I'm been using Linux as my primary operating system for more than 13 years, and on and off before then. However, some of the recent changes in the way the desktops are being designed and other factors got me thinking. If the Gnome Desktop is looking more and more like OSX, maybe I should look at OSX. So after 6 months of research, using the equipment in stores, and trying things out I decided that I would get a Mac as my next computer. I also think I was ready for a change in my personal computing.
So when the new Macbook Pro's were released in October I figured it was time to make the move. I ended up getting a MacBook Pro 13 with a 2.8Ghz i7, 16GB of RAM, and the 512GB SSD (yes, I am now broke for awhile). The hardware that Apple makes is really excellent, and I figured if I really hated OSX, I could always put Linux on the machine. So I have used the machine for a couple of weeks now. And I have to say that while I am not fond of a few things (the menu bar at the top and Spaces just don't work that well compared to virtual desktops), I am finding that I can just use the computer and I am getting used to these changes. It is also nice that when buying hardware and software, I now do not have to spend a few hours researching if it will work in Linux. I can usually just look at the box and know.
I am also having to get used to paying for software again. I have to admit that being able to install OpenOffice on the Mac was a big reason to consider it. I'm not sure I could fork out another $500 in software for the Mac, so that cost of buying into the Mac is pretty low after purchasing the hardware.
I also have to admit that this is one of the fastest machines I have ever used for day to day activities. Even faster than some of the massive servers I have used less than 3 years ago. I think the SSD is a big part of that as the CPU clock speed is not all that different.
Does this mean I have given up on Linux as an operating system, definitely not. I still use it as my primary OS on my work laptop (RHEL 6.3) and I think as a server OS there is nothing better at the moment. I will probably always have a Linux box somewhere in the house, unlike Windows 8. Also a side note here is that Windows 8 is probably one of the main reasons that I started looking at Mac. I know that I don't use Windows personally, but others in my house do and after having a loaner machine here it made us all think that Windows 8 was not for us, at least on the desktop.
So what does this mean, it means that I need to find someone to take over some of my Linux projects. Over the last year I have not had much time for them anyway due to my work schedule (I travel a lot more now). And it is time the projects had someone focusing on them.
9 comments:
Gnome-mplayer got completely unusable since version 1.0.8. So many bugs that I couldn't be bother to fill bug reports. Closing the window made the video start playing from the beggining again, instead of closing the window. Sometimes two gnome-mplayer opened at the same time, with one process not being killed even after the program was closed. It may be due to Xfce but the program was working fine in previous versions.
Thank you for your contribution to free software. It saddens me to know that leaving the GNU operating system. Good luck.
Greetings from Cordova, Spain.
I also changed from Linux to Mac some time ago, I think you will find Mac amazing :)
Congrats for the step forward. And remember, mac world has also free software !
I feel sad because you're going to pass your Linux Project to others. You know, i'm an Ubuntu user, and from the start i wasn't really found of the Totem media player. Tried a lot of players, like VNC, Xine, Dragon player, and even SMPlayer which as gnome-player uses the mplayer1/2 backend. Despite all my tries, i never found a player, which had the simplicity and a sane choice of power options (available under preferences)like gnome-mplayer. I realy enjoyed that you employed some of the "less is more" mantra that currently is the philosophy in everything Apple dos. So your move to a Macbook Pro actually makes sense from your perspective.
However, i urge you not to let gnome-mplayer die. Why? Well, in my opinion, none of the current media players are as minimalistic, pleasant to look at, and lightweight as gnome-mplayer. I know that gnome-mplayer is still downloaded a lot in the ubuntu universe (it is in the repo's) and has been updated in recent ubuntu versions to be up-to-date. This is just to say that many ubuntu users will be sad to see gnome-mplayer disappear from the repos if it not maintained.
I hope that my really honest appreciation of your work might help you reconsider about gnome-mplayer, or provide you with the best insight to find the best way for it to be maintained.
Best regards from Portugal.
Rui,
I don't intend to let gnome-mplayer die. I am looking for someone to take it over and will continue to update the application until one is found. However, updates will probably be pretty slow until someone is found to take over it. I have a VM with Linux running on my Mac where I can do development and testing of code changes.
Kevin
Hi Kevin... i came from windows, to osx, now i am typing these lines on a knoppix-debian-linux.
so i hope you won't end up using windows :-D
(unless you enjoy slavery and paying for useless updates that make things worse)
i came to your blog because when i click on a mp3 on knoppix (dvd version) to play my favourite music i just transfered from my mac ( i never used i tunes - it's slavery ) it opens up gnome-mplayer 1.0.6 and plays just fine.
knoppix comes with LOADS of usefull software to test out and getting to know what " just works" in the linux world: so: I LOVE IT!
after all OSX is FreeBSD based "linux" system... similar to android ... they both don't ask for serials, but they both "phone home".
after all these NSA scandals ... the question is always: freedom vs convenience.
okay... i also own a macbook ... and i tried knoppix on it and it "just worked" (debian did not work at all... and i think ubuntu worked as well)
but i want to use the audio software logic that is only available for osx... so osx stays on the apple... but i will not do the mavericks upgrade.
the best version of osx IMHO was "tiger", smal fast simpel.
after job's death... innovation has gone down... and sales too... having a sales-person as CEO will completely destroy Apple.
The hardware is nice... but overpriced.
I would love to see a iwoodbook running linux.
ps: what is the best way to learn coding for linux?
there is no video2brain i guess ;) if you want to drop me a mail go: admin@dwaves.de (on a debian-server)
pss: I really hate blogger.com... it won't let me comment unless i have a google account... self-enslaving again.
I hope everything is well with you Kevin, your lucid clear and informative instructions have enabled many of us to become power users. I can't wait for you to get your hands on a fire TV box and explain to us what wondrous things you can do with it...
The only one that I know of is under my id in github.
https://github.com/kdekorte/gnome-mplayer
I’m curious to know what changes they are making.
Kevin
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