5 ms·

I've been using Linux as my primary OS for about a year now, and while I agree that Linux has come a long way, it's definitely not ready for prime time just yet

I've been using Linux as my primary OS for about a year now, and while I agree that Linux has come a long way, it's definitely not ready for prime time just yet. Here's why: - GUI performance is bad. I have a reasonably high end system, but switching between desktops is choppy unless I turn my resolution down to 1600x900. - Trackpad support is bad. It works but feels clunky. You really feel the difference when you use a Macbook for the first time in a while. - Hibernate doesn't work. I've tried and tried to get this to work but haven't succeeded. So now I either need to keep my laptop plugged in all the time or shut it down (which is annoying, because I encrypt my hard drive so I have to enter two passwords to start). - Bluetooth doesn't work well. I have to run a command to restart my bluetooth service every time I connect, and still sometimes have to re-pair my headphones. I use a wired connection now to avoid dealing with it. I bought a Linux-native laptop (System76 Galago) thinking things would work out of the box, but this hasn't been the case. (Also, the Galago's battery is awful so I wouldn't recommend it even if everything worked well.) The next time I'm ready to drop $1500+ on a laptop, I'll probably just get a Macbook.

AsyncAwait 8y ago
> GUI performance is bad. This depends heavily on the GPU drivers used, which in itself is probably a problem, but is far from universal. I didn't have any issues with Bluetooth & hibernate for years now, I am surprised you'd have hibernate problems on a System76 laptop as I don't even have a 'Linux-friendly' laptop per se and hibernate works. > The next time I'm ready to drop $1500+ on a laptop, I'll probably just get a Macbook. I use MacBooks sometimes at work and I'd say that past 2015 they've not been on the right track. The keyboard and cooling especially. Software-wise, macOS is indeed more 'uniform' in terms of hardware, so it's easier to make sure everything 'works', (which is not really a fair comparison to Linux, which works well on a much wider range of hardware, including the 2015 MBP). As for macOS itself, you don't really have much in terms of customization options, which you may prefer, but that also means if you don't like something you're stuck. Be however prepared to pay $20-30 for every little utility from a decent file manager to window snapping, (that's right, macOS doesn't ship with a proper file manager and doesn't really support window snapping the way you'd expect out of the box).
- SomeHacker44 8y ago
  I would pay a lot for the internals of a 2018 15" MBP in a 2015 13" MBP shell, even with much more limited battery life and only TB-3 (and audio) ports.
- kdamica 8y ago
  I agree with what you're saying on the advantages of Linux. I want it to be awesome. I love all the customization and the fact that I don't need to worry about the bad decisions of some company affecting my desktop experience (e.g. the awful mac touchbar with its persistent Siri button), but right now there are so many quality of life problems that the experience is sort of ruined for me.

AsyncAwait 8y ago

> GUI performance is bad. This depends heavily on the GPU drivers used, which in itself is probably a problem, but is far from universal. I didn't have any issues with Bluetooth & hibernate for years now, I am surprised you'd have hibernate problems on a System76 laptop as I don't even have a 'Linux-friendly' laptop per se and hibernate works. > The next time I'm ready to drop $1500+ on a laptop, I'll probably just get a Macbook. I use MacBooks sometimes at work and I'd say that past 2015 they've not been on the right track. The keyboard and cooling especially. Software-wise, macOS is indeed more 'uniform' in terms of hardware, so it's easier to make sure everything 'works', (which is not really a fair comparison to Linux, which works well on a much wider range of hardware, including the 2015 MBP). As for macOS itself, you don't really have much in terms of customization options, which you may prefer, but that also means if you don't like something you're stuck. Be however prepared to pay $20-30 for every little utility from a decent file manager to window snapping, (that's right, macOS doesn't ship with a proper file manager and doesn't really support window snapping the way you'd expect out of the box).

SomeHacker44 8y ago
I would pay a lot for the internals of a 2018 15" MBP in a 2015 13" MBP shell, even with much more limited battery life and only TB-3 (and audio) ports.
kdamica 8y ago
I agree with what you're saying on the advantages of Linux. I want it to be awesome. I love all the customization and the fact that I don't need to worry about the bad decisions of some company affecting my desktop experience (e.g. the awful mac touchbar with its persistent Siri button), but right now there are so many quality of life problems that the experience is sort of ruined for me.