To take advantage of these hardware-based features, some high-end graphics and multimedia applications are only available for Mac OS, and those that run on both Macintosh and Windows generally offer more powerful multimedia features in their Macintosh versions. As a result, publishing, illustration, Web design, and advertising businesses generally choose Macintosh.

The latest version of Mac OS is OS X (OS Ten), which is based on one of the more popular flavors of UNIX. As such, it runs both Macintosh and UNIX applications. The core of OS X is open-source software, distributed under Apple's Open Source license.

Like Windows NT, OS X offers protected memory and preemptive multitasking. Like the new embedded OSs, OS X also uses a modular architecture for simplified updates and extensions of the OS.

With a much smaller market share than Windows, Mac OS includes a number of enhancements that simplify working with Windows disks and files. Mac OS also includes QuickTime, Apple's multimedia software that enables users to view full-screen video and edit video or music.

Apple's proprietary suite of networking software, called AppleTalk, is also a standard feature of Mac OS. An application called AppleShare allows a Macintosh computer to perform as a file server on an AppleTalk network.

What are other trends in the Network Operating System market?

   Activities

See the Activities and Extended Activities section in Unit 1 Lesson 4 in your textbook Introduction to Networking to test what you have learned so far.

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