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Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by marssaxman on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:04PM (#2350856)
OS X is prettier, less annoying, and generally just works. I'm not interested in system administration; I just want to get things done.

I do use Linux on servers and on my netbook.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by stonemetal on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:04PM (#2350857)
Lacks Steam support.

Requires activities I am unwilling to engage in as a user of a system.

Less useful than competitors.

Uglier than competitors. Lack of uniformity in UIs. Large number of UIs that only a mother could love.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by hybrid11 on Monday March 21, 2011 @03:39PM (#2351217)
Same here, for my day to day machine, it's too much work to get some applications to work on it, especially games.

For servers though, I definitely use Linux!

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by chessweb on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:10PM (#2350887)
I used to use Ubuntu from 8.04 to 10.10 until a regular security update left the system in an unbootable state. Since I didn't feel like reinstalling my system from scratch I went back to Windows 7.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by shantanubala on Monday March 21, 2011 @06:18PM (#2351909)
I was also quite disappointed when I faced the same problem, had to use the live CD to backup my files, and reinstall the entire operating system from scratch on a random weekday when I should have spent those couple hours working.

Aside from that, though, my productivity on Ubuntu is much better than Windows. Workspaces, Gnome Do, the Rhythmbox integration, the ease of installing applications, and centralized updates make the occasional pains and "free" pricetag a great deal. But it's still not at all ready for "prime time" unless the hardware configuration has been thoroughly tested -- the computer I used was one I configured from scratch.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by dave_sullivan on Monday March 21, 2011 @07:24PM (#2352118)
I have 2 computers/2 monitors side by side w/ one keyboard and mouse via synergy. 1 computer is linux, other is win7. Linux doesn't have creative suite, and I'd prefer not to use VMWare or screw with wine for something like that. And no, linux does not have real replacements for creative suite applications. I also do a bit of flash/flex/as3 development, not recommended on linux unless you have lots of free time on your hands and want to fight an uphill battle. There's a handful of other stuff that works better/faster on windows.

For the most part, I use each system equally, but would have difficulty choosing just one. My laptop is windows. Never tried apple much for varied reasons I won't go into.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by veyron on Monday March 21, 2011 @03:22PM (#2351154)
You need to qualify the question i.e. I use Linux for some servers but OSX for desktop
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by _b8r0 on Monday March 21, 2011 @04:17PM (#2351381)
PGP Whole Disk Encryption. Yeah, I hate my life too.

I do use Arch Linux at home for a server, heaps of Linux VMs for different things and almost all of our servers are Linux, a BSD or OSX.

But my main laptop runs Windows 7, and I'm typing this on a Mac Mini. The Mac Mini is just better plugged into the TV, Windows 7 is generally the best Windows implementation I've used and is good enough for everything I want/need to do.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by 2AM on Tuesday March 22, 2011 @10:33PM (#2357672)
I think the main reason is that there is so much going on in Ubuntu, or Linux in general, with every release. I really like to run the latest stuff, but 6-month cycle is not good for development machine, the updates sometimes break the system and I can't concentrate on my work, so the development system is a Mac, I have Ubuntu on other machines.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by daimyoyo on Monday March 21, 2011 @05:23PM (#2351641)
Because I'm developing apps for iOS and Uncle Steve requires developers to use a Mac that supports Snow Leopard.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by JoeAltmaier on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:23PM (#2350958)
Because I've had to work inside the Linux kernel/driver layer for startup(s). And I've seen the code in there.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by tompagenet2 on Monday March 21, 2011 @06:09PM (#2351873)
Because I use Chrome, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere and more and all of these run without the slightest problem in Windows 7, and all of my past Ubuntu experiences have ended with someone suggesting I edit ~conf.something and removing the number 7.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by protomyth on Monday March 21, 2011 @01:55PM (#2350810)
I like OpenBSD for my server needs and use OS X on the desktop. I might start using Dragonfly BSD for some server stuff since I am very curious about how the HAMMER file system works in practice.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by amorphid on Monday March 21, 2011 @03:40PM (#2351220)
It lacks manufacturer support for stuff like all-in-one printers.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by mrschwabe on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:19PM (#2350941)
The day that Adobe releases CS for Linux, is the day thousands of designers like me convert over. In the meantime, my system runs Windows.

My laptop however, runs Ubuntu.

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by frou_dh on Monday March 21, 2011 @08:09PM (#2352282)
OS X is more pleasant to spend time in, since the Linux desktop environments and applications mostly have poor look and feel.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by geraldbaeck on Monday March 21, 2011 @05:20PM (#2351626)
The OS does not matter, because almost everything is running in my browser.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by barrydahlberg on Monday March 21, 2011 @08:14PM (#2352299)
Because Windows 7 is great and Visual Studio doesn't run there.
Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by iamdave on Monday March 21, 2011 @01:55PM (#2350804)
Because I use OS X.

/shrugs

Re:Ask HN: if you don't use Linux, why don't you? by timrobinson on Monday March 21, 2011 @02:00PM (#2350838)
Because I use OS X, which has decent Unix tools along with a nice user interface.