I (and much of the Linux world) consider Micro$oft to be a foe to Linux. But what about Apple? Its latest OS is a combination of proprietary software (Aqua, etc.) on a FreeBSD 5 foundation.
So, do you consider Apple to be a friend or foe to open-source? Or is it some different relationship? Why?

Ooops! Could somebody please fix the poll to read:

• Friend
• Foe
• Some other relationship
• Bystander (no impact)

Thanks!

In the future, just report the post for editing to a moderator instead of replying as it might go unnoticed that way.

Regards.

In my opinion, after much careful thought, I consider apple to be a fruit which comes from a tree and is very tasty. It also makes a nice sauce to go with other dishes.

So in relation to Linux, I consider apple to be a fruit or foodstuff.

I think Apple must see Linux as an alternative way of being able to sell their products, that's a big bunch of dollars/euros to give for an apple machine... but Linux can make their hardware live a bit longer...

We all know about the hard-way apple took by trying to be the only-serious-and-stable machine for professional use (and now they're almost alone in their market segment) so... let's time decide wheter it's good or bad for apple having linux as an alternative

Julio

I use a Mac. and I see it as no threat as it runs in its own hardware and not on x86/Athlon

Interesting to hear a Mac user's opinion regarding this subject...

Yeah,

IMO, Apple is hardware and GNU/Linux is software. No competition.

Originally posted by vectordrake:
Not exactly, because Apple makes Mac computers and Mac OSes (and a bunch of other stuff too ).

I knew I couldn't get away with that elegant smartass answer without a bit of notice. Sure, Apple makes OSX (and all the other previous OSs that WON"T run on PCs/Alphas/etc) but it won't run on anything but Apple's hardware. Since OSX is useless on anything but an Apple computer, one can conclude that, at the /root of it all, Apple is hardware. The OS works on it, but on nothing else. No competition!



I may still have to use the spellcheck button yet!

i see apple as a bystander because it will only run its OS on its hardware, linux might be a small alternative to its OS, but in the end i don't see apple and linux really effecting each other in any real big way (like driving each other out of business)

I think apple is kind of a pathetic wanna be friend of linux....

They try to make themselves look like an open source company to boost their image, they also love to tell everyone that it is unix based. I think apple is trying to cling to open source because they see themselves fading away with the rise of linux....

Right now apple and linux are kind of even in their share of the desktop market (both 4% i think). In the next few years linux is going to increase dramitically, and i'm afraid apple will probably always remain at 4%.

It's a matter of time when Apples os will have Linux under the hood.

There is one, Yellow Dog Linux -I have not yet tried it

But the G-whatever will still not be available at Walmart for $200, so they will then be a company selling pricey hardware with the same OS as anyone else. NOT! Linux won't end up under the hood of an Apple unless a user decides to put it there.