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Switching from macOS: The Basics

blog.elementary.io

11–20 of 610 posts

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#11
post #9
post #3

Check Solus instead https://solus-project.com/

Why do both of these hide the fact that they're Linux distros? Only nerds are going to be installing a new OS. That's not a small detail; it means you can run thousands of useful programs.

Because they're not trying to appeal to the "nerd market", they're trying to appeal to the general users with their design. As someone who has used elementary quite a bit, I can guarantee you that the elementary OS is way simpler to use to Average Joe than both Windows and macOS.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#12
The software is there, but what about the hardware to go with it?

The only laptops comparable to Macbook Pro hardware quality and battery life are the Dell XPS series and the Thinkpad X1.

I feel there is a serious shortage of good laptops with linux pre-installed that the non-technical user can pickup and start using.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#13
post #12

The software is there, but what about the hardware to go with it? The only laptops comparable to Macbook Pro hardware quality and battery life are the Dell XPS series and the Thinkpad X1. I feel there is a serious shortage of good laptops with linux pre-installed that the non-technical user can pickup and start using.

Check the Razer blade series

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#15
Yes, the Elementary team has been doing great work for years. Sad that it's all parallel to the efforts of the larger GNOME Desktop project. I don't know how much code gets shared between the two, but I cringe to think that Elementary is dragging along a suitcase full of patches! Some of their apps are forks, while others are written from scratch to fit their design (UI/UX/simplicity) goals. I think their decision to use what amounts to a random, third-party web browser (Midori) as the default is laughable (this day and age, would any security-conscious person NOT recommend Chrome?).

Nonetheless, bravo to the Elementary team for taking the time to even write up this blog post (which is apparently the first in a series).

Edit: replies pointed out that Epiphany is the default web browser. Point still stands that Chrome implements the most security mitigations out of ALL browsers on the market.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#16

I love the work that the elementary project is doing. Really great stuff...

I tried running it this week since I have a lot of friends who use Macs. I figured I could help them out if they had questions, etc. But after a few minutes I went back to KDE as Elementary was horribly broken coming from Kububtu. It probably assumes you'll be installing from fresh.

elementary is indeed not meant to be 'just a desktop environment like gnome / kde'. Installing it that way is not supported. It's a full operating system including default apps, etc. all sorts of things you probably didn't install.

You should indeed install it fresh. I hope you didn't give your friends a bad expression.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#18
post #12

The software is there, but what about the hardware to go with it? The only laptops comparable to Macbook Pro hardware quality and battery life are the Dell XPS series and the Thinkpad X1. I feel there is a serious shortage of good laptops with linux pre-installed that the non-technical user can pickup and start using.

Check the Razer blade series

How are their touchpads?

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#19
post #12

The software is there, but what about the hardware to go with it? The only laptops comparable to Macbook Pro hardware quality and battery life are the Dell XPS series and the Thinkpad X1. I feel there is a serious shortage of good laptops with linux pre-installed that the non-technical user can pickup and start using.

Check the Razer blade series

They are really annoying on Linux.

Re: Switching from macOS: The Basics

#20
post #12

The software is there, but what about the hardware to go with it? The only laptops comparable to Macbook Pro hardware quality and battery life are the Dell XPS series and the Thinkpad X1. I feel there is a serious shortage of good laptops with linux pre-installed that the non-technical user can pickup and start using.

The other problem is that laptops are being built like mobile phones, with everything soldered to the board and the whole thing either sealed shut or taped down. Upgradeable & portable laptops just dont seem to exist at the price points they used to.
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