[PLUG] deep philosophical question

[Carlos Konstanski]

On Sun, 20 May 2007, Kurt Sussman wrote:

> Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 20:54:41 -0700
> From: Kurt Sussman <plug at merlot.com>
> Reply-To: "General Linux/UNIX discussion and help;	civil and on-topic"
>     <plug at lists.pdxlinux.org>
> To: plug at lists.pdxlinux.org
> Subject: [PLUG] deep philosophical question
> 
> I spent a few days at RailsConf, and learned a ton. But it was a little
> frustrating watching the Mac users... Macs just work. Sleep, hibernate,
> wifi, Textmate, Quicksilver, it all just works.
>
> I'm planning to buy a new laptop around the end of the year even though
> my 4 year old Dell runs Ubuntu just fine. Because sometimes the wifi just
> won't hook up, and sleep has never worked under any distro, and the
> display blows out every year like clockwork (warrantees are great!).
> But there's nothing like Textmate on any platform. Except the Mac.
>
> So there's the freedom issue; Linux is free and OSX isn't. I like
> freedom, and I'm willing to do my part to keep it, but at what point do
> I just use the best tool for the job and assuage my guilt by working on
> free server apps?
>
> Yes, Macs cost more than the basic Linux-capable PC. But if it saves me
> 30 minutes per day (which is pretty conservative, I think), it will take
> me 20 days of paid work to make up the difference. So is it really more
> expensive?
>
> I'm used to Linux, my servers run Linux, it will save space in my brain
> to use only one OS, I don't like the 'one menubar to rule them all'
> thing, etc. Or are those excuses to keep doing the same sub-optimal
> thing?
>
> Your thoughts, please?
>
> --Kurt

What matters in the end is which platform makes you happy.  Linux
users are cut from different cloth than Mac users.  Linux users like
to tinker, while Mac users do not.  If you really want a computer that
you cannot and need not tinker with, try a Mac.  I've worked
side-by-side with Mac users, and I've endured their endless rantings
re: how their little laptops just work right out of the box.  I would
always return fire with how much tinkering I could do on my machine if
I so chose, just to remind them that there is another side to the
coin.  I'd say things like, "Macs are sweet, as long as you like
Aqua."

Carlos Konstanski