Re: ::scr tell me why you're using OSX, you big geek

[Simon Batistoni <simon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 05/12/01 02:56 -0800, celia romaniuk wrote:
> I've noticed that there is an increasing use of Mac hardware and OSX
> amongst the scary geeks around me.
> 
> It occurred to me that it could be because of a combination of:
> o the fact that Apple make shiny hardware

Yes, they do, and increasingly so, although I have several big
niggles with the G4 tower sitting to the left of me:

1) There's no easy hardware eject for the CD - it's controlled
entirely by the keyboard. This is A Bad Thing

2) Ditto, a full power-down requires the OS to instruct the hardware
- pressing the "power" switch simply places the machine in standby
mode.

But yes, it looks gorgeous, and has lots of very nifty features. And
as for the TiPBs... *drool*.

> o *nix window managers' interfaces suck

Ehm. Well, I've heard muttley's rant on this too :) but I'm not
fully inclined to agree. I've been using Windowmaker for about 6
months now, and it's stable, easy and flexible to use. A lot of
people don't seem to get on with Windowmaker's 2 distinct (but
similar) docks, although for me they take the place of, say, in OS X
the app doc and the icons you leave on the desktop.

Gnome and KDE are both too twiddly for me, although to be frank, I
can't see any meaningful differences between Gnome and Windows,
besides the fact that Gnome has multiple workspaces, and X's
clipboard handling sucks compared to Windows'.

> Chatting to Evil Dave last night, he said that he has always thought that
> Apple make good hardware and sucky software, but that now they've made an
> OS which is bearable. (That's paraphrased, so I hope it represents his
> views accurately).

I get the impression he thinks more of OS X than that it's merely
"bearable", but I could be wrong.

It just doesn't get in the way as much as earlier macOses. It
interfaces well with the linux etc. machines that I'm running I can
use lots of the same software on the two.

I actually think it looks more grown-up, too. The earlier macoses
have always seemed twee to me, like computing in fairyland (I
distrust KDE for the same reason). OS X has lots of visual candy,
sure (people on slower macs may well say too much), but it seems
more polished, somehow.

> And above all: where does this leave the 'number of mouse buttons'
> debate'?

I find one button annoying and good in about equal measures. I think
the big problem is that <keyboard modifier>-mouse doesn't seem to be
consistent between applications, or if it is there's a subtlety I'm
missing.

One mouse button is nicest when I'm tired and in point-and-drool
mode, cos I can just bash my clodhopping fist in the general
direction of the mouse, and <click> :)

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