rd party developers will still make one hell of an OS! It's Apple we're talking about here!!!!!

The Mac was and is better for users and productivity.And while it is my preferred platform because it is better.

Don't get me wrong. I love Macs but you must also see the other picture; some companies need results (like where I am now employed), so if your in a Research and Development Group, okay. But if your in a Creative Dep't, I don't think it is the best way to test it. You install OS X and then you have problems PRINTING, or keeps on hanging or incompatability problems or even crash; so, what now? As Apple rolls out its beta release of the long-awaited Mac OS X, Mac software companies around the world are frantically trying to get their own applications working natively on this next generation of the Mac OS.

For the record, if you want to purchase and install MacOS X, go ahead. Like what I have said, it's the user's choice. I just hope the user will be upgraded as well!!!

Did Microsoft released BETA of Windows ME? Just asking....
But I still prefer MacOS than windows; MAC RULES!

Peace.

Ceejay