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Package management is core to the OS, not bolted on. I can change the desktop environment as I please, and potentially run different environments for different

Package management is core to the OS, not bolted on. I can change the desktop environment as I please, and potentially run different environments for different purposes, if I so choose. For any piece of software on the system, I can have a part in its development process, if I choose to. I like a non-GUI-centric system. I'm not limited to Apple's drivers, or Apple hardware in general (it's pretty and sleek, but I find some of the design choices grating). I feel like Apple provides a computer and OS that are user-friendly to the general population. But it also seems like the whole culture is "No, don't do it that we. We've provided this method as the One True Way."

selectodude 9y ago
How is package management via apt any different than using homebrew? They're both equally "bolted on".
- tfcata 9y ago
  try 'brew install gnome-desktop' maybe?
  - herbst 9y ago
    Wait this works? Gnome shell? The full gnome experience?
    - tushar-r 9y ago
      Nope :-/ $ brew install gnome-desktop Updating Homebrew... ==> Auto-updated Homebrew! Updated 3 taps (caskroom/cask, caskroom/versions, homebrew/core). ==> Renamed Formulae php70 -> php@7.0 Error: No available formula with the name "gnome-desktop" ==> Searching for a previously deleted formula (in the last month)... Error: No previously deleted formula found. ==> Searching for similarly named formulae... ==> Searching local taps... Error: No similarly named formulae found. ==> Searching taps... ==> Searching taps on GitHub... Error: No formulae found in taps.
      - herbst 9y ago
        I only realized later that it wouldn't really work anyway guessing from all the missing dependencies.
- khedoros1 9y ago
  Apt is the update mechanism for the system. OS updates, application updates, etc. It's a core piece of software on a Debian-related system. Brew behaves more like an alternate software repository...it's not like you're using it to fetch your kernel updates in macOS.
  - fnordsensei 9y ago
    Why does the method of updating the core OS matter? Unless you're a system admin, and have to do it a lot. If not, that's hopefully something you don't spend a significant amount of time on each day. Most of my concerns with regards to the OS I use has to do with the stuff I do 10s or 100s of times a day.
    - khedoros1 9y ago
      > Why does the method of updating the core OS matter? Because it's part of the answer to the question "How is package management via apt any different than using homebrew?", and (I think) supports my assertion that Apt is more of a piece of core OS functionality than Brew is.
      - fnordsensei 9y ago
        So, it's more of a philosophical hang-up than a practical one. I love apt, but I have no philosophical stake in the game. Both allow me to install things from command line. In that respect, they are functionally identical to me. Then once a quarter or half-year, I need to do an OS upgrade, and then I use two different systems depending on platform (I use both regularly). Let's say one takes 15 minutes and uses apt, and the other takes 45 minutes and uses App Store. Then I amortize that over the preceding three months, and in both cases the attention required, confusion created, and effort expended approaches zero rapidly, regardless of system. Like I said, if you're a system admin, then sure.
    - AsyncAwait 9y ago
      > Why does the method of updating the core OS matter Because updating Arch is about 100x faster than updating a Mac to a new version. The loading bar looks nearly complete and then "About 17 minutes remaining."

selectodude 9y ago

How is package management via apt any different than using homebrew? They're both equally "bolted on".

tfcata 9y ago
try 'brew install gnome-desktop' maybe?
- herbst 9y ago
  Wait this works? Gnome shell? The full gnome experience?
  - tushar-r 9y ago
    Nope :-/ $ brew install gnome-desktop Updating Homebrew... ==> Auto-updated Homebrew! Updated 3 taps (caskroom/cask, caskroom/versions, homebrew/core). ==> Renamed Formulae php70 -> php@7.0 Error: No available formula with the name "gnome-desktop" ==> Searching for a previously deleted formula (in the last month)... Error: No previously deleted formula found. ==> Searching for similarly named formulae... ==> Searching local taps... Error: No similarly named formulae found. ==> Searching taps... ==> Searching taps on GitHub... Error: No formulae found in taps.
    - herbst 9y ago
      I only realized later that it wouldn't really work anyway guessing from all the missing dependencies.
khedoros1 9y ago
Apt is the update mechanism for the system. OS updates, application updates, etc. It's a core piece of software on a Debian-related system. Brew behaves more like an alternate software repository...it's not like you're using it to fetch your kernel updates in macOS.
- fnordsensei 9y ago
  Why does the method of updating the core OS matter? Unless you're a system admin, and have to do it a lot. If not, that's hopefully something you don't spend a significant amount of time on each day. Most of my concerns with regards to the OS I use has to do with the stuff I do 10s or 100s of times a day.
  - khedoros1 9y ago
    > Why does the method of updating the core OS matter? Because it's part of the answer to the question "How is package management via apt any different than using homebrew?", and (I think) supports my assertion that Apt is more of a piece of core OS functionality than Brew is.
    - fnordsensei 9y ago
      So, it's more of a philosophical hang-up than a practical one. I love apt, but I have no philosophical stake in the game. Both allow me to install things from command line. In that respect, they are functionally identical to me. Then once a quarter or half-year, I need to do an OS upgrade, and then I use two different systems depending on platform (I use both regularly). Let's say one takes 15 minutes and uses apt, and the other takes 45 minutes and uses App Store. Then I amortize that over the preceding three months, and in both cases the attention required, confusion created, and effort expended approaches zero rapidly, regardless of system. Like I said, if you're a system admin, then sure.
  - AsyncAwait 9y ago
    > Why does the method of updating the core OS matter Because updating Arch is about 100x faster than updating a Mac to a new version. The loading bar looks nearly complete and then "About 17 minutes remaining."