Mac OS X Called “Toy” By Microsoft Apologist?

Every now and then I run across something that’s more than interesting. It’s bizarre. Funny, even. Immunity’s report on Total Cost of 0wnership can be found Here (a PDF), and listed Here.

Interesting reading. And it’s not even April Fools Day.

To summarize, the report concludes that Microsoft Windows has a lower Total Cost of 0wnership than versions of Linux. Not by much, but lower. Meanwhile, the author, Immunity’s CEO, Dave Aitel, concludes that Mac OS X has a lower TC0 than Microsoft. That’s not surprising, of course, except that Aitel calls Mac OSX a “toy OS.”

The report also states that hackers, those trying to exploit weaknesses in computer operating systems, are evenly divided between Linux users and Mac OS X users.

Whew. Windows is as secure and dependable and trustworthy as a Dodge Neon? What does that make Mac OS X? A BMW, or Schwinn?

Where was that research data? I must have missed that amid all the speculation and opinion; in the “research” paper.

And I thought Bill and Monica’s escapdes in the White House were better than fiction. Aitel offers no research material to substantiate the “research” conclusions presented, but calling Mac OS X a “toy” OS was most disturbing.

Do the folks over at Virgina Tech, who put up the 3rd fastest super computer in the world, know that they succeeded with a “toy” operating system? Yes, their overall “total cost” to get the supercomputer running was nearly two orders of magnitude LOWER than the fastest computer, but still…

Who wants to rock the world with a super computer running a “toy” operating system? Why, anyone who’d do such a thing would be laughed out of academia because, uh, well, um…

How much was that super computer again?

Immunity, Inc. seems to be a tight knit group of folks with a slick web site and the ability to create conclusions right out of ether. While the report appears to be well written, research data is somewhat lacking (which is the opposite of the war in Iraq being called “somewhat unsafe.” As in, there isn’t any.

The report’s Summary is revealing:

In all fairness to the author and document, I can write tongue-in-cheek as well as the next guy. Except I had a hard time swallowing the fishy pieces, let alone Summary whale. Maybe it was the first “0” in “0h my gawd. They can’t be serious. Can they?”

Total Cost of 0wnership? It’s often in the eye of the beholder, you know. TC0 has little to do with licensing and much to do with what happens once the computer gets turned on and people start using it. TC0 would require facts, figures, tests, examples, studies, data, data, more data. Wouldn’t it?

Mac OS X may have an aqua-looking bunch of buttons that look so good they’re “lickable” (someone else’s opinion, not mine), but the OS is anything but a “toy.” Isn’t it?

I don’t know. What do you think? Is there anyone over 17 on This Page?

Of course, if you’re one of those Linux or Mac OS X hackers, and you make up most of the hacker community, finding an OS to target would be easy after findings such as those.

Yes, it’s an oddball attempt at humor; the TC"0” and all. But “toy” OS? Then again, perspective is everything, right?

I thought y0u’d agree.

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