on 10/6/01 7:01 AM, Mark Benson at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I find the lack of Software on the Mac is not a result of lack of > developers but more because people write quality software for the Mac > to start with. I have so far not downloaded more than one or two > pieces of software that I either didn't like or thought were poor. > I've been satisfied, and in some cases overjoyed, with stuff I've got > for my Mac. Compare this to the PC where there is SO MUCH crap > Shareware and Freeware and a lot of crap commercial products too. > This makes the PC look like it has more software (it does in effect > but some are either inept or just over ambitious) when, in actual > fact, if you weed out all the crap you find it probably has less > useful stuff in some areas than the Mac. All the major software > houses (Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft etc....) do software for both > platforms, Linux and BSD (and even Darwin if you feel adventurous) > are available for both platforms. Mac shareware is also of a richer > quality overall. My 2p worth, case closed.
I agree with a lot of your statement, in that if you are developing for the mac platform, you have to be very, very careful as mac users are used to very high-quality software that works consistently... If you just do a straight PC port chances are it will fail long term (unless there is big pent up demand), which is very daunting to developers. Microsoft proved this with a few versions of word, especially v4-6... Which were just horrible ports that weren't consistent with the mac way of doing things, and almost killed microsoft on the mac platform (their words, not mine). The big problem on the mac isn't so much the big programs are missing (adobe apps, microsoft, etc) but rather the smaller vertical market apps. If you are a cabinet shop, most of the software used is on pc's. If you have to use softimage, its on windows. If you want to play a lot of games (hey, its why a lot of us want a geforce 3, be honest ;) there are some big ones ported to the mac, but they are very late and an after thought... Ie the company is just looking for a way to generate some more revenue off the old code... That is the thing that hurts the mac software-wise, when a customer sees an ibook, loves it, but then tells the salesperson, "I love this! I have to be able to run such and such for my company to be able to access this and this. Can I run it on this mac?" "Well, no it is windows only..." "Oh, ok..." Mac Shareware can be very cool, don't get me wrong. But a lot of the reasons it seems very polished compared to a lot of PC software are due to apple, the mac toolbox, and the consistency it provides. Things look the same, so it feels consistent, and polished. But I could name off 5 tools off the bat I'd love to have on the mac for my work that I just can't get... Just economics and a fact. What I'm really looking forward to are the tools that OS X is built upon, namely cocoa (which I'm sure you've heard before). I've seen the demo, and the power it gives to developers to come up with cool (and polished looking software, because of the UI priciples apple pushes) could really bring about a new renaissance of mac shareware and software. It was such a cool move for apple to include them in the release of OS X, I hope they continue to do it in the future... It is just such a cool thing, to have the tools to mod the operating system included with it. Almost like what the game industry does, in including tools to modify the game... Look what it does for the communities there? Hopefully very exciting times ahead... -- Michael Bryan Bell http://homepage.mac.com/michael_bell/ -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Macintosh? Get free email and more at Applelinks! <http://www.applelinks.com>
