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Why do hackers like Macs that much? Wouldn't it be better to use cross-platform tools?

by pizza 15y ago

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
dougws 15y ago
The whole point of cross-platform tools is that they run on multiple platforms. One of the platforms they likely run on is the Mac.
thurn 15y ago
I don't understand the question. How is using a PC more "cross-platform"? If anything, Mac users are a big driving force behind cross-platform initiatives.
elithrar 15y ago
> Why do hackers like Macs that much? Wouldn't it be better to use cross-platform tools? I think a lot of us like OS X because we get a Unix build environment with a fairly slick GUI and good third-party app support. Being able to use the same OS for day-to-day tasks (Word docs, Photoshop/Lightroom, etc) and for development is nice, and despite some inconsistencies, the quality of third-party applications is pretty high (i.e. Transmit, TextMate/MacVim, Pixelmator, Adium, etc). Battery life, when it comes to portables, is also a bonus; most Macs have better battery life and less weight than a similarly specced Dell/HP/Lenovo machine (anecdotal, but I think I'm in the ballpark here).
- mathninja 15y ago
  This is exactly what I say when I explain why I like using a mac. Also the touchpad is amazing. For most of my day-to-day tasks its better than a mouse. I would have never imagined that this was possible.
  - 5hoom 15y ago
    Totally agreed. The MBP trackpad is a wonderful thing & when combined with various swipe gestures I find it really efficient for getting around. Things like being able to do a two finger swipe to scroll an out of focus document or four finger swipe to show active windows are just really nice.
lallysingh 15y ago
Macs are high-end machines and come with a sane OS on them, with support from the manufacturer. The last two issues together: sane OS, manufacturer support, basically knock out the rest of the market.
- r0s 15y ago
  A sane OS would let me delete a file with the delete key(!).
  - atomicdog 15y ago
    'Enter' to rename is pretty insane also
    - rimantas 15y ago
      As if F2 is any saner.
  - alanfalcon 15y ago
    You use the command key to issue commands and raw keys to type. So: command-delete means it's fast and easy to delete a file without the worry of accidentally losing a file when your cat jumps on the keyboard.
    - r0s 15y ago
      Maybe the OS can put a cork on the end of my fork so I don't accidentally stab myself while I'm eating. I'm just kidding, it's a superficial annoyance. I should have the option though, and what's the purpose of a "recycle bin" if not for feline file administration?
    - jorisw 15y ago
      > I should have the option though No. This is what good software design is. The designer chose this path, offering you the option to change this is what makes software bloated and unmaintainable.
dazonic 15y ago
If you wanna get cross-platformy, Mac is the only system where you can run and virtualise every OS. It's a web dev's dream.
- adambyrtek 15y ago
  What do you mean? You can "virtualise every OS" on other platforms as well.
  - olefoo 15y ago
    You cannot legally run OS X on anything other than Apple hardware. This gets really annoying when you want to set up a headless browser testing cluster because you can't virtualize any of the Mac OS's you might be targeting.
    - nirvana 15y ago
      Well, you can set up some headless mac minis and run a variety of virtualized OS X instances on them. I personally don't see the advantage of using other hardware, Apple hardware is a better value to me. (I value reliability over lower initial price, and I don't find generic PC components to be cheaper for the same thing, nor to have adequate reliability. )
      - olefoo 15y ago
        That's pretty much what I've done when I needed to, don't get me wrong, I like Apple laptops and will be replacing my recently stolen Macbook Pro as soon as my budget allows; but being unable to launch an OS X vm is an inconvenience at times, and a completely unnecessary limitation.
  - zobzu 15y ago
    Should also mention that the Mac visualizer them so damn slow. Cause yeah Ive a 2011 high end mac. And Vmware, parallels or vbox, they're all slower than on Windows and Linux Figures. I'm virtualizing OSX on PCs, I don't care that Apple put a virtual limitation saying "you've no right to do that! its our software!". It's just as broken as software patents. I pay for it, I use it as a please. Sue me. Funny than when it comes from Apple its ok and good reason to buy a Mac tho. Imagine if Microsoft did that? Really, just imagine it one second and how bad you'd hate them. Humans.

