How’s this for ironic: Microsoft is actually spending some sponsorship dollars here at OSCON (Open Source Conference) 2008, but Apple is stealing the show — without spending a dime. Here’s how.
The VAR Guy came to OSCON to hear more about Canonical and Ubuntu Linux. But when our resident blogger checked in with the OSCON registration desk today, he immediately noticed Microsoft’s logo on the conference bag. Lovely. It was right next to the Intel logo. Is this a “Wintel” event? Are we back in 1998? Somebody press Control+Alt+Delete and wake The VAR Guy from this dream.
Kidding aside, it’s good to see Microsoft at open source conference. Too bad the company doesn’t have a compelling story to share: Microsoft sponsored Participate 08 (an OSCON session on July 21) but it was a lot to do about nothing.
Apple Everywhere
Meanwhile, Apple Corporate is nowhere to be seen at OSCON. Steve Jobs must be locked away, designing the next proprietary software platform tied to proprietary hardware and proprietary online Apple services. And yes, The VAR Guy will buy it.
Still, Apple is EVERYWHERE here at OSCON. The VAR Guy estimates that 20 percent to 35 percent of the crowd is carrying MacBooks or MacBook Pros. This strong connection between the open source industry and Apple is hardly surprising. The VAR Guy has blogged about the Apple-Open Source link before.
The VAR Guy himself jumps between Mac OS X and Ubuntu Linux. And open source companies like Alfresco (among others) seem to be flocking to the Mac.
So here we are, at a big event where Microsoft is spending big marketing dollars — and Apple won the hearts and minds of attendees before they even arrived at OSCON.
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How silly. Is there any other company that is as hostile to open source and Linux (in particular) as Apple? I can only think of one, Microsoft. People who think Apple stands on the side of open source are living in a dreamland with no connection to reality. Meh, enjoy it while it lasts folks. Out of the hands of one monopolist and into the hands of a much better looking one.
yawn – there were a zillion MacBooks in 2006 at OSCON, my recollection is that the vast majority of the presenters had them. I’m missing what exactly the big news of geeks carrying MacBooks might be. Certainly not anything close to a shocker.
Hey Vince: Not a shocker, agreed. But the fact that the open source movement somehow embraces one closed source company (Apple) and rejects another (MSFT) is interesting nonetheless.
Yes but how many of them are actually running MacOS? If I were to buy a MacBook, it certainly would not be to run a MacOS on.
Yep, it’s what you look like and not who you are. If anything Apple is more of a back stabbing thief than MS. What has Apple given back to the Open Source community in exchange for it’s hand in the pot. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
@carolinason:
These days they give back at least in regards to webkit. There was a lot trouble but now they somehow do.
But I have to say Apple is indeed one of the most OSS hostile companies out there. But they also try to keep closed source development under control. Besides the fact that Macs are nice and shiny what is the reason to prefere it over let’s say a Dell or ThinkPad? Superior hardware? I doubt that. More likely they are able to sell a feeling which is also appealing to the open source comunity. “What ever it is, I want to have it”.
carolinason: WebKit?
One question:
Can someone here, please, explain to me _where_ the connection between Apple and Open Source/Free Software really is?
(Dont’t begin with the Darwin bullshit, if there exists a software that is stolen from the FOSS crowd then Darwin is this piece.)
I cannot believe that devs who after years and years of work to free the people from M$/Intel ’s hands just run and throw themselfs into the most propriatary company. Seriously, in some ways M$ is more open then Apple is.
So, I am really waiting for someone who can answer my question above.
Thanks for reading my posting
regards
a net Oracle
@dave:
WebKit? You do know that WebKit started as KHTML from the KDE development, don’t you? I’m glad Apple put some work into it and shared it (because they’re legally obliged), but Apple got a lot more from using KHTML as a base to start from than they put into WebKit.
I’ve been hearing this everywhere… about how apple is appearing everywhere. I used to own Macs years ago (First Mac G3) so I know about their proprietary ways. Now I use Ubuntu–and not looking back. The article asks the same question I’ve asked–why enthusiastically support apple?? I know they look beautiful but they have one frickin button on those laptops!! Give me a similarly priced Lenevo any day. One thing that *may* be a factor is the RoR influence and Textmate. I’ve even seen those Squeak guys using macs.
Yes Apple is very proprietary, but people are willing to ignore this because Apple by and large make the best software and hardware in the world Vs. Microsoft who make many substandard products. At the end of the day freedom of source code counts for very little if you can get a better product else where. At that point freedom is just an idealogical thing rather than something which is giving you a better computer experience.
