The top three most important features:
1.SSD
2.SSD
3.SSD
It's amazing. If you're contemplating getting a new machine, you can probably get by with adding an SSD. They're incredible.
Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
21–30 of 60 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#22Linux desktop day job, Mac laptop at home for thesis hacking.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#23Currently using a netbook with Ubuntu 11.04 on it. Absolutely hating that I updated, because Unity is just barely able to run on it. I'm in the middle of a few projects, otherwise I'd take the time to either try out Unity 2D or go for something like Arch or Fedora. But, I've already decided to pick-up a Macbook Air as soon as the product line is refreshed. I _want_ to like Linux on the "desktop" and continue using it…
Have you tried disabling Unity? http://www.mysensetechnology.com/2011/04/ubuntu-1104-how-to-...
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#24Thinkpad X201, Archlinux, xmonad, luks full root encryption.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#25The default config for server engineers @ foursquare:
15" MBP, 2.2GHz quad-core i7, 8GB ram, 256GB SSD, external 24" dell flatscreen, external mouse and/or keyboard to taste.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#26Fedora XFCE desktop. Also Fedora on laptop, netbook and servers. Non-tech wife: Fedora desktop too.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#27Fedora.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#28I'm always really surprised to see the large representation of Macs in the hacker community. Apple seems to be loved by consumers, which no doubt makes people want to target things like the iPhone. But I admit I haven't bought anything from them because from my perspective their policies seem to be generally hostile to developers, and they seem to advocate the most-walled garden that they can get away with. I'm guess…
The point of people using OS X is that it works out of the box with things like power management, has great software design, runs a legitimate unix CLI, and has solid commercial apps like MS Office and Adobe CS.
In the portable realm other OS's fail on at least some/all of these points, hence all the Mac laptop users.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#29Currently using a netbook with Ubuntu 11.04 on it. Absolutely hating that I updated, because Unity is just barely able to run on it. I'm in the middle of a few projects, otherwise I'd take the time to either try out Unity 2D or go for something like Arch or Fedora. But, I've already decided to pick-up a Macbook Air as soon as the product line is refreshed. I _want_ to like Linux on the "desktop" and continue using it…
>>The applications just aren't even close to being where I'd need them to be
I am a Mac/Linux user. My application problem is the opposite -- apt on Ubuntu is much less pain than port on the Mac.
Re: Ask HN: What is your primary development machine?
#30I'm always really surprised to see the large representation of Macs in the hacker community. Apple seems to be loved by consumers, which no doubt makes people want to target things like the iPhone. But I admit I haven't bought anything from them because from my perspective their policies seem to be generally hostile to developers, and they seem to advocate the most-walled garden that they can get away with. I'm guess…
Developing FOR the Apple garden is different than developing WITHIN the Apple garden.
Simply put, the Mac is probably the best development platform for a number of reasons. The hardware is generally top notch, the platform is, despite a lot of add-ons, nix-based (which means you have Vim, access to perl, python, ruby, Bash shell), can be dual-booted into Windows for access to Windows-only tools (Visual Studio, for example) and IS the only acceptable development platform for Mac tools.
In short, if I want to do Mac development, I have to have a Mac; and there's little that the Mac can't do for any other platforms.