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Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

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Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#111

Post by megamark16 »

bradleyland wrote: post #60
megamark16 wrote: post #56

I use a MBP at work and I'm not really a huge fan. I find the interface requires that I use the mouse way to often, and I have to know all Apple's special key combinations to get anything done. I spend most of my time in my Ubuntu virtual machine, and I wish I were booting Ubuntu natively, but I just haven't had time get it working correctly. I am also in the market for a new dev machine for personal use, and I'm lea…

> I find the interface requires that I use the mouse way to often, and I have to know all Apple's special key combinations to get anything done If you expect to get anything done without using the mouse, knowing all the "special key combinations" is a pre-requisite for any OS. I hate to be the kool-aid drinker that jumps to Apple's defense, but I hear a lot of complaints about OS X keyboard accessibility that simply…

Wow, none of my mac using coworkers told me about this, through all my complaints about not being able to use the keyboard in dialogs (escape, spacebar, enter, arrow keys, seriously?). You may have just solved most of my problems. Thanks!

I'm still getting a ThinkPad for personal development projects, but my work laptop just became much more usable.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#112

Post by megamark16 »

buro9 wrote: post #76
yummyfajitas wrote: post #69

If you want to do development in a language other than python/ruby, or even want to use python libraries written in c, avoid the macbook. If you are certain you will stick to {svn, git, django, python, vim}, you'll be fine. My mac ownership timeline: Day 1: Ooh, pretty. 2-3 days: I fucking hate iTunes. Luckily ports install mpd works. 1 month: Ooh, the pretty magsafe connector saved me from dropping it when I tripped…

Uncanny. I'm also 4 months in and am running Ubuntu in VMWare. That's now where I spend all of my time and I'm wondering why I haven't just dual-booted already or just over-written the OSX partition.

Are you me? 'Cause you sound just like me. I've even installed Ubuntu on a separate partition via Boot Camp, but I haven't had time to get all the stuff that doesn't work out of the box working. Maybe that will be my weekend project, we'll see... Good luck to you...me?

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#113

Post by jacoblyles »

Jun8 wrote: post #68

I went through the same exact process you are going through a few months ago, my manager wanted to replace our laptops with new, Linux-based ones and asked us what to get. I switched to a 15" MBP, being never a Mac person before. The first week or so was painful. Mac OS wasn't as intuitive as I though it would be and it may be hard to find how to do things as a power Linux user. But after that initial learning curve,…

I feel stupid whenever I sit down at a computer without multi-touch and spotlight now. The software of a mac is just so nice and polished.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#114

Post by babeKnuth »

bradendouglass wrote: post #103
tkaemming wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Odd — I'm running Snow Leopard and haven't had any issues with many of the libraries or apps you mentioned (boost, ampqlib, postgresql), although it's probably worth noting that I installed them all through Homebrew ( http://www.github.com/mxcl/homebrew/ ).

Same here, homebrew rocks Fink and Macports way out of the water. If you need any type of packet management and you are on a Mac, it should be your go to option.

sex packet management?

homebrew is definitely the true sound of the digital underground

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#115

Post by thecoffman »

yummyfajitas wrote: post #69

If you want to do development in a language other than python/ruby, or even want to use python libraries written in c, avoid the macbook. If you are certain you will stick to {svn, git, django, python, vim}, you'll be fine. My mac ownership timeline: Day 1: Ooh, pretty. 2-3 days: I fucking hate iTunes. Luckily ports install mpd works. 1 month: Ooh, the pretty magsafe connector saved me from dropping it when I tripped…

I do my primary development on a Mac and haven't had problems with boost, etc. I occasionally run into dependency problems or other frustrations, but no more than I would on any other system. I just enjoy the overall flexibility of having the POSIX system for development, but a ui that doesn't look and work like it thrown together by some kid in a garage when I want just want to web surf or play media, etc. I would highly recommend going the Mac route personally , but it really boils down to personal preference.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#116

Post by kaens »

mahmud wrote: post #29

You can't go wrong with a Thinkpad, in fact, I wouldn't use any other laptop if it came free. I ran thinkpads exclusively for the last 10 years. My last desktop machine had an AMD Duron and 256 megs, that's long ago it was. They're not the most good looking, but they're rugged and functional as hell. A Thinkpad looks the same after 5 years, most others peel and scratch. When I was backpacking, my road-mate had his ma…

T410 here, after a long stint with a T41. It's a solid, solid machine.

And it has channels in it that will drain liquids spilled on it away from components and through little holes in the body! I have not, and do not intend to test this.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#117

Post by kls »

qjz wrote: post #86
kls wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, I was more offended by words being placed in my mouth. Whether it is UNIX or not is irrelevant to me if it does what I need it to do, I don't really get hung up in the dogma.

I think the "you" was directed hypothetically at the reader, not you specifically. trevelyan makes some good points. I love my MBP, but consider it more of a host machine than a development machine. I do most of my development in VMs or while logged into various Linux machines. If you've never used OS X before, there are a few gotchas that can make it less suitable for cross platform development. Aside from Apple's u…

If it was directed at a hypothetical reader, it was still implied that I represent the position that OSX = UNIX, based on the contents of my post. Which was never implied in my post.

I may have been a little too jumpy and he may have meant no harm by it, but people putting words in my mouth annoys me to no end. Many times It is used as a deception to falsely strengthen their position.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#118

Post by robin_reala »

qjz wrote: post #70
mahmud wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The battery part is actually true, but I thought it was only me because I use older TP models. My girlfriend's HP gets at least half a day. I don't think she even bothers to charge it during the day. But hers is a crap laptop with lousy, fragile keys; short screen (WTF IS THAT?) that's twice as wide than it's tall, and sucks for everything but listening to music.

I loved my T41p. It was so pleasant to use that it became my main workstation. Unfortunately, the battery stopped holding a decent charge and the fan stopped completely. Since Macs were growing in popularity, I needed one for testing, so I made the switch to a 17" MBP. It was rough at first (I really miss the pointing stick, extra trackpad buttons, and the incredible range of the hinge on the T41p), but after three y…

I was a TrackPoint junkie until I got myself a unibody Macbook Pro. That was the first trackpad I actively enjoyed using, and now I honestly wouldn’t want to go back.

Re: Ask HN: Best Developer Linux Laptop?

#119

Post by sushi »

I use Ubuntu on my Dell Inspiron 1525 and it serves my purpose well but because I also have to use Photoshop a lot I have Windows in partition.

I will die out of joy the day Photoshop comes to Ubuntu. That is the ONLY reason I have Windows installed.

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