You probably heard or read that Apple has a new operating system called OS X. It is sold with Apple’s new machines and software manufacturers are slowly rewriting their applications to run on OS X. While your current computer runs just fine, your next one will most likely run on this new and very different operating system.

Unix With a Happy Face?

Unix is the operating system that usually runs big servers, including many large Web servers. It also runs the sophisticated workstations Hollywood uses to create 3D animation and special effects in movies.

OS X is built on top of Unix, but it has a pretty face Apple calls Aqua. Aqua is the Finder, Dock and all the dialog boxes that you use to communicate with OS X.

Apple turned to Unix to build an operating system that was more powerful and flexible than its current system. Unix uses a sophisticated memory system where each application has its own space. If an application crashes, it usually does not take down the system or any other program. Unix also supports multiple processors, making it easier to improve performance (just add processors).

Apple’s Unix?

OS X includes a program, called the Classic Environment, which emulates OS 9. This emulator was built to run all your current programs. As manufacturers upgrade their programs to run natively in OS X, you will use the Classic Environment less. Native applications can make use of all that fancy stuff like protected memory and symmetric multiprocessing (using multiple processors), but applications running in the Classic Environment can’t.

There are two ways for application developers to create programs that run natively in OS X. These two application development environments are called Carbon and Cocoa. Carbon is a relatively quick and easy way for programmers to turn their Classic (OS 9) applications into OS X native programs. Cocoa is OS X’s development environment for new applications. The only reason we mention them is that these terms are thrown around a lot in OS X articles, and many applications are now called "Carbonized" when they have been rewritten for OS X.

What’s So Special About OS X?

It has the potential to be faster, to run more kinds of applications and is much easier for Apple to improve and adapt. It also means that the world of Unix developers is now open to Apple users. Many Unix programs are being ported for OS X.

The Bottom Line?

OS X is a good thing for publishing. It networks better, faster and to more environments than OS 9, and it is more robust and potentially faster. But, it is not perfect for publishers until all the programs we use regularly are ported for OS X (such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, QuarkXPress, ATM, PageMaker, etc.). If you are considering using OS X or buying a new Mac, don’t forget that you will have to upgrade your applications to get the benefits of the new OS.