Wed 08 Oct 2008

RSS Feed

Edited by Paul Hales

Published by Incisive Media Investments Ltd.

Terms and Conditions of use.

To advertise in Europe e-mail here

To advertise in Asia email here.

To advertise in North America email here.

Join the INQbot Mail List for a weekly guide to our news stories:

Subscribe

Apple's OS-X operating system is crap, says Linus

Torvalds becomes an INQ-style reviewer

UBER Geek Linux Torvalds said that Apple's latest version of its OS-X operating system Leopard was 'crap' and in many places much worse than Microsoft's Vista.

Chatting in Melbourne at the linux.conf.au conference last week, hacks asked him what he thought of OS X versus Windows Vista.

"I don't think they're equally flawed - I think Leopard is a much better system," he said. "(But) OS X in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for. Their file system is complete and utter crap, which is scary."

He took the Nintendo out of Microsoft and Apple for treating a new version or update of an operating system as a cause for major celebration and marketing.

He said that the operating system should be completely invisible and yet to the Vole and Apple it is a way to control the whole environment and to force people to upgrade their applications and hardware.

We like the way Torvalds reviews things and will be asking him if he wants to become an INQ software reviewer.

More here. µ

Comments

N/A

Linux users are elitists that think every operating system other than their own is flawed in some way, why is this so surprising?
posted by : AnnoyedDragon, 06 February 2008

Ubuntu is the worst

I know I am no one. My opinion is Ubuntu is the worst OS at all. I ackownledge many linux better than Vista, but that's not Ubuntu.
posted by : Hok, 06 February 2008

@AnnoyedDragon

Just like Mac users then. ;)
posted by : Nobby Nobbs, 06 February 2008

But how about linux.

To deflect from the apple fanboi comments somewhat:
I'm surprise about how slow some of the development of linux is going, basically most of the normal handling and maintenance must still be done in a shell and much of the driver development is actually lagging years(!) behind the available hardware.
My point being that I've tried linux years ago and when I try it now very little has changed in many areas where you would expect to see big improvements.
It's still OK though, but not as OK as you could expect, nor is it as OK as charlie makes it out to be.
posted by : W.-, 06 February 2008

tsk, tsk

So...who ought to be shot...Nick or the editor? The guy's name is LINUS not LINUX. After being in the public eye since 1991 when he started the open source revolution, one would think those guys knew better...
posted by : Requiem, 06 February 2008

Apples and Inq Reporters

"Apple's OS-X operating system is crap, says Linus"

"He felt that while Leopard is a much better system, OS X was ways is actually worse than Windows. Its file system is complete and utter crap, which is scary, he said."

There's an English sentence somewhere in that second quote. So apparently, operating system = file system. I did not know that.

"Torvalds becomes an INQ-style reviewer"

Apple-bashing is one thing, but now you're really bashing Linus.
posted by : Mr. EMan, 06 February 2008

Leopard is not crap.

I have Apple's new Leopard on my computer, and I think the price I paid for it was worth the money. It runs faster, and the new features on it are great; the new Spaces feature is awesome. The only people I hear complaining about it are its competitors. I have both Vista and Leopard in my home, and I truly enjoy using the Leopard much more. Vista is too slow.
posted by : Connor, 06 February 2008

misleading

He didn't say the OS was crap, as the title of this article suggests. He said the filesystem was crap. This is mentioned in the paragraph the editor has yet to read.
posted by : scott, 06 February 2008

didn't understand

It is obvious by your comments that you did not understand the article, or the message.
posted by : nobody, 06 February 2008

About Time Too

This is why the man is a brand name.

Of course an operating system is....well, just that.

It should not impose ridiculous demands on the hardware. It doesn't need to be shiny-shiny. It just has to work.

posted by : fihart, 06 February 2008

linux is rubbish

i know i am saying something very contrary to the existing perceptions, but i have been a windows user since, well i started working on a computer for the first time. lot has been written by those smug techies who condescendingly preach to us that windows is bad and linux is great.
listening to all that i tried both redhat and ubuntu, my experience- windows was a system that i could install myself. add softwares and delete it myself. add drivers or remove them at will and had very few genuine problems with it. all these things were not so easy with the linux OS. they may be getting there but are not even close.
P.S: most people who criticise windows do not pay for it anyway.
posted by : Pawan Kumar, 06 February 2008

Linux costs you nothing!

I am so grateful to the hard working people that have provided a free operating system for my use.
It has no product keys,no viruses,a great supporting community,it is great fun to use,etc.
How can you compare linux to microsoft or apple software which is very expensive,especially if you need to install it on multiple computers.
Thank God for Linus Torvalds I say!
posted by : Jim Crane, 06 February 2008

Filesystems

If you grade by bullet points, HFS+ and NTFS are quite similar.

If you grade by execution, HFS+ kicks the hell out of NTFS.

And now it looks like Apple is moving to ZFS.

Is that crap?

We know Linus hates microkernels. Now it looks like he hates anything associated with microkernels, no matter how weak the association.
posted by : HFS+, 06 February 2008

oh...

well that's an epiphany
and exactly why did u go with that title? prolly shoulda said "Linus doesn't like closed-source software, but picks apple when gun to head"
posted by : joe, 06 February 2008

He did said Leoplard is crap

In fact, he said Leopard is crap and used the filesystem as an example
posted by : Anonymous, 06 February 2008

The amusing thing is..

They all suck. What three things do all these OS's have in common?

First is the use of the languages C and C++. Despite a generation of young male egos, C is useful for a few hundred lines. A few thousand at most if its done well. That's the most C code that anyone can guarantee not to have bugs, buffer over-runs, memory leaks and the rest. C++ is just an awful abortion that is the poster child of how not to do an object oriented language.

