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Switching from macOS: The Basics

blog.elementary.io

41–50 of 610 posts

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#42
post #31
post #26

Elementary is quite nice on HiDPI until you use apps which need other graphics toolkits...

The Linux world should really get together and bang out a solution for the hiDPI problem that is consistent across X servers and window managers.

Most apps I use on Ubuntu work well on hidpi. The main problem I face is when I connect my laptop with 4k screen with some external monitor with 2k or 1080p display.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#43
post #24

How does this compare to Ubuntu Desktop? Why would I use one over the other? I ask as somebody who used to use Ubuntu a few years ago, and wants to switch back to Linux in the next few months.

In my very limited experience, Elementary is really minimal and tries hard to get out of the way, but it provides what is still fundamentally a desktop/mouse-oriented interface: you have a dock, a systray, and a "Start" menu.

Ubuntu veered towards the touch stuff, using nontraditional approaches; I honestly get lost these days when I have to use it.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#44
post #24

How does this compare to Ubuntu Desktop? Why would I use one over the other? I ask as somebody who used to use Ubuntu a few years ago, and wants to switch back to Linux in the next few months.

The best answer to this would be to try out both using a live USB. You really have to use elementary to see the differences. But as mentioned, it's based on Ubuntu so all apps that run on Ubuntu will also run on elementary.

I prefer it over Ubuntu because the UI makes more sense to me than Ubuntu's Unity.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#45
post #39

I'm really hoping this is just a phase. Hoping that Apple will reduce prices of new laptops and we'll be back to normal. Right now everybody is using Macs. Walk into the Bay Area coffee shop, you see Macs everywhere. I love that. I build desktop software for Macs (focuslist.co). My apps are prettier than any others. They are easier and faster to use. This is the reason why people pay me $5 while they can get the job…

> Take Mac away and high quality desktop apps will go away.

Well... no. Ubuntu, Gnome, KDE, XFCE; they are all high quality desktops. Don't mix the desktop with the applications you're running on it.

> We'll have to endure multi-platform Electron stuff.

Now that is indeed a real issue, and yes, ugh.

Edit: I've misread the original, sorry, so adding a few things: if you're using the default apps or the ones built for that specific environment only, you're good to go with GTK3, QT, whatever. The trouble comes when you mix these, but that is true even for the MacOS. Personally I really dislike the approach of Chrome, not giving a s* how it _should_ look like to look at least a little native.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#46
post #24

How does this compare to Ubuntu Desktop? Why would I use one over the other? I ask as somebody who used to use Ubuntu a few years ago, and wants to switch back to Linux in the next few months.

I'm (slowly) switching from Mac to Linux, and in the process I tried a lot of options. I settled on Ubuntu as my preferred distro for several reasons (although I liked a lot about Fedora too), but I think the choice of desktop is most personal preference. Unity, GNOME, MATE and Xfce all have offical Ubuntu flavo(u)rs and work well, while Elementary uses an Ubuntu base which is nearly the same thing. (Lately I'm mostly using Xfce/Xubuntu.)

The great thing is that they all use the same core system, so try them, or even install them at the same time (except Elementary), and use them until you find your favorite.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#47
Perhaps I am just dense, but the article references, specifically, the "Pro" market. For most pros that I know (and I am among them), our OS choice is often based on our tools, not the other way around. If I need Photoshop, Lightroom, Logic Pro, Visual Studio, etc., switching will be quite a chore. For the average user, this is probably a much more appealing argument.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#48
post #34
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> would any security-conscious person NOT recommend Chrome? Would any security-conscious person DO recommend a browser made by an advertising company for datamining purposes? Firefox is a much better choice for the privacy/security-aware individual.

But privacy != security. Chrome implements the most security mitigations compared to all other browsers.

Do you any source to back that up? This is the first time I hear something like that.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#50
post #45
post #39

I'm really hoping this is just a phase. Hoping that Apple will reduce prices of new laptops and we'll be back to normal. Right now everybody is using Macs. Walk into the Bay Area coffee shop, you see Macs everywhere. I love that. I build desktop software for Macs (focuslist.co). My apps are prettier than any others. They are easier and faster to use. This is the reason why people pay me $5 while they can get the job…

> Take Mac away and high quality desktop apps will go away. Well... no. Ubuntu, Gnome, KDE, XFCE; they are all high quality desktops. Don't mix the desktop with the applications you're running on it. > We'll have to endure multi-platform Electron stuff. Now that is indeed a real issue, and yes, ugh. Edit: I've misread the original, sorry, so adding a few things: if you're using the default apps or the ones built for…

I think his point was that the Apple/Mac ethos foster high quality design and attention to detail, which is applied when developers build apps for the Mac.
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