5 ms·

Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you?

6 points by loboman 16y ago

iamdave 16y ago
Because I use OS X. /shrugs
- timrobinson 16y ago
  Because I use OS X, which has decent Unix tools along with a nice user interface.
protomyth 16y ago
I like OpenBSD for my server needs and use OS X on the desktop. I might start using Dragonfly BSD for some server stuff since I am very curious about how the HAMMER file system works in practice.
marssaxman 16y ago
OS X is prettier, less annoying, and generally just works. I'm not interested in system administration; I just want to get things done. I do use Linux on servers and on my netbook.
stonemetal 16y ago
Lacks Steam support. Requires activities I am unwilling to engage in as a user of a system. Less useful than competitors. Uglier than competitors. Lack of uniformity in UIs. Large number of UIs that only a mother could love.
- hybrid11 16y ago
  Same here, for my day to day machine, it's too much work to get some applications to work on it, especially games. For servers though, I definitely use Linux!
chessweb 16y ago
I used to use Ubuntu from 8.04 to 10.10 until a regular security update left the system in an unbootable state. Since I didn't feel like reinstalling my system from scratch I went back to Windows 7.
- shantanubala 16y ago
  I was also quite disappointed when I faced the same problem, had to use the live CD to backup my files, and reinstall the entire operating system from scratch on a random weekday when I should have spent those couple hours working. Aside from that, though, my productivity on Ubuntu is much better than Windows. Workspaces, Gnome Do, the Rhythmbox integration, the ease of installing applications, and centralized updates make the occasional pains and "free" pricetag a great deal. But it's still not at all ready for "prime time" unless the hardware configuration has been thoroughly tested -- the computer I used was one I configured from scratch.
mrschwabe 16y ago
The day that Adobe releases CS for Linux, is the day thousands of designers like me convert over. In the meantime, my system runs Windows. My laptop however, runs Ubuntu.
JoeAltmaier 16y ago
Because I've had to work inside the Linux kernel/driver layer for startup(s). And I've seen the code in there.
veyron 16y ago
You need to qualify the question i.e. I use Linux for some servers but OSX for desktop
amorphid 16y ago
It lacks manufacturer support for stuff like all-in-one printers.
iuguy 16y ago
PGP Whole Disk Encryption. Yeah, I hate my life too. I do use Arch Linux at home for a server, heaps of Linux VMs for different things and almost all of our servers are Linux, a BSD or OSX. But my main laptop runs Windows 7, and I'm typing this on a Mac Mini. The Mac Mini is just better plugged into the TV, Windows 7 is generally the best Windows implementation I've used and is good enough for everything I want/need to do.
geraldbaeck 16y ago
The OS does not matter, because almost everything is running in my browser.
daimyoyo 16y ago
Because I'm developing apps for iOS and Uncle Steve requires developers to use a Mac that supports Snow Leopard.
tompagenet2 16y ago
Because I use Chrome, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere and more and all of these run without the slightest problem in Windows 7, and all of my past Ubuntu experiences have ended with someone suggesting I edit ~conf.something and removing the number 7.
dave_sullivan 16y ago
I have 2 computers/2 monitors side by side w/ one keyboard and mouse via synergy. 1 computer is linux, other is win7. Linux doesn't have creative suite, and I'd prefer not to use VMWare or screw with wine for something like that. And no, linux does not have real replacements for creative suite applications. I also do a bit of flash/flex/as3 development, not recommended on linux unless you have lots of free time on your hands and want to fight an uphill battle. There's a handful of other stuff that works better/faster on windows. For the most part, I use each system equally, but would have difficulty choosing just one. My laptop is windows. Never tried apple much for varied reasons I won't go into.
frou_dh 16y ago
OS X is more pleasant to spend time in, since the Linux desktop environments and applications mostly have poor look and feel.
barrydahlberg 16y ago
Because Windows 7 is great and Visual Studio doesn't run there.
2AM 16y ago
I think the main reason is that there is so much going on in Ubuntu, or Linux in general, with every release. I really like to run the latest stuff, but 6-month cycle is not good for development machine, the updates sometimes break the system and I can't concentrate on my work, so the development system is a Mac, I have Ubuntu on other machines.