Second is the use of macrokernels. When are they ever going to get the point. If you don't know when to stop tossing things into the kernel, you're screwed. Sorry Linus.

And third. Each of these operating systems suffered from the same problems. Too many cooks. Too many conflicting demands. Worst of all, the demands of marketing (yes linux has this problem too now).

So hey, stop evangelizing and start thinking about what an OS *should* be. You too Linus :)
posted by : mad cow, 06 February 2008

Pure Linkbait

This is why I don't read the Inq anymore. It's really sad. Linus said OS X is much better than Vista, except the file system which is crap.

Wring it through the linkbait generator, and you get this: "Apple's OS-X operating system is crap, says Linus"

Not the truth, but might generate controversy and so attract page loads. Page loads == $$$.

John Dvorak invented this with regards to Apple, the Inq follows in his footsteps. I admit I did click on it too, but the main purpose was to write this comment.

[Hmm. Nice to see you don't read the INQ any more. What DO you do with your time then..? Mod.]
posted by : nik heger, 06 February 2008

osx is crap says linus

Mac OSX: going on 10% this year.
linux: going on 0.7% this year.
I think this speaks for itself.
posted by : acw, 06 February 2008

look again

Were you drunk when you wrote this article?
He said:
"I don't think they're equally flawed - I think Leopard is a much better system,"
You missed the "don't".
He then says that OS-X is harder to PROGRAM than windows in some respects, then says the file system is crap.
I have never had any problems with the disk in my old G4, perhaps he should explain why he thinks it is crap.
posted by : Zap, 06 February 2008

If OSX is crap...

...what can we now use to describe Linux?

I see, he wanted to elevate his system by bringing Vista and OSX down to his level :)
posted by : NA, 06 February 2008

@acw

you mean, as in: "eat pooh, 10 billion flies can't be wrong"?
posted by : keith, 06 February 2008

FYI

Whilst saying that Leopard is a better system, he went on to comment that "OS X in some ways is actually worse than Windows to program for. Their file system is complete and utter crap, which is scary."

We are talking kernels here -- i think. SO strictly, saying Ubuntu blows, doesn't really correlate to Linux blows. Linux is a kernel and as a kernel it is a success since it is used all over the place; TV's, Tivo's, PC's, mobile phones, HPC's, et cetera. I dont think this fact will be refelcted in Linux has 0.7% mac 10% sort of stats which only look at online desktops. Given that Linus kicked of Linux, and probably knows what he is talking about (unlike us commenters), his comments are more than fanboism and hot air.
posted by : Matt, 06 February 2008

The Inquirer is crap

That will be Linus' reply when The Inq asks him to become an INQ reviewer.

"We like the way Torvalds reviews things and will be asking him if he wants to become an INQ software reviewer."

But seriously, if you are dishing it out, you need to be willing to take it as well. We all know that even amongst Internet journalism where the quality is often sub par, the INQ is near the bottom. Although I admit this is unfair to a few of the INQ staff as there are a few who are much better than the others.
posted by : dy, 06 February 2008

Huh?

"First is the use of the languages C and C++. Despite a generation of young male egos, C is useful for a few hundred lines. A few thousand at most if its done well. That's the most C code that anyone can guarantee not to have bugs, buffer over-runs, memory leaks and the rest. C++ is just an awful abortion that is the poster child of how not to do an object oriented language."

That's a rather forceful assertion - and it leaves me wondering what language you do think eveything ought to be written in. Or are they all crap? Or maybe the answer is some obscure academic language no one can bag because no one has heard of it?

We live in the real world, and thus cannot have perfect languages or OS's. Thus what's important is *relative* merit, not absolute merit. Compromising is important in software, otherwise nothing would ever get done. But I'm sure you would know that, given that you talk like you've written your own OS.
posted by : Grisha, 06 February 2008

Apple 10% Linux 0.7%

Apple marketing money 100 millions.
Linux marketing money 5 millions.

"Mac OSX: going on 10% this year.
linux: going on 0.7% this year.
I think this speaks for itself. "

Yep you are right that speaks for itself.
posted by : Ubunutu, 06 February 2008

More math

Apple marketing money 100 millions.
Linux marketing money 5 millions.

"Mac OSX: going on 10% this year.
linux: going on 0.7% this year.
I think this speaks for itself. "

Yep you are right that speaks for itself.

posted by : Ubunutu, 06 February 2008
-----------------------------------------
The only math that really matters:

Percentage of Anti-Apple articles on 'TheInq' posted by Nick Farrell = >98%.

It's clear, for some reason, the guy has an axe to grind with Apple. Unfortunately, the blade has been put to wheel for so long, there is no edge left to sharpen.
I will admit the article merits posting, however the title is classic propaganda. Reading the article, it scathes Vista more than OS-X. And let's not forget Torvald's pride at Linux's new "EXCITING" features:

"As for his own operating system, Linus said the most exciting developments were Linux's improving green credentials, and a push into mobile devices such as the One Laptop per Child project and Asus's new ultra-cheap Eee PC."

Yes that's right. Better power management, and making it onto ultra-cheap PC's, where the cost of a retail OS would double the cost of the product.
Woo-Hoo!!!



posted by : The Prez, 07 February 2008

Yiddish proverb?

^ That explains everything... ^

P.S. Nick and the editors should find a suitable vocation.

^ Me say d'em crap. ^

posted by : Noob Saibot, 07 February 2008

Look again, again.

You amended the article since my first post, but the Linux blooper is still there.
Doh!

[Maybe that's the way we like it :) MOD.]
posted by : Zap, 07 February 2008

All OSes...

I have been using Windows, different flavours of Linux, Solaris and Mac OS X too. Each of them can drive you crazy.
posted by : N/A, 07 February 2008
IThound
Search for solutions, reports & analysis

Newsletter signup



 

Top INQ Stories