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Ask HN: Are there still developpers using non-Apple laptops, and why?

I code exclusivly on a Linux laptop and it feels like I am one of the few remaining ones. I see far less developers using a PC nowadays ; all my developers friends are now using a mac, even the ones who were laughing about Apple's computers 10 years ago. It seems to me that diversity is important, that you should not have one company providing the same hardware for every developers (same reason I stick to Firefox: I think Chrome should not be the only browser for web development), eventhough I sometime envy iDevices' big batteries or slick designs. So I would love to hear your opinion on this, I am the only one worrying about every developers using a mac? Should I really worry about it? Am I the only one sticking with a PC, just by philosophy?

onion2k 8y ago
I think Chrome should not be the only browser for web development If you're a web developer you need to use all the browsers. If you're developing for Chrome (or Firefox, or Edge, etc) then you aren't developing for the web; you're developing for a particular browser, and that's not web dev.
- thepapanoob 8y ago
  well thats quite a debatable and questionable stance on the problem... chrome has by far the best tooling & debugging of all browsers so using that for developing is a no brainer. BUT i totally agree that you should atleast test it on multiple browsers
newman8r 8y ago
I own several macs, but I run linux on all of them. It's very unlikely I'll buy macs again in the future. They've held up really well but I've moved on from Apple's ecosystem.
- paulintrognon 8y ago
  Why are you moving away from Apple's ecosystem?
  - newman8r 8y ago
    A few years ago I converted one of my MBPs to debian and it was an amazing experience - I was a bit burned out, but switching to linux revitalized my interest in computing. I learned a ton about the kernel, really stepped up my knowledge in every area imaginable. It's a better experience for me in every possible way.
icc97 8y ago
I don't know where in the world you work - but it sounds very much like you're in a bubble. In all the companies I've ever worked (for 18 years - banking, stats and engineering) there was less than 10 Macs ever used. The majority of those were by two Apple fanbois.
trollied 8y ago
I've used Macs for years. A couple of my juniors use Windows laptops, largely because they're gamers and are used to Windows. Dev tools are cross-platform, people should use the operating systems they're most comfortable with.

onion2k 8y ago

I think Chrome should not be the only browser for web development If you're a web developer you need to use all the browsers. If you're developing for Chrome (or Firefox, or Edge, etc) then you aren't developing for the web; you're developing for a particular browser, and that's not web dev.

thepapanoob 8y ago
well thats quite a debatable and questionable stance on the problem... chrome has by far the best tooling & debugging of all browsers so using that for developing is a no brainer. BUT i totally agree that you should atleast test it on multiple browsers

newman8r 8y ago

I own several macs, but I run linux on all of them. It's very unlikely I'll buy macs again in the future. They've held up really well but I've moved on from Apple's ecosystem.

paulintrognon 8y ago
Why are you moving away from Apple's ecosystem?
- newman8r 8y ago
  A few years ago I converted one of my MBPs to debian and it was an amazing experience - I was a bit burned out, but switching to linux revitalized my interest in computing. I learned a ton about the kernel, really stepped up my knowledge in every area imaginable. It's a better experience for me in every possible way.

icc97 8y ago

I don't know where in the world you work - but it sounds very much like you're in a bubble. In all the companies I've ever worked (for 18 years - banking, stats and engineering) there was less than 10 Macs ever used. The majority of those were by two Apple fanbois.

trollied 8y ago

I've used Macs for years. A couple of my juniors use Windows laptops, largely because they're gamers and are used to Windows. Dev tools are cross-platform, people should use the operating systems they're most comfortable with.