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How many Googlers are using Linux for their everyday work? I assumed MacOS had as strong a hold on Google engineers as those anywhere else. I personally don't

How many Googlers are using Linux for their everyday work? I assumed MacOS had as strong a hold on Google engineers as those anywhere else. I personally don't like using MacOS and would be thrilled to see more developers using open source systems.

tomaha 9y ago
Pretty much all software engineers have Linux on their main desktop computer. On their laptops it's mostly MacOS or ChromeOS.
- watwut 9y ago
  That would not be my experience with software companies at all.
  - beisner 9y ago
    tomaha is talking about Google SWE, and is correct.
- owaislone 9y ago
  I've been very interested in exploring Chrome OS as a development machine even if the core system runs on a desktop like you said. Is ChromeOS good enough for this already? What about develop tools like editors/IDEs, etc ?
  - msh 9y ago
    I think they are using ssh to reach the desktop, not running a local editor/ide.
    - walshemj 9y ago
      Rather inefficient I would have expected Google devs to run an IDE locally
      - ikeyany 9y ago
        Less efficient but far more secure.
      - packetslave 9y ago
        Unless you’re working on open-source projects like Chrome, Google source code isn’t permitted on laptops for InfoSec reasons.
        walshemj 9y ago
        I would expect most of not all development would be done on desktops for that reason (and also for improved ergonomics and faster computers are always better) and there is no requirement for ide's to store any code locally.
    - owaislone 9y ago
      My understanding is that the software builds, runs and tests on desktops they SSH into. The sources either live on the Desktops or have a sync system setup. Either way, they need some proper editors or IDEs to work with locally on the CBs. Are there any tools with good enough experience that can do remote code editing available generally on any platform (and not just chromebooks?)
  - TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
    In my experience, Chrome OS is absolutely usable as a development machine for linux environments with crouton[1]. Crouton basically installs Ubuntu within Chrome OS, and can include GUIs and tons of software packages. I've done nearly the entirety of my WGU IT degree using Chrome OS, and if I get a software development degree, I'll use it there too. If Windows interoperability or virtualization is required, then you might look elsewhere, because virtualization is tough to set up in the chroot environment and would run sluggishly anyway if you use an ARM-based laptop like I do. [1] https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton
    - jacksmith21006 9y ago
      Disagree. Use CB for development and with Crouton and so mostly use docker containers. Also set my son's up at University in this manner. CB are Linux just without GNU or userland. So the driver's already been optimized for the hardware. Plus secure and gets updated. The only negative is having to leave in developer. Now if Google would finish the work they are doing on the KVM to fix this it will be ideal. What is nice you are dev on the same as runs the cloud.
  - jacksmith21006 9y ago
    Two ways to use ChromeOS. You can use GNUroot and XSDL and run these Android apps which use a fake Chroot. But my preference is use Crouton and I use docker containers and how I set up my CS sons at University. The down side is you have to leave the CB in developer mode. You also have to use rkt but works fine with docker images.
sniperjzp 9y ago
As far as I know, most of us use Linux as main dev server, we are not allowed to put any prod code on laptop. So people just pick MBP and ssh to their dev servers.
- hrrsn 9y ago
  I'd love to know more about the setups you guys use! As in, what you can choose, how much freedom you have tool wise etc
- walshemj 9y ago
  This is what I would expect your PC or Laptop is should just a host for your X windows or Telnet / ssh sessions and any IDE's you use for code and sql.
cromwellian 9y ago
Most use beefy desktops with Linux, and some laptop like a MacBook, Thinkpad, or Chromebook. If you're working on a large project like Chrome or Gmail, anything less than 64gb of RAM and a giant SSD is a productivity hit, and most Mac desktops aren't price competitive with a beefy Linux workstation.
- igravious 9y ago
  What desktop/workstation manufacturer?
  - quicklime 9y ago
    HP z620
    - igravious 9y ago
      Thanking you! http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/z620.html http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/z620.html
      - jlgaddis 9y ago
        If you're in the market for a new workstation, HP's business workstations really are good machines (I had a nice one at a previous employer). They are nothing like HP's consumer PCs that most are familiar with.
        wyclif 9y ago
        What would be the most optimal Linux distro to install on a z620, Fedora?
        anonbanker 9y ago
        Gentoo, of course.
        9y ago

tomaha 9y ago

Pretty much all software engineers have Linux on their main desktop computer. On their laptops it's mostly MacOS or ChromeOS.

