A bit of GNU vs. XNU

April 3, 2007 on 7:00 pm | In Apple, Open Source

My day was filled with thoughts concerning the open-source developments on the GNU/Linux side, and Apple, my favorite work and play platform hardware- and software-wise.

I had a bit of a vision today. Well, not really, but it could be true. We were smashed a while back by the new icons of CS3;

How nice it is to see these icons have had a functional, but also aesthetic revamp. I no longer have to fuss about what flower, feather, or butterfly I need to drop my file on. Mentally, it works great, as you can discern apps by color and only two glyphs. A certain example of the ‘it just works’ approach. Very simple and good design. But it’s gone much further than that — a lot of weblog designs already feature subtle gradient designs, creative use of color, and rounded corners. This ‘new’ look is certainly becoming much more pervasive. Check out this great desktop manager (a GNUStep spinoff, so based on the same starting point as OS X, OpenSTEP), called Étoilé;

See? Simple gradients, beautiful use of color. We’ve seen this in the ‘new iTunes’ interface too, since 7, we’ve lost on Aqua, and gained on subtle gradients. Much more OS X widgets of the newer apps have a similar look, see for instance, Apple Remote Desktop 3 and higher;

We (OS X users) all know this alternative drop-down widget now, but it’s increasing presence could be an indication, like all the things mentioned here, that it may be the look we will remember this ‘age’ by.

Anyway, this whole Étoilé WM has brought me craving Linux a bit more lately. GNU/Linux and it’s interface have seen so much work (in all directions, all at once, of course, this is Linux!) and projects devoted to innovation, that it’s incredible. Check out, for instance, lowfat (screenshot presented below, but DO check that video!)

Although the it already looks good, it’s the potential behind these kind of projects that make it interesting. On the other hand, I am very glad we (on OS X) got Cocoa, and all those nice frameworks, sample code and nice and clean development purposes and guidelines which lead to, well, ‘desirable’ developments. I like organized things.

So will GNU/Linux turn into the eye-candy station for the geek with too much free time? No, absolutely not. It’s important to remember that the Mac has a small market share, and will remain a hardware platform. Linux will be a suitable replacement for Windows, no doubt about it. There is just still work to be done. I’ve seen my environment turn more and more Linux - the required knowledge gets less and less. I think that’s great, and it’s a fantastic platform. However, GNU/Linux, and alas, not even *BSD, can give me the feeling of ‘home’ my Mac gave me. I think it’s wonderful to feel like you can do anything, anytime, and it’ll be simple, and by that one team you love. Thanks, Apple.