How close are OS X and Linux, leaving aside the kernel?

I picked one up 3 weeks ago for porting things to OS X, before that I was using Linux 90% of the time for the past 15 years (Windows for gaming until recently). MacBookPro mid-2014 (with the GT750).

``` EthicsGradient:~ burito$ uname -a Darwin EthicsGradient 14.1.0 Darwin Kernel Version 14.1.0: Thu Feb 26 19:26:47 PST 2015; root:xnu-2782.10.73~1/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64 EthicsGradient:~ burito$ bash --version GNU bash, version 3.2.57(1)-release (x86_64-apple-darwin14) Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. EthicsGradient:~ burito$ clang --version Apple LLVM version 6.0 (clang-600.0.57) (based on LLVM 3.5svn) Target: x86_64-apple-darwin14.1.0 Thread model: posix EthicsGradient:~ burito$ make --version GNU Make 3.81 Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

This program built for i386-apple-darwin11.3.0 EthicsGradient:~ burito$ python --version Python 2.7.6 EthicsGradient:~ burito$ bash --version GNU bash, version 3.2.57(1)-release (x86_64-apple-darwin14) Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. EthicsGradient:~ burito$ clang --version Apple LLVM version 6.0 (clang-600.0.57) (based on LLVM 3.5svn) Target: x86_64-apple-darwin14.1.0 Thread model: posix EthicsGradient:~ burito$ make --version GNU Make 3.81 Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

This program built for i386-apple-darwin11.3.0 EthicsGradient:~ burito$ python --version Python 2.7.6 EthicsGradient:~ burito$ vim --version VIM - Vi IMproved 7.3 (2010 Aug 15, compiled Nov 6 2014 14:32:04) Compiled by [email protected] Normal version without GUI. Features included (+) or not (-): -arabic +autocmd -balloon_eval -browse +builtin_terms +byte_offset +cindent -clientserver -clipboard +cmdline_compl +cmdline_hist +cmdline_info +comments -conceal +cryptv +cscope +cursorbind +cursorshape +dialog_con +diff +digraphs -dnd -ebcdic -emacs_tags +eval +ex_extra +extra_search -farsi +file_in_path +find_in_path +float +folding -footer +fork() -gettext -hangul_input +iconv +insert_expand +jumplist -keymap -langmap +libcall +linebreak +lispindent +listcmds +localmap -lua +menu +mksession +modify_fname +mouse -mouseshape -mouse_dec -mouse_gpm -mouse_jsbterm -mouse_netterm -mouse_sysmouse +mouse_xterm +multi_byte +multi_lang -mzscheme +netbeans_intg -osfiletype +path_extra -perl +persistent_undo +postscript +printer -profile +python/dyn -python3 +quickfix +reltime -rightleft +ruby/dyn +scrollbind +signs +smartindent -sniff +startuptime +statusline -sun_workshop +syntax +tag_binary +tag_old_static -tag_any_white -tcl +terminfo +termresponse +textobjects +title -toolbar +user_commands +vertsplit +virtualedit +visual +visualextra +viminfo +vreplace +wildignore +wildmenu +windows +writebackup -X11 -xfontset -xim -xsmp -xterm_clipboard -xterm_save system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc" user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc" user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc" fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim" Compilation: gcc -c -I. -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=0 -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -arch i386 -arch x86_64 -g -Os -pipe Linking: gcc -arch i386 -arch x86_64 -o vim -lncurses EthicsGradient:~ burito$ ```

Regarding installing software... It makes you think it has package management with it's shiny ".pkg" files, but be warned, while they can install, there is no uninstall command. You're faced with baroque options like this.

Regarding middle-click paste, it's there, but only from terminals, to terminals.

All hotkeys involve the Command Key, (it's next to the spacebar). Cmd-X = cut, Cmd-C =copy, Cmd-V = paste. It's a bit annoying moving your thumb for these actions if you're used to using your pinky for Control. Control is not where you want it, expect to be forever hitting Fn instead.

Screen is damn sexy. I colour calibrated mine with a Spyder 4 Pro, and it was very close to correct.

The GUI is not particularly stable. Graphical glitches are plenty but very short lived (the odd frame has garbage on it when resizing, occasionally an app is graphically corrupted until you cause a redraw). The Desktop locks up quite a bit, it makes the Windows 10 Technical Preview look reliable. (my definition of quite a bit is, it's happened a dozen times so far in the 3 weeks I've had it, not every day, but every second day). It will recover usually, but I've had to force power down a couple of times so far.

Regarding software development... Apple is on crack. You can't sugar coat it. Sure Xcode is really nice to use, but the API's are poorly documented, and don't work reliably. Undocumented functions are how you get shit done.

Regarding OpenGL... I'm not prepared to say they make AMD look good, but they certainly make them look less shit. The drivers Apple ships are fucking ancient, and you can't update them. Nvidia 310.41, versus 346.47 on Linux. They've got some crack smoking idea on how applications are supposed to work with the GPU. It seems to forget which texture you've got binded. Maybe I can't code for shit, but this code is tested on Windows and Linux, on AMD, Nvidia and Intel, and I haven't seen bugs like this before.

Regarding "Retina" displays, the way Apple has implemented it is... questionable. I see their reasoning, but not all applications work with it. You get a lot of stuff running at 1440x900 (native res of the screen is 2880x1800), I'm talking desktop applications. It's very rushed.

Regarding the hardware, it's very nice. Gets mighty hot when you're pushing it, it may advertise 8 hours battery life, but it you peg it to the wall you'll get 2 hours tops. Granted, that pretty much means gaming. You can surf and watch videos and download all at the same time and it will safely get to 8 hours. I haven't burnt myself on it (only just), and I'm pretty sure I reached the highest temperature it can get, and held it there for hours. It doesn't appear to over-heat at all. The speakers are fantastic. Best I've ever heard on a laptop. I love the 4-pin headphone jack (it uses the microphone, and the buttons on the microphone). The hardware is not particularly powerful, especially given the price.

If you want a performance machine, get anything else. If you want a machine that is nice to use, I have gripes, but on the whole I like it. And it boots Linux just fine, so I can have some sanity back when I need it, which isn't often, but it does happen.

/r/apple Thread