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A Linux User Writes About Embracing the Mac

by , 4:00 PM EST, January 27th, 2005

ExtremeTech has published the aptly named "A Linux Geek Embraces Mac OS X," a 13 page article by a Linux and Windows user's first dive into the Mac world. The Switcher in question, Jim Lynch, dove in head first with a dual 1.85GHz Power Mac G5, and the story he tells offers a nice glimpse at how a tech-savvy Switcher utterly new to the platform experiences the Mac.

"Bear in mind that I've never really used a Mac," Mr. Lynch said in his article. "Oh I've played with one for a few minutes at an Apple store but that's about it. Other than that, I'm pretty much a blank slate as far as Macs go. So what you will read in this column are the impressions of a guy very much used to Linux and Windows."

Mr. Lynch found the plug-n-play aspects of Mac OS X to be a dream, and the ability to run X11 application natively to be very convenient for someone coming over from the Linux world. In addition, he praised the power of his dual G5 system when it came to playing games, praise one doesn't hear very often.

On the downside, he found some of the slightly different paradigms of the Mac GUI to be frustrating. Issues like one universal menu bar, the lack of a "Start" button, and the lack of a thumbnail browser in the Finder were all things that he expected an OS to have. Reading his thoughts on this offers a lot of insight on what it's like to learn an OS that is new to you.

Despite his initial quibbles, however, Mr. Lynch firmly embraced Mac OS X, and his story is a very interesting read.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Mace Posts: 9167 Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Thu Jan 27, 2005 8:23 pm Subject: Good, another geek bothers to write about his migration ...

... experience. Good sign.

Mac is gaining a place in die-hard Linux and PC geeks.

Go


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View Name:Guest
Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:22 am Subject: thumbnail browser ...
Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1953 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:32 am Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
"... and the lack of a thumbnail browser in the Finder were all things that he expected an OS to have ... "

View / Show view Options: check "Show Icon preview", put the icons size you want, you got Thumbnails view for your pics.


Yes, but I have to admit that this is the ONE thing that Windows does better then Apple. It just worked a lot smoother when thumbnails are on. I don't turn on Apple thumbnails unless I really need them. On Windows I leave them on all the time.

On top of that the Windows image viewer lets you cycle through all the images in a folder. You can open one image and then just hit the right arrow button and it jumps to the next. Apple's preview will only open all the images if you select them all first, which not only means you have to do that, but it slows the program down.

I love my Mac but I will freely admit that Windows does those two things MUCH better. As graphicly oriented as the Mac is, I expect them to be BETTER at this, not worse.


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Close Name:deasys Posts: 263 Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Fri Jan 28, 2005 2:38 am Subject:

Quote
Small White Car wrote:
On top of that the Windows image viewer lets you cycle through all the images in a folder...Windows does those two things MUCH better.


I don't think so.

http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?1,1959591


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