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From OS X to Ubuntu

nicolas.perriault.net

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Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#201

Post by cube2222 »

hobarrera wrote: post #191
rl3 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We need another closed-source unix/linux-based operating system that throws away X.org and its attempted modern replacements, that can directly compete with OS X. In context of laptops, Microsoft is in a position to kick serious ass on this front should they wish to. Their Surface hardware line is vastly superior to Apple at the moment. Windows Subsystem For Linux (WSL) looks promising but is still in its infancy.…

I don't get why people insist that the whole "bash on windows" things makes it a suitable replacement for Linux. It's like when people say "oh, but OS X has a terminal as well". I don't use Linux just because of the terminal. Package managers (and the ability to deterministically install/uninstall packages!!) are one of the strongest pilars. WMs I like are another (we'll each have a preference, mine bine i3wm). And f…

If you don't get it, try it. It's not just bash. It's the whole Ubuntu userspace. Yes, you can use apt-get there.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#202

Post by akulbe »

artursapek wrote: post #110
timtadh wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux laptops: buy pre-installed. If you want linux and you want to be sure everything is functional, AND you don't want to devote lots of time to a "project" buy a pre-install. Dell Developer Edition laptops (XPS 13, 15) make great laptops. I hear good things about system 76 and purism as well. Save time. Support having good laptops and good drivers. Buy pre-installed. Paying the "windows tax" and installing a Linux…

Just a PSA from my own research recently: be careful with the XPS. https://www.google.com/search?q=xps+coil+whine As far as I know they haven't resolved it yet.

Does the coil whine only happen with Linux? or does it happen in Windows too?

Was thinking about the latest XPS w/Kaby Lake CPU... but this would give me pause.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#203

Post by 20after4 »

cube2222 wrote: post #201
hobarrera wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't get why people insist that the whole "bash on windows" things makes it a suitable replacement for Linux. It's like when people say "oh, but OS X has a terminal as well". I don't use Linux just because of the terminal. Package managers (and the ability to deterministically install/uninstall packages!!) are one of the strongest pilars. WMs I like are another (we'll each have a preference, mine bine i3wm). And f…

If you don't get it, try it. It's not just bash. It's the whole Ubuntu userspace. Yes, you can use apt-get there.

but it's _on windows_ so what's the point?

:P

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#204

Post by 20after4 »

qplex wrote: post #176
developer2 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Linux laptops: buy pre-installed. The fact that hardware - though much improved in the past 15 years - is still a crapshoot on Linux, particularly when it comes to laptop hardware, is so frustrating. Windows will work on practically any combination of hardware. OS X will work on any hardware it is permitted to operate on. Linux is the only consortium of operating systems that still suffer from the inability to "ju…

>OS X will work on any hardware it is permitted to operate on. I've actually hacked the OS X installer to work on an older MacBook that wasn't "supported" anymore. I think it was OS X 10.5 and the installer had something like this in there: if(MacBook Rather amusingly everything worked after I changed that one line in the script...

I did the exact same thing! I was a tiny bit proud of that clever hack. It was just too easy to really feel good about it though.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#205

Post by phongngtuan »

viraptor wrote: post #182
phongngtuan wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tbh that does not sound very good for a flagship model...

I've never seen a laptop actually survive longer than 7h practically. The advertised battery life may say >10, synthetic benchmarks may say a bit lower. But once you use it with wifi on, with proper brightness, actually doing some work - no - it always takes a big hit.

Did you try windows, or if linux with lightweight use, would it improve the battery life? I had a macbook pro for 4 years so battery degraded and the processor wasn't that efficient but anecdote for newer macbook rarely reports anything less than 6 hours. I'm interested in a X270 (for the battery) but then I read somewhere battery on linux is kinda unstable. What do you think?

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#207

Post by shmerl »

sk1pper wrote: post #31

IMO if money isn't an object, OS X is a better call when it comes to laptops. If money is tight, going for a Linux box is almost as good. Linux on desktops - as in, not a laptop - has worked pretty much flawlessly for me for >10 years. Not much else to say there. If desktop or server, this shouldn't be a discussion. As far as laptops go, I've just had better experiences with macbooks. Linux on a laptop is still 100%…

> and god forbid, wirless

Stick to Intel WiFi chips, and you'll be OK. They provide an open driver (iwlwifi). Second best is probably Qualcomm Atheros (ath10k), also open driver. Stay away from the rest.

