In my original post about using linux. I was not trying to promote linux or put down Apple. All I was trying to say was that "out of the box" most the more popular linux distributions come with a decent GUI that doesn't have the "out of the box" GUI finder tool restrictions specifically mentioned in post #17.
And that the "find" command could be run from a shell in a terminal to find whatever you were looking for.
--- bill
J-M-L:
But be honest to the community here - and don't say they have "restrictions" because you are just taking about something you don't know about. The power is right there under the hood for the right users.
I don' think I was being dishonest. Linux can be pretty much anything since it is completely open.
(which is also part of its downfall)
That said, in reality when saying "linux" it doesn't really mean much of anything since linux is so customizable and there are so many different distributions available and then each user can also fully customize his own experience by swapping out the entire user interface or system components to whatever he likes.
The Apple environment is not as open and so it does and always will come with limitations that don't exist in other more open environments.
I think some things that they have done are brilliant and very good, and some not so good.
Yes I fully understand that people are different and can have very different wants & needs.
I also am fully aware of applying 80/20 rules, especially when it comes to business.
I started and sold off a multi-billion dollar tech company and during that process we had to make MANY decisions that we knew would not please everyone, but it was about creating a product for a mass consumer market and minimizing returns and technical support calls.
We intentionally created restrictions and limitations (just like Apple does), to make a high quality product that was suitable for a wide, often less technical, customer base.
In our case we were shipping 300-400k dsl modems a month through telcos all over the world, and they had to "just work" or we faced a total nightmare in support not to mention potential penalties & fines.
So I totally understand why companies put in limitations & restrictions into their products as it can often make the product "better" and easier to use for most of the people buying the product.
It is just that, IMO, Apple's environment places more restrictions on me than I can live with, so I choose not to use it.
--- bill