Mac Os X Pros/cons..

[the empty calorie 0]

Okay, here's the gig..I have an iMac DV (G3 400MHz) sitting on my desk, currently unused. I want to install Mac OS X, due to support for Mac OS "Classic" being cut off (I liked classic...), So I've decided to make the move to OS X, but...I don't want to use Aqua....I want to use X, and WindowMaker as my window manager. But...Since I'd be running X and WindowMaker instead of Aqua....Would OS X-native programs that would normallly run in Aqua be able to run in X, without Aqua? I'm referring specifically to iChat AV...

[Brian1405241474 0]

Huh? What is Aqua and what is X. I know you could install Mac OS X with it's nifty Aqua interface, but I've never heard of just "Aqua" or "X" are you talking about X11, by chance?

[chiiyo 0]

I think by Classic you mean OS 9.x? Classic is actually an environment built into OS X to emulate OS 9.x, whilst still being on OS X.Aqua is the interface, the GUI of OS X, is it actually possible to install OS X without using Aqua in the first place? I had the impression it was integrated into the OS. I don't think it's possible in the first place so maybe you should give Aqua a chance?

[qwijibow 0]

At first i didnt reply to this because i wasnt 100% sure, but seeing as some of the replys dont seem to know what X is, ill have a go anyways.

just to warn you, i dont actually OWN a mac... but here is what i think i know.

Aqua is not an X11 server, (like Xorg and Xfree86) It does not use the X11 protocol, so you cant just replace one with the other (like you could with eXcees / Xorg / Xfree86).

There is an X11 server available for MacOSX, and it can be used to run any *Nix rpogram designed to use the X11 protocol and an X11 server for its GUI. (in other words, your window manager)

But i dont think normal MacOSX applications will be able to use the X11 server.

so to put it simply, in my opinion, you can run window maker on MacOSX, but you may have alot of trubble running iChat within winowMaker.

but like i said.. i dont own a mac, this is my educated guess.

How good are you with C ?
if you could port WindowMaker from X11 to Aqua, (and sumbit your work to window-maker) maybe you could start an aqua revolution ?? LOL.


EDIT: Ahaaaa... Fink again batman !
http://www.finkproject.org/

The Fink project wants to bring the full world of Unix Open Source software to Darwin and Mac OS X. We modify Unix software so that it compiles and runs on Mac OS X ("port" it) and make it available for download as a coherent distribution. Fink uses Debian tools like dpkg and apt-get to provide powerful binary package management. You can choose whether you want to download precompiled binary packages or build everything from source. Read more...

look in the FAQ section 2.2 !
Looks they they manager to get Aqual running in XFree86.

[the empty calorie 0]

I have no experience with C. Basic and 6502 machine code are all I've ever done..but neither wil help me here...

[Brian1405241474 0]

Okay, I see what you are saying. I didn't realize Mac OS X's GUI is called Aqua. To answer the question from your first post, I don't believe Mac OS Cocoa applications can run in X11. (thats what you meant by X, right?) If I were you I'd just use Aqua. It is very powerful and easy to use since it's built as part of the operating system. And you should get the newest Mac OS, 10.4 Tiger, which will be available on April 29. Because if you're going to have OS X, you might as well enjoy Aqua!

[chiiyo 0]

Happened to look through the site and saw this.

 

X11 Never Looked So Good

Native Aqua and X11 applications run side by side on the Mac OS X desktop. You can cut and paste between X11 and Aqua windows. You can minimize X11 windows to the Dock â even with the âGenie Effect.â You use the Aqua window controls to close, minimize and zoom X11 windows. And of course, each X11 window comes with its own carefully rendered drop shadow. Experts may choose to replace the native Aqua window manager with their own familiar, standard X Window Manager.

Got it from the X11 page on the Apple homepage. From what I gather, and you already know this, you can replace Aqua with X WindowMaker. I really don't think iChat and the like would be able to run in WindowMaker, but if you read the quote above, maybe you can use Aqua and X11 and WindowMaker at the same time... Just a suggestion.

 

I'm no expert on this, just happened to see the text on the page, hope it helps.

[the empty calorie 0]

Good suggestion...I was a bit bummed out to see that when Mac OS X was in the making...it was supposed to have a interface quite similar to NeXTSTEP, from what I had heard before...That's all I want..just the NeXTSTEP (or near-exactly similar) interface running on Mac OS X...(off topic) Bah, I'm in the process of building my own computer as a project....it will take me years to do, but I won't die happy until I do it. It won't help the market out any, due to it being (currently) being designed around a Motorola 68010...If I can successfully build this, and still have enough life left to livve afterwards, maybe I'll try putting togehter a prototype for something that would absolutely rock the effin' socks off of any Mac or X86...I've got most of it down....it's just....developing a computer these days is quite expensive...Woz had it easy.

[Soleq 0]

It's true that you can run Aqua and X11 side by side, however, they run differently. Aqua is used to run native OS X applicaiton, such as iChat. X11 is used to run ports of Unix programs. Hence, if you want to run X11 exclusively, you're limiting yourself to ports. Here's what I'd do if you want to investigate further: download Fink and browse the application database to see if there's an actual GUI replacement. I doubt that it'll be easy, but you might run across something that'll work.I'd personally be amazed if you could get iChat to run on anything other than Aqua. Apple's pretty tight about running its own software on its own operating system.Of course, if you wanted a challenge, you'd insteall Darwin alone, then configure you're own window manager using nothing by terminal commands.