Using OSX a step towards learning Unix?

R

robscomputer

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
159
Hi,

I'm pretty much a long time Windows user with some brief Linux/Unix use. Most of my Unix experience is just telnetting into a mail server to start/stop services or add to the host files.

Since Apple OS is based upon Unix/Free BSD would this be an ideal platform to learn the basics of Unix? Or would just building a Linux PC from scratch offer a better learning experience? Seems like to me using a Apple would be like a "stepping stone" between a Windows experience and a 100% Linux experience. Still have commerical software available anywhere but also the ability to write scripts and customize the shell.

This winter I'm saving up for a Apple and just need a good reason to spend the money. :)


Any comments are welcome.

Rob
 
OSX is in no way at all representative of Linux.

It's not, in any way, a "stepping stone." You will learn absolutely nothing about Linux by using an OSX machine.

I use OSX fairly regularly (2-3 times per week), and I have a Linux (Debian) box as well as Windows. Nothing more user-friendly than Windows (e.g.: OSX) is going to teach you about Linux. :D

A good "stepping stone" between Windows and a full Linux experience is a user-friendly distribution like Mandrake.
 
Drakensoul said:
OSX is in no way at all representative of Linux.

It's not, in any way, a "stepping stone." You will learn absolutely nothing about Linux by using an OSX machine.
Click to expand...

While I agree it does not represent GNU/Linux, what with being BSD and all, I disagree about not being a "stepping stone." I've learned a LOT more UNIX-things than I thought I would from OS X... Using the CLI, running UNIX/GNU applications, including X Window apps, etc etc etc.

While Mandrake or whatever might be a better "stepping stone," they're not, IMO, nearly as good operative systems on the whole, and if running GNU/Linux or *BSD is not impossible for you when it comes to applications (ie, you don't HAVE to have 3DSM or whatever), and you can afford a computer running Mac OS X, I see no reason what-so-ever for not just running OS X. Why use the worse alternative?
 
It sounds like his goal is to learn Linux, and eventually, move to a "100% Linux experience." An OSX computer is a really expensive stepping stone when an easy Linux distro is free. :)

You'll learn more about Linux from running Linux than you can any other way.
 
Drakensoul said:
You'll learn more about Linux from running Linux than you can any other way.
Click to expand...

Of course, but IMO, unless you have a specific need for Linux, Mac OS X is superior in just about every way (except the price, of course).
 
Hey, Linux is different but OK. There is a type of linux that will boot from a CD onto your winblows machine and let you still use it as an OS.

I dont have the link, but I know it was a free download.

Knoppix Linux was the name.

Search Tomshardware.com for more info and a link.
 
I agree that OS X is a stepping stone. I spend a lot of time in terminal and you won't learn all of *nix. But it will make it comfortable using cli's and how they operate and what not. Also, it's just really nice to use OS X as your everyday OS IMHO...

Knoppix is also a great bootable Linux distro on CD regardless of the TH plug. If you have a USB Thumbdrive you can save all of your settings on that drive.
 
I agree apple is more refined, polished, secure.....standard gui great interface opengl's home away from home .......
stable .... easy or as hard as you want it...
ps you can run osx and linux on apple hardware.... side by side
Yellow Dog Linux there's even a 64 bit version now....
if you see how easy os x is to install YDL is the Exact same thing cause YDL is supported by and along side apple devs..
ps you can get YDL Pre-installed with apples applecare intact..
SO......... why get a piece of win-trash where you can ONLY run linux
or get apple hardware and run it all
 
OSX would be a good way to get the feel of *nix as you can do almost anything that can be done with freebsd. I have to kinda go with the people saying build a cheap linux box though. I mean load an easy to use linux to get you started and upgrade to normal distros later with a mix of open/freebsd. This route should be cheaper and after all you could always buy the mac anyway as a good machine. I personaly love them because I use FreeBSD a lot.
 
lol, "Once you go Mac, youll never go back."

...well except for gaming, but they are getting better about that than they have in the past, and its easier to get mac games than linux games. i recently bought a 1gHz Powerbook 12" as my first foray into macs, and i have to say, i am alot happier than i was with my windows machine. dont get me wrong, i still have one, but its solely for gaming and other things that i cant do yet on my mac (only because i havent learned how). i dont see how getting a mac would hurt. i have three machines:a windows, a linux(knoppix BTW), and a mac laptop. i like all three for all their uses, and each one serves a purpose. Linux to code, Windows to play, and mac to do everything else (music, email, art, etc...). plus youl never beat the longevity of the mac. i have seen people go 5+ years before they upgrade. try that on a windows machine. macs are a good long-term investment IMO, so go for it.

sorry for the rant ;) .
 
guilTy said:
(...) i recently bought a 1gHz Powerbook 12" as my first foray into macs, and i have to say, i am alot happier than i was with my windows machine. dont get me wrong, i still have one, but its solely for gaming (...)
Click to expand...

That's how it usually is. :p
 
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