[geeks] Can't decide on an OS

[Cory Smelosky]

On Wed, 25 Sep 2013, J. Alexander Jacocks wrote:

> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 1:18 PM, rjtoegel <rjtoegel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> It's funny how I have been hearing more of this since Apple went Intel.
>>  Just
>> an observation (well...you know what I mean).
>> On Sep 25, 2013, at 12:36 AM, Andrew Jones <andrew at jones.ec> wrote:
>>
>>> OSX exploits exist in the wild.  I cannot recommend running an
>> unsupported,
>> unpatched copy of OSX just as I wouldn't suggest unpatched Solaris or
>> Linux.
>>>
>>> In fact, it's probably worse, since we know people target OSX web
>> browsers
>> now.
>>>
>>> On 09/24/2013 05:06 PM, Jonathan Katz wrote:
>>>> Run an older OSX. Or, disable stupid things like system-wide search,
>>>> dashboard, and command center. Or switch to an ssd. Or add ram.
>>>>
>>>> Jonathan Katz
>>>> Indianapolis, IN
>>>>
>>>>> On Sep 24, 2013, at 4:44 PM, Cory Smelosky <b4 at gewt.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> I've gotten too angry at OS X being too slow and bloated to the point I
>>>> needed to pick another one.  Windows is...windows I don't really think I
>> need
>>>> to explain that.  Linux makes me tremendously angry due to how easily I
>> can
>>>> break it along with all the politics involved (really, the distro I can
>> stand
>>>> isn't installing for me).  The BSDs have lacklustre X support
>> (especially
>> on a
>>>> macbook pro).  CP/M isn't going to run quite right and I don't think
>> FreeDOS
>>>> would support my hardware quite right.  Haiku isn't going to have the
>> kind
>> of
>>>> hardware support either.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I can swap out the MBP's wifi chip for an ath5k (ath9k eventually,
>> but
>> I
>>>> have an ath5k on hand I might be happier.)
>>>>>
>>>>> Are there any sane OSes i'm forgetting?
>>
>
> I wasn't going to get involved in this discussion, but these last few
> comments have forced my hand.
>
> I do agree that it's not fair to judge Mint based on it's MacBook
> performance.  I also run Linux on Apple hardware, and it is quite a
> challenge for any distro to support, thanks to Apple's non-documentation of
> basic functionality.
>

Not judging Mint on it...I like Mint.  It's likely just a bug in te 
current release as the previous one ran fine on a Mini.

> On the other hand, though, grub2 is a _complete_ and _utter_ disaster.  I
> recently added Memtest86+ to the grub2 menu on my software development
> laptop (a Dell), and it took me almost 2 hours!  I had to first figure out
> which of the n+1 submenu configs that needed editing, and then, my changes
> were repeatedly ignored, due to some random config item that I obviously
> forgot to do.  The documentation on the process is almost nil, to boot.
> After the simplicity and reliability of grub 1.x, grub 2.x is a board to
> the face.  In fact, now that I am forced to use it, I'd really like to have
> a one-on-one with the designers, to try to figure out what the heck they
> were thinking.

GRUB2 is nearly impossible to configure in my experience.  I try to 
install GRUB1 instead if possible.

>
> As to proselytization, the Free Software community _is_ somewhat like a
> religious group, in that it is always seeking new converts, and people are
> often members based on what they believe.  So, some measure of
> advertisement is to be expected.  There are plenty of Linux communities,
> however, where such things are frowned upon, and you'll not be accosted by
> someone who wants you to use Gnome/KDE/vi/emacs/whatever.  Also, all OS
> communities (even Windows') suffer from some "recruiting drives" by their
> more die-hard members.

Yup.  It's just some take it too far.

>
> - Alex
> _______________________________________________
> GEEKS:  http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/geeks
>

-- 
Cory Smelosky
http://gewt.net Personal stuff
http://gimme-sympathy.org Projects