As an habitual user of MacOS from mid 80s... I offer this to the
Apple Users thread- apologies if you have seen it:
The following excerpts are from an English translation of Umberto
Eco's back-page column, "La bustina di Minerva," in the Italian news
weekly "Espresso," September 30, 1994.
...."Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground
religious war which is modifying the modern world. It's an old idea
of mine, but I find that whenever I tell people about it they
immediately agree with me.
"The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh
computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the
opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant.
Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has been influenced by
the 'ratio studiorum' of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly,
conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by
step to reach--if not the Kingdom of Heaven--the moment in which
their document is printed. It is catechistic: the essence of
revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons.
Everyone has a right to salvation.
"DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free
interpretation of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions,
imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted
the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work
you need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the
baroque community of revellers, the user is closed within the
loneliness of his own innter torment.
"You may object that, with the passage to Windows, the DOS universe
has come to resemble more closely the counter-reformist tolerance of
the Macintosh. It's true: Windows represents an Anglican-style
schism, big ceremonies in the cathedral, but there is always the
possibility of a return to DOS to change things in accordance with
bizarre decisions; when it comes down to it, you can decide to allow
women and gays to be ministers if you want to. ....
"And machine code, which lies beneath both systems (or environments,
if you prefer)? Ah, that is to do with the Old Testament, and is
talmudic and cabalistic..."
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