Thread: iMac?

Originally Posted by Demon Parasite

That is the filesystem.

No, it's the operating system. Most *Nix OSs can read and write both NTSF and FAT, and they never get fragmented because the operating system doesn't let it.

Also, are you guys really saying that it's the fault of Windows that someone else went out and wrote programs to exploit it? The OS itself is actually no less secure than a Mac, if anyone remembers the Safari exploit found that only worked on the Mac version.

The Mac kernel is UNIX, which has been in use for 30 years largely because it's so secure. One exploit does not mean that it's not secure. I do remember that safari bug, there was also one in quicktime, but I also remember getting an automatic update very shortly after the bug was discovered.

Are you seriously saying that the NT kernel is as secure as *nix? If so you might as well put in your signature that you either work for Microsoft, or have no idea what makes a secure kernel.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

No, it's the operating system. Most *Nix OSs can read and write both NTSF and FAT, and they never get fragmented because the operating system doesn't let it.


The Mac kernel is UNIX, which has been in use for 30 years largely because it's so secure. One exploit does not mean that it's not secure. I do remember that safari bug, there was also one in quicktime, but I also remember getting an automatic update very shortly after the bug was discovered.

Are you seriously saying that the NT kernel is as secure as *nix? If so you might as well put in your signature that you either work for Microsoft, or have no idea what makes a secure kernel.

Only OS X is BSD based, and Unix certified. Being Unix certified does not make it actually Unix.

no, exactly the opposite
being Unix certified means the OS is a Unix operating system
rather than just Unix-like

see here for a summary list of Unix certified OS's
http://www.opengroup.org/openbrand/register/

but to be honest, Unix certification means jack shit now-a-days
there's some places that will only install an OS if it's Unix certified, but they're few and far between these days

Originally Posted by Ynot

no, exactly the opposite
being Unix certified means the OS is a Unix operating system
rather than just Unix-like

see here for a summary list of Unix certified OS's
http://www.opengroup.org/openbrand/register/

but to be honest, Unix certification means jack shit now-a-days
there's some places that will only install an OS if it's Unix certified, but they're few and far between these days

OS X is based on BSD, though. Unix certification might mean that it is actually Unix in some cases, but it's simply Unix-like in the case of OS X.

BSD is the Berkeley Software Distribution of Unix

Originally Posted by Ynot

BSD is the Berkeley Software Distribution of Unix

Yes, and it's different from being just based around Unix.

BSD is a Unix operating system

AT&T's research division, Bell Labs, developed UNIX in 1969
UNIX was a research operating system, intended to drive innovation

AT&T licensed copies of UNIX to people
When you bought a UNIX license, you got the complete source code to the operating system, and full rights to use, modify the code and redistribute

The University of California, Berkeley bought a UNIX license
they then went about modifying it to suit their needs

They invented the Unix domain sockets (called Berkeley sockets, at the time), the TCP/IP stack, the init runlevel system, and a whole host of other things to enhance the operating system in a fully networked, multi-user environment

BSD is Unix
AIX is Unix
HP-UX is Unix
Solaris is Unix
Xenix is Unix

BSD was an original Unix derivative

Since BSD, and the other Unix derivatives mentioned above, first arrived, a few things have happened

- AT&T sold the rights of UNIX to the Santa Cruz Operation
- The Santa Cruz Operation then sold the rights to UNIX to Novell
- Novell then gave up the rights to UNIX, and transfered all rights & ownership over to the Open Group

With the UNIX rights and ownership now held by a non-profit organisation, UNIX is now open to other non-profit organisations and individuals
(no more licensing)

Free BSD, Open BSD & Net BSD are derived (at varying points) from BSD

The Mac OS X userland is lifted straight from Free BSD
The Mac OS X kernel is the Free BSD kernel (with a few bits & bobs added by Apple)