With homage to the old Prego spaghetti sauce advertisement.
After 15 years of DOS-Windows, the OS X experience beginning in August 2003 was a daily revelation of built in functionality for me.
The old way of building technology solutions considered the operating system merely a platform upon which to add more software. Additional purchases were required to enjoy a useful, fully functioning system. Any applications that did ship in the box were stripped down teaser (adware) versions to tempt users into purchasing full functioning versions.
As the Web rose to prominence, Netscape inadvertantly contributed to better information technology design.
To compete with the mindshare Netscape had gathered with their add-on Web browser, a fully functional Web browser began shipping as part of the base of the worlds most popular operating system. Thus a full functioning browser became a core system component instead of a purchased add-on.
The bundling made Web access simpler for end users. Bundling also decreased expenses for IT departments who no longer needed to search for, integrate, and support third party browser solutions.
The OS X revelation is how greatly "it's in there" contributes to ease of use and deployment. It was a few years before I could wrap my mind around the concept and stop searching outside the system for functionality. Since then, with each release since 10.2, OS X continues to bundle more of the technologies people use every day, right into the base system.
- Backups - Time Machine
- Smart Cards - Keychain
- Drive Encryption - FileVault
- Password Storage - Keychain
- Local Web Serving - Apache
- Search local system - Spotlight
- Fast Application Launcher - Spotlight
- Read and markup PDF Files - Preview
- Digital Music Creation - Garage Band
- Screen recordings - Quicktime 10
- Contact Management - Address Book, iCal, email fully integrated
- System Automation - Automator
- Animated GIF creation - Preview
- Application Development - Xcode
- Server tools, don't get me started.
Out of the box access to over 100 top open source scripts and applications including Apache, MySQL, PHP, Python, curl, wget, rsync, and tcpdump to name a few.
For about 95 percent of the information technology needs of 95 percent of the users, it's in there. Nothing more to buy.
The dollar savings are substantial, the time and confusion spared an even greater value. By bundling everything needed all the way up to the level of power users within OS X, Apple simplifies technology like no other operating system on earth. One example is backups.
Typical Backups, Select Backup Disk, Slide Selector to On
The choice of backup systems is already made with Time Machine. Usage is as simple as selecting the backup disk and sliding the selector to the "On" position. Backup scenarios remain fully customizable on the back end by power users through rsync , which is also "in there".
The simple-power concept carries throughout the system. A simple interface for normal users, backed up with command line power for experienced admins.
Don't expect techies to quickly grasp the power of the concept of "it's in there". We stay busy installing, and maintaining third party software, that is typically sold at the golf course then pushed down to us. I was configuring sound cards while Apple was introducing iTunes. Users today have never heard the term "sound card", marking a giant leap forward for technology.
When information technology becomes toaster simple for all, people will be impressed. Shipping a fully functional system with all primary user level applications already "in there", factory supported, marks tremendous forward progress in tech simplification. Minor apps for minor tweaks is the new wave of add-on software technology.
But before spending a lot of time at the app stores, check the possibility that what you seek is "in there", included with the original purchase. Far too many app store apps are thin wrappings of built-in technology which is easier for users to use and admins to maintain without the extra layers of wrapping.
Particularly for anything Web related look inside before spending time at the app stores. The building blocks of the Web ship with every copy of OS X .
Prego - It's In There
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJjD7UF-6k
Old Time G5 Computing Power http://www.apple.com/science/profiles/colsa/