Mac OS X
From ArticleWorld
Mac OS X is the latest major MacOS version, currently bundled with all Apple computers, but also distributed separately. It is mainly distributed as a workstation operating system, but an architecturally-similar version, the Mac OS X Server, is designed and shipped with Apple's server products.
Development
Mac OS X was developed almost completely independent from the previous Mac OS versions. It is largely based on NEXTSTEP, which was acquired along with NeXT, Inc.
Previous attempts at solving the Mac OS problems (cooperative multitasking and inefficient memory management) failed, due to bad management and an excess of ambition. After Jobs came back to Apple, a new project, based on OPENSTEP and known as Rhapsody, had much more success than Taligent and Copland, the previous two project. After a few beta releases, it was reshaped so that the transition from Mac OS 9 was easier, and, with a number of other additions, it evolved into Mac OS X.
Features
Mac OS X is built around the Mach microkernel. A significant part of it is released as an independent, open-source operating system called Darwin, on which Mac OS X is based. Darwin is the base for a number of proprietary technologies that form the complete Mac OS X distribution.
The most visible feature is the Aqua interface, based on a special drawing subsystem called Quartz. The look&feel is significantly different from previous Mac OS versions, featuring a slim, round look. Many users of older Mac OS versions criticized it for looking unprofessional compared to Mac OS 9's "Platinum" look. However, the Aqua look is extremely popular, and almost all applications that support skinning have an Aqua skin, regardless of the platform on which they run.
Mac OS X includes a number of features that allow it to run Mac OS 9 applications.The complete OpenStep API is still available, although renamed as Cocoa. Mac OS X supports native Objective-C and Java applications, although, in 2005, Apple has announced that features added to Cocoa after Mac OS X 10.4 will not be added to the Java version.
In 2005, Apple has announced that Mac OS X will run on Intel/x86 processors as well, as Apple will be using Intel processors for their systems. However, this version will not support the Classic environment that allow Mac OS 9 applications to be ran.
The Mac OS X desktop environment is notable for a wide range of features. It is built on top of a PDF-based drawing system called Quartz, supporting full-color icons, anti-aliasing and OpenGL composite windows. The dock, inherited from NEXTSTEP is also present, along with the Dashboard, the Expose and some other interesting features. At the moment, it is considered to be one of the best desktops.