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Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

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Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#81

Post by jrockway »

peregrine wrote: post #74
jrockway wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a MacBook Pro is the only choice Why do you say that? Thinkpads are built much better, and IMHO are better-looking. You should only get a MacBook Pro if you want to run OS X. If you are going to run Windows or a UNIX, you definitely want a Thinkpad. (Only disadvantage is that Thinkpads are a real pain in the ass to buy. "Ships in more than 4 weeks." Fuck.)

HP Compaq n series are really nice too you guys should check them out. Just like the think pad but less of a pain.

I don't see anything on HP's website about an "n series". Link?

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#82

Post by Tichy »

GeneralMaximus wrote: post #78
Tichy wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ubuntu is as low maintenance as it gets imo.

You say upgrading every 6 months is low maintainence? Not to mention having new versions of everything pushed to you every week. Sorry, but I just don't have the bandwidth for that kind of thing. If you had said Debian, I would have agreed, but Ubuntu is just a pain to maintain. I use PCLinuxOS on my PC. So far, I don't have any qualms. Simple, easy to use and new releases come out when the developers feel the time i…

There are the versions that are supported for 4 years. Boradband internet is good if you are running Ubuntu, that is true, but the actual effort of updating is not so bad (you could also automate it).

I have not yet run updates on my MacPort installation, but I would expect similar updates to Ubtuntu, except taking much longer (as MacPorts seems to compile everything on my Notebook, rather than downloading binaries). Or what do you mean by "everything"?

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#83

Post by jamesbritt »

graemep wrote: post #50
intranation wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mostly agreed, but beware that the UNIX layer on OS X is BSD-based rather than GNU/Linux-based, so it's not exactly the same as Ubuntu or Debian etc. The biggest win on OS X for me is all the slickness of the desktop (Ubuntu doesn't even come close), and adding easy virtualisation to drop into any OS you want (my choice is VMWare Fusion, but Parallels or Virtual Box work too). Best of both worlds.

Desktops are a matter of personal preference. I am a Linux Mint (Ubuntu with some additions) user. I have used other people's Macs occasionally and I dislike the desktop. The advantage Linux has is that if you do not like the desktop you can switch to another.

"I have used other people's Macs occasionally and I dislike the desktop."

Same here. I bought a Mac Mini for some dev work, and the UI drives me nuts. It's pretty, but so far requires way too much mousing and clicking.

I'm sure much of my angst is habituation from using a customized Kubuntu install, but as best I can tell those customizations are much easier in KDE than on the Mac.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#84

Post by pfedor »

nx wrote: post #9
makecheck wrote: post #3

Mac, most definitely. For one, Mac OS X comes with a Python version installed. It also comes with a whole toolbox of Unix utilities, including a number of text editors. (There are many other 3rd party text editors for the Mac, too. Though I stick with "vim" or Xcode myself, both of which are included.) You can't understate the value of being able to pop down to the Unix layer when needed. There are lots of times wher…

Excuse me, "PC" does not mean "Windows computer", so I'd pick a PC and install some Linux distro.

You can install Linux on a Mac these days too.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#88

Post by grinich »

You need to have access to and be competent on all systems.

My weapon of choice is the MacBook Pro. Pretty fast hardware. Swap in a 500gb hdd and triple (or more) boot os x, windows (xp and vista), ubuntu, bsd, etc.

Or you can get a bunch of different machines and use synergy. I found that to be most useful for testing web stuff across platforms.

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#89

Post by skwiddor »

Linux Box running proxmox virtualisation if you're serious about web developing you'll be wanting to test your sites in multiple versions of I.E, Firefox & Webkit & Opera. That means running Windows at some point, virtualisation is your best way. I run ProxMox virtualisation http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Main_Page which runs a Linux in OpenVZ for running the HTTPD stack and various 2k/XPs etc in Qemu.

But the answer shoudl really be : the one that runs the tools you use in the best possible way.

I run Plan9 for my text editing requirements and I say it was the best I've come across. so YMMV

Re: Ask HN: MAC vs PC for a developer?

#90

Post by astrodust »

sirsean wrote: post #19

Pick the PC. If you happen to be starting at the place I work, the only way I can get a Mac is if new employees say they want a PC. Otherwise I'm stuck. I don't know if I'm next on the list, but even if not that'd get me one step closer to my Mac. So, yes. That's why you should pick a PC.

So you pick the PC because there's a waiting list for the Macs?
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