3 ms·

I used both Mac and Linux for a while. Other than cost of a Mac computer, I don't see much downside to using a Mac. You get *nix with a more standard setup and

by leros 2y ago

I used both Mac and Linux for a while. Other than cost of a Mac computer, I don't see much downside to using a Mac. You get *nix with a more standard setup and you'll spend less time tinkering. I think the only reason I'd go Linux today is if I needed a beefier computer then what I can get out of a $2000 MacBook.

martinbaun 2y ago
what about potential repairs? Or are you not using a MacBook?
- dagw 2y ago
  Honestly in the real world, I'be never found repairability to be a huge factor for me. My employer pays for my laptop, including warranty and service contracts. If I break it, which has honestly happened literally once in 12 years, I just get it replaced.
- leros 2y ago
  I'm using a MacBook. I've never needed a repair but if I did I would just pay Apple to repair it. As far as I can tell, MacBooks are some of the most durable laptops out there. I don't personally have any concern about them needing more repairs than others.
angoragoats 2y ago
Mac OS (and most Apple software in general of late) is not open source, not all that stable, and contains ads for Apple’s products and services that can’t be disabled. Those are three reasons why I prefer Linux, all things considered. Though I do own both a Mac and a Linux machine. I disagree that Mac OS is somehow “more standard” (whatever that means). In addition, if you are a web developer, chances are you’re either deploying your software to Linux or to a container platform that’s native to Linux. Having your dev and prod environments match can be helpful.
- dangus 2y ago
  Ugh, here we go. Not all that stable: honestly an outright lie. Windows is stable. Linux is stable. Mac is stable. They’re all fine. Ads for Apple products: they absolutely can be disabled and never come up after the first time they’re dismissed. By the way, not all Linux is non-commercial and the most popular distributions like Ubuntu and Red Hat are commercial distributions. https://linuxiac.com/ubuntu-once-again-angered-users-by-placing-ads/ https://linuxiac.com/ubuntu-once-again-angered-users-by-plac... I think the parent comment to yours was saying “more standard” in the sense that more software (especially commercial software) knows what to do with a Mac and works well with it. There are a whole bunch of commercial applications that have a Mac and Windows version but no Linux version. macOS is also only one distribution while there are hundreds of flavors of Linux. If you’re on a Mac then someone targeting your platform knows what components you have. People who make accessories consider your existence and test their products with your platform. Finally, most people aren’t web developers. But even if they were, I would argue that making your workstation exactly match the production server environment isn’t going to work that well even if you’re on a Linux desktop and is probably the wrong approach anyway. If I’m using an Arch Linux workstation and my application is running on Amazon EKS backed by Amazon Linux, there’s no possible way to make my container environment perfectly match the production technology.
  - angoragoats 2y ago
    Re: stability, we’re probably only going to be sharing personal anecdotes so I won’t argue that point with you, except to say that Mac OS is absolutely less stable for me than Linux. And to directly refute your second point, here are two examples of Apple ads that you can’t disable: 1) if you’re close to the free limit of your iCloud storage, there’s a prominent block trying to upsell you to a paid plan in the iCloud settings. 2) if you press the “play” button on any connected pair of non-Apple headphones when nothing is currently playing, the Apple Music app opens, which, on launch, will attempt to sell you on a subscription if you don’t already have one. There’s no way to disable this ad, or even to tell the OS to open a different app or none at all, short of an open source hack that nukes Music.app entirely until your next reboot. I never said anything against an OS being commercial.
eb0la 2y ago
The only Mac selling point for me is that, if you are a startup, and your code is inside a Mac registered with iCloud, AND you have full disk encryption, nobody will get anything from it without authorization.
- segmondy 2y ago
  You can have encrypted filesystem in Linux too. Put a bios password and with encrypted filesystem, same.

by leros 2y ago

martinbaun 2y ago

what about potential repairs? Or are you not using a MacBook?

dagw 2y ago
Honestly in the real world, I'be never found repairability to be a huge factor for me. My employer pays for my laptop, including warranty and service contracts. If I break it, which has honestly happened literally once in 12 years, I just get it replaced.
leros 2y ago
I'm using a MacBook. I've never needed a repair but if I did I would just pay Apple to repair it. As far as I can tell, MacBooks are some of the most durable laptops out there. I don't personally have any concern about them needing more repairs than others.

angoragoats 2y ago

Mac OS (and most Apple software in general of late) is not open source, not all that stable, and contains ads for Apple’s products and services that can’t be disabled. Those are three reasons why I prefer Linux, all things considered. Though I do own both a Mac and a Linux machine. I disagree that Mac OS is somehow “more standard” (whatever that means). In addition, if you are a web developer, chances are you’re either deploying your software to Linux or to a container platform that’s native to Linux. Having your dev and prod environments match can be helpful.

dangus 2y ago
Ugh, here we go. Not all that stable: honestly an outright lie. Windows is stable. Linux is stable. Mac is stable. They’re all fine. Ads for Apple products: they absolutely can be disabled and never come up after the first time they’re dismissed. By the way, not all Linux is non-commercial and the most popular distributions like Ubuntu and Red Hat are commercial distributions. https://linuxiac.com/ubuntu-once-again-angered-users-by-placing-ads/ https://linuxiac.com/ubuntu-once-again-angered-users-by-plac... I think the parent comment to yours was saying “more standard” in the sense that more software (especially commercial software) knows what to do with a Mac and works well with it. There are a whole bunch of commercial applications that have a Mac and Windows version but no Linux version. macOS is also only one distribution while there are hundreds of flavors of Linux. If you’re on a Mac then someone targeting your platform knows what components you have. People who make accessories consider your existence and test their products with your platform. Finally, most people aren’t web developers. But even if they were, I would argue that making your workstation exactly match the production server environment isn’t going to work that well even if you’re on a Linux desktop and is probably the wrong approach anyway. If I’m using an Arch Linux workstation and my application is running on Amazon EKS backed by Amazon Linux, there’s no possible way to make my container environment perfectly match the production technology.
- angoragoats 2y ago
  Re: stability, we’re probably only going to be sharing personal anecdotes so I won’t argue that point with you, except to say that Mac OS is absolutely less stable for me than Linux. And to directly refute your second point, here are two examples of Apple ads that you can’t disable: 1) if you’re close to the free limit of your iCloud storage, there’s a prominent block trying to upsell you to a paid plan in the iCloud settings. 2) if you press the “play” button on any connected pair of non-Apple headphones when nothing is currently playing, the Apple Music app opens, which, on launch, will attempt to sell you on a subscription if you don’t already have one. There’s no way to disable this ad, or even to tell the OS to open a different app or none at all, short of an open source hack that nukes Music.app entirely until your next reboot. I never said anything against an OS being commercial.

eb0la 2y ago

The only Mac selling point for me is that, if you are a startup, and your code is inside a Mac registered with iCloud, AND you have full disk encryption, nobody will get anything from it without authorization.

segmondy 2y ago
You can have encrypted filesystem in Linux too. Put a bios password and with encrypted filesystem, same.