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The desktop and the developer

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Re: The desktop and the developer

#251

Post by keypusher »

pjmlp wrote: post #249
p4bl0 wrote: post #6

I'm not sure what to think of this blog post. Do anyone really recognize himself or herself in the described developers? It's not even about Mac OS X vs GNU/Linux, I'm not using any desktop environment on my computers (no Gnome, KDE, XFCE, …), my graphical environment is composed of a minimal windows manager and a small taskbar. I don't need anything else. I just checked and I don't even have a graphical file browser…

I have been using GUI based OS since the Amiga. And IDEs since Turbo products on MS-DOS. One of my hobbies on GNU/Linux systems, since the early days (1994) was to get GUI tooling for my work. Most of them taken from the more mature UNIX systems, back then. For me the CLI is only for quick and dirty operations file operations, or calling build tools. 90% of my time I live on the GUI.

And what happens when you have to ssh into headless remote Linux servers all day? And for editing scripts and administrative tasks on said servers?

Re: The desktop and the developer

#252

Post by pjmlp »

PaulHoule wrote: post #108

I've been involved with Linux since 1993 and it is a great server os but I am skeptical of the linux desktop since over time there has not beeen a trajectory of improvement but rather things have gotten worse.

Same here. I was even a strong Linux advocate at my University and did subscribe to Linux Format for around 10 years.

Somehow, the GNU/Linux desktop seems to always miss something in these 20 years of GNU/Linux, whereas Mac OS X and Windows are closer to the whole Amiga experience to GUI focused guys like myself.

Re: The desktop and the developer

#253

Post by girvo »

lvillani wrote: post #31
davexunit wrote: post #20

I've used OS X at work for the past 2 years and I completely disagree that OS X is nice for developers. I've had a lot of issues that I wouldn't have had if I was using a GNU/Linux distro like Debian. Major issues with GCC after certain updates, outdated GNU software like bash, brew is barely acceptable as a package manager (can't hold a candle to dpkg/apt), and I have to go to websites to get the installers for most…

> I have to go to websites to get the installers for most big programs There's "brew cask" for that! ( http://caskroom.io/ )

Holy heck that's awesome! I didn't know about that, just sent it around the office and everyone is stoked. Thanks so much for linking it!

Re: The desktop and the developer

#254

Post by petepete »

coolsunglasses wrote: post #214
davexunit wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Oh-My-Zsh No, I like bash (or fish sometimes) with my own personal configuration that I fully understand. If I were to switch to zsh, I would just use zsh, and not a giant bundle of stuff that someone else thinks I need.

Indeed. oh-my-zsh is a good way to end up with a shell you don't understand and is slow as hell.

Prezto is lighter, faster and simpler than omz, I'm a huge fan

https://github.com/sorin-ionescu/prezto

Re: The desktop and the developer

#255

Post by pjmlp »

keypusher wrote: post #251
pjmlp wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been using GUI based OS since the Amiga. And IDEs since Turbo products on MS-DOS. One of my hobbies on GNU/Linux systems, since the early days (1994) was to get GUI tooling for my work. Most of them taken from the more mature UNIX systems, back then. For me the CLI is only for quick and dirty operations file operations, or calling build tools. 90% of my time I live on the GUI.

And what happens when you have to ssh into headless remote Linux servers all day? And for editing scripts and administrative tasks on said servers?

X-Windows/VNC sessions. I only do ssh if no other option is available.

Re: The desktop and the developer

#256

Post by reitanqild »

I see a lot of people like me in this thread: We like Apple and Mac but certain aspects are less than ideal in our setting.

For me I have found elementary os (linux based) to be a good step closer to perfect for me. ("Normal" alt-tab, menus follows windows (if they exist at all), etc.) All while being fast on less than stellar hardware and pleasing to my eyes.

(For people who love Mac: Don't even try. I can almost assure you'll find some color nuance, alignment issue etc. I'm serious: You guys see stuff like this, I can't even see all the colors.)

