How to avoid the Apple tax?

Richard Bennett richard.bennett at skynet.be
Sun Aug 26 07:44:02 UTC 2007


On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 01:58:45 +0200, Brad Johnson <lists at bkjohnson.com>  
wrote:

>> I don't want to migrate to OSX because I run all my servers on Linux and
>> by using it daily I learn a lot about the OS, and I have become addicted
>> to the Opens source way of helping and getting helped.
> Good for you man. You're on the right track. Don't be fooled by all the
> OSX commercials you're hearing in response to your question. MS tax, OSX
> tax, it's all the same and should be avoided if at all possible.

Exactly. I understand that apple figure they can bundle everything as long  
as they sell their laptops as an 'appliance', but in reality they are  
simply PCs with OSX preloaded.

Some people say 'Don't buy a Mac then, if you don't want OSX'. I don't  
agree. They have nice hardware, and nice software. OSX is sold for 129  
euro a shot, why can't the hardware be sold separately?
If OSX was listed as a 129 euro option, I would probably add it too, but i  
would like to be allowed to make an informed choice. It's not because they  
are not as bad or large as Microsoft, that it is ok for them to do the  
same as Microsoft.

Maybe Apple prefer not to sell the hardware separately? Sure, that's a  
reason, but if all Linux users who purchase a Macbook asked them if it was  
possible to get a rebate on the unused OSX maybe they would see there is a  
demand for pricing transparency, in the same way that Dell, Lenovo, HP and  
other PC manufacturers are now offering Linux on PCs.

Actually that is still not a meaningful step forward, as they still have  
not introduced the concept of 'choice' to the modal user. They offer a few  
models with Linux preinstalled and hide them away on their websites  
somewhere, while what we really want is choice, or the freedom to make an  
informed choice.
Here's an example of how it should be done:
http://www.shoprcubed.com/proddetail.asp?prod=LS1250

Now that wasn't so hard was it? Simply list the OS as an option like any  
other part of the PC?
They even have the option of adding a second OS, dual-boot or VmWare, and  
the Linuxes are not all free either. Now that is choice and trancparency.
Why can't Dell, Lenovo etc, and yes, Apple too, offer their customers this  
level of transparency?
Sadly r-cubed don't ship to Europe, or I'd buy from them, even though I  
prefer the Apple hardware.

Oh, and the point is not whether OSX can run open source apps on, or what  
it was based on that is important, I can run OS apps on Windows too, and  
I'm sure Windows was also originally based on some form of Unix, the point  
is that Apple are an extremely closed and restricted company and people  
are not seeing this. Sheep, wool and lemmings come to mind.
Do you remember when people thought Google was good? They actually trusted  
Google with all their emails, web-searches, their whole computer's content  
through desktop search?
Yeah, sounds crazy, I know, but they did. Of course after Google enabled  
the prosecution of some Chinese dissidents people wised-up to that and are  
more careful about who they trust now.
Aren't they?

Richard.












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