6 ms·

When is macOS going open source?

by reginold 5y ago

sk0g 5y ago
Never? Why would it?
- reginold 5y ago
  What are we going to do, run it on knockoff M1 processors?
  - fabianhjr 5y ago
    M1 processors are AArch64 so there is a chance one could build a modern hackintosh on top of a non-M1 AArch64 processor.
    - reginold 5y ago
      Fair point, I can see why Apple wouldn't want that! That said, do you want macOS to go open source?
      - fabianhjr 5y ago
        I am not the person you answered to on the previous comment just added a comment on the M1 having a common Instruction Set Architecture. (AArch64) I don't care if macOS goes open source since I have none of Apple's hardware and I am quite happy with my NixOS setup.
        seniorivn 5y ago
        Mac hardware is good, so it going open source would make it possible for you to use it with linux without reverse engineering efforts
        fabianhjr 5y ago
        Ah, but the only necessary bits are the hardware firmware not macOS itself.
    - rdsnsca 5y ago
      AArch64 with a lot of Apple specific ad ons, doubt it will ever be hakintoshed.
naveen_ 5y ago
Very soon (in your dreams).
p1necone 5y ago
It partially is already, but not really enough to be useful. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system))
- reginold 5y ago
  Yeah agreed. Wonder if this next decade will see either Windows or MacOS go fully open source.
  - Toutouxc 5y ago
    Most probably not. I don't see the reasoning behind this, why would either of them do that?
  - amq 5y ago
    Based on the current track record, I'd bet on Windows, but it might not be technically possible to open source everything due to third-party parts. Fun fact: Windows source is already available to governments under the Government Security Program.
    - tcmart14 5y ago
      I can see Windows maybe just going to a linux base. But the important part for them to open source would be details for .exe executables. This is something I see them not open-sourcing. You'll be able to run .exes on linux, but only if your on the 'Windows' distro. That is at least my take.
      - hvocode 5y ago
        The details of Windows executables are all well documented and open - it's very easy to parse a windows executable and run it. The part that's missing to run it without Windows is the implementation of system calls and system libraries. Without those the executable will run into dependencies that you are missing. This is the whole reason for things like WINE - the executables are easy, but the runtime environment that Microsoft hasn't opened up is hard.

When is macOS going open source?

sk0g 5y ago

Never? Why would it?

reginold 5y ago
What are we going to do, run it on knockoff M1 processors?
- fabianhjr 5y ago
  M1 processors are AArch64 so there is a chance one could build a modern hackintosh on top of a non-M1 AArch64 processor.
  - reginold 5y ago
    Fair point, I can see why Apple wouldn't want that! That said, do you want macOS to go open source?
    - fabianhjr 5y ago
      I am not the person you answered to on the previous comment just added a comment on the M1 having a common Instruction Set Architecture. (AArch64) I don't care if macOS goes open source since I have none of Apple's hardware and I am quite happy with my NixOS setup.
      - seniorivn 5y ago
        Mac hardware is good, so it going open source would make it possible for you to use it with linux without reverse engineering efforts
        fabianhjr 5y ago
        Ah, but the only necessary bits are the hardware firmware not macOS itself.
  - rdsnsca 5y ago
    AArch64 with a lot of Apple specific ad ons, doubt it will ever be hakintoshed.

naveen_ 5y ago

Very soon (in your dreams).

p1necone 5y ago

It partially is already, but not really enough to be useful. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system))

reginold 5y ago
Yeah agreed. Wonder if this next decade will see either Windows or MacOS go fully open source.
- Toutouxc 5y ago
  Most probably not. I don't see the reasoning behind this, why would either of them do that?
- amq 5y ago
  Based on the current track record, I'd bet on Windows, but it might not be technically possible to open source everything due to third-party parts. Fun fact: Windows source is already available to governments under the Government Security Program.
  - tcmart14 5y ago
    I can see Windows maybe just going to a linux base. But the important part for them to open source would be details for .exe executables. This is something I see them not open-sourcing. You'll be able to run .exes on linux, but only if your on the 'Windows' distro. That is at least my take.
    - hvocode 5y ago
      The details of Windows executables are all well documented and open - it's very easy to parse a windows executable and run it. The part that's missing to run it without Windows is the implementation of system calls and system libraries. Without those the executable will run into dependencies that you are missing. This is the whole reason for things like WINE - the executables are easy, but the runtime environment that Microsoft hasn't opened up is hard.