5 ms·
Ask HN: What desktop apps prevent you from switching to Linux?
Following up this post, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12803941, are there specific applications that, if available on Linux, would allow you to switch away from your current preferred desktop environment?
- PaulHoule 10y agoIt is the poor quality of the apps on Linux that keeps me away, plus a general devil may care attitude about details like font metrics. Years ago Ubuntu replaced scrollbars with something that is a complete joke.
- coreyp_1 10y agoI hate the Ubuntu scroll bars, and Unity is the Devil incarnate!
- savethefuture 10y agoThen use another environment or distro, xubuntu or mate or any other flavor. You can make linux be anything you want it to be.
- PaulHoule 10y agoBack in 1994 I would download each kernel version over a 56k modem and lovingly configure and compile it. I love Ubuntu as a server OS, because the bullshit per mile is mimimal. I use Windows as a desktop OS because I don't want to waste time configuring and reconfiguring everything -- I have some real work to get done.
- savethefuture 10y agoI totally agree and configuring linux can be very time consuming, but there are a lot of distros available that do not require any configuration. Generally installing and getting going with Ubunutu (or a flavor of it) is faster and easier than dealing with windows and device drivers. I don't think that justifies a reason to not use linux or at least try it to see if you do like it.
- PaulHoule 10y agoI have tried it. I use it all the time on the server. My experience with Windows 7+ is that device drivers "just work" for the most part.
- Rottweiler 10y agoQuickBooks
- benologist 10y agoMy biggest issue preventing me is hardware. Apple keyboard/mouse/trackpads are fantastic but Linux support for them is not and alternatives are crap.
- tonylemesmer 10y agoSolidworks Adobe CS And yes, the lack of attention to detail with fonts.
- savethefuture 10y agoI use linux in my day to day for everything, but apps like photoshop and games in general are the only reason I still use windows at all.
- coreyp_1 10y agoNotepad++ and the way I can use it for sftp (e.g., I can use it based on a connection, & I don't have to set up a complete "project". This is VERY useful for when I grade student assignments on a remote server, where I want a one-off connection that I can browse directories through, and the speed of a GUI.). Winscp, also for the GUI experience. Note: I am very comfortable with the command line and Linux in general, and I do use a CLI most of the time. However, there are some times when a nice GUI lets me ingest information and execute commands faster. I like Ubuntu in general, and use it for all of my VMs and servers, but I hate, HATE, H-A-T-E Unity. In a way, Unity itself is something that prevents me from switching to Linux as a preferred desktop environment. (Yes, I know that there are other desktops, e.g., Plasma, but they are a pain to reconfigure every time that I upgrade Ubuntu. At least Windows is consistent for years at a time! Also, a Linux desktop environment itself doesn't always feel as polished as Windows programs. And, as someone else already mentioned, those scrollbars are frustrating. Frustrating = I don't want to use it.
- billconan 10y agoI'm using linux on desktop. it's great. but on notebooks, linux isn't as great as mac os for two reasons. 1. doesn't support 3 finger gestures. i never feel I need to use a mouse with mac. but on linux, I still need a mouse. in particular, linux doesn't allow you to use 3 finger to move a window. 2. doesn't support retina display well. if you use the full resolution, text will be very small to see. as for apps, office, photoshop.