You have no idea what you are talking about!
If they aren't, why don't you do something useful and get the Free software foundation to chase after them?
Now that is absolute garbage. Get off your dead ass and look around at what Apple does support, in some case extensively.
Sorry but that is exactly what patents are for. They give you exclusive use of your inventions. It is an entirely different argument about the value of software patents but Apple really has little choice here if they want to compete commercially.
As to HTC I really think Apple has no choice here. Google basically had a spy on the board which directly impacted the design of Android, why do you think Steve is so damn hot abotu this subject?
So in short I think Apple is a bad open source 'citizen'. They take a lot, give little back, and have the bad form to not share their patents with the open source community they take so much code and talent from, and who ported so much software rooted in linux to OS X. Instead they sue (HTC) or threatened to sue (font issues).
First you are wrong, dreadfully wrong about Apple as an open source citizen they are involved in many projects some of which wouldn't be where they are today without Apples interest.
As to Apple patents they really have no choice here, they have to defend them or end up with nothing. Unfortunately you are a prime example of a person that doesn't understand the patent system.
On the other hand, they do make very good software, not particularly fast or complete, but so very well integrated.
Might that software be the result of technology that they developed or shepherd? You seem to see the gloss but not the underlying technology.
I have been watching the whole linux development, from kernel to the desktop environments and most of the major software packages. It is all so disorganized and duplicated efforts. Only look to the situation with sound to understand what I mean.
There is a clear advantage to having a person like Steve Jobs in charge. The anarchy in the linux world that is our strength is also our biggest weakness.
The single biggest thing that drove me to a MBP is that churn that Linux has. YOu basically had to reinstall every six months or slow watch your system become unusable as various piece of software became unsupported on you system. Well that and the attraction of commercial software that just isn't right on Linux.
What is especially handy is that I don't end up missing much on Mac OS/X as it is UNIX underneath. As such it will run anything I can get to build on it.
Dave
Originally posted by perpetualrabbit
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But they only give back what they absolutely must, not one iota more.
They do hurt open source software by overzealously defending their software patents, in my opinion. For instance the font hinting patents they have hinder the linux font engine to present good looking fonts, although I forgot what the issue exactly was.
Something with cubic curves in fonts and also some patent having to do with font hinting. Also their legal steps against HTC are about trivial (non-)inventions that should not have be possible to patent in the first place. That lawsuit is seen by many as directed against google's android. Therefore it is a threat to linux and open source in general.
So in short I think Apple is a bad open source 'citizen'. They take a lot, give little back, and have the bad form to not share their patents with the open source community they take so much code and talent from, and who ported so much software rooted in linux to OS X. Instead they sue (HTC) or threatened to sue (font issues).
As to Apple patents they really have no choice here, they have to defend them or end up with nothing. Unfortunately you are a prime example of a person that doesn't understand the patent system.
On the other hand, they do make very good software, not particularly fast or complete, but so very well integrated.
I have been watching the whole linux development, from kernel to the desktop environments and most of the major software packages. It is all so disorganized and duplicated efforts. Only look to the situation with sound to understand what I mean.
There is a clear advantage to having a person like Steve Jobs in charge. The anarchy in the linux world that is our strength is also our biggest weakness.
What is especially handy is that I don't end up missing much on Mac OS/X as it is UNIX underneath. As such it will run anything I can get to build on it.
Dave
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