Yeah, So I Got A MacBook

Yeah, so I figured after growing up on Windows, spending over three years on Debian (and Ubuntu), it was time to try out Apple's OS X, especially since they do seem to target the UNIX crowd. UNIX under the hood with a whole lot of shiny on top or something. OK, I'll give it a whirl and I can always go install Ubuntu on it if I hate it.

The $150 Paint Job

Since I've got this thing with electronics and the color black, there was no do'ubt that I'd get the black model. It is replacing my tank of a Thinkpad, after all. The one downside is you can get the white version with the same specs as the black one for $150 less. So yes, I paid $150 so my gadgets would match. And I still got a white remote and white cables. Those will be the first things I change either by modifying them or purchasing third party ones. But yeah, I paid $150 for looks instead of buying a 512MB RAM chip from Newegg.

But It Isn't Free With A Capital "F"

Yeah, this isn't Free software, but then again, I was using non-free on Linux. Things such as my video drivers and software such as qmail were non-free software. Debian has no problem with non-free software.

To me, there are three levels of freedom:

1. Free software and open file formats
2. non-free software and open file formats
3. non-free software and proprietary file formats

The first level is ideal, but the second level is OK in that as long as there are open file formats, the Free software can compete on a level playing field with the non-free software. You run into problems when you have proprietary formats which leads to vendor lockin. I'm actually posting this with a Free web browser and I am looking for Free software where ever I can for OS X. If I use proprietary software, I make sure that the file format is open so I do not get locked in.

Yes, I omitted the possibility of using Free software with proprietary file formats. No one would do that willing, the only time it would happen is when a Free software user needed to send something to a non-free software user and they could only accept a proprietary file format. No Free software user would want to use a proprietary file format.