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After reading the discussion here, I feel like there's a few things I should point out that I may have missed or not made clear in my blog post. 1) I live in a

After reading the discussion here, I feel like there's a few things I should point out that I may have missed or not made clear in my blog post. 1) I live in a remote place. Getting stuff shipped here is very hard and finding "Ubuntu-friendly hardware" is simply not an easy option, at all. I find it odd that Ubuntu is purportedly an answer for those who live in rural or remote areas, yet those are the areas where it can be extremely difficult, or expensive, to get specialized Linux-friendly hardware. 2) I've spent lots of time digging through documentation, reading about packages and messing with various pieces of Linux over the years. I am constantly SSHing around to various boxes for development and administration. I'm no stranger to config files, man pages, or Linux. 3) As I grow older, I'm finding that my time is definitely equatable to money. This is especially true as a freelancer. There was absolutely a thorough amount of "is this worth it" over the course of months, if not years, before taking the plunge. Ultimately: the time and frustration investment reached a threshold where throwing money at the solution became a viable and intelligent alternative for me. I'm not advocating that this decision is for everyone, only telling the story about how it became the decision I made.

edwintorok 14y ago
Does everything that you need on a daily basis work properly on the Mac? I mean it might seem to be like that at the beginning, only to find out later that some software just worked better on Linux.
- randomdrake 14y ago
  Yes. I've been using this thing for a couple months now. I haven't had anything fail on me at all. The system has not crashed or frozen. I can edit pictures for website development, I can use iTerm2 for programming in Vim and SSHing around to various boxes. I've been able to configure multiple local development environments including, but not limited to MySQL, PostgreSQL, PHP, nginx, Ruby, Django, and so on. Other various programs like my IRC client work splendidly and without issue.
- __--__ 14y ago
  I made the switch from Ubuntu to Mac myself about 4 years ago. There isn't a single piece of software I run that runs better on Linux, even some apps that were designed on and for linux (ZSH and Vim, for example). The only thing that might make me switch back at this point is the direction OS X is heading in. I'm still on 10.6.8 and I refuse to upgrade until they make an OS that's faster and less buggy than the one I'm running. Lion and Mountain Lion don't fit that bill. Also, there's no backwards compatibility for Apps. More and more apps are becoming 10.7 only, which may force me to make a decision sooner than I'd like.
jebblue 14y ago
>> yet those are the areas where it can be extremely difficult, or expensive, to get specialized Linux-friendly hardware ? what specialized hardware? Buy a PC or laptop and install Ubuntu. Unity is not configurable as old Gnome but it runs fine and actually is attractive .. I still miss right clicking on a panel and adding my own stuff but in general it works fine. Specialized hardware? I call BS. I just bought a new PC with the release of Steam on Linux. Guess what? Everything I connected works but the fancy new Gig Ethernet for which the driver has already been checked in and will be available in the kernel soon. My headphones for Google Voice, my USB drives, printer, the fancy new high speed video card from nVidia, it all works great. You decided to try Mac. Cool, enjoy, for me I enjoy computing on Ubuntu even with Unity. The builtin wireless works great too BTW, and web cam.
- randomdrake 14y ago
  I was referring to the multiple suggestions that my issue was simply not buying compatible hardware. I'm glad Ubuntu has worked for you! Really, I am. I don't dislike the project, or Open Source at all. The hardware available to me didn't work, unfortunately, so I experienced what I did.
- BEEdwards 14y ago
