Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop • Hacker News Board

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#331

Post by microtonal » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:26 AM UTC

konart wrote: post #135

ActorNightly wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>ther than messing around or spending days playing around with my setup or window manager. I don't get why this narravitve still exists today. Linux works out of the box on many distros perfectly fine. Keybindings are a very special use case, and if you need that customizability and its better on a Mac, then get a Mac. Doesn't mean that Macs are "more productive" If you want to argue actual semantics in terms of valu…

>If you like Mac, then stay on Mac, and stop publishing articles on how good Macs are and how Linux is neat, but your time is so valuable that you can't spend learning a few commaind line tools. "Stop writing good things about things I hate and bad things about things I like!" > don't get why this narravitve still exists today. Linux works out of the box on many distros perfectly fine. Yeah. And then you connect two…

Yeah. And then you connect two monitors with different scaling factor. Turns out X11 can't handle this and Wayland is still broken

Actually, this works fine in Wayland. I have used Wayland without any issues with amdgpu, including with mixed-DPI screens with GNOME's fractional scaling. However, things go downhill once you have to use X11 applications, and you typically do. E.g. JetBrains IDEs are a train wreck with fractional scaling enabled in GNOME on Wayland.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#332

Post by jhanschoo » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:28 AM UTC

angrais wrote: post #213

jbirer wrote: post #208

I am someone who has recently transitioned from Mac to Linux. Here were my grievances with Mac: - Lack of absolute control over the system: In linux I can increase inotify watchers, use a local version of whatever CLI I am working with i.e Docker (Docker is uncomfortable to use on Mac), apply patches to kernel modules if I need em, apply bugfixes instantly etc - The keyboard for my Macbook Pro 2015 has become sticky…

Why do you find docker uncomfortable to use on OSX? Also, what CLI replacement do you use on Linux?

Docker is installed different on Linux (as Docker Engine) vs. on Win and macOS (as Docker Desktop). A workflow or team assuming either would run into issues on the other. Most importantly Docker Engine runs as a service with root permissions whereas Docker Desktop implements a VM that hosts its services, with workflow implications for development where a host process and a container needs to communicate.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#333

Post by akra » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:29 AM UTC

jek0 wrote: post #125

akra wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People state consistent shortcut mapping is an advantage of using Mac but after 2 years of being required to use a Macbook Pro I'm not really sure about that - often they are more complicated IMO. I still miss built in Linux and Windows key mappings. For example Windows + Left to move the window on the left side of screen for side by side apps on the same screen. Great for remote demo's and coding sessions. Ctrl + Sh…

On a mac I can't live without "Magnet" [1]. It lets you do organize your windows in half/thirds of screens with simple keystrokes. That should be part of the OS. [1] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/magnet/id441258766?mt=12

Will try it out. Having said that it is on my Linux machine "for free". I'm not even quite sure if I'm allowed to use these paid apps on the Macbook Pro I've been given.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#334

Post by the_local_host » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:29 AM UTC

minimaul wrote: post #320

hansel_der wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> can not drive 4K and 2K external monitors via thunderbolt adapter. VGA ftw > screen tearing sucks it sure does. look into your os config for a compositor or drop the following into /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-intel.conf : Section "Device" Identifier "Intel Graphics" Driver "intel" Option "AccelMethod" "sna" Option "TearFree" "true" EndSection

However, TearFree does murder performance and lead to some horrible screen lag at times, and as an extra bonus AccelMethod sna is still crashy years after being introduced :( edit: there's also the modesetting driver + a reasonable compositor, but this can come with it's own set of bugs and issues in my experience.

I've been interested in recording music using free software on Linux. The exchange above is similar to the cycle I've been in... encountering problems, finding magical incantations that fix things in some ways but often involve some sort of tradeoff, and making gradual progress toward being as productive as I am using Apple's Logic.

But I've been doing this three steps forward, two steps back routine for like three years now. I have most things working but it has really taken the full force of my frustration with Apple to keep returning to it and making progress.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#335

Post by krzyk » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:30 AM UTC

rjzzleep wrote: post #285

LIV2 wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1. Carbon, due to it's intel chip, can not drive 4K and 2K external monitors via thunderbolt adapter. Is this a Linux only issue? I saw people reporting on Reddit that they are using 4k @ 60hz external monitors. Was thinking of getting an X1C but not if it can't do 4k

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a thunderbolt linux issue. The dell "docking station" usb-c hubs don't really work well with anything else than dell windows machines. Same with some lenovo bluetooth mice. I do remember however that contrary to macos my 2012 macbook air could drive higher resolution external monitors when running linux. So I'd put this into the Thunderbolt is a hackjob on linux box.

I think this might be issue with given laptop.

Some non-apple laptops sometimes reduce badwidth of thunderbold 3 (e.g. in mine t490s the bandwidth is halved, just because - this is hardware, not linux).

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#336

Post by willtim » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:30 AM UTC

input_sh wrote: post #304

willtim wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> all of the email clients on Linux were awful Thunderbird is pretty good and in my experience, less buggy than Apple Mail, especially when using providers other than iCloud. My wife absolutely hated Apple Mail, primarily because it would forget passwords and stop syncing/sending. So I moved her to Thunderbird and now she's happy.