6 points by loboman 16y ago

iamdave 16y ago

Because I use OS X. /shrugs

timrobinson 16y ago
Because I use OS X, which has decent Unix tools along with a nice user interface.

protomyth 16y ago

I like OpenBSD for my server needs and use OS X on the desktop. I might start using Dragonfly BSD for some server stuff since I am very curious about how the HAMMER file system works in practice.

marssaxman 16y ago

OS X is prettier, less annoying, and generally just works. I'm not interested in system administration; I just want to get things done. I do use Linux on servers and on my netbook.

stonemetal 16y ago

Lacks Steam support. Requires activities I am unwilling to engage in as a user of a system. Less useful than competitors. Uglier than competitors. Lack of uniformity in UIs. Large number of UIs that only a mother could love.

hybrid11 16y ago
Same here, for my day to day machine, it's too much work to get some applications to work on it, especially games. For servers though, I definitely use Linux!

chessweb 16y ago

I used to use Ubuntu from 8.04 to 10.10 until a regular security update left the system in an unbootable state. Since I didn't feel like reinstalling my system from scratch I went back to Windows 7.

shantanubala 16y ago
I was also quite disappointed when I faced the same problem, had to use the live CD to backup my files, and reinstall the entire operating system from scratch on a random weekday when I should have spent those couple hours working. Aside from that, though, my productivity on Ubuntu is much better than Windows. Workspaces, Gnome Do, the Rhythmbox integration, the ease of installing applications, and centralized updates make the occasional pains and "free" pricetag a great deal. But it's still not at all ready for "prime time" unless the hardware configuration has been thoroughly tested -- the computer I used was one I configured from scratch.

mrschwabe 16y ago

The day that Adobe releases CS for Linux, is the day thousands of designers like me convert over. In the meantime, my system runs Windows. My laptop however, runs Ubuntu.

JoeAltmaier 16y ago

Because I've had to work inside the Linux kernel/driver layer for startup(s). And I've seen the code in there.

veyron 16y ago

You need to qualify the question i.e. I use Linux for some servers but OSX for desktop

amorphid 16y ago

It lacks manufacturer support for stuff like all-in-one printers.

iuguy 16y ago

PGP Whole Disk Encryption. Yeah, I hate my life too. I do use Arch Linux at home for a server, heaps of Linux VMs for different things and almost all of our servers are Linux, a BSD or OSX. But my main laptop runs Windows 7, and I'm typing this on a Mac Mini. The Mac Mini is just better plugged into the TV, Windows 7 is generally the best Windows implementation I've used and is good enough for everything I want/need to do.

geraldbaeck 16y ago

The OS does not matter, because almost everything is running in my browser.

daimyoyo 16y ago

Because I'm developing apps for iOS and Uncle Steve requires developers to use a Mac that supports Snow Leopard.

tompagenet2 16y ago

Because I use Chrome, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere and more and all of these run without the slightest problem in Windows 7, and all of my past Ubuntu experiences have ended with someone suggesting I edit ~conf.something and removing the number 7.

dave_sullivan 16y ago

I have 2 computers/2 monitors side by side w/ one keyboard and mouse via synergy. 1 computer is linux, other is win7. Linux doesn't have creative suite, and I'd prefer not to use VMWare or screw with wine for something like that. And no, linux does not have real replacements for creative suite applications. I also do a bit of flash/flex/as3 development, not recommended on linux unless you have lots of free time on your hands and want to fight an uphill battle. There's a handful of other stuff that works better/faster on windows. For the most part, I use each system equally, but would have difficulty choosing just one. My laptop is windows. Never tried apple much for varied reasons I won't go into.

frou_dh 16y ago

OS X is more pleasant to spend time in, since the Linux desktop environments and applications mostly have poor look and feel.

barrydahlberg 16y ago

Because Windows 7 is great and Visual Studio doesn't run there.

2AM 16y ago

I think the main reason is that there is so much going on in Ubuntu, or Linux in general, with every release. I really like to run the latest stuff, but 6-month cycle is not good for development machine, the updates sometimes break the system and I can't concentrate on my work, so the development system is a Mac, I have Ubuntu on other machines.