When Mac OS X is ready for a beta release, Jobs stands up in front of thousands (and millions on the net) proselytizing about the 'next big thing,' posters go up, people gawk, yearn and ask their friends if they know anyone who has it yet. T-shirts are sold, stickers are passed out, and shrinkwrapped boxes are ready to be bought, and pundits bet on how much Apple will spend in Akamai fees and satellite time to put on the major media event to announce the rollout of the first 'complete' version.

When Linux 2.4 goes out the door (a release that has almost as many people waiting just as eagerly) Linus Torvalds sends out a short, self-depreciating email titled "And oh, btw..".