  I'm not even sure why there is this hatred of Unity, like its the only option. I don't like Unity I think it sucks, I just use KDE, but you could also use XFCE or Cinnomon or Awesome or any of billion other choices.
  - noisy_boy 14y ago
    This is probably why Linux has been and is such a draw for me. I've moved between FVWM, Fluxbox, Gnome 2 and KDE before finally (& happily) settling for KDE 4.9. I don't believe Windows or OS X would have give me this choice. This is not a not a criticism on their desktop environments but that their desktop environments may not be suited to my needs. Linux gives me this choice. I would like to emphasize couple of points which have hit closer to home for me: - Everything is not related to hardware compatibility; same hardware works fine on some distros and doesn't on others. Trying various distros may be time consuming and frustating for some. - Its the "tinkerability" of Linux that draws people for whom degree of customization/control trumps most other factors. Ironically even when they have spent weeks getting the setup perfect, the exact same mentality leads them continuously trying new/latest things/"improving" et. all and that leads to breakage. Sometimes telling them to stick with what works and not tinker is a like asking a player to not play. Of course, this is not a generalization and there are users across the spectrum ranging from out-of-the-boxt to compulsive-tinkerer. When Unity didn't leave me with any other choice to move from Ubuntu (and the main reason I stuck around wasn't Gnome 2 as most would say; it was apt-get), I tried XFCE/LXDE etc. For me, none of these provided the right mix of customization, aesthetics, features and stability as much KDE did. Though its eats up a bunch of RAM, it leaves plenty room in my almost 7 year old Compaq nx6320 laptop with 3GB RAM. I use OpenSuse 12.2 and not withstanding Yast etc., they sure know how to integrate KDE in a distro to provide a smooth & seamless experience.
wglb 14y ago
The underlying reasons here make sense to moving away from Ubuntu, but I am curious about I live in a remote place. Getting stuff shipped here is very hard. The linux boxes that I order I get from Tiger Direct for like $300 or $400. They show up the next day for regular shipping, but that is because I am in the same state as their depot. Where are you that the shipment is very hard? And throwing money at the solution became a viable and intelligent alternative for me is the way to go when the box is a tool and not a object of tinkering delight.
- randomdrake 14y ago
  I live in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's extremely inconsistent whether tech items can be shipped here. There are a couple reasons for that: 1) UPS considers it international shipping making the cost extraordinary. 2) Generally speaking, it's very common that I'm considered "outside the US" on various websites. 3) Lots of websites don't have USVI to select as a possible destination. Even entering a proper zip code doesn't yield helpful results. In regards to the "object of tinkering delight," you've sort of illustrated one of my points in my post: it's not a delight anymore. I've got things to do and projects I want to work on. I don't get delight from digging into drivers or code or projects anymore.
  - wglb 14y ago
    Well that does make sense. I very much concur. I do enjoy tinkering, but with what I do these days, I need the OS to not be such a giant obstacle.
bobcattr 14y ago
> I live in a remote place. Getting stuff shipped here is very hard and finding "Ubuntu-friendly hardware" is simply not an easy option, at all. I find it odd that Ubuntu is purportedly an answer for those who live in rural or remote areas, yet those are the areas where it can be extremely difficult, or expensive, to get specialized Linux-friendly hardware. Why even worry. I build a new computer last year completely blind. Everything on it worked fine in Linux. Linux has far better hardware support now than windows does
- randomdrake 14y ago
  Well, unfortunately, it didn't work out for me. I didn't think I was purchasing anything that wouldn't work in Linux for me but I was wrong. I don't know about Linux having better hardware support than Windows. I found the opposite to be true.