watwut 9y ago
That would not be my experience with software companies at all.
- beisner 9y ago
  tomaha is talking about Google SWE, and is correct.
owaislone 9y ago
I've been very interested in exploring Chrome OS as a development machine even if the core system runs on a desktop like you said. Is ChromeOS good enough for this already? What about develop tools like editors/IDEs, etc ?
- msh 9y ago
  I think they are using ssh to reach the desktop, not running a local editor/ide.
  - walshemj 9y ago
    Rather inefficient I would have expected Google devs to run an IDE locally
    - ikeyany 9y ago
      Less efficient but far more secure.
    - packetslave 9y ago
      Unless you’re working on open-source projects like Chrome, Google source code isn’t permitted on laptops for InfoSec reasons.
      - walshemj 9y ago
        I would expect most of not all development would be done on desktops for that reason (and also for improved ergonomics and faster computers are always better) and there is no requirement for ide's to store any code locally.
  - owaislone 9y ago
    My understanding is that the software builds, runs and tests on desktops they SSH into. The sources either live on the Desktops or have a sync system setup. Either way, they need some proper editors or IDEs to work with locally on the CBs. Are there any tools with good enough experience that can do remote code editing available generally on any platform (and not just chromebooks?)
- TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
  In my experience, Chrome OS is absolutely usable as a development machine for linux environments with crouton[1]. Crouton basically installs Ubuntu within Chrome OS, and can include GUIs and tons of software packages. I've done nearly the entirety of my WGU IT degree using Chrome OS, and if I get a software development degree, I'll use it there too. If Windows interoperability or virtualization is required, then you might look elsewhere, because virtualization is tough to set up in the chroot environment and would run sluggishly anyway if you use an ARM-based laptop like I do. [1] https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton
  - jacksmith21006 9y ago
    Disagree. Use CB for development and with Crouton and so mostly use docker containers. Also set my son's up at University in this manner. CB are Linux just without GNU or userland. So the driver's already been optimized for the hardware. Plus secure and gets updated. The only negative is having to leave in developer. Now if Google would finish the work they are doing on the KVM to fix this it will be ideal. What is nice you are dev on the same as runs the cloud.
- jacksmith21006 9y ago
  Two ways to use ChromeOS. You can use GNUroot and XSDL and run these Android apps which use a fake Chroot. But my preference is use Crouton and I use docker containers and how I set up my CS sons at University. The down side is you have to leave the CB in developer mode. You also have to use rkt but works fine with docker images.

sniperjzp 9y ago

As far as I know, most of us use Linux as main dev server, we are not allowed to put any prod code on laptop. So people just pick MBP and ssh to their dev servers.

hrrsn 9y ago
I'd love to know more about the setups you guys use! As in, what you can choose, how much freedom you have tool wise etc
walshemj 9y ago
This is what I would expect your PC or Laptop is should just a host for your X windows or Telnet / ssh sessions and any IDE's you use for code and sql.

cromwellian 9y ago

Most use beefy desktops with Linux, and some laptop like a MacBook, Thinkpad, or Chromebook. If you're working on a large project like Chrome or Gmail, anything less than 64gb of RAM and a giant SSD is a productivity hit, and most Mac desktops aren't price competitive with a beefy Linux workstation.

igravious 9y ago
What desktop/workstation manufacturer?
- quicklime 9y ago
  HP z620
  - igravious 9y ago
    Thanking you! http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/z620.html http://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/workstations/z620.html
    - jlgaddis 9y ago
      If you're in the market for a new workstation, HP's business workstations really are good machines (I had a nice one at a previous employer). They are nothing like HP's consumer PCs that most are familiar with.
      - wyclif 9y ago
        What would be the most optimal Linux distro to install on a z620, Fedora?
        anonbanker 9y ago
        Gentoo, of course.
        9y ago