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Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

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Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#81

Post by anko »

kayoone wrote: post #77
bowlofpetunias wrote: post #63

I've used Linux for years. I've even used Linux on the first Macs I ever had. In the end, I found it just cost me too much time, especially if I wanted to keep it running on the hardware of my choice, which will most likely remain Apple. And I'm not compromising my hardware choice, as long as other manufacturers can't be bothered to invest as much in excellent product design. Also, having so much freedom to choose an…

I agree. Id say the Linux desktop will probably never drastically improve because of this massive NIH-syndrome. So much development resources go into maintaining dozens of forks of popular Desktop enviroments (Unity, Gnome3, Mate, Cinnamon, GnomeShell, KDE, XFCE etc) that its not even funny anymore. Choice isnt always good. The sheer flexibility and number of choices for each and every part of the linux desktop world…

> The sheer flexibility and number of choices for each and every part of the linux desktop world makes the whole experience chaotic, inconsistent, buggy and complex to setup and maintain.

I think that's what vendors like ubuntu should be for. They should focus on stability and planning.

Instead they just keep doing their own thing for a audience that might very well not exist.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#82

Post by CrankyPants »

asiekierka wrote: post #28

I switched a few months ago from Linux to OS X. The OSS desktop is not yet ready, but I believe that it can be ready in a matter of two, three years.

It's been two to three years away for about ten to fifteen years now.

You're right, but just don't expect it to be there in two to three years.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#83

Post by shapeshed »

If you run Linux in a VM on VirtualBox on OSX you get the best of both worlds. If you are curious it is a great way to experiment.

The other point to make is that if you use terminal POSIX compliant tools (vim, mutt, tmux) and favour web applications over native ones you can create a highly portable environment so the choice of underlying OS becomes a subjective question of taste.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#84

Post by Tsiolkovsky »

mindcrime wrote: post #23

I switched from a combination of OS/2 and Windows 95 / Windows 2000 TO Linux as my primary desktop OS about 13 years ago, and have never looked back. You can have my Fedora Linux desktop when you pry it from my cold, dead, fingers. As for OS X... I'm sure it's nice, but I have no interest in Apple and their locked down, proprietary, closed off, "walled garden" ecosystem. I'm no rms , but I have little to no use for s…

Couldn't agree more about KDE Plasma desktop. I've used most desktops there are and switched to KDE Plasma about a year ago (I used GNOME2 until then, don't like GNOME3 and Unity at all) and boy, KDE Plasma is by far the best desktop I have ever used. Looks great, has awesome usability (once you get used to it) and it is very flexible so you can adapt it almost perfectly to the way you work. Realy awesome.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#85

Post by kayoone »

anko wrote: post #81
kayoone wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Id say the Linux desktop will probably never drastically improve because of this massive NIH-syndrome. So much development resources go into maintaining dozens of forks of popular Desktop enviroments (Unity, Gnome3, Mate, Cinnamon, GnomeShell, KDE, XFCE etc) that its not even funny anymore. Choice isnt always good. The sheer flexibility and number of choices for each and every part of the linux desktop world…

> The sheer flexibility and number of choices for each and every part of the linux desktop world makes the whole experience chaotic, inconsistent, buggy and complex to setup and maintain. I think that's what vendors like ubuntu should be for. They should focus on stability and planning. Instead they just keep doing their own thing for a audience that might very well not exist.

Exactly. Ubuntu started out to be the mainstream distro that just makes the linux desktop experience smooth and free of worries, but instead they now build just another desktop experience on their own. Even for Ubuntu you have Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Mint and-i-dont-know-what else...thats just the wrong approach imo.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#86

Post by rob05c »

jzelinskie wrote: post #48
jmduke wrote: post #15

I'll say something that's vaguely awful: what's in it for me? I use Linux at work and it's not bad , but I'm less productive on it with 95% of tasks than I would be with OSX. It looks worse (I recognize this is subjective.) A lot of my friends use Linux and tell me that if I spend the right amount of time tinkering with it -- making it mine -- I'd reap the benefits of a bespoke OS, just like slipping on a suit that's…

>A lot of my friends use Linux and tell me that if I spend the right amount of time tinkering with it -- making it mine -- I'd reap the benefits of a bespoke OS, just like slipping on a suit that's tailored just for me. If you do things like change your keyboard layout to Dvorak/Colemak, go for it. It really is a more productive environment once you're used to it, but the trade-offs are similar. Yes, you can tailor e…

> I came from Arch Linux to OSX. I find the tight integration between hardware and software...

