An up-to-date overview of free software and its makers
Projects on the Move
© parisod@snowmelody, Fotolia
The look and feel of Mac OS X appeals to many free software supporters. Mac4Lin icon and sound themes, in addition to the new Avant Window Navigator Dock clone, emulate this look. Also, the development team behind pdfsam offers a model for remunerating programmers of free software.
When devoted Linux users start shopping around for an alternative to their favorite operating system, typically Windows isn't considered, despite its popularity. Once users have experienced the benefits of a Unix-style operating system, they tend to prefer something like Mac OS X.
Mac4Lin
Characteristics that define a desktop system's usability are hard to nail down. Apple fans rave about the applications integrated with Mac OS X, seamless cooperation between the hardware and software, and the look and feel of the system, which is very popular with graphic artists. The system is based on an OpenGL accelerated desktop, which returned stable performance far before Compiz and Windows Vista, thus drawing the attention of the open source community. Now, thanks to the the Mac4Lin [1] project, Linux users can enjoy the visual side of Mac OS X without dipping too deeply into their pockets for expensive Apple hardware.
Developer Anirudh Acharya bundles graphics, sound, and tools in his Mac4Lin package, which adds up to a convincingly genuine clone of the Mac OS GUI that is hard to distinguish from the real thing at first glance (Figure 1). The version 1.0 release candidate is available, and hopefully it includes documentation to make up for former deficits.
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