I've been using Thunderbird for like a decade, but I've been spoiled by Fastmail's web interface so much that I now consider Thunderbird to be one giant mess from a UX perspective. Half the time I miss-click the first email and sort by subject. In what world would I want to sort my emails by subject!? Search vs. filter messages, I really don't need two search bars, one is fine. I'm annoyed that the default sort is ol…

Yes I agree, the UI is a mess and they have made some bad design decisions. One time I was on train with my network connection dropping constantly and Thunderbird was giving me a model pop-up dialogue each time! It still gives pop-ups for updates. But it's open-source, relatively stable and reliable, and that counts for a lot.

The sad fact is that there is simply no money in building email clients. Email is a legacy technology and arguably no longer fit for purpose. We need a new standard and that's not something that BigTech has delivered yet.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#337

Post by krzyk » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:32 AM UTC

karateka wrote: post #180

jeswin wrote: post #142

If you're complaining about Linux drivers please do so after using a Laptop that supports Linux (Thinkpads for example). Just like it wouldn't be fair to complain about macOS on a Hackintosh - sound didn't work well and had to patch the DSDT. > but there are rough edges for the power user. > I am an extreme power user, ... > In the end, I was able to replicate most of my macOS power tools setup via input hooks and sh…

> Finder is unbelievably bad compared to Nautilus Whats so bad about finder?

Both Finder nad Nautilus are bad. It's like using Explorer (not IE) in Windows.

CLI makes it better and if more graphical view is required then Midnight Commander on Linux/Mac or Total Commander on windows.

More about finder - why it doesn't show the whole path? It is like it was intentionally made not to trouble people with filesystems.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#338

Post by brabel » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:33 AM UTC

eertami wrote: post #317

I disagree. The hardware and build quality of the XPS13 is notably better than my MBP, except for better CPU performance which I do not notice at all in daily usage (I know all ultrabook keyboards are terrible but the MBP is an a whole other level of awful.) Linux on the XPS has surprised me. I hadn't used desktop Linux for ~6 years, but I remember lots of tinkering to get what I wanted. Now... If I had to describe i…

> The hardware and build quality of the XPS13 is notably better than my MBP

Strongly disagree... the trackpad is much worse on XPS13, and the power plug is a joke. Mine broke, I took it to a technician to fix and he said it's very common to break that on XPS13's, just have a look at the stupid plug they use... after that, the plug didn't quite fit anymore and when I tried to make it fit better, the metal base for the plug broke completely (and I was being really careful!). Now I have a plug hanging outside and the only way to fix it is to buy a new frame (which I haven't been able to so far).

Bought a MacBook Air to replace it and couldn't be happier with my choice... it's a bit slower but so much quieter, better hardware in every way, and MacOS is actually very polished compared to Ubuntu and KDE.

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#339

Post by Hamuko » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:34 AM UTC

karateka wrote: post #180

jeswin wrote: post #142

If you're complaining about Linux drivers please do so after using a Laptop that supports Linux (Thinkpads for example). Just like it wouldn't be fair to complain about macOS on a Hackintosh - sound didn't work well and had to patch the DSDT. > but there are rough edges for the power user. > I am an extreme power user, ... > In the end, I was able to replicate most of my macOS power tools setup via input hooks and sh…

> Finder is unbelievably bad compared to Nautilus Whats so bad about finder?

Not having used Nautilus, there's a bunch of bad things about the Finder I can complain about.

The tabs. First of all, they're Safari-style tabs and Safari has awful tabs. And then there's a preference called "open folders in new tabs instead of windows". Open up a Finder window, open Terminal and run `open /path/to/directory`. What happens? Directory opens in a new Finder window.

There's no way to have Finder remember what size a window should be. There's a bunch of tricks that people post online of how you can have Finder remember a window size but they don't work. It might register it on a folder-level but then you run `open /path/to/directory` and it opens up a postage stamp sized window (even though it should open a tab).

And where the hell is cut and paste?

Re: Fed up with the Mac, I spent six months with a Linux laptop

#340

Post by herbst » Sat, Apr 03, 2021, 9:35 AM UTC

one2three4 wrote: post #228

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're complaining about Linux drivers please do so after using a Laptop that supports Linux (Thinkpads for example). So I Googled “laptops supported by Linux”. There is no official site. Ubuntu has a page. But it’s not on the first page of results. I only know about it because I’m familiar with it. Supporters keeps arguing people should jump through hoops. I’m on Linux right now, but people have better things to…

+1 I find it absurd that (some) linux supporters find it not only ok but even a must, to have to tinker around your machine in order to make everything work. I could understand it in the 90s but this is a very different era we're in. I get zero value from having to tinker with my x-org settings to make the external screen work (sometimes). I'm using a computer to create value elsewhere and having to even think about…

Personally i think it is insane to install OSX or Windows for anyone who does not want to tinker these days. Why not just a major linux (maybe not ubuntu if you dont like tinkering, but fedora or so) so the box works without issues for more than a few months