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Is Windows or Mac better for programming? Another in a long line of questions about which of the two is better for what activity. The Windows vs Mac debate has been going on for as long as the two have existed.
Feb 23, 2018 Hi, I'm a software engineer and I'm a long time windows user, I'm planning for a switch to a MBP. For years I've been using Windows 10 with Lubuntu 64-bit VM on my machine, because windows. when it comes to a new programming languages + documentation. + installation is sometimes a pain in the a. + Ubuntu distros run UNIX. MacOS vs Ubuntu: What are the differences? MacOS: The primary operating system for Apple's Mac family of computers.Desktop, laptop and home computers, and by web usage, it is the second most widely used desktop OS, after Microsoft Windows; Ubuntu: The leading OS for PC, tablet, phone and cloud. Apr 04, 2020 This is the default Ubuntu version since 2017, with a macOS-like interface (apologies to hardcore Ubuntu users). It’s the main focus of the Ubuntu team. You’ll find lots of support on the forums, and most articles on the various Ubuntu blogs are written about it.
When you choose a laptop for programming, it seems as though the internet is rife with opinion posts about which is better for what subject whether it be personal use, photo or video editing, web development, gaming, cat video playing, etc. Today, we take a look at whether Windows or Mac is better for programming. By the way, read this if you are unsure about a laptop or desktop for programming.
Mar 27, 2020 A question that is often asked in forums, on Reddit, and in chatrooms is, 'Should I use Linux Mint or Ubuntu?' On the surface, there isn't much difference between Linux Mint and Ubuntu. Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu (except for Linux Mint Debian Edition), and apart from the desktop environment and default applications, there isn't much difference. Here are five reasons to choose Linux Mint. When comparing Ubuntu vs macOS, the Slant community recommends Ubuntu for most people.In the question“What is the best desktop OS?”Ubuntu is ranked 16th while macOS is ranked 25th. The most important reason people chose Ubuntu is.
The Mac appears to hail as the go-to for software engineers but does it really stand out against Windows for programming specifically? The answer is not as simple as you might think.
In short, this choice really comes down to the programming you will be doing and your own personal preference. Before we get into the breakdown between the two, there are a few things to remember when it comes to programming.
Mac Vs. Windows For Programming In 2020
Linux and UNIX
Linux and UNIX are very important to programming. Before Linux came UNIX. UNIX is an operating system and is crowned as one of, if not the best, operating systems ever created, so called for its stability, flexibility, and security.
Linux is an operating system as well, just like Windows and macOS and has become one of the most popular development operating systems available. It powers everything from your phone to your refrigerator. Linux is Unix-like, meaning it is similar in many ways to Unix despite not being the same. You must be able to run Linux on your laptop to be able to program. That being said, both Mac and Windows can run Linux just fine.
…UNIX called for its stability, flexibility, and security . Linux powers everything from your phone to your refrigerator .
What Are You Programming For
The laptop you choose will also depend on what sort of programming and development you are working on. Simply stated, if you’re doing programming work for macOS, it will likely be easier on you if you have macOS running on your device; likewise with Windows.
Simply stated, there are some stacks which just work better with Windows and some that just work better with Mac. So, before choosing a platform to program on, first think about what sort of programming you are going to be doing.
Personal Preference
To be perfectly frank, this debate really comes down to personal preference. If you’ve been using Windows your whole life, don’t take this article (or any of the opinionated, indoctrinated debates you see online) as proof that you need to switch to Mac or vice versa. Vuescan for mac yosemite.
There is really no right answer to this question and it all comes down to your needs as a programmer i.e. what and who you are programming for as well as your needs as a consumer of technology. So, relax and have fun! That’s what programming is about.
Familiarity Of UX
Mac laptops are versatile, high tech machines that can get the job done. They will be able to handle most any coding and programming work you do. Especially if you’re doing programming work for an Apple ecosystem, then a Mac is your best option.
Almost any hiccups can be worked around using alternate software, apps, programs, etc. Some programmers claim that Mac will give you far fewer headaches than Windows when it comes to certain stacks or languages which may be true but the bottom line is your ability to program.
Ubuntu Vs Mac Os For Programming Pc
MacOS is Unix-like, meaning it is similar to, but not the same as, Unix and by extension, Linux. This means that development may just be a tiny bit easier and slightly less time-consuming on a Mac as compared to Windows.
Your Budget
The main drawback to Mac for the first time buyer is the price. Most new Macs range well over $2000 at the time of writing.
If you’re into programming as a career, Mac is definitely an option to consider for its programming ability and ease of use in certain stack development.
For casual programmers though, there are other, more budget-friendly, options available to you that will work for your purposes.
Do You Need Windows Specific Tools
With Windows, you would be developing on the platform used by the most users. Despite the Macs’ popularity in the media, Windows still reigns as the most used platform and thus the most developed for. You’ll find it more popular with software engineers who develop for the enterprise.
That being said, you can’t develop for iOS on a Windows computer so keep in mind the type of development you want to work on.
Windows is not Unix-like, as macOS is, but Linux can be run on Windows now and updates are being made relatively regularly to support it. This can bring Windows nearly up to the level of ease that a Mac gives with more compatibility and stability.
Stability Of O.S
While Windows is great for front end development, for back end developers, the platform can be a pain to use. You’ll be sitting through several hours of updates, drivers, installers, etc. to get a good system running but after that, you’ll find your development easier.
