Thread: Unix Popularity
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Old 5th July 2008
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Oliver_H Oliver_H is offline
Real Name: Oliver Herold
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Germany
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ninjatux View Post
Guys, let's all calm down. One of the reasons that Unix has been gaining marketshare is because some people couldn't fit their needs with Windows or didn't feel comfortable with it. As much as we respect those people for our commonalities, we have to respect those people who continue to use Windows as well because they don't want to switch for one reason or another or can't switch. After all, F/OSS is about choice.

In my opinion, Unix rivals Windows in every area except gaming and possibly ease-of-use depending on the flavor. Specifically, as far as CAD is concerned, the Ashlar-Vellum catalog is available on Mac, and their software is quite popular. For a competent free alternative, BRL-CAD is available for Unix. In addition, VariCAD, which is compatible with AutoCAD, is available for Linux as well. I guess it comes down whether you're willing to use something that isn't a mainstream solution, but compatible nonetheless.

And except prof. graphics and prof. audio - okay the Mac is UNIX somewhere below the surface, but Windows has got a plethora of applications and hardware important for most work in the real word and even the creative business! And yes we do have the Adobe line of applications and some other goodies, but in the end it's just a fraction of the Windows world - and I'm not telling you of some home applications. It doesn't count what you think is available as viable option, it's important what application and hardware we need to get the work done. And in the end you'll find heterogenous environments most of the time - some Windows machines for special applications and hardware, some cheap UNIX-machines for the hard work (internet, intranet, render queues and so on and yes even some Apple machines. That's the reality out there in the wild. Fanboyism is something for the pleasure at home. My home is my castle and my personal data center ;-)

So in the end I can say 'to hell with the wanna-be UNIX machines from Apple' at home, but I have to work with those at work. I can even say 'to hell with shitty Debian', but again I have to cope with it at work. At least we're using Solaris too, thanks God ;-)
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