Originally posted by: amnesiac
Originally posted by: wetcat007
Originally posted by: superblast
service packs have always been free as it should be. it is no news
Tell that to Apple.
Yeah no kiddin!
Err, actually Apple charges for UPGRADES to its software not FIXES to problems that shouldn't have been there in the first place.
OSX has a few updates for minor issues here and there, but never huge "service packs" to fix hemorrhaging security leaks caused by sloppy programming and bloat. I've probably counted less than a half dozen "patches" to OS 10.2 since I've gotten my powerbook.
Of course you don't need frequent patches. Crackers just don't care if they miss out on ~5% of the total number of users available to hit. They're interested in manipulating/attacking the most people they can, not the niche markets.
I'm sorry, I know that sounds snide and cruel, but it's really not meant to be (even though the tone of your post was rather untoward). It's all about the numbers.
Every paid upgrade (Jaguar, Panther) involves a massive overhaul of how the system works and runs, and are not disease ridden "bugfixes" like what MS puts out.
And that'd include the promised integrated DVD player in OS X that wasn't actually released until 10.1, for an "upgrade" fee, right? Or shall I bring up the multitude of bugs and issues reported in the release version of OS X, such as windows moving/resizing like snails because the GDI wasn't properly coded, but not fixed until the previously mentioned not-free 10.1 patch/upgrade? Seems that Apple charges twice for delivering once, regardless of whether it's a patch or upgrade, even though a 30 second trip to Google will reveal numerous quotes of Jobs stating that 10.1 would be free.
And as far as problems with MS' patches and updates, keep in mind that they have to design their code to work on 95% of the available hardware, with 95% of the available software (available meaning for all computers, not specifically IBM-compatible), and that creates an enormous number of combinations, and possibilities for error. It's much easier to code for a limited hardware/software base, which Apple does, but which also brings up the question: having the enormous control over the hardware that they do, and having such a limited amount of software to test and work with, how could they've possibly released an OS that wasn't perfect right out of the gate? They wrote the code, they hand picked the hardware, they had a relatively small (in comparison to that of IBM-compatible PCs) list of software to test... so why the need for a "massive overhaul of how the system works and runs", not once, but twice, and for that matter, at all?
Now, again, I'm really not trying to be nasty. This is completely off the posted subject, it doesn't belong in the HD forum, and flamewars just get so tedious after a few weeks. But it really wasn't polite to say much of what you did, and you weren't being quite honest in your statements. Please, let me offer some advice. Stick to hot deals in the HD forum, save the flames for e-mail/PMs, and it really wouldn't be wise to try to start something with someone, such as myself, who's both informed and well-spoken, because you may find you've bitten off more than you can chew.
And now back ON TOPIC: I downloaded SP4 a few days ago, but it won't install because I hacked the kernel (custom boot logo, changed the default mouse pointer, little of this and that). I could install it, if I rebooted into the default kernel, but everything's running beautifully, so I'm not going to bother at this point. Might install it later, if I find a reason to reboot (maybe push this CPU up another 1/2 multi to 2.4Ghz), but for now, I'd rather play Enemy Territory.