Pre MacOS X was a 90s style OS and had major limitations that were a problem for every user, starting with no real multi-threading, and I think no protected memory.
Where it was great was in the simplicity to the user. If you wanted to install or uninstall a driver or functionality, all you had to do is move an extension file in or out of the extension folder and reboot. That simplicity was lost in MacOS X. That made simple users dumber. (and iOS went back to the simplicity)
> Pre MacOS X was a 90s style OS and had major limitations that were a problem for every user, starting with no real multi-threading, and I think no protected memory.
Technically, the last “classic” Mac OS had memory protection and a fully preemptive scheduler.
The very serious caveat was that all “classic” Mac OS applications ran in a single process, and, within it, were scheduled cooperatively.
It was possible to create fully preemptively scheduled threads from within such applications, but they couldn’t write to the screen. I don’t remember whether they could do file I/O.
Locking down the OS so you can't install or uninstall functionality at all is not simplicity.
It kinda is, though.
Its an exchange in complexity
It is if Grandma keeps downloading scams and installing them.
You mean there are no scams in the famous "we're protecting you from all those internet evil guys by charging you app subscriptions" app stores?
No, even then it still isn't. A device should not protect you from making bad decisions. It should be an aid in making good choices, not a nanny keeping you safe because you can't be trusted to do better.
So, turn off your firewall if you don't want to be protected.
Do modern OSes have services listening on external IPs without explicitly told to still?
I think to the parents point, everything should be wide open, all the features possible, and let him configure. By not listening, isn't that 'over-simplifying', let the user decide.
So because "Grandma" keeps doing stupid things with tech she doesn't understand, that now means the rest of us have to suffer for it?
Grandma has a tablet these days.
All the downvotes are really missing the point of Apple.
Simple exactly does mean less features. That is what you are buying into. Less features, easy to find, no 'ambiguity'.
If you want a ton of feature and flexibility, you go elsewhere.
But don't criticize Apple for being locked down, when that is exactly what they are selling.