Ubuntu vs. Apple [WAS: Re: Novel and Microsoft]

[David Bendit]

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On Nov 12, 2006, at 10:17 PM, Alan Dayley wrote:
>
> Joshua Zeidner wrote:
>> Macs are fairly popular, but the Mac crowd rarely intersects with the
>> Linux crowd.  This is probably due to the fact that if someone  
>> could get
>> linux running, why would they buy a Mac?
>
> I know or know of about 8 Linux users that have migrated to the Mac.
> Yep, they went out and bought one and stayed with it.  Some people  
> like
> them.
>
> As for me, in the past 10 years, I haven't used a Mac long enough  
> to get
> over the initial frustration with UI differences.  So, I don't feel  
> that
> I have enough time on one to say it is better or worse or just not  
> my taste.
>
> Linux works well for me so I fall in your category.  Since Linux works
> for me, why would I buy a Mac?  Well, I wouldn't.
>
> Alan

You can make that 9. I'm writing this on a MacBook Pro. Am I a Mac  
zealot? I don't think so. Am I going to try and convince you all how  
great Macs are? Nope.

I love this computer. It offers me flexibility. Do I want to play  
some games? Boot into Windows with Boot Camp. Do I want to get down  
and dirty with the console? It's right at my fingertips. Heck, I'd  
say I spend a few hours a day SSH'd into one of my linux boxen.

Linux is a great OS. Right now, I'm working to get it deployed  
throughout an entire school district. I love the open source  
movement, I love the philanthropic ideas behind the whole system.  
However, when I ask myself if Linux is ready for mainstream desktop  
use, I have to say no.

Ubuntu, and many other distributions, are making great strides in  
this area. Installers are getting easier, hardware quirks are getting  
ironed out, and the public is becoming more and more aware of the  
presence of Linux. These are all wonderful things, and they're all  
leading up to something wonderful.

But why do I say that Linux isn't ready right now? I hate to use the  
phrase, but it doesn't "Just Work". Most of the time, most of the  
things will work out of the box. But there are still places where  
support needs to improve, like graphics and wireless networking. And  
this isn't even the fault of the OS developers, but of the hardware  
manufacturers, and their inability to follow standards or release  
open source drivers. These things all have to be fixed for Linux to  
become mainstream on the desktop.

So why don't I carry around a Linux laptop with me? Honestly, and I'm  
sure I'll get shot down for this, but I really like OSX. I like the  
security, stability, and backend of (a somewhat broken) *NIX,  mixed  
with the ease-of-use of the Windows/Mac world. Sure, Mail.app isn't  
pine. I can't go in and change every option imaginable through a  
configuration file. But, really, most of the time, I don't need that.  
It's nice, after a day spent fixing other people's computer problems,  
to simply go into a dialog to change an option. And like I said,  
Linux is getting there, but it's not there yet.

Do I have problems with OSX? Sure I do. I really don't like the  
"unified menu bar" approach, or whatever it's called. There are some  
specific programs where I wish there were more options. I'd love to  
have an apt-like system for the whole OS, as opposed to packages only  
available in DarwinPorts or Fink. I wish that more of the software  
were open source, free software, or even just freeware.

So, really, it all comes down to a matter of preference. At least we  
can all agree that both Linux and Mac are infinitely better than  
Windows =)

- -David
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