Switched this weekend

I bought a new 24" IMac last Thursday and have spent the last few days setting it up. I have an advantage over Windoze switchers in that I know Linux/Unix very well so I can do stuff underneath the GUI fairly well.

As it turns out, all of my stuff moved over from Linux and works (not always without lots of surfing for info). All my Perl programs work, as does Netbeans, and Perl/TK. MYSQL loaded and ran out of the box.

One thing I will miss is all the free programs available with Linux. There are over 25000 entries in the apt list for Debian Linux - all free - and some will move over and run on the Mac just fine. I know that there are lots of free apts for the Mac and have downloaded a couple (although I don't mind paying for something that I intend to use), but so far I haven't found a list or web site that gives catagories.

One thing I HAD to have was a good programming editor. With Linux at least four come with any distro and there are dozens that can be downloaded. I was very surprised to find that none came included with Leopard (except for textedit which is totally unsat for a programmer, being nothing more than Windows notepad in Mac form). I assumed that a few minutes of googling would come up with dozens for the Mac but not so. It took quite a while to finally find Smultron.

My first impression is that Mac users are just that - they want to USE the computer to do stuff. Many don't even care how it works. Most of my Linux/Unix cohorts are just the opposite. All they care about is HOW it works and may never use their system to do any actual work.

But... So far so good. Works great and looks even better.

Konan

As a Linux user myself still (run Debian in a VM), I see where some of your concerns come from. For your apt-style package management needs, I direct you to either Fink (9897 packages) or MacPorts (5628 ports). I would suggest you look into these for your *nix package needs. While not quite the Debian apt repository, they might fit your needs. I myself don't use either so perhaps someone else would be better at telling you how well they work.

As for editors, many people swear by TextMate. It's a fantastic editor but I just can't justify the price as a student. For now, I'll stick with Eclipse and PyDev.

Have a blast with your new Mac. If you're anything like me, Terminal is probably in your dock .

EDIT: As for the list of apps, try MacUpdate or VersionTracker.

I also understand where you are coming from. After 5 and 1/2 years of Linux I got tired of the "flavor of the month" and decided I was tired of "playing" and just wanted the computer to work for me for a change. I spent the last year running Linspire. Welcome to Mac and this forum!

vansmith said:

As a Linux user myself still (run Debian in a VM), I see where some of your concerns come from. For your apt-style package management needs, I direct you to either Fink (9897 packages) or MacPorts (5628 ports). I would suggest you look into these for your *nix package needs. While not quite the Debian apt repository, they might fit your needs. I myself don't use either so perhaps someone else would be better at telling you how well they work.

As for editors, many people swear by TextMate. It's a fantastic editor but I just can't justify the price as a student. For now, I'll stick with Eclipse and PyDev.

Have a blast with your new Mac. If you're anything like me, Terminal is probably in your dock .

EDIT: As for the list of apps, try MacUpdate or VersionTracker.

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Great info. Will check out the links tonight.

Thanks
Konan

PapaNoHair said:

I spent the last year running Linspire.

Click to expand...

Of all the distros, you chose Linspire!? Tisk tisk ;D.

only at the end when I got tired of compiling and just wanted the system and computer to work for me and not the other way around.

I find the free TextWrangler to be a very useful programming editor. Has NIX scripting hooks and CLI presence.