6 ms·

> I have a MacBook now, but I'd love to go to a Surface Studio. If they can work to get up-to-date hardware in all of their offerings ... The problem isn't so

> I have a MacBook now, but I'd love to go to a Surface Studio. If they can work to get up-to-date hardware in all of their offerings ... The problem isn't so much the hardware but the OS. I have awful memories of Windows. I suppose it has gotten better, but I wonder if it's a realistic replacement to Mac OS X? Essentially, I want something that just works and where I can use common unix tools. Maybe the new Unix subsystem + an X server will do it. Concerning the new MBP, I don't mind the touch bar or the specs but they are really expensive (esp. in Europe). If they don't get cheaper, I may try a windows machine.

cma 10y ago
One big issue is still the 260-character path-name limitation. Deep source directories choke on that, especially if you copy them around for backup, etc. You end up abbreviating class names in the file names and mess up searchability. You end up using single letter directories like 'C:\b\' instead of 'C:\backup\', etc. as workarounds. It all feels very MS DOS.
- pjc50 10y ago
  It looks like that's one of the things that they've finally, finally fixed (but only if you turn it on): https://mspoweruser.com/ntfs-260-character-windows-10/ https://mspoweruser.com/ntfs-260-character-windows-10/
  - cma 10y ago
    If it is only fixed if you turn it on, it isn't really fixed yet IMO. You can't make public projects rely on it, etc. without turning off a big percentage of your users.
  - novaleaf 10y ago
    yeah, and break all apps that use the old 255 char win32 api's. another thing to note is that it requires the windows insider preview, which in my experience required auto reboots every few days. very frustrating so I had to revert.... Switching off of Insider Preview is a TERRIBLE experience of it's own: You can't actually revert back. you either have to restore from backup (which isn't mentioned when you switch to insider preview mode) or wait for the next mainline release, which may be 6+ months away, and you have to MANUALLY TRACK when insider syncs with main and then switch to main during the window in which they are matched.
- my123 10y ago
  Windows no longer has that limit since a decade at least.
  - Retric 10y ago
    I hit this on windows 8. So, there might might be a workaround, but it's still an issue for most users.
    - dblohm7 10y ago
      The limit is enforced unless an application ops out of it.
- my123 10y ago
  This limit never existed in the NT kernel, it's a Win32 SubSystem limit that can be workarounded with \??\ at the beginning of the path
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
wlll 10y ago
When this comes up a lot of my time is spent trying to tell this to people. Why don't I have a Dell XPS? It's faster and has more memory and bla bla. The computer is a useful tool only when it has an OS. What you run on it is as important as the hardware itself. The combination of Hardware and OS is what makes the tool what it is, and comparing them each separately doesn't make any sense in my opinion. And that is where Apple wins for me currently. I spend a lot of time in the terminal, and Windows just doesn't have that unix base that I'm comfortable with. Sure I can get a terminal on it, but it feels like a program I'm running, not actually being in control of the machine. Linux is my real fallback option, but then I don't get paid to worry about wether my local backups are working OK, or why my laptop won't sleep or wether my GPU is working etc. I don't think Apple is going in the direction that will benefit a lot of developers, but they've got a long way to fall before they become a second choice for me.
- tw04 10y ago
  >And that is where Apple wins for me currently. I spend a lot of time in the terminal, and Windows just doesn't have that unix base that I'm comfortable with. It literally runs native Linux with Windows subsystem for Linux: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux
Pigo 10y ago
> that just works To me that is a very tired phrase for Apple users. I don't begrudge anyone's preferences, until they force everyone else to jump through hurdles to get their machine to work the company's network and technology stack. I see IT guys almost every day being absorbed by people who claim to be more productive on their Mac. Every OS seems to work as well as the person using it. I prefer Linux on my Chromebook, but I don't expect hand-holding, and will break out the Dell when needed.
smrtinsert 10y ago
Windows 10 is really nice. Built a csgo machine and it just is a smooth OS. It's that happy seamless widnows xp vibe all over again, but prettier.

cma 10y ago

One big issue is still the 260-character path-name limitation. Deep source directories choke on that, especially if you copy them around for backup, etc. You end up abbreviating class names in the file names and mess up searchability. You end up using single letter directories like 'C:\b\' instead of 'C:\backup\', etc. as workarounds. It all feels very MS DOS.

pjc50 10y ago
It looks like that's one of the things that they've finally, finally fixed (but only if you turn it on): https://mspoweruser.com/ntfs-260-character-windows-10/ https://mspoweruser.com/ntfs-260-character-windows-10/
- cma 10y ago
  If it is only fixed if you turn it on, it isn't really fixed yet IMO. You can't make public projects rely on it, etc. without turning off a big percentage of your users.
- novaleaf 10y ago
  yeah, and break all apps that use the old 255 char win32 api's. another thing to note is that it requires the windows insider preview, which in my experience required auto reboots every few days. very frustrating so I had to revert.... Switching off of Insider Preview is a TERRIBLE experience of it's own: You can't actually revert back. you either have to restore from backup (which isn't mentioned when you switch to insider preview mode) or wait for the next mainline release, which may be 6+ months away, and you have to MANUALLY TRACK when insider syncs with main and then switch to main during the window in which they are matched.
my123 10y ago
Windows no longer has that limit since a decade at least.
- Retric 10y ago
  I hit this on windows 8. So, there might might be a workaround, but it's still an issue for most users.
  - dblohm7 10y ago
    The limit is enforced unless an application ops out of it.
my123 10y ago
This limit never existed in the NT kernel, it's a Win32 SubSystem limit that can be workarounded with \??\ at the beginning of the path
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]

wlll 10y ago

When this comes up a lot of my time is spent trying to tell this to people. Why don't I have a Dell XPS? It's faster and has more memory and bla bla. The computer is a useful tool only when it has an OS. What you run on it is as important as the hardware itself. The combination of Hardware and OS is what makes the tool what it is, and comparing them each separately doesn't make any sense in my opinion. And that is where Apple wins for me currently. I spend a lot of time in the terminal, and Windows just doesn't have that unix base that I'm comfortable with. Sure I can get a terminal on it, but it feels like a program I'm running, not actually being in control of the machine. Linux is my real fallback option, but then I don't get paid to worry about wether my local backups are working OK, or why my laptop won't sleep or wether my GPU is working etc. I don't think Apple is going in the direction that will benefit a lot of developers, but they've got a long way to fall before they become a second choice for me.

tw04 10y ago
>And that is where Apple wins for me currently. I spend a lot of time in the terminal, and Windows just doesn't have that unix base that I'm comfortable with. It literally runs native Linux with Windows subsystem for Linux: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux

Pigo 10y ago

> that just works To me that is a very tired phrase for Apple users. I don't begrudge anyone's preferences, until they force everyone else to jump through hurdles to get their machine to work the company's network and technology stack. I see IT guys almost every day being absorbed by people who claim to be more productive on their Mac. Every OS seems to work as well as the person using it. I prefer Linux on my Chromebook, but I don't expect hand-holding, and will break out the Dell when needed.

smrtinsert 10y ago

Windows 10 is really nice. Built a csgo machine and it just is a smooth OS. It's that happy seamless widnows xp vibe all over again, but prettier.