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Mac is Linux done right

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Re: Mac is Linux done right

#4

Post by mhd »

"Linux"? If only there were some name you could call all those systems with shells and things.

(And within that spectrum, from a all-over system perspective, i.e. not just GUI frippery, I'd rate OS X at about the same level as HP/UX. Maybe.)

Re: Mac is Linux done right

#6

Post by mosselman »

I agree with putting database stuff in a VM. I have messed my install a few times with things like this. Brewing too much will do the same thing. Especially the newbe mistake of installing both Ports and Brew. Blah.

For backups I recommend Backblaze. Far cheaper than any amazon solution and it is set and forget.

Cool note. You can create an installation DVD from the downloadable updates (mountain lion, etc.) see link at end. So you don't need to first install and update afterwards.

Also, good tip, if you have a macbook, get 16GB of ram for it and be happy for the rest of your life. It speeds things way up. I am usually at about 10GB of RAM in-use, so I am glad I sprang for 16GB rather than the planned 8.

http://lifehacker.com/5928780/how-to-burn-os-x-mountain-lion...

Re: Mac is Linux done right

#7

Post by jrockway »

mhd wrote: post #4

"Linux"? If only there were some name you could call all those systems with shells and things. (And within that spectrum, from a all-over system perspective, i.e. not just GUI frippery, I'd rate OS X at about the same level as HP/UX. Maybe.)

I think he's saying that he replaced Ubuntu 12.04 with OS X. Now he's using the same software, but the command-line tools have fewer features and it costs more money.

(VLC, Transmission, Chrome + Flash, etc. all work fine on Linux. If you must use Safari, though, OS X is probably the platform of choice. Also, if you have "minimalism concerns" you probably have some goal other than using your computer to be maximally productive.)

Re: Mac is Linux done right

#8

Post by snotrockets »

chewxy wrote: post #2

Well, I've tried developing on a mac and deploying to linux. Never again.

+bazillion.

When I used Mac OS X, everything was very shiny, but also not fully there, functionally. You almost had everything you need, but those few packages that needed to be manually built. And that setting was almost reasonable, but not quite. And there was always something that could be worked around, but never get solved.

So yes, I could run MS Word without resorting to Wine, but I couldn't get any work done without working around many many small issues.

I was glad when that Mac broke down. It was the worst computer I ever had -- even when considering the ThinkPad I had before burst into flames one day -- because the software never worked as I expected it to.

And I'm too old to learn how to reuse my computer. Especially when I can get it running the way I like (as long as I don't use OS X, that is.)

Re: Mac is Linux done right

#9

Post by klrr »

What? By "Linux" I assume he mean UNIX-like operating system. As a desktop I guess Mac is the best choice for casual computer users, but the best UNIX-like operating system in general must be OpenBSD.

Re: Mac is Linux done right

#10

Post by sokrates »

mosselman wrote: post #6

I agree with putting database stuff in a VM. I have messed my install a few times with things like this. Brewing too much will do the same thing. Especially the newbe mistake of installing both Ports and Brew. Blah. For backups I recommend Backblaze. Far cheaper than any amazon solution and it is set and forget. Cool note. You can create an installation DVD from the downloadable updates (mountain lion, etc.) see link…

> get 16GB of ram for it and be happy for the rest of your life

Seconded. This is the most awesome thing ever. If you like your workstation getting out of the way, this is like deactivating the light filters in Sunshine (2007).

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