🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <40m157$lpu@sundog.tiac.net>, Jim Williams <williams@tiac.net> wrote:

> rmcassid@uci.edu (Robert Cassidy) wrote:
> >
> >And most Mac users know what system does what they want to do with the
> >least pain. I also know what system has the most potential to support
> >future developments! (Primarily closed systems and systemwide support of
> >technologies reduces redundent development and increases
> >interoperability).
> >
> 
> Huh?  A closed system "reduces redundent development"???
> 
> Open communication reduces redundant development.  It doesn't (in theory)
> have anything to do with what does the development, but a system developed
> openly over the Internet with full disclosure certainly has a good claim
> to open communication.

Sure, why not. How many graphics standards do you need? With the Mac you
get one, with the PC you had half a dozen at one point, maybe more. That
sounds pretty redundant to me. Considering that one company (Apple) stayed
ahead of a few dozen, technologically speaking, I'd say that's pretty
efficient.

The problem (and blessing) of an open system is that everyone has their
own ideas of how things should be done. So everybody does it their own way
and in time the best way (best, by whatever definition) rises to the
surface. But during that process a lot of wasted effort gets put forth and
a lot of problems are created. With a closed system, only one idea is
embraced - all of the wasted effort goes away, and you reach the goal much
more quickly - but if the idea was a bad one, then you're screwed. And
that happens. 

Quicktime was a good example of it working properly. Quicktime has
consistently stayed ahead of the competition since it's introduction. It
was a good idea implemented well and the next QT revision will widen the
gap even further.

(Trying to think of one of Apple's biggest mistakes...)

Maybe waiting so long for preemptive multitasking and protected memory.
Lots of things have taken too long to come to market or fell short of the
mark. But looking at the big picture, the Mac has come quite far in a
short time, primarily because it's not open for every wannabe to start
making changes. MS seems interested in moving in the same direction.

-- 
Bob Cassidy
UC Irvine