Re: [tlug] 2014-05-10 Linux Quiz

[Travis Cardwell <travis.cardwell@example.com>]

Josh: Hi! :)

On 2014年05月11日 23:19, Josh Glover wrote:
> This is a bit tongue-in-cheek, of course, but the main point is that
> bad-mouthing all Apple products because you had trouble setting up
> something on a MacBook is a bit unfair.

My comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek as well.

I have been using the MacBook Pro for 2~3 years now, and I have dealt with
many annoyances during that time.  I have owned a Mac Pro for even longer,
and that system has caused me *much* more pain (both financial and
emotional).  I have been very dissatisfied with Apple hardware as well as
software, with few exceptions.  (The processor is fast.  I loved Final Cut
Studio until Apple simplified it.)

The reason why I own Apple products, by the way, is that I do a lot of
design/media work, and the required software does not run on Linux.
Windows would provide even more software that I would like to use, but I
really do not want to be bothered with Windows "security" issues again.

I have received much flak from OSS friends for using a MacBook Pro.  Many
of them see Apple as the antithesis of free and are disheartened to see so
many MacBooks at technical events.  (With typically homogeneous Japanese
culture, the vast majority of hardware at non-Linux events that I attend
is Apple.)  I even have some friends who are long-time Apple users who
have declared that they will never buy Apple again due to some change in
policy or something.  Personally, I tend to not worry about the politics
so much; I use tools to get work done.

My "never buy Apple products when at all possible" was a shallow attempt
to avoid a lengthy rant.  I had in mind software developers who do not
need Apple in particular for any reason, though I did not write it.  Alas,
here are my thoughts in slightly more detail:

Choosing an OS:

1. If you have to run specific software that only runs on a given OS (CAD
   software, etc.), then you must use that OS.
2. If your reason to use computers is to play games, use Windows.
3. If your reason to use computers is to do work, but you do not
   particularly like computers and do not want to mess with them any more
   than necessary, use OS X.
4. Otherwise, use an open-source, Unix-style OS (of which Linux is a good
   candidate).

Caveats:

* Never buy Apple hardware unless you have to run Apple software legally.
* Never consider a Windows computer as secure.  (The best you can do is
  never put it on the network yet apply all security patches offline.)

> Never buy Apple products unless:
>
> a) You're developing software for Apple products and thus must have
> Xcode inflicted on you
> b) You are not developing software on them, want them to Just Work
> (TM), and have accepted the Apple ecosystem lock-in
> c) You actually like Apple products and know how to use them

(a) fits under my step (1).  (b) fits under by step (3).  (c) is something
that I failed to account for!  I apologize for my inadvertent
insensitivity!  I should prepend:

0. If you have already made up your mind, go for it!

> I use a ThinkPad running Gentoo for software development, but
> everything at home is Apple. I've saved myself countless hours of
> systems administration and tech support for my wife and kid this way.
> :)

I set up my side of the family (who lives in a time zone 13 hours apart)
with Apple products for this reason.  I very rarely have to give any
technical support.  My mother is very happy to no longer have to deal with
antivirus software, spyware, or viruses (listed in order of annoyance!).
My grandmother gave up computers because of spam, which is unfortunately
cross-platform.

My wife has been running Linux for ~5 years now.  I definitely provide a
lot more technical support for Linux systems than for Apple systems.

My wife's side of the family still runs Windows, but luckily my brother-
in-law handles technical support for them...  When my mother-in-law asks
me for help with something, I find her computer almost unusable.  I have
suggested switching to Apple, but they feel locked in by Windows-only
accounting software and are not confident in using virtual machines.

> I also like how my iPhone and MacBooks play nicely with my AppleTV.
> One can make a nicely integrated home media environment with XBMC or
> similar, of course, but then you're back to countless hours of systems
> administration and tech support.

Having a nicely integrated home media environment sounds awesome! :)

Personally, I do not buy into the Apple ecosystem lock-in.  I do *not*
agree to the terms of service of iTunes, for example...  An annoyance on
my MacBook Pro is that iTunes starts automatically when I plug in the
cable to the audio system.  Such a feature is likely wonderful to somebody
who uses iTunes, but it is annoying to me because it pulls me out of Linux
in order to ask me to agree to the terms of service.  While this annoyance
is relatively minor, it illustrates how integration can be a PITA for
those who do not accept the lock-in.

I am, of course, a minority Apple user.  I do mean to complain, but rather
to warn other technical folks who see me using a MacBook Pro and may think
about getting one too.  To such people, my general advice is to "avoid
Apple when at all possible." ;)

Cheers,

Travis