Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

news.ycombinator.com

81–90 of 157 posts

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#82
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>"- vertically integrated and sells a very narrow selection of hardware" Or maybe this really is just the 10%, as we will both agree that this part is also true for every single Windows PC laptop OEM - Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer etc.

That's....not even remotely true. First of all, they are by definition not vertically integrated, because the same company doesn't create the hardware and the OS. Second of all, have you actually compared the selection of hardware between Apple and any of these brands? I'll admit it's been a little while since I tried to give someone recommendations on a Windows machine, but the selection is just dizzying, and not in…

>First of all, they are by definition not vertically integrated, because the same company doesn't create the hardware and the OS.

What matters is that they put the combined product through mostly the same testing. While the PC OEMs have only some to say about Windows' direction, they have the same experience picking components and integrating for Windows as Apple has for macOS.

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#83
post #15

My personal experience is that it's been like this for years already. I'm mostly using laptops (Dell XPS at the moment) with some Ubuntu-derived distro with KDE Plasma on top, bluetooth peripherals, external monitor, and external USB-connected drives, and it all just... works. Other people are reporting less good experiences, of course, so anecdotes aren't worth too much. I think the real answer is that macOS runs on…

And even then they struggle. macOS has plenty of bugs. It’s nowhere near as stable or reliable as say IOS.

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#85
Been running Linux (Fedora) as my primary OS for well over a decade. My experience is that it has been in the "Just Works" category for at least 8+ years. Although the last 5 have been particularly good in terms of UI polish and quality of life enhancements. Combine that with the underlying power and flexibility that Linux provides and it's hard to beat.

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#88

MacOS is owned by private comapny and hence run like a centralized dictatorship. Whereas Linux is FOSS, so largely decentralized without anyone coordinating the efforts in order to provide a nice, unified experience (Ubuntu is trying to do that, but they don't have nearly enough money).

Apple is a publicly owned company with shareholders.

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#89
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's....not even remotely true. First of all, they are by definition not vertically integrated, because the same company doesn't create the hardware and the OS. Second of all, have you actually compared the selection of hardware between Apple and any of these brands? I'll admit it's been a little while since I tried to give someone recommendations on a Windows machine, but the selection is just dizzying, and not in…

>First of all, they are by definition not vertically integrated, because the same company doesn't create the hardware and the OS. What matters is that they put the combined product through mostly the same testing. While the PC OEMs have only some to say about Windows' direction, they have the same experience picking components and integrating for Windows as Apple has for macOS.

That's still missing the point.

Apple isn't just "picking components and integrating". They make the whole thing from scratch to work together.

Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?

#90

To people commenting how "well if you install Linux the right way on the right hardware like this here purpose-built laptop, it also 'just works'", what the OP is trying to underline isn't just the technical aspect of the OS booting flawlessly and recognizing its periphery, but also the whole experience that comes after. One special part of this, which is easily overseen, is the fact that Apple has poured hundreds of…

> HIG (human interface guidelines) studies, which is something no other vendor has bothered themselves with.

Many platforms (including KDE and Gnome) have UI design guidelines. https://usabilitygeek.com/usability-user-experience-user-int... lists some.

Post reply on HN