Re: The desktop and the developer

#257

Post by tragic »

AceJohnny2 wrote: post #204
tragic wrote: post #78

It's interesting to see the disparity between the comments here and on the post. Nearly everyone below the line on the post is a Linux refugee that's pitched up on a Mac. Here, not so much. For my part, I have always had a deeply-rooted and entirely irrational hatred of Apple products. OK, the retina screens are nice. Trackpads are usable - but I hate trackpads anyway and always carry a proper mouse around, so no win…

> (And I won't be buying Lenovo again, because I do not expect my BIOS to be password protected, and not be provided with the password. :-) ) Are you referring to UEFI? If so, what do you mean about not being provided the password? Doesn't it either provide an interface to put your own keys or at least switch to legacy mode?

I mean: I try to get into the BIOS, and I'm asked to enter a password, which I've not been given. Never had this problem with any other computer company.

I thought it might just be the dodgy vendor I got it from, but my girlfriend ordered a Twist from the official Lenovo site, and has the same issue. Which, because she's in the brave new Win8 SecureBoot era, stops her from installing an OS she hates less than Win8.

Unless either of us are prepared to spend hours on tech support being passed around, anyways.

Shame, as the machines are nice. You can't beat a good keyboard... I'm all for being secure, but I would like it if my computer didn't presumptively consider me to be an attack vector.

Re: The desktop and the developer

#258

Post by kukkukb »

eyko wrote: post #87
davexunit wrote: post #20

I've used OS X at work for the past 2 years and I completely disagree that OS X is nice for developers. I've had a lot of issues that I wouldn't have had if I was using a GNU/Linux distro like Debian. Major issues with GCC after certain updates, outdated GNU software like bash, brew is barely acceptable as a package manager (can't hold a candle to dpkg/apt), and I have to go to websites to get the installers for most…

Totally agree. I've got a Macbook Air (OSX Mavericks) and a (Lenovo)Thinkpad (Arch Linux). I'd add to your points that it's not only a software issue, but also a hardware issue. Recently I've found myself tweaking the trackpoint settings and have gone so far as modifying the driver and the syndaemon utility just to be able to get a better user experience. When it comes to Apple's hardware/software combination, I'm so…

I had the same problem with the choppy ThinkPad (Yoga) trackpad. It's very easily fixed. http://fully-faltoo.com/2013/07/20/lenovo-touchpad/

Re: The desktop and the developer

#259

Post by MatthiasP »

dkhenry wrote: post #93
Jhsto wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really did look around at OEM laptops when I was deciding what to buy. I wanted a laptop which would run Unix, but besides of Dell I could not find any. I was afraid that Chromebook would not have provided the hardware I wanted and I did not to pay extra for Windows license, which I'd never use anyway. After that, I think there were still Lenovo Yoga 2, Samsung Series 9 and rMBP on my list. However, after reading a…

When I was shopping for a new labtop I initially settled on the Series 9, but when the 2013 rMBP's came out they really trumped the Series 9 in the hardware department so I returned the Series 9 and got a rMBP. The good thing is that the Series 9 was just as good build quality, and had excellent battery life. Also it was priced well and I think its part of the reason the 2013 crop of Macbooks had to come down in pric…

I was in a similar situation a year ago and decided to go with the Series 9 with Full HD screen instead of a MBPr.

The weight advantage of the Series 9 and the screen are nice, but battery life, keyboard and trackpad are way behind Apple's quality. My next laptop will come from Apple and i don't see any competitor coming close any time soon. Samsung will drop out of the laptop market in 2015 alltogether btw.

Re: The desktop and the developer

#260

Post by ushi »

coolsunglasses wrote: post #214
davexunit wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Oh-My-Zsh No, I like bash (or fish sometimes) with my own personal configuration that I fully understand. If I were to switch to zsh, I would just use zsh, and not a giant bundle of stuff that someone else thinks I need.

Indeed. oh-my-zsh is a good way to end up with a shell you don't understand and is slow as hell.

I am also a friend of a self-configured shell. But projects like oh-my-zsh and Prezto are great to get some inspiration. I learned alot by browsing through their code.
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