
Is Linux Better Than OS X? GNU, Open Source and Apple in History - leephillips
http://thevarguy.com/open-source-application-software-companies/051815/linux-better-os-x-gnu-open-source-and-apple-
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chisleu
Every 6 months or so I get a wild hair and look to replace Mac OS X with a new
Linux laptop. It always ends in disaster because of a few sticking points. My
latest attempt was with an Ubuntu-certified Dell m3800.

The 4K screen was unmanageable in Linux. Many applications required their own
configuration to deal with the high DPI display. Some (most notably Skype,
which I need for business) were completely unusable when you increase the font
size. If I stuck to lower resolutions, it wouldn't matter I guess...

Even with a K1100 3d accelerator, it was still limited in 2d mode, unable to
play 4k videos in Windows w/ all the proprietary drivers, much less 60fps
videos. Linux was completely useless in that department. It wouldn't play
1440p videos fullscreen without screen tearing.

Then we get to my personal problem. I remember the learning curve when I went
from Linux to Mac OS X. The keyboard was insane. WTF? Why am I using my thumb?
This is so weird... foreign... But.... nice....

The idea of using my pinky for copy and paste is insane now. Having to use
shift+ctrl+c to paste in a terminal? UGH. gross.

Unfortunately, changing all of the configurations isn't possible in Linux. You
have to go through every application and change them individually.

I love linux. I have VMs spun up right now for development, and all of our
servers run linux. I have been using linux since the 90s. I just can't give up
the productivity.

Also, if you have never had to experience a full system crash / losing a
laptop, good. However I had this happen, and Mac's time capsule restore was
amazing. I had my entire desktop back online in a couple hours. All of my
files, and all of my configurations were there. It was magical.

~~~
iyra72
I actually quite like Mac OS X. Things seem to "just work" most of the time,
or at least, more of the time than they work for me on GNU/Linux. I can't give
any examples off the top of my head, but it seems everything in OS X just
"flows together" much nicer, and that's even including programs like Chromium
which aren't from Apple.

The reason why I don't use it, however, is because it's tied to the hardware
in such a way that if I want this "just works" feeling, I'd need to purchase
hardware from Apple, which for me seems overpriced and it shouldn't be
necessary. Further, OS X has its quirks that don't let you run it like Linux
or BSD - for example, installing things like PostgreSQL.