I just went the other direction :). I agree, the hardware/driver issues are a pain. If you're using a desktop without wireless, you probably won't have issues. If you pick Ubuntu, any issues usually aren't too hard to fix.

If you're trying to install something like FreeBSD on a laptop with a non-broadcom card? God have mercy on your soul :(

That said, once you fix the issues, they're usually fixed for good. It's just the matter of the week of banging your head against the wall to figure it out. Relevant: http://xkcd.com/979/

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#87

Post by gnaffle »

kayoone wrote: post #77
bowlofpetunias wrote: post #63

I've used Linux for years. I've even used Linux on the first Macs I ever had. In the end, I found it just cost me too much time, especially if I wanted to keep it running on the hardware of my choice, which will most likely remain Apple. And I'm not compromising my hardware choice, as long as other manufacturers can't be bothered to invest as much in excellent product design. Also, having so much freedom to choose an…

I agree. Id say the Linux desktop will probably never drastically improve because of this massive NIH-syndrome. So much development resources go into maintaining dozens of forks of popular Desktop enviroments (Unity, Gnome3, Mate, Cinnamon, GnomeShell, KDE, XFCE etc) that its not even funny anymore. Choice isnt always good. The sheer flexibility and number of choices for each and every part of the linux desktop world…

I think if you're a very basic user, you can get a consistent experience just because you can use the included desktop in Ubuntu or some other distro and not run into many problems. However, your experience will still be inferior to that of OSX since Apple has put more efforts into applications like Mail, iPhoto and iTunes.

If you're an advanced user (as all of the readers here would probaby be), you'll quickly end up in the situation you describe.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#88

Post by tmikaeld »

One large reason keeps me from switching to Linux.

Software maintenance, features and updates.

Without financial backing, the apps for linux will never be as good as on either OS X or Windows.

I donate a lot, but my money can only reach so far - it seems as too few donate, though i'm sure many donate their time and that is also a way of donating - but still, the fact is that someone has to pay to keep software developed and updated.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#89

Post by PLejeck »

bowlofpetunias wrote: post #63

I've used Linux for years. I've even used Linux on the first Macs I ever had. In the end, I found it just cost me too much time, especially if I wanted to keep it running on the hardware of my choice, which will most likely remain Apple. And I'm not compromising my hardware choice, as long as other manufacturers can't be bothered to invest as much in excellent product design. Also, having so much freedom to choose an…

My configuration for Linux is so much of a productivity boost to me that I'm planning to make my next laptop a Thinkpad, just to avoid the hardware issues.

OS X just held me back. It was locking up at 20% CPU and 40% RAM usage, and I could never figure it out. Linux doesn't do that (especially since I threw a bunch of swap space on, now it's incredibly stable)

As for defaults, I find it's faster in the short term to start with defaults and work from there, but it'll just come back and bite you that you're using somebody else's workflow. I start from scratch (for the most part) with Arch, and build my workflow on top.

I've wasted probably two weeks to get my workflow configured perfectly, but now I can spit out code at such a rate that I find myself doing more projects than ever before.

Re: Ask HN: Have you considered switching from OS X to Linux?

#90

Post by PLejeck »

kayoone wrote: post #68
PLejeck wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux is harder to learn and get set up, but it's just spending a bit more time now to be more productive in the long run. Of course, it's not more productive for everybody, but it is for some of us. Plus we have Docker.io instead of Vagrant. Way nicer.

Sadly id still need some form of Windows for game development (Unity3D). Since Unity3D also runs on OSX, thats another benefit in terms of convenience for me using OSX.

I dual boot OS X to be able to use Photoshop. It's slower and feels awkward coming from Linux, though, so I try to limit my stays.
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