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Just to give a counter point - every single device we use at work (biotech R&D) requires windows. All of our equipment (plate readers, flocytometry, purificatio

by ksk 9y ago

Just to give a counter point - every single device we use at work (biotech R&D) requires windows. All of our equipment (plate readers, flocytometry, purification systems, PCR, fermentors, congutators,etc etc) runs on windows-only software. And these are all several hundred million dollar verticals. Personally, I haven't run into a single piece of equipment that works with MacOS. Except maybe one of our bioreactors, which used a web interface, but that too required a windows tool for other things. Windows is used in a TON of proper manufacturing setups, traditionally only for SCADA/HMI, but more so now on the control side, with PC based automation becoming more prominent. Which ecosystem is "poor" depends on your own current situation.

xenihn 9y ago
As far as I know, you can somewhat easily run Windows on Mac hardware. The opposite isn't true.
- kn0where 9y ago
  Microsoft does an excellent job making Windows run on just about any x86[_64] device (excluding ancient hardware). Windows runs perfectly on a Mac, whether in a VM or via dual boot.
  - MikusR 9y ago
    Even on Macs that can't run current Mac OS version
  - rikkus 9y ago
    Does the touchpad work properly now? Last time I checked was 2010 so obviously it might have improved.
- dawnerd 9y ago
  > The opposite isn't true. Sure you can. I've gotten macos installed in a vm and even ran a hackintosh for a while which was remarkably easy these days.
  - 0xFFC 9y ago
    No it is not. It is not officially supported nor there is strong community support. When people like myself want for work, i want something 100% , I cannot explain it to my supervisor:”naaah, my hackintosh required a little bit of maintenance, so that’s why I submitted the paper late”.
    - dawnerd 9y ago
      Fair enough. Although I’ve had just as many issues running Windows in boot camp. I do realllly wish Apple would open up and let us officially install on different hardware - especially if they’re only going to update the Mac pros every few years.
- ksk 9y ago
  Yeah, but I don't know if you can get your system validated, which is a requirement for us, and most people in this field. The HN audience is more aligned towards certain domains, and I merely wanted to present an alternate context. Not that it matters, but I like using OSX :)
- nathansoz 9y ago
  Which is super unfortunate considering it is an artificial limitation.
pier25 9y ago
> Which ecosystem is "poor" depends on your own current situation Indeed, I was speaking from my personal experience.

by ksk 9y ago

xenihn 9y ago

As far as I know, you can somewhat easily run Windows on Mac hardware. The opposite isn't true.

kn0where 9y ago
Microsoft does an excellent job making Windows run on just about any x86[_64] device (excluding ancient hardware). Windows runs perfectly on a Mac, whether in a VM or via dual boot.
- MikusR 9y ago
  Even on Macs that can't run current Mac OS version
- rikkus 9y ago
  Does the touchpad work properly now? Last time I checked was 2010 so obviously it might have improved.
dawnerd 9y ago
> The opposite isn't true. Sure you can. I've gotten macos installed in a vm and even ran a hackintosh for a while which was remarkably easy these days.
- 0xFFC 9y ago
  No it is not. It is not officially supported nor there is strong community support. When people like myself want for work, i want something 100% , I cannot explain it to my supervisor:”naaah, my hackintosh required a little bit of maintenance, so that’s why I submitted the paper late”.
  - dawnerd 9y ago
    Fair enough. Although I’ve had just as many issues running Windows in boot camp. I do realllly wish Apple would open up and let us officially install on different hardware - especially if they’re only going to update the Mac pros every few years.
ksk 9y ago
Yeah, but I don't know if you can get your system validated, which is a requirement for us, and most people in this field. The HN audience is more aligned towards certain domains, and I merely wanted to present an alternate context. Not that it matters, but I like using OSX :)
nathansoz 9y ago
Which is super unfortunate considering it is an artificial limitation.

pier25 9y ago

> Which ecosystem is "poor" depends on your own current situation Indeed, I was speaking from my personal experience.