Loaded with preconceptions.
I am not loaded with preconceptions. You seem to believe that I only want Linux to dominate the world. No, I want Windows to fall flat on its face.

Mac OS X don't enter into it - this is a lame assed hp (don't get me started on their hardware failure rate).
How can you say OS X doesn't enter the picture. You yourself are comparing "desktop linux" to Windows and OS X.

I'm not using Mac OS X in any way at work - I have windows to run buttlick and linux box to write software. I'm using linux box for everything now since hp win laptop has gone up in smoke yet again and the hell desk people have it for "at least one more day".
Condolences. That is why I call them the "Helpless Desk".

It has Konqueror - which is inadequate. Can't render yahoo mail correctly for instance. It runs KDE - which is really not impressive at all but all I need is terminals and web browsers.
Knoq that old couldn't really render HTML correctly.

Getting all preachy about Mac OS X or windows management is pointless, as are suggestions on how to run linux on a Mac. I would never waste disk space on a Mac to get linux anymore than I would walk around wearing two sets of pants. Linux is pretty much a subset of OS X.
Subset... ok. Preconcieved notion. Windows Management, if the machines are locked down, you can't squirt in the pisser with out the permissions on 2K or XP

Also, I've tried FINK a few times - its shit. It craps out every time I try to get something from it. It never works on the Mac. Maybe it works elsewhere but its shit on the Mac. Plus the package names are all incomprehensible.
Right, shit. Preconcieved notion. Mkay. Guess you are right about everything.

Also, this isn't the first time I've *had* to use Linux (well, maybe as a desktop - but I've set out to make servers with it and it was way too hard there as well).
Excuse me for not being CLEAR. DESKTOP use was what your were ranting about. I figured you had enough where with all to figure I was talking about DESKTOP use of Linux.

Now, Windows users and Mac users have no problem downloading applications and installing them whether they have root or not.
MAC I don't know. But Windows users, if they don't have the perms to install the apps in the directories typically owned by the system, they won;t get the programs installed.

Given that I don't manage the machine (actually I have broad sudo powers but why do I need that to install a friggin APP in $USER space - insanely stupid idea), how am I supposed to get firefox?
The point of that is, the machine is managed. You DO NOT NEED sudo to install an APP in $USER space. That is the point. sudo is an admin piece, and you are completely missing the point. sudo is for doing administrative things, like installing a shared application for the multi-users of the machine. If the machine only has one real user, why not make it easy and use sudo to change the root password, then login as root. Everything will then work like the way you want. Nevermind that you have just opened up the machine to being blown out of existence.

Hey, try runnig MAC OSX non-rootless or with the root account enabled and with shadow enabled. Then talk to me about how easy it is. It'll be just like any other *NIX platform.

If you want drool based installation potential, go use Linspire or Lycoris. They don't have none of this stinking "security" stuff enabled either.