edwintorok 14y ago

Does everything that you need on a daily basis work properly on the Mac? I mean it might seem to be like that at the beginning, only to find out later that some software just worked better on Linux.

randomdrake 14y ago
Yes. I've been using this thing for a couple months now. I haven't had anything fail on me at all. The system has not crashed or frozen. I can edit pictures for website development, I can use iTerm2 for programming in Vim and SSHing around to various boxes. I've been able to configure multiple local development environments including, but not limited to MySQL, PostgreSQL, PHP, nginx, Ruby, Django, and so on. Other various programs like my IRC client work splendidly and without issue.
__--__ 14y ago
I made the switch from Ubuntu to Mac myself about 4 years ago. There isn't a single piece of software I run that runs better on Linux, even some apps that were designed on and for linux (ZSH and Vim, for example). The only thing that might make me switch back at this point is the direction OS X is heading in. I'm still on 10.6.8 and I refuse to upgrade until they make an OS that's faster and less buggy than the one I'm running. Lion and Mountain Lion don't fit that bill. Also, there's no backwards compatibility for Apps. More and more apps are becoming 10.7 only, which may force me to make a decision sooner than I'd like.

jebblue 14y ago

>> yet those are the areas where it can be extremely difficult, or expensive, to get specialized Linux-friendly hardware ? what specialized hardware? Buy a PC or laptop and install Ubuntu. Unity is not configurable as old Gnome but it runs fine and actually is attractive .. I still miss right clicking on a panel and adding my own stuff but in general it works fine. Specialized hardware? I call BS. I just bought a new PC with the release of Steam on Linux. Guess what? Everything I connected works but the fancy new Gig Ethernet for which the driver has already been checked in and will be available in the kernel soon. My headphones for Google Voice, my USB drives, printer, the fancy new high speed video card from nVidia, it all works great. You decided to try Mac. Cool, enjoy, for me I enjoy computing on Ubuntu even with Unity. The builtin wireless works great too BTW, and web cam.

randomdrake 14y ago
I was referring to the multiple suggestions that my issue was simply not buying compatible hardware. I'm glad Ubuntu has worked for you! Really, I am. I don't dislike the project, or Open Source at all. The hardware available to me didn't work, unfortunately, so I experienced what I did.
BEEdwards 14y ago
I'm not even sure why there is this hatred of Unity, like its the only option. I don't like Unity I think it sucks, I just use KDE, but you could also use XFCE or Cinnomon or Awesome or any of billion other choices.
- noisy_boy 14y ago
  This is probably why Linux has been and is such a draw for me. I've moved between FVWM, Fluxbox, Gnome 2 and KDE before finally (& happily) settling for KDE 4.9. I don't believe Windows or OS X would have give me this choice. This is not a not a criticism on their desktop environments but that their desktop environments may not be suited to my needs. Linux gives me this choice. I would like to emphasize couple of points which have hit closer to home for me: - Everything is not related to hardware compatibility; same hardware works fine on some distros and doesn't on others. Trying various distros may be time consuming and frustating for some. - Its the "tinkerability" of Linux that draws people for whom degree of customization/control trumps most other factors. Ironically even when they have spent weeks getting the setup perfect, the exact same mentality leads them continuously trying new/latest things/"improving" et. all and that leads to breakage. Sometimes telling them to stick with what works and not tinker is a like asking a player to not play. Of course, this is not a generalization and there are users across the spectrum ranging from out-of-the-boxt to compulsive-tinkerer. When Unity didn't leave me with any other choice to move from Ubuntu (and the main reason I stuck around wasn't Gnome 2 as most would say; it was apt-get), I tried XFCE/LXDE etc. For me, none of these provided the right mix of customization, aesthetics, features and stability as much KDE did. Though its eats up a bunch of RAM, it leaves plenty room in my almost 7 year old Compaq nx6320 laptop with 3GB RAM. I use OpenSuse 12.2 and not withstanding Yast etc., they sure know how to integrate KDE in a distro to provide a smooth & seamless experience.

wglb 14y ago

The underlying reasons here make sense to moving away from Ubuntu, but I am curious about I live in a remote place. Getting stuff shipped here is very hard. The linux boxes that I order I get from Tiger Direct for like $300 or $400. They show up the next day for regular shipping, but that is because I am in the same state as their depot. Where are you that the shipment is very hard? And throwing money at the solution became a viable and intelligent alternative for me is the way to go when the box is a tool and not a object of tinkering delight.

randomdrake 14y ago
I live in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's extremely inconsistent whether tech items can be shipped here. There are a couple reasons for that: 1) UPS considers it international shipping making the cost extraordinary. 2) Generally speaking, it's very common that I'm considered "outside the US" on various websites. 3) Lots of websites don't have USVI to select as a possible destination. Even entering a proper zip code doesn't yield helpful results. In regards to the "object of tinkering delight," you've sort of illustrated one of my points in my post: it's not a delight anymore. I've got things to do and projects I want to work on. I don't get delight from digging into drivers or code or projects anymore.
- wglb 14y ago
  Well that does make sense. I very much concur. I do enjoy tinkering, but with what I do these days, I need the OS to not be such a giant obstacle.

bobcattr 14y ago

> I live in a remote place. Getting stuff shipped here is very hard and finding "Ubuntu-friendly hardware" is simply not an easy option, at all. I find it odd that Ubuntu is purportedly an answer for those who live in rural or remote areas, yet those are the areas where it can be extremely difficult, or expensive, to get specialized Linux-friendly hardware. Why even worry. I build a new computer last year completely blind. Everything on it worked fine in Linux. Linux has far better hardware support now than windows does

randomdrake 14y ago
Well, unfortunately, it didn't work out for me. I didn't think I was purchasing anything that wouldn't work in Linux for me but I was wrong. I don't know about Linux having better hardware support than Windows. I found the opposite to be true.