So, it’s called the iPad. I’ve been following the event via Engadget and I must say initially I’m impressed. It’s a thin device, sleek, and came with a few surprises. I think what I was most surprised by was Apple’s creation of their own CPU for the device. You heard me right, it’s not an Intel but and Apple A4 processor. This story should be interesting to follow…
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All posts for the month January, 2010
In an article released today on the openSUSE News site, it has been reported that the openSUSE Forums have surpassed 40,000 members. Forums are a place for users of a system to get answers on questions about using the system. The more users there are asking and answering questions on the forums leads to better answers for people who may be experiencing the same issue as one posted on the forums.
While the project may be small in comparison to larger distributions, it is becoming a more popular option for Linux enthusiasts and new users alike, especially with the recent release of openSUSE 11.2.
Over on CNet there is an article arguing that Apple is “ceding open-source app market to Google.” Just to get the obvious out of the way, I agree, Apple is handing over the open source app market to Google.
While there are many reasons open source developers are not focusing on the iPhone and Apple is not helping much, I think the bigger picture provides a good perspective on what is going on here. Apple is a control-oriented company. That is very at odds with open source, which lacks controls and fosters free creation of applications. A lack of control does not fit well with Apple’s model. Apple likes to be able to say which applications go on their phone. To some degree, that is a good thing, but how many killer apps have been denied access to the app store because they compete with Apple’s existing software? For the user, is that a good thing? Do you have access to the best available software?
In part, I would have to say that Apple’s control model has worked well for them. Their products are well made and show that someone had been putting it all together with great concern over the user experience. Some direction and structure is a good thing, but when it comes to suffocating the creative edge of individual developers or driving away competitors’ applications, one thing is clear – the end user gets the bad end of the deal.