Why do hackers like Macs that much? Wouldn't it be better to use cross-platform tools?

by pizza 15y ago

Why do hackers like Macs that much? Wouldn't it be better to use cross-platform tools?

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

dougws 15y ago

The whole point of cross-platform tools is that they run on multiple platforms. One of the platforms they likely run on is the Mac.

thurn 15y ago

I don't understand the question. How is using a PC more "cross-platform"? If anything, Mac users are a big driving force behind cross-platform initiatives.

elithrar 15y ago

> Why do hackers like Macs that much? Wouldn't it be better to use cross-platform tools? I think a lot of us like OS X because we get a Unix build environment with a fairly slick GUI and good third-party app support. Being able to use the same OS for day-to-day tasks (Word docs, Photoshop/Lightroom, etc) and for development is nice, and despite some inconsistencies, the quality of third-party applications is pretty high (i.e. Transmit, TextMate/MacVim, Pixelmator, Adium, etc). Battery life, when it comes to portables, is also a bonus; most Macs have better battery life and less weight than a similarly specced Dell/HP/Lenovo machine (anecdotal, but I think I'm in the ballpark here).

mathninja 15y ago
This is exactly what I say when I explain why I like using a mac. Also the touchpad is amazing. For most of my day-to-day tasks its better than a mouse. I would have never imagined that this was possible.
- 5hoom 15y ago
  Totally agreed. The MBP trackpad is a wonderful thing & when combined with various swipe gestures I find it really efficient for getting around. Things like being able to do a two finger swipe to scroll an out of focus document or four finger swipe to show active windows are just really nice.

lallysingh 15y ago

Macs are high-end machines and come with a sane OS on them, with support from the manufacturer. The last two issues together: sane OS, manufacturer support, basically knock out the rest of the market.

r0s 15y ago
A sane OS would let me delete a file with the delete key(!).
- atomicdog 15y ago
  'Enter' to rename is pretty insane also
  - rimantas 15y ago
    As if F2 is any saner.
- alanfalcon 15y ago
  You use the command key to issue commands and raw keys to type. So: command-delete means it's fast and easy to delete a file without the worry of accidentally losing a file when your cat jumps on the keyboard.
  - r0s 15y ago
    Maybe the OS can put a cork on the end of my fork so I don't accidentally stab myself while I'm eating. I'm just kidding, it's a superficial annoyance. I should have the option though, and what's the purpose of a "recycle bin" if not for feline file administration?
  - jorisw 15y ago
    > I should have the option though No. This is what good software design is. The designer chose this path, offering you the option to change this is what makes software bloated and unmaintainable.

dazonic 15y ago

If you wanna get cross-platformy, Mac is the only system where you can run and virtualise every OS. It's a web dev's dream.

adambyrtek 15y ago
What do you mean? You can "virtualise every OS" on other platforms as well.
- olefoo 15y ago
  You cannot legally run OS X on anything other than Apple hardware. This gets really annoying when you want to set up a headless browser testing cluster because you can't virtualize any of the Mac OS's you might be targeting.
  - nirvana 15y ago
    Well, you can set up some headless mac minis and run a variety of virtualized OS X instances on them. I personally don't see the advantage of using other hardware, Apple hardware is a better value to me. (I value reliability over lower initial price, and I don't find generic PC components to be cheaper for the same thing, nor to have adequate reliability. )
    - olefoo 15y ago
      That's pretty much what I've done when I needed to, don't get me wrong, I like Apple laptops and will be replacing my recently stolen Macbook Pro as soon as my budget allows; but being unable to launch an OS X vm is an inconvenience at times, and a completely unnecessary limitation.
- zobzu 15y ago
  Should also mention that the Mac visualizer them so damn slow. Cause yeah Ive a 2011 high end mac. And Vmware, parallels or vbox, they're all slower than on Windows and Linux Figures. I'm virtualizing OSX on PCs, I don't care that Apple put a virtual limitation saying "you've no right to do that! its our software!". It's just as broken as software patents. I pay for it, I use it as a please. Sue me. Funny than when it comes from Apple its ok and good reason to buy a Mac tho. Imagine if Microsoft did that? Really, just imagine it one second and how bad you'd hate them. Humans.