Intel 802.11ac cards work really well on Linux. The only problem with laptops can be nasty blacklisting (Lenovo is notorious for that). I.e. if you buy a WiFi card separately and it's not from the "approved" list, the UEFI firmware will reject it preventing computer from booting, and there is almost nothing you can do about it, except buying a card with correct ID from the "approved" list. Not sure if other manufacturers are as nasty, but I encountered this with Lenovo.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#208

Post by Theodores »

colemickens wrote: post #107
sk1pper wrote: post #31

IMO if money isn't an object, OS X is a better call when it comes to laptops. If money is tight, going for a Linux box is almost as good. Linux on desktops - as in, not a laptop - has worked pretty much flawlessly for me for >10 years. Not much else to say there. If desktop or server, this shouldn't be a discussion. As far as laptops go, I've just had better experiences with macbooks. Linux on a laptop is still 100%…

Does anyone ever try to install Windows from scratch on these new laptops? They have far more problems than Linux out of the box - no Wifi drivers, no correct display driver so everythings stuck at 1024x768. No touchpad driver on one of them. Meanwhile, I've installed Arch and NixOS on a Chromebook Pixel 2013, Chromebook Pixel 2015, Lenovo X1 Carbon and a 2015 Macbook Pro in the last 18 months. Never had a significan…

I think you are onto something with running linux on a Chromebook. For years I have struggled with deaf wi-fi on laptops running Ubuntu, I spend half my evenings reconnecting the wifi on a Lenovo laptop, and that is with an external wifi dongle as there is no chance of getting the internal wifi working.

I am writing this on a Chromebook Pixel 2013 variant, the wifi on this machine and every other Chromebook I have used is rock solid. I like the 'design classic' aspect of the Pixel (original flavour) and I didn't want to take it to pieces or leave it broken. Therefore, new Chromebook. My new cheap (£250) Chromebook is the Asus one with the HD screen, zero moving parts and a tough aluminium case. Everything on it works except for the internal speakers (sound is on HDMI) but I don't need sound to read my emails and write stuff in 'vi'.

Rather than go for an esoteric linux I went for the ease of Gallium OS. This is an XFCE Ubuntu with all the hardware sorted except that HDMI sound problem...

Now for ports... I presume next-gen Chromebooks will be USB-C, I just wanted a glorified keyboard/screen with wifi that worked, however, the ports are proper ones on the Chromebook, no fiddly mini HDMI or other leads that restrict the movement of the laptop. Battery life - realistically I can go all day but I get range anxiety if I do that so I carry the brick.

I run DHCP on the cheap Chromebook complete with a reverse proxy so that my dev environment (still on the old laptop) can be worked on via the Chromebook (which runs keyboard/mouse sharing via Synergy) and via the phone/tablet for testing.

I believe that the next generation Chromebooks are going to solve a lot of problems for me, my cheap chromebook doesn't do sound, the screen is non-touch but HD, the keyboard is not backlit (I use an external keyboard now) and I am not sure it has a CPU... I wonder if the android running next-gen Chromebooks will eat into the non-pro, non-developer market that Apple are trying to make their own, if this does happen then the Apple market share will start to diminish.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#209

Post by ravirajx7 »

There may be 1000s of reasons for using linux distro which i genuinely don't know about but one thing which i have noticed is that linux requires lot of time setting things up. There is terminal for you to work as app store and there is app store also ( though this app store doesn't have that many apps). I have used ubuntu,debian,manjaro,budgie remix and things which i have found buggy about all of these distros are it's Wi-Fi support (like it supports my mobile hotspot but I don't know why it's buggy with my college wifi and i still can't access internet over my college hotspot) Maybe I'm noob? and i don't know how to solve many of its issues. But genuinely speaking do i need that much of skill just to run an os? Seriously? i never ever had any problem using windows. Some other issues with Linux distros include its Bluetooth support which also stuck. I mean why do i need to invest so much of time putting apt get install xyz? After finding commands over internet. Even basic file managers and many packages like media plugings etc. you need to update time to time which means for you to use linux distro efficiently you need to be connected with internet. Ever tried using Linux without internet? Use it once you'll feel the boredom using it. The main reason i still use linux is just fan following ( i.e. its Internet based reviews its virus security and all that which you too know about ). And all being said i have lost so many files because whole of my os just crashed several times without me knowing any reason? And one more you know? you can't use windows hard disk drive without shutting down or logging your windows off properly. I mean why do i need to put this much of effort just to use this linux distro? Though on the other side you are skipping windows gold class desktop environment and its user friendliness. You have to put some more effort again to play games. I'm amazed how people love complex things than the easier one.

Re: From OS X to Ubuntu

#210

Post by sedatk »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #77

I went in the opposite direction. I downloaded Slackware over a 2400bud modem, and have used Linux ever since then. For a long time, Linux was my principle OS for a laptop, but occasionally using OS X on a Mac laptop. I have mostly been retired for a long while, and usually try to limit my work time to 4 hours a day. I want that 4 hours to be as productive as possible, and right now my little MacBook is a bit more pr…

> I downloaded Slackware over a 2400bud modem

That is some serious phone bill.

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