Operating Systems > Linux and UNIX
Linux to Over take Apple on Desktop
psyjax:
Well folks, It's been fun :D
I don't necissarly disagree with any of your response. Although I have not used Synaptic. Im just suggesting that all of the stuff you show as proof of it's simplicity..... may not be what some concider simple. :rolleyes:
I never said it was imposible, or unusable, just not as simple as it could be. And yes, I ment /mnt/zip my apologies. And I mentioned that Redhat 9 did auto detect it, but Redhat 8 didn't
I still maintain my stance that it is not for the common user. There are alot of steps, that may be seen as trivial to you guys who use Linux all the time, that other OS users simply never have to take.
Everything in OSX, I do mean EVERYTHING, can be done quickly and simply, in a consistent manner, with much fewer steps than you mentioned.
To install I ALLWAYS double click on the .pkg and it ALLWAYS installs. To remove, I drag the folder to the trash, ALLWAYS. No menu, no Add/remove no nothing.
I want to download something and install it, it works right away. I don't have to care about some app that manages the dependancies for me to "simplify" what is already complicated. OSX, has no need for this.
And your right, if Aqua or something similar, is ever implemented over linux to the same effect as it behaves on Mac OSX, I will have no complaints. But I use linux nearly every day, and Im not blind, things are not as smooth as they could be.
Infact, I have my OSX powerbook open right next to my linux box. There is a big diffrence in the learning curve and the way the OS's behave. Im not saying linux sucks, Im just saying that it's surely not the best choice for all non-tech savvy users.
Laukev7:
I have tried synaptic, and while it is an improvement, you have to consider that:
-It still only supports distribution specific packages;
-Some repositories are incompatible (e.g. Fedora);
-You have to search for repositories to find supported packages;
-You have to hunt in a very long and badly organised list of applications to find what you want (e.g. the category 'application' is not the same as 'Applications');
-Synaptic is of little help if you don't know what you're looking for (ie. scant description, long, confusing lists);
-Once the applications are installed, you have to hunt in the very long KDE/GNOME menu to find what you just installed (if it even appears in the menu), which, again, can differ from a distro to another, and can have the same organisations issues as Synaptic;
-If the application(s) does not appear in the menu, you have to use the KDE legacy app finder (which does not find everything), and add the rest manually, searching through even longer lists of applications in /bin, /usr/bin, /sbin, /usr/sbin, /usr/local/bin, /opt, /home, etc. And you have to know the name of the executable, which is not necessarily the same as the name of the package (is it foo, Foo, foo2, FoO or foo-1.5?). Of course, it can take a VERY long time to add all the one you need, if you have many. And where should you put them? Does foo go in KDE/Applications or KDE/office? And you have to start over for other Window managers, if you have any, because not all of them support KDE menus (you don't have this problem in OS X, because you just have to go to the 'Applications' folder, whether in KDE, GNOME, or IceWM), if you really want to use them instead of Aqua.
-After you resolve all the dependencies, you get litterally hundreds of programs you'll never use (not just a few like Chess.app or Windows Solitaire), which can take thousands of gigs on your hard drive, and through which you'll have to navigate;
-You have none of those problems with an individual package installation (e.g. OPENSTEP, OS X, BeOS)
-Fink (Apt-get) is available for Mac OS X anyway, if you need it.
Incidentally, I installed Red Hat 9 (again) just yesterday. I proceeded to install the hundreds of packages I might need (because you don't really know what you're going to need). At a point, it slowed down my computer, making it unusable and impossible to quit Synaptic, so I had to reboot my computer. First thing I knew, fsck couldn't repair the filesystem (and I had journalised ext3). So, I had to repair it manually, and ctrl-D. When I rebooted my computer, I couldn't log in GNOME anymore, because the panel and the desktop manager crashed.
I think I'll go back to BeOS, and resume looking forward to get a Mac now.
Stryker:
It only really bothers me because it seems to me that if u found someone who was intrested in buying a computer, you'd probably recommend windows because "linux isn't mature". That is a matter of opinion, but everyone i've introduced to linux (that hasn't already been infected by windows) found it very easy. Most of the people that have used windows still found it easy. The only time I hear that it's hard is from people over 30 who haven't even tried it. My friend's parents say it's hard, which pisses me off because they've never even seen it used. That's a different subject and I'm rambling... so, i'm done.
psyjax:
quote:Originally posted by Stryker:
It only really bothers me because it seems to me that if u found someone who was intrested in buying a computer, you'd probably recommend windows because "linux isn't mature". That is a matter of opinion, but everyone i've introduced to linux (that hasn't already been infected by windows) found it very easy. Most of the people that have used windows still found it easy. The only time I hear that it's hard is from people over 30 who haven't even tried it. My friend's parents say it's hard, which pisses me off because they've never even seen it used. That's a different subject and I'm rambling... so, i'm done.
--- End quote ---
I concure. And trust me, I would NEVER, EVER, Under any sicumstances advocate windowz :D !
Though I have been using it alot lately. Basicaly becaous im incharge of insureing a certain cross platform project Im involved in works fine with windows, and secondly because my powerhorse OSX dual G4 800Mhz box is currently in my mothers posetion.
I lent it to her when I went to college, and now when I ask for it back she's allways got something she seems to need it for ;)
I personally think, she dosn't wanna go back to that old ass 333Mhz rev. B iMac she had been using for like ever.
heh, when I get a good job first thing I'll buy is a new Mac for my mum. :D
Enugh of that tho... ya, Im done.
Stryker:
have u tried running linux on a mac? i've heard of it all the time but never heard about how well it ran or anything. Some people suppose it's good and I tend to believe that. If you have, how was it? performance?
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