Speaking of ideologies, the reason so many geeks love Macs is because they are built with a certain ideology. At Apple there is a real love of culture and art and design that is infused into everything they do. They are really anal over what font they use , they are really anal over the placement of the screw of the underside of the machine that you never see, they are really anal over every tiny detail from a design point of view, both in the hardware and the software. They dont make products, they craft them, like an expert carpenter making a beautiful chair vs. the guy down the road making perfectly functional but otherwise generic chairs. Geeks who’s whole lifes revolve around computers want to use computers designed by people who’s whole lives revolve around creating the most elegant computing experience in the world.
And this is the other reason why people will happily ignore Apple being restrictive with its products. It’s because by and large those restrictions are not so they can make a few extra dimes out of you, they are there because Apple are so anal over the user experience they want to control every aspect of the experience so they can make it live up to their standard outlined in their ideology. This is worlds apart from Microsoft who force you to use their products because they feel they should have control over everything. Just look at all the different places Microsoft tries to be. Like why does an OS company need to have its own online Map service? Because they feel they should have control over everything for no reason other than they are power greedy.
Anyone who thinks what I have just said is BS consider this… Leopard has ZERO activation restrictions, no serial code, no nothing. Apple recognised that software installation was becoming “Inelegant”. They would rather their customers found installing their software easy than stopping pirates. If Apple were the evil company some people like to say they are then they would never do this, they would have Leopard locked down.
Yes, there were lots of Macs at OSCON, though the percentage seemed to vary by track. In the web developer sessions, the Macs seemed to have a close to 80% market share; in the sys admin seminars the percentage seemed more closer to 50-60% with Dells making up most of the rest. Notably absent were HPs, with IBM/Lenovo making up the only significant additional presence. Interestingly, I only encountered one EeePC, though sales records indicate they enjoy widespread popularity in the general computing populace.
All this probably means is that even for computer professionals, a purchase decision is more emotional than logical. Denigrate the marketing types all you want, geeks, they still own you.
Interesting argument, jimbo. So, whatever Apple does, it’s okay since they are only doing it because they are “anal” about the particular issue. I guess George Bush and company should take note; “It’s okay that we suspended habeas corpus and spied illegally on Americans, we only did it because we’re anal about security.”
With the success of this argument that passion excuses antisocial behavior we’ll be able to empty the prisons in no time.
Why is it a surprise that Apple computers represent a disproportionate number of portables being carried around at OSCON? I think the answer is relatively simple –
1) Apple has, from the beginning, represented more cutting-edge work, from the “original” Apple ][ (in the ’70s) to the consumer-friendly Macintosh (in the 80’s) to the iPod….
2) Microsoft has always represented more “business” customers, probably because of their original boost in”partnering” with IBM in the 80’s.
3) For “Non-Microsoft” computer users, there’s not a lot of choice right now. It’s “Apple” or it’s “pay-the-Microsoft-tax”.
4) I’d bet a LOT of folks had already gotten scr—d by Microsoft (either by “partnerships” or by products), so they were/are looking for another solution. Apple products are viewed by business as an alternative (albeit a far-second place) choice. See #2 above. Right or wrong, most business decision-makers are not comfortable yet with Open Source.
So what about NEXT year?
1) With the U.S. economy in a depression, the bottom line will start to favor spending LESS money for essentially the same or better performance.
2) As computers like the EEe come online, you may start to see a LOT more of those start showing up at these conferences.
3) As “proof” that Linux and Open Source software works for big businesses (e.g. “IBM”-like companies), more businesses will begin to follow that lead.
Next year, I think you’ll see fewer laptops running Windows, with most of those replacements running a Linux distribution. Macs might stay about the same. But that’s just MY estimation.
I use Ubuntu on my shiny HP Presario F700 and I turn heads when I bring it out in public and maybe that’s because of the Tux logo on the cover. I regret that I could not attend OSCON this year, but I did get a chance to attend Ubuntu Live last summer.
IMHO – you want the OSx features on an x86 without the Apple branding? Use any version of BSD. That is the open-source platform that I assume Apple would -supposedly- be providing backports to (citation needed).
What’s to like about Apple? The fact that it’s not Microsoft. Seriously. Once Apple gets people used to the idea that there is more than one operating system in the universe, they will be able to conceive of the possibility of a third one.
“…but Apple got a lot more from using KHTML as a base to start from than they put into WebKit.”
That’s not true. WebKit is far more advanced then HTML. Also, KDE is moving over to WebKit. Must be for a reason don’t you think? Don’t give us that Apple-bashing bullshit, or at least bash when it’s correct.
Heh, funny I had a draft in my blog about this very thing. Although I’d put the percentage slightly higher with general attendees, and almost exclusively for speakers (they love the “keynote”).