[comp.windows.x] Macs vs X

anicolao@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Alex Nicolaou) (01/29/91)

Sorry about posting this; but my attempt to Reply was returned.

   ----- Unsent message follows -----

In article <930@borg.cs.unc.edu> you write:
>I hesitate to ask this.  Given a choice between developing for a
>Macintosh and developing for X windows, why would anybody choose X?  
 ** the single best reason I can think of for choosing X is that it is
for a multi-user, multi-tasking operating system. This presents a significant
advantage for implementing programs that benefit from either capability. (for
example, a game where multiple players play at once, or a computational 
model which is more efficient implemented as several tasks).

>I
>know nothing about the Mac toolbox, but I've been reading the O'Reilly
>manuals on Xlib, Xt and Xview.  Seems like the Mac toolbox couldn't
>possibly be as complicated as X.  

 ** The Mac stuff is no picnic either but it is simpler (for the same
reasons, more or less, that it is not as powerful). 

>I've only got one plausible
>explanation:  hardware platforms that run X can be much more powerful
>than Macs, so if you want to develop a resource-intensive application,
>you should gravitate toward X.
>
 ** Well, in my experience, X is slow for big applications, Macs are slow
for big applications ... don't write big applications. 8-(


My suggestion would be if you don't need multi-user programs, and you are
writing the system to be used by non-X people, use a Mac. It is a more   
intuitive interface, and more people have Macs than Suns or other such beasts.

alex