Apple Logic Pro /LogicExpress Discussion

Is a Mac system UNIX based in the same way old Windows systems were DOS 
based?
Gary

> Is a Mac system UNIX based in the same way old Windows systems were DOS
> based?

That's hard to compare. Win311and earlier were really DOS-programs, not 
operating systems. Win95/98 were developed onwards from DOS-code. WinNT and 
the likes are based on a Unix/VMS-like core but rewritten for Microsoft (by 
the original programmer of the VMS kernel) and made to look DOS-based (drive 
letters etc).

The way Unix-derivatives like Mac OSX, Solaris, HPUX, BSD etc work, is that 
their companies bought a licence from Digital (the original creator of Unix) 
to use the Unix kernel sourcecode but modify and expand the system around it 
to make good use of the computer's specifics.

Linux is similar, but its kernel is rewritten from scratch and therefore free.

So the comparison with Windows and MSDOS would best fit Win95/98/ME, where the 
DOS-code can still be found inside (although with every release, Microsoft 
tried to convince us that MSDOS was completely gone, it was just 
compatible). :o)

Maurits.

> Sorry for the correction

You're absolutely right, I was oversimplifying history a bit. Must be the 
early time of day. :o)

Maurits.

> And I hate to be a stickler - but computer history
> is Important to me!

Please stickle.. wrong information should be corrected :o)

And for the (ex)-Atari users here, we should of course not forget MiNT, also 
based on BSD, which is a kernel that doesn't fully replace Atari's native 
operating system TOS, but binds to it, creating a TOS-and-Unix-compatible 
operating system. OSX avant la lettre. :o)

(I'm still using it actually) :o)

Maurits.

> > And I hate to be a stickler - but computer history
> > is Important to me!
> 
> Please stickle.. wrong information should be corrected :o)

I've always worked in a Windows environment and have had the luxury of 
a nice stable environment since I use outboard recording and mixing but 
my reason for the primative question has everything to do with 
upgrading in the very near future.  I'm not a programmer but have 
become very capable with Windows just because that's where I've been 
for all these years. When I expand my studio I'm gonna want to upgrade 
any and all software. Since I see no other software that compares to 
Logic, I have to familiarize myself with the Mac system. 

My question about UNIX was trying to see if all the different operating 
system names were just different versions through the evolution or if 
there have actually been different base operating systems and if 
certain names refer to certain operating systems. It's a very basic 
question but I'm totally unfamiliar with Mac and  I'm just trying to 
find a place to plant my feet.
Thanks for the info,
Gary

> for all these years. When I expand my studio I'm gonna want to upgrade 
> any and all software. Since I see no other software that compares to 
> Logic, I have to familiarize myself with the Mac system. 

Being used to Windows for so long you'll have some adjusting to do, but not too much.

> My question about UNIX was trying to see if all the different operating 
> system names were just different versions through the evolution or if 
> there have actually been different base operating systems and if 
> certain names refer to certain operating systems.

Well indeed there is a different base; all MacOS versions up to and including 9 were just 
evolutions (and based on Apple's own internals, no link to MSDOS or CP/M like base systems, 
nor Unix). OS-X is a complete rewrite based on BSD and is in fact incompatible to previous 
MacOS versions (at least on the bottom; when it comes to configuration the surface is 
somewhat similar).

Since the user interface is pretty good and thoroughly designed, you'll find your way around 
easily without Unix knowledge although some underwater things might seem odd (for 
example file permissions are a common cause of confusion). If you have some Linux 
experience, you'll understand what's going on under the hood easily as well which makes it 
all even easier.

Enjoy your Mac (you will) :o)

Maurits.