Understanding Process Management
Tiger is composed of many different cooperating processes. This is not particular to Mac OS X, but is also the norm for Unix. Instead of a monolithic OS and user interface environment, Unix and (even more so) the Mach kernel on which Mac OS X is based both operate as collections of a large number of cooperating programs. These programs create the illusion and functional experience of a seamless interface but provide considerably more flexibility in the user's ability to modify things to suit his particular needs.
For example, with Classic Mac OS, you're used to having a clock in the menu bar, and having the option to turn it on or off and perhaps set the font. This functionality is a built-in part of the operating ...
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