Mac vs. Ubuntu: The Winner is…
July 19, 2009 – 7:35 pm Several months ago, this writer described his experiences in using two alternatioves to Windows – Mac OS and Ubuntu Linux. At the time, the 13 months’ experiment with Ubuntu looked very promising. Free software, no license restrictions, literally thousands of programs available for download at no cost, and a GUI that was easy on the eye made this OS very attractive indeed. On the other hand, Mac’s OS had advantages of its’ own, not the least of which is that it runs natively on Mac hardware, and apple makes the best computer hardware on Earth. Additionally, Mac’s OS X (through 10.4.11) allows for access to the classic Mac OS, either by booting directly into it (on older machines) or via the ‘Classic’ mode. There are many classic Mac programs that only run in OS 9.2.2 or earlier, and it is no small advantage to have the use of them, along with whatever one has created thereby.
Ubuntu ended up losing out to Mac with me, mainly because with Mac, ‘it just works.’ There is less need to be a geek (I am not) with Mac than with Ubuntu. Everything is seamless and intuitive. Ubuntu is far more friendly than the other Linux distros I tried, Linux Mint and Knoppix excepted. That said, when buying a new dell laptop with ubuntu preinstalled, one might expect all of the hardware to work correctly out of the box; that was not the case with the modem. Dial-up may be a small matter in 2008/9, but I cannot imagine apple shipping a product without all of the necessary drivers.
Software problems happen to everyone, and to most every program out there, including Apple’s. When Ubuntu had issues, it meant a trip to the community support pages, consuming lots of time, and ofter fruitlessly. One has to take command-line solutions, when found, on faith, too, as only a hacker would know what the commands really do, if they’re good, et cetera. With Mac, you get top=rated tech support, along with a deeper bench of experienced users maintaining help pages and the like. (www.lowendmac.com is a favorite of mine – 10 years+ of near-flawless product reviews, hotrodding tips and so forth.)
After the last software bug – a page rendering issue with firefox, not a show-stopper in itself – this writer decided to return to Mac for all his computing needs. An eBay sale of the year-old Dell
laptop yeilded almost exactly enough monly to buy a 9 year old G3 “Pismo” Powerbook. while it is not as powerful as the Dell, it is a pleasure to use, and of better quality. (That said, I have no complaints about the Dell Inspiron 1420 from a hardware quality standpoint.) Essentially, I traded in a near-new Chevy for a vintage, loaded Buick.
Ubuntu may well prove to be a challenger to Windows on platforms that both can use, but there is still ground to cover before regular users out for a Sunday drive will be happy to switch from the near-flawlessness of the Mac experience, IMHO.
6 Responses to “Mac vs. Ubuntu: The Winner is…”
“On the other hand, Mac’s OS had advantages of its’ own, not the least of which is that it runs natively on Mac hardware, and apple makes the best computer hardware on Earth.”
Out of curiosity: what hardware are you referring to? Generally Apple has become as much PC as the rest, only difference is that it’s not designed to work well on a broad selection of hardware. Or you’re more talking about the design and technical solutions around the standard hardware?
ssgconway reply on July 20th, 2009 6:29 pm:
Kim,
I chose a “Pismo” as my Dell/Ubuntu replacement, which means 9 y/o PPC hardware actually built by Apple. Now that they use Intel and have them built in China, it’s more of a (no pun intended) apples-to-apples comparison. Apple does design better machines, and I believe that they demand better quality from their vendors, too. Over the course of the next few years, we’ll find out if that’s true, as the first Intel Macs age.
-ssgconway
By KimTjik on Jul 20, 2009
Now that Mac is using Unix at it’s core, and the decision to move onto the Intel chipset, they are in a position to really challance Microsoft. They just have to remove the “Mac Only” hardware restrictions to begin to gobble up marketshare.
It will be interesting to see how Google’s Chrome OS will fair when it arrives on the netbooks….
By Restless Knight on Jul 20, 2009
Apple makes computer hardware? Not. Subs make apple hardware as they make all other electronics. Try your Chinese (components) IPhone, I love mine.
Chrome is a browser, “Android” is the working name fed the media for the new Google OS.
Macs are BSD (linux-like) boxes. I’ve used PCs and Macs for years. More power to those who love Macs, I don’t see it. Its like liking a Jag (pre-Ford) over a Chevy (pre-Obama). Nothing but a posturing things.
There is a REASON (that Macsters hate) that PCs dominate the market. Price. Another reason, productivity. Businesses, mostly, don’t posture. They try to make money.
They’ll never challenge microslop or the Wintel platform until they understand that pricing is EVERYTHING in the marketplace for computers.
UBUNTU rocks as a network box to serve your media, pictures, printing and other services. Its ok as a workstation too. Buy what you like. I like what I need at the best price. My Vista laptop, Powerbook, 2 Ubuntu and 2 XP boxes do me fine. Nearly all the WORK gets done on the Winblows box though.
Mac for Elitist geeks
Ubuntu/Linux for long haired pasty geeks
Windows for normal people (because they don’t have time or interest to geek)
Restless Knight reply on July 28th, 2009 4:07 pm:
I think we are all aware that even Mac’s componants are made in Asia, I was referring to how their OS designed to only function on Mac hardware (though you can hack it to work in most any Wintel hardware).
Point of correction on the Google OS – Android is the Mobile platform, and the new Netbook is currently being referred to on the Offical Google Blog as Chrome OS.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
By CPT on Jul 20, 2009
OS choice is a matter of personal opinion and preference. As for market domination, Win outsells Mac, true. Mac(donalds) outsells all the world’s steakhouses, combined. I switched from Mac to Dell/Ubuntu, then back, and use Win at work, so I can speak from experience about all three platforms. Macs are more reliable and easier to use. as for elitism, if it’s justified, so be it. Win is for those who are happy with mediocre systems, and are driven by price, not quality. (The gamers like it, too.) I use mine for productivity – grading student papers and other teacher stuff.
Price is relative, too. If you don’t keep your computer until it’s junk, then you sell it. If you have a Mac, it will hold its’ value better than a PC. (PCs encompass many brands, from IBM at the high end to the throw-away ones at the low end, but the resale comparison holds true with all of them.) Initial price vs. resale residual value gives Mac the advantage. (As GM discovered, resale price is a factor in consumer purchase decisions.)
And in closing, as I noted in my article, I chose a G3 “Pismo.” I also have Macs, such as my PowerMac G4, which were, “Built by Apple in California,” unlike the newer machines. That said, I’ll take a Chinese sweatshop ppc/intel Mac over a Chinese sweatshop PC, quality-wise, any day. Specs count for something, and Apple has to appease us elitist snobs with something that has a longer shelf-life than a Whopper.
By ssgconway on Jul 20, 2009