

Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? - loboman


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marssaxman
OS X is prettier, less annoying, and generally just works. I'm not interested
in system administration; I just want to get things done.

I do use Linux on servers and on my netbook.

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stonemetal
Lacks Steam support.

Requires activities I am unwilling to engage in as a user of a system.

Less useful than competitors.

Uglier than competitors. Lack of uniformity in UIs. Large number of UIs that
only a mother could love.

~~~
hybrid11
Same here, for my day to day machine, it's too much work to get some
applications to work on it, especially games.

For servers though, I definitely use Linux!

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chessweb
I used to use Ubuntu from 8.04 to 10.10 until a regular security update left
the system in an unbootable state. Since I didn't feel like reinstalling my
system from scratch I went back to Windows 7.

~~~
shantanubala
I was also quite disappointed when I faced the same problem, had to use the
live CD to backup my files, and reinstall the entire operating system from
scratch on a random weekday when I should have spent those couple hours
working.

Aside from that, though, my productivity on Ubuntu is much better than
Windows. Workspaces, Gnome Do, the Rhythmbox integration, the ease of
installing applications, and centralized updates make the occasional pains and
"free" pricetag a great deal. But it's still not at all ready for "prime time"
unless the hardware configuration has been thoroughly tested -- the computer I
used was one I configured from scratch.

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dave_sullivan
I have 2 computers/2 monitors side by side w/ one keyboard and mouse via
synergy. 1 computer is linux, other is win7. Linux doesn't have creative
suite, and I'd prefer not to use VMWare or screw with wine for something like
that. And no, linux does not have real replacements for creative suite
applications. I also do a bit of flash/flex/as3 development, not recommended
on linux unless you have lots of free time on your hands and want to fight an
uphill battle. There's a handful of other stuff that works better/faster on
windows.

For the most part, I use each system equally, but would have difficulty
choosing just one. My laptop is windows. Never tried apple much for varied
reasons I won't go into.

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veyron
You need to qualify the question i.e. I use Linux for some servers but OSX for
desktop

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iuguy
PGP Whole Disk Encryption. Yeah, I hate my life too.

I do use Arch Linux at home for a server, heaps of Linux VMs for different
things and almost all of our servers are Linux, a BSD or OSX.

But my main laptop runs Windows 7, and I'm typing this on a Mac Mini. The Mac
Mini is just better plugged into the TV, Windows 7 is generally the best
Windows implementation I've used and is good enough for everything I want/need
to do.

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2AM
I think the main reason is that there is so much going on in Ubuntu, or Linux
in general, with every release. I really like to run the latest stuff, but
6-month cycle is not good for development machine, the updates sometimes break
the system and I can't concentrate on my work, so the development system is a
Mac, I have Ubuntu on other machines.

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daimyoyo
Because I'm developing apps for iOS and Uncle Steve requires developers to use
a Mac that supports Snow Leopard.

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JoeAltmaier
Because I've had to work inside the Linux kernel/driver layer for startup(s).
And I've seen the code in there.

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tompagenet2
Because I use Chrome, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere and
more and all of these run without the slightest problem in Windows 7, and all
of my past Ubuntu experiences have ended with someone suggesting I edit
~conf.something and removing the number 7.

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protomyth
I like OpenBSD for my server needs and use OS X on the desktop. I might start
using Dragonfly BSD for some server stuff since I am very curious about how
the HAMMER file system works in practice.

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amorphid
It lacks manufacturer support for stuff like all-in-one printers.

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mrschwabe
The day that Adobe releases CS for Linux, is the day thousands of designers
like me convert over. In the meantime, my system runs Windows.

My laptop however, runs Ubuntu.

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frou_dh
OS X is more pleasant to spend time in, since the Linux desktop environments
and applications mostly have poor look and feel.

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iamdave
Because I use OS X.

/shrugs

~~~
timrobinson
Because I use OS X, which has decent Unix tools along with a nice user
interface.

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geraldbaeck
The OS does not matter, because almost everything is running in my browser.

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barrydahlberg
Because Windows 7 is great and Visual Studio doesn't run there.