Does This Really Matter
While Windows may be better for some programming and Mac other, most all programming can be done on either with some workarounds. ‘Better’ (in terms of programming) here really means ‘easier’. Both types of laptops are very similar and you’ll find that programming ease often comes with practice and knowledge and not necessarily equipment.
Conclusion
Always keep in mind the type of programming you want to be doing and what your own personal preferences are when choosing between Mac and Windows for your programming needs.
Both types of laptops are very similar and you’ll find that programming ease often comes with practice and knowledge and not necessarily equipment. Always keep in mind the type of programming you want to be doing and what your own personal preferences are when choosing between Mac and Windows for your programming needs.
Resources
LINFO. Linux for Absolute Beginners, The Linux Info Project.
Linux or Mac? It is one of those hot Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi debates, but it’s an important one as your work, and your overall computer experience depends much on what type of work you do and what OS do you use for that work.First, let’s start by explaining a little bit about the Operating System (OS). OS is a piece of software that essentially runs your computer. It manages and controls your system hardware and provides some essential features.
What type of OS might be the best one for you depends on you, e.g., if you are an average user who uses the computer to kill time and play games, Windows is the best OS for you as it is optimized for gaming. But if your lively hood depends on your PC or you have some sensitive information on your PC, then Windows is the worst OS for you. Similarly, macOS is optimized for web designing, video editing, and music-making as the software for these tasks optimized for macOS. Linux is excellent for programming as many IDEs, and text editors were designed for Linux. Now before we start to discuss macOS and Ubuntu, let’s have a brief look at their histories.
History: Ubuntu
Ubuntu might not be the best Linux distribution, but it is the most popular one. Ubuntu is the most popular operating system on Cloud. This wasn’t always the case; in fact, Ubuntu is a relatively young distro compared to other distros. Ubuntu is the descendant of the Debian Linux, which is one of the oldest and well-respected distributions.
The initial goal of Ubuntu was to make a user-friendly Linux distro that can be used by anyone. The first bug filed where Ubuntu stated, and I quote, “Microsoft Windows dominated the desktop Operating System market, and Ubuntu was there to change that.” Ubuntu’s earliest releases focused, making installation easy by introducing a graphical installer. The efforts put into Ubuntu to make it user-friendly were soon recognized as it soon started gaining popularity among the Linux community and, in addition to this, attracted new users as the installation was made easy.
History: macOS
The operating system that powers every Apple computer is called macOS. Its first version was released in 1984, which completely changed the computer industry, similar to how IOS on the first iPhone changed the smartphone industry. In 1984 Apple introduced Macintosh, which was the first commercial computer to feature a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a mouse; this made computers much easier to use and much more accessible to the general public. Apple then bought Nextstep and brought forward a UNIX based architecture. Later in 2001, Apple released Mac OS X. This mac OS X gradually evolved into mac OS we know today.
Comparison
Following is the comparison of the two OS mentioned above based on certain features and properties
User Interface:
Linux is highly customizable. If you are switching from Windows to Linux and are more familiar or comfortable with Window’s UI, you can customize your Linux UI to look like Windows. The same can be done if you are comfortable with macOS.
The new Ubuntu 19.10 has made significant improvements in this regard. However, when comparing the default UI of these two, it all boils down to personal preference. But the majority agrees that macOS has more organic and, in general, a better UI than Linux.
Hardware
Ubuntu is not hardware specific, meaning it can be installed on any computer. Now you can even install Linux on a mac book; this goes to show Ubuntu can work with almost any type of hardware. Now macOS, on the other hand, is very hardware-specific. It is only compatible with Apple hardware.
Performance
Ubuntu is very efficient and doesn’t hog much of your hardware resources. Linux gives you high stability and performance. Despite this fact, macOS does better in this department as it uses Apple hardware, which is specially optimized to run macOS. Quicktime player for mac os 10.5.8.
Price
Price is an essential factor in choosing an OS. In the case of Ubuntu, there is no price. It is free to use as it is open source. On the other hand, there is no legal way to buy macOS. It comes preinstalled with MacBook. So to get macOS, you need to buy a Mac.
Privacy and Security
Privacy and security are some of the most important things if not the most important thing a person looks for when choosing an OS. As Ubuntu is open-source, it doesn’t track it’s user’s digital footprint. Privacy is the key feature of Ubuntu. macOS, on the other hand, does track the digital footprints of its users, and a lot of private information is sent back to the developers. This is the reason why Linux is very popular among most IT professionals.
In terms of security, both macOS and Linux are very safe compared to Windows, as most malware is not designed for them.
Customization
Ubuntu Vs Mac Os For Programming Software
Ubuntu is highly customizable as it is open-source. If there is something you don’t like, you can change it. You can even change the amount of resources that your PC should use. You can customize the UI of your Linux to make it look like Windows or even macOS, which shows how much flexibility Linux provides. On the other hand, macOS comes with a fixed UI, and there aren’t many significant changes that you can make, much like Windows. You can’t look at the source code of macOS as it is not open source.
Ubuntu Vs Macos For Programming Download
Above is the default Ubuntu 18.04 LTS UI
Above is a picture of customized Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.
Conclusion:
So we conclude that there is no better OS. It all depends on the type of work you do. But having said that, the main differences are, Linux is free and open-source, and privacy is one of its key strengths. It also gives you a lot of flexibility to mold it according to your unique taste.
Ubuntu Vs Macos For Programming Free
In contrast, macOS can only be obtained with a Mac. It is not open source and collects your private information. It isn’t customizable and gives you almost no flexibility, but at the same time, it is alo the most stable and efficient OS.