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How-To Geek Forums » Apple / OS X

OS X -- Darwin, X11, Quartz, etc.

(4 posts)
  • Started 2 months ago by jmcguire
  • Latest reply from ross
  • Topic Viewed 344 times


jmcguire
jmcguire
Posts: 82

I just learned about Darwin today, but the documentation I am finding, is honestly a little over my head.

I understand that Darwin is the project for essentially, the underbelly of Mac OS X (with no GUI).

http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource/

From the above website, I see that Mac OS X 10.4 has the binary available.

What EXACTLY is missing from Darwin as compared to OS X.

They recommend installing the X11 X Windows Manager. How does this compare to OS X? There is mention of Quartz, how does this compare?

I would consider myself very knowledgeable in Windows, somewhat knowledgeable in Linux, but completely oblivious when it comes to UNIX, and even more so with OS X.

So, from what I have gathered, I can run X11 apps (on a PC) if I install Darwin and X11 Desktop Manager. Will I be able to run Mac programs? What will be the difference in Mac OS X and Darwin with X11.

Is it possible to essentially build OS X using Darwin, X11 (or another), and other packages?

And finally, any information or explanations people have on the Darwin Project.

Thank you very much

Posted 2 months ago #
 
ross
ross
Posts: 30

The wikipedia info on Darwin is actually pretty good at explaining what it is - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system)

In a nutshell, Darwin is the core of OS X. It's a Unix operating system. The rest of OS X - the fancy graphics (Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Compositor and Aqua user interface etc) are NOT a part of Darwin.

X11 comes installed w/ 10.5 by default now - so if you're running Leopard, you have it installed already. Using X11 you can run apps like The Gimp.

You can run a lot of X11 apps, though not all, in OS X using X11. Google Fink and/or Fink Commander. Between those apps and X11 you can run quite a few linux/unix apps in OS X.

Posted 2 months ago #
 
jmcguire
jmcguire
Posts: 82

Thank you for the help.

So is there any way to download (or download and compile if you are brave) the files and add Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Compositor and Aqua? (or very close alternatives)

Essentially getting OSX for free?

Posted 2 months ago #
 
ross
ross
Posts: 30

You could download and install Darwin, then run X11 in it, then run Gnome or KDE and use an OS X "theme". That's about as close to free OS X as you're going to get. Quartz, Aqua, all that crap - is Apple proprietary - they're not giving that source out any time soon.

Posted 2 months ago #
 

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