4 ms·

A contrary anecdote: I used mac for like 7 years, linux (and bsd) for around the same. Both full-commit, main system. And obviously windows, which was always so

by wruza 4y ago

A contrary anecdote: I used mac for like 7 years, linux (and bsd) for around the same. Both full-commit, main system. And obviously windows, which was always somewhere in a background all this time. I settled on windows 10 and do not plan to move away from it. MSYS2 adds the linux part, because I don’t really care about kernel or fs, linux means gnu/coreutils to me. And if you like gaming, fresh or non-standard hardware or are oc/tuning enthusiast, linux is out of the game. (Don’t bother commenting on that anyone, I check linux wrt that biannually, last check was this winter, shortly after yet another “it just works this time” promise. I couldn’t even set up linear mode for my metal-paws precision mouse, or 125% scaling.) Mac is an off-the-shelf option, but it’s expensive and I get mediocre custom hardware for the same price as top pc. E.g. idk about now, but when my drive failed I had to either buy 2x-priced Apple(tm) ssd or a regular one and install a third-party fan controller. Without it it sounded like a vacuum cleaner. Something latest i7/i9, rtx, etc? Costs like half a premium car. I regularly laugh at my former mac-loving boss who e.g. searched for TB(?)-DP adapter for under $400 and walks with a bunch of cables because his macbook lacks usb ports. Windows 10 is rock solid on hw support and software in general, for a regular price. I can build a completely silent and cool pc out of best parts. I also know how to set it up so it annoys me less if at all. And few programmers’ things that it lacks are easy to supplement. MSYS provides GNU, Powertoys help with desktop/wm, Windows Terminal is also okay. Start menu and taskbar are tunable enough to stop noticing them. Even Explorer became okay recently. Don’t get me wrong, windows still sucks by default. But at least “yes, it can do that” and it doesn’t require money to change keyboard batteries, if you know that joke.

ChancyChance 4y ago
> But at least “yes, it can do that” That's a good point. Hardware failures are far more costly on a Mac that on a windows machine. I'm so far removed from that being an issue (because I'm old) that it is a privilege I forget I have. Duly noted. Cygwin/MSYS/Mingw are really sad reflections of their source material. Not to take a big crap on the millions of man hours the developers have put into them, but they are not drop in replacements which is what I need. And in multiple cases over the years, they always fail to reproduce what is expected. These tools end up requiring their own special care in scripting, which is what I need them to avoid.
- kyrra 4y ago
  WSL2 should help some? It's not perfect, but can get you a lot of the way there.
  - baq 4y ago
    WSL2 is the best Linux you can get anywhere. Perfect hardware support.
    - hulitu 4y ago
      Never heard about it. Does it run on bare metal ? /s
- Dalewyn 4y ago
  It's really all about the perspective. I'm a Windows wizard of many a decades and fucking hate iPhones and iPads, but finally got around to buying a Macbook to try it thanks to the sheer hype surrounding the Apple M chips. My understanding of Macs now is that I hate them but also respect them. What do I mean by this? Well, I have gripes, lots of them; but I'm a power user and here's the kicker: Macs are not intended for power users, I'm not my Macbook's intended customer. No, Macs are clearly intended for the moms and pops, the common man who treats computers like any other tool or appliance around the house or workplace. Once I understood that and re-evaluated what I had in front of me, I could not deny that Macs are superior to Windows (and Linux) for their intended audience. Complete computer illiterate guy or gal come to ask me for advice on buying a computer? I'll tell them to go and buy a Mac. Macs Just Work(tm), and that virtue is invaluable for anyone who can't or doesn't want to mess around with their computers. Something breaks in the Macbook? Just throw it away and buy a new one. The common man doesn't care for messing with the computer, it's an appliance and he has things that need doing, and Macs will satisfy that demand. Yes, a Mac user has to subscribe to the One Apple Way(tm), it's a hard requirement of getting into the Apple ecosystem. But the common man doesn't care, he has more pressing matters on his mind.
  - californical 4y ago

by wruza 4y ago

ChancyChance 4y ago

> But at least “yes, it can do that” That's a good point. Hardware failures are far more costly on a Mac that on a windows machine. I'm so far removed from that being an issue (because I'm old) that it is a privilege I forget I have. Duly noted. Cygwin/MSYS/Mingw are really sad reflections of their source material. Not to take a big crap on the millions of man hours the developers have put into them, but they are not drop in replacements which is what I need. And in multiple cases over the years, they always fail to reproduce what is expected. These tools end up requiring their own special care in scripting, which is what I need them to avoid.

kyrra 4y ago
WSL2 should help some? It's not perfect, but can get you a lot of the way there.
- baq 4y ago
  WSL2 is the best Linux you can get anywhere. Perfect hardware support.
  - hulitu 4y ago
    Never heard about it. Does it run on bare metal ? /s
Dalewyn 4y ago
It's really all about the perspective. I'm a Windows wizard of many a decades and fucking hate iPhones and iPads, but finally got around to buying a Macbook to try it thanks to the sheer hype surrounding the Apple M chips. My understanding of Macs now is that I hate them but also respect them. What do I mean by this? Well, I have gripes, lots of them; but I'm a power user and here's the kicker: Macs are not intended for power users, I'm not my Macbook's intended customer. No, Macs are clearly intended for the moms and pops, the common man who treats computers like any other tool or appliance around the house or workplace. Once I understood that and re-evaluated what I had in front of me, I could not deny that Macs are superior to Windows (and Linux) for their intended audience. Complete computer illiterate guy or gal come to ask me for advice on buying a computer? I'll tell them to go and buy a Mac. Macs Just Work(tm), and that virtue is invaluable for anyone who can't or doesn't want to mess around with their computers. Something breaks in the Macbook? Just throw it away and buy a new one. The common man doesn't care for messing with the computer, it's an appliance and he has things that need doing, and Macs will satisfy that demand. Yes, a Mac user has to subscribe to the One Apple Way(tm), it's a hard requirement of getting into the Apple ecosystem. But the common man doesn't care, he has more pressing matters on his mind.
- californical 4y ago