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Linux has better hardware support than OS X

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Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#21

Post by driverdan »

Valid points but the author highlights one of the original reasons I switched from a ThinkPad running Linux to a MacBook. All high end Linux laptops have driver issues, including ThinkPads. Last thing I knew you still couldn't switch between discreet NVIDIA graphics and the Intel 4000 without a reboot. I've been told some laptops still have issues with sleep / hibernation.

Maybe the Dell XPS 13 highlighted in the article works well (no discreet video) but for that price I can buy a MacBook with equal specs that will natively run Adobe products.

I'd prefer to run Linux on hardware with smaller margins but until there is a reference system (or at least one that works flawlessly) I'll stick with Apple.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#22

Post by fragmede »

city41 wrote: post #4

That's not a double standard at all . OSX having superior hardware support because it runs in a walled garden on hand picked hardware from Apple themselves is entirely by design and something Apple put a lot of energy, money and dedication into. OSX absolutely should benefit from this over other OSes, as it did not come for free.

The author's point is that there IS handpicked hardware from Lenovo (for certain models), by design, and something Intel, among others, put a lot of energy, money and dedication into. Linux absolutely should benefit from this over other OSes, as it did not come for free.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#23

Post by driverdan »

DrJokepu wrote: post #10

Linux doesn't "just work" on Apple hardware. None of the major distros can currently get the Ethernet adapter on recent Mac Minis working. As a result, we have to run OS X on a bunch of Mac Mini servers we've planned to run Linux on.

The article didn't claim it did.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#24

Post by taeric »

kryten wrote: post #9
taeric wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having been away from the Windows world for so long, I'm curious just how different it actually is. Sure, there are obvious choices for business use in many fields. Even Office is a somewhat obvious choice for most places. However, as a standard consumer, it is much too expensive to "just have." And, really, finding the correct software to just "make a greeting card" or something similar is terrible. Then there is th…

As a Windows and Linux user on a daily basis, I'll tell you that no-one bothers with Office unless they are running a business. Everyone else seems happy with ancient copies of OpenOffice that their cheap laptop came with or LibreOffice if they have to get involved in installing anything. Also, people don't organise photos with additional software now. Windows Explorer itself is pretty damn good at it to be honest an…

I know my wife wanted a windows computer specifically for Excel. She did not realize it costs a good deal extra, so was delighted when I installed LibreOffice. (Other computing devices are kindles. Had a chromebook for a time.) So, there is still some desire for the basic programs. I agree that LibreOffice is more than good enough for the task, though.

I don't think I could handle Explorer to support my workflow for managing photos. And it is a simple workflow. (First, copy everything over, then go through "flagging" all pictures I like, then go through flagged items and trim duplicates or ones that just aren't as good, finally basic color correction and upload somewhere for family.) I confess the shotwell program is not the best. Though I can not say what it is I don't care for on it.

Glad to hear the printer situation has improved. I just remember having more success with my Linux machines on just getting something printed. To the point that it was highly frustrating that it would not just print in Windows.

Sorry to hear you have power management issues. I don't think I have hit those. Though... I also do not make regular use of hibernating a computer. What is the main advantage of that?

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#25

Post by steveklabnik »

primelens wrote: post #19

Change the statement to "OS X has better hardware support on the Mac" (and conversely Linux has better support than OS X on everything non-Mac) and there would be no need for this article. One's a walled garden - albeit I am glad that it's at least a POSIX garden - and another is a truly open platform running on every hardware imaginable. It's like saying iOS sucks on the Google Nexus or Android sucks on iPhones.

Right, but people don't make that argument, they say "I'll switch to Linux when it has as good of hardware support as OS X does." At least in my circles.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#26

Post by TheLegace »

kryten wrote: post #5
general_failure wrote: post #2

The current problem with linux is apps and the desktop itself. Apps - where do I start? There are so many to choose from, yet most will never do the complete job. Most desktop environments have devolved into a sorry state in the name of 'organic UI' and mostly unusable graphics animations by the window managers. Things are becoming much easier these days though since everything is moving to the cloud and steam has ar…

I disagree. The default gnome2 desktop (provided by Mate) is top notch. Outside of this there are a core of decent, consistent apps and an ancillary of total crap. This is the same with Windows and OS-X. In fact most non-core Windows and OSX apps are absolutely criminal. Sure the cloud and Steam are more convenient, but this form of convenience will be the fall of us all and convert us into consumption targets ready…

I don't know I disagree too. I know GNOME3 might not be for everyone, but I honestly feel my desktop experience is almost perfect(there are some fancy things even I would like though). When I use OSX or (shudder) Windows I feel very constrained, and feel like I have to many actions to complete to get to my objective.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#27

Post by DanBC »

cabirum wrote: post #13

Linux "supports" most of current hardware by using generic drivers offering minimal functionality for any given device. The device will work, but not any of it's non-standard or advanced features. E.g. want to switch DPI in your new shiny Logitech mouse? Or customize behavior of it's buttons? Nope, sorry, not supported. I, for one, do not consider this a supported hardware, even if basic functionality is there.

Linux's "basic functionality" used the full resolution of my integrated graphics card to allow me to run my monitor at native resolution. Windows 7's basic functionality didn't let me run my monitor at native resolution, thus I had to put up with blurry fonts until I downloaded the (huge!) new driver.

At the moment there's lots of anecdote - "This worked under one OS, but not the other" - but a comprehensive review of hardware support in modern OSs would be handy.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#28

Post by edent »

Interestingly, I run Ubuntu on a MacBook and a MacBook Air. As they are a "fixed" target, I figured that at least one developer would have made sure that they "just worked". And, indeed, they did.

The installation tutorial was comprehensive, the out of the box experience was great, and upgrades have gone smoothly.

The only thing to note was that I was able to manually update the WiFi drivers for (supposedly) better performance if I wanted. Power consumption seems marginally higher, but I don't run the same profile of programs in OSX.

Having a fixed target is really good for Linux to show how it can shine - and I hope that Dell and Ubuntu continue to make perfectly matched hardware and software.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#29

Post by tobych »

rubiquity wrote: post #17

It's always been a little mind boggling to me that in Web Development where we deploy to Linux servers nearly 100% of the time so many people, especially in the Ruby community, develop using OS X instead. Personally, I use OS X at work because that's what my employer gave me but at home I use Linux that runs just about perfect with a Dell Vostro laptop. That said, there are some great, modern tools that people have m…

Do people really do this on the native OS on a Mac? I use Macs for all my work, but we deploy to Linux, so that's what runs in all the VMs I run on my Mac. Currently I even use Eclipse in an Ubuntu VM to do the work. I wouldn't know how to install a package on my Mac if I tried, and given that all the production machines run on Linux, I've never seen the need.

Re: Linux has better hardware support than OS X

#30

Post by wmoxam »

rubiquity wrote: post #17

It's always been a little mind boggling to me that in Web Development where we deploy to Linux servers nearly 100% of the time so many people, especially in the Ruby community, develop using OS X instead. Personally, I use OS X at work because that's what my employer gave me but at home I use Linux that runs just about perfect with a Dell Vostro laptop. That said, there are some great, modern tools that people have m…

It makes no sense to miss brew on Linux ... The only reason brew exists is because OSX doesn't have an official package manager.

Also what problems did you have with rbenv on Linux? It seemed to work just fine the last time I used it ...

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