[lbo-talk] Apple Users - Some Advice, Please.

// ravi ravi at platosbeard.org
Wed Jan 25 06:56:43 PST 2012


Ismail,

the iPad runs iOS and gets its software only through the iOS App Store (or iTunes App Store, if you prefer). The way software is installed and the way it runs on an iOS device is tightly controlled by Apple. The only way to get around this is to “jailbreak” the iPhone. This removes Apple’s lock on the phone, but also breaks upgrades of iOS and could lead to more serious issues with the phone. Unless you are a hacker type (the word ‘hacker’ has a very specific meaning which is not the same as what is implied in popular usage) I would advise against jailbreaking your iOS device. Also, perhaps I am old fashioned, but I would not recommend an iPhone or iPad for content creation (except of the very basic kind).

Macs run Mac OS X and software on Mac OS X can be installed in two ways: through traditional means of downloading it from the vendor and installing it manually on your system, or via the new Mac App Store. But be warned: more and more developers are moving to a Mac App Store only model for software distribution. On OS X, Apple does not maintain as tight control as it does on iOS, for app installs. For example, apps are typically installed into the folder /Applications, and they can easily be copied from one system to another (again typically, barring dependencies and app specific issues) by simply copying the app folder from /Applications on one system to another. How long this will be possible I have no idea, but for now it is.

On books I have no clue. Well, by that I mean books bought via iBooks. I buy technical books from O’Reilly’s SafariOnline service. They are simple PDFs without any copy protection (except for shaming by branding pages with your name :-)).

—ravi



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