Re: [seul-edu] What does OS-X mean to a Linux user?

[Doug Loss <drloss@suscom.net>]

Chris Hornbaker wrote:
> 
> S. Berret Dolph wrote:
> > Will this mean that software for OS-X will be useable for
> > a Linux user? Specifically, I will need to start using
> > Quark desktop publishing in order to format my books in
> > order to publish them here in Taiwan.
> 
> Maybe. I don't see that happening though. OS-X is based on FreeBSD which is a
> little different than Linux. I expect to see stuff for FreeBSD first if they
> do anything. Personally I'd like to see a native QuickTime for Linux. Though,
> CrossOver works pretty well.
> 
In the near term, I doubt that you'll see Quark for Linux.  However,
porting from OS-X to Linux isn't necessarily as difficult as you might
think.  The C/C++ code should generally be gcc-compliant, since gcc is
the standard compiler for OS-X.  The GUI part may be a problem, but if
it's written to Apple's Cocoa API (which is just another cutesy Apple
name for the OpenStep API) it should be readily translatable to
GNUStep.  If you've used WindowMaker as a window manager, you have some
idea of what GNUStep looks like.  Whether the owner of Quark is
interested in doing so is a completely different question, of course.

> > It seems that I will
> > have to go back to Windows, Mac's are quite expensive here, in
> > order to do this. Am I simply doomed to this fate?
> 
> No, not doomed. Mac's are pretty expensive. I see them only useful for video
> editing. To write books try Pathetic Writer from http://siag.nu It outputs to
> LOTS of formats (including PDF and PS).
> 
I know a little about the publishing industry, and I suspect that what
Barret's saying is that the publishers require him to submit his
documents in a proprietary Quark format.  I know there are publishers
here in the states that require PageMaker files and refuse to deal with
any other type of typesetter-ready copy.  How close am I, Barret?

-- 
Doug Loss          As long as I have you there is just
drloss@suscom.net  one other thing I'll always need--
(570) 326-3987     tremendous self control.
                          Ashleigh Brilliant