Questions from a Linux user considering a Macbook

[I. Khider]

Hello,

Certainly Mac computers are aestheticaly pleasing, very well marketed
and their operating system apparently is a very good one. 

Hoewever, I also think Mac's are very expensive for what you are getting
and if you use Linux, I do not see the point in having one. Linux can be
very empowering and the perfect way to get all the features of a Mac--or
better--at a fraction of the cost. Mac's are too darn expensive (in my
opinion). Also, I have spoken with several laptop repair persons who say
Mac's are fragile and if they last long--it is because people who
shelled out a bundle of cash for them treat them more carefully. My
opinion is that you get the sturdiest machine for your money--like a
business class laptop from any manufacturer--Lenovo, Sony, HP, Toshiba,
Dell, whatever. They are usually less expensive than a Mac, have just as
much power if not more so--and with a Linux OS, you will have the best
of all worlds. 

I have an IBM thinkpad from 1996 that still works. That thing is a
brick.

The big problem with *some* PC manufacturers are the spurious claim that
you have to pay the Windows tax and use nothing but Windows if you want
a warranty. That claim can (and is) being fought. I got word from an HP
rep that warranty can be backed if you use Linux and you don't have to
pay a Windows tax--but I will believe it once the sales people tell me
so as well. 

My opinion is find the best value for your money--do not pay for the MAC
machine OS/X if you can avoid it. Use the extra money on something
else. 

That's my 2 cents.

-Ib- 



On Fri, 2009-02-20 at 17:41 -0500, S P Arif Sahari Wibowo wrote:

> On Fri, 20 Feb 2009, Aaron Vegh wrote:
> > I'm not familiar with gvim, but there are GUI vim apps for OS 
> > X. Here's an example: http://code.google.com/p/macvim/
> 
> There are also vim-app port from macports.
> 
> > There is fink for OS X, but the community prefers Darwin Ports 
> > for running *NIX applications on OS X. http://darwinports.com/
> 
> I think it is officially moved to http://www.macports.org/ ; and 
> the download from MacPorts does not ask for personal 
> information, so I definitely suggest that.
> 
> MacPorts is a portage system: on installation it will always 
> compile things in your machine, no prepackage binary around. 
> However, if you want, MacPorts system can produce rpm binary, 
> which then you can install in other OS X system without 
> compiling (e.g. when security dictate a system without 
> compiler).
> 
> Fink should have some prepackage binaries, but in my experience 
> most things I want to install does not have binary available, so 
> fink will compile it in the machine.
> 
> > Overall though, the environment is nearly identical to Linux; 
> > you'll be comfortable and productive on the command line right 
> > away.
> 
> There are some differences originally since OS X is a BSD system 
> (on Mach kernel). However if it bother you, there are several 
> sysutils packages / ports (such as coreutils, findutils, 
> diffutils) which will make sure your tools work are as what you 
> expected in Linux.
> 
> You can even install common linux desktop manager, such as 
> Gnome, KDE, or XFCE. Haven't tried that, though.
> 
> > VMWare is what I use, however, and it works very well.
> 
> That's what I use as well. I tried QEMU but VMWare definitely 
> much more usable.
> 
> > To my mind it's the perfect platform. It's the only hardware 
> > that will (legitimately) let you run Mac OS X, while also 
> > letting you run Linux and Windows easily and quickly.
> 
> My thought as well. As hardware I think it is generally a nice 
> one in perfomance, reliability, and durability. At least 
> comparable to non-Mac on the same price point.
> 
> Just a note: make sure you have more than 1GB memory, make a 
> quite a difference. :-)
> 
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