After using MacBook Pro for a month

[paulney]

I now firmly realize that Apple makes products for 'artistic' people. And by artistic I mean people who surf the web and post on Facebook while drinking latte at the latest trendy coffee shop.

I did not have an informed opinion before, since I never owned a Mac, and now I use it for work (iOS development).

It is painfully obvious Apple has very little experience in gearing their products for code developers. Xcode is a poor bastard child with a deformed leg. Apple could seriously take clues from MS and Eclipse. I have a nagging suspicion that Apple people themselves must be using something else, and release Xcode to purposely slow down and detract others to steal their ideas and release under Apple brand.

I don't know if it's the same story for Photoshop/Corel users or video production - maybe Mac is awesome and excels in those categories, but code development - NOT.

Nice eye candy to haul around, though, can't deny that.

 

[dandruff]

did you mean 'autistic' ?

 

[sourceninja]

I don't know, I really enjoy using xcode. I find it clean and easy to get the job done. I also love textmate and coda when doing web work. Last but not least is a good powerful terminal and automation tools for getting the rest of my job done.

 

[mugs]

You didn't really give any details about what you didn't like about Xcode, but is it possible that you didn't like it simply because it's not what you're used to? Apple has always done things differently in all of their software; people coming from Windows usually don't like it because they expect things to work like Windows. Different != bad.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Not sure if serious or a troll thread. All of our developers(code) have switched to MBPs here.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Eclipse is available on OSX.

 

[purbeast0]

xcode is the worst development environment i've ever used. it just has a shitty UI. i used it for over 5 years at my first job out of shcool (along with visual studio for windows version) and I use it now for my independent iOS apps.

however eclipse is the 2nd worst one i've ever used. netbeans and visual studio own it hard.

that said, interface builder is a really useful tool for iOS gui designing.

and with all that said, my next laptop will probably be a macbook pro. right now i have a dell inspiron hackintosh. desktop will probably stay windows forever though.

 

[LegendKiller]

Troll thread is trollish.

 

[paulney]

You didn't really give any details about what you didn't like about Xcode, but is it possible that you didn't like it simply because it's not what you're used to? Apple has always done things differently in all of their software; people coming from Windows usually don't like it because they expect things to work like Windows. Different != bad.

http://kevsaidwhat.blogspot.com/2011/04/things-i-dont-like-about-xcode-4.html

This article lists practically every single issue I have with Xcode. Keep in mind that I started on Xcode 4 which is miles better than Xcode 3. I can't imagine how people worked on Xcode 3 to begin with.

 

[tokie]

You must be trolling.

I do R and Matlab coding on OS X. I like some of the Mac-only scripting programs. Along with native X11/Terminal use, I don't see how I can be considered as an 'artistic' person.

OP fail.

 

[paulney]

I could also add to that extremely poor integration with file system: not noticing new files in the directory, inconsistent support for adding folders and files (symlink vs creating a new folder).

Also, aside from Xcode there are quite a few things I don't like about MacOS in general, and they aren't of the 'different type', they are of the 'poorly thought out' type.

For example:
- no easy way to lock the laptop with a key shortcut (have to jump through hoops or use a hot corner with a mouse)
- language switch works on OS level rather than app level - very annoying
- inability to use just the functional keys for language switch (i.e. Ctrl + Shift) - you have to use a symbol/letter key on top
- no page up/page down and delete as standalone keys (hate to use my left hand for a simple finger op on the right hand)
- not 'cut and paste' file. If I have to use finder, give me a cut-and-paste, dammit, why do I need to copy-paste, then delete? WTF?

Many other mild annoyances, but not as drastic.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Mac's are decent for what they are, but doesn't satisfy my need for all the power user features of other operating systems.

 

[paulney]

Eclipse is available on OSX.

It is, but you can't code iOS in it.

Netbeans is coming out with Xcode support, but it's still in very early stages, and I have a feeling Apple will pull some kind of crap with authoring apps (which is a whole separate world of BS you have to wade in) to make it unusable and force people back into Xcode.

 

[wantedSpidy]

Mac's are decent for what they are, but doesn't satisfy my need for all the power user features of other operating systems.

yes yes plz elaborate what 'power user features' UNIX based OSX isn't able to provide to you over windows.

OP concludes that mac's are for artsy ppl because he doesn't like XCode? love the logic.

 

[Macamus Prime]

"release Xcode to purposely slow down and detract others to steal their ideas and release under Apple brand."

Yup; 50,000 employees are all telling one big lie.

 

[WelshBloke]

I could also add to that extremely poor integration with file system: not noticing new files in the directory, inconsistent support for adding folders and files (symlink vs creating a new folder).

Also, aside from Xcode there are quite a few things I don't like about MacOS in general, and they aren't of the 'different type', they are of the 'poorly thought out' type.

For example:
- no easy way to lock the laptop with a key shortcut (have to jump through hoops or use a hot corner with a mouse)
- language switch works on OS level rather than app level - very annoying
- inability to use just the functional keys for language switch (i.e. Ctrl + Shift) - you have to use a symbol/letter key on top
- no page up/page down and delete as standalone keys (hate to use my left hand for a simple finger op on the right hand)
- not 'cut and paste' file. If I have to use finder, give me a cut-and-paste, dammit, why do I need to copy-paste, then delete? WTF?

Many other mild annoyances, but not as drastic.

Single menu bar is the most annoying aspect of OSX (I'm presuming it still has that).

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

 

[DivideBYZero]

It is, but you can't code iOS in it.

Netbeans is coming out with Xcode support, but it's still in very early stages, and I have a feeling Apple will pull some kind of crap with authoring apps (which is a whole separate world of BS you have to wade in) to make it unusable and force people back into Xcode.

Yeah, great, so that's not an OSX issue is it. It's an iOS issue. If you're going to take aim, make sure you have the right target.

 

[Cruisin1]

Hilarious

 

[Kirby]

I've never used Xcode but I seriously doubt it's worse than MPLAB.

 

[boomhower]

I got a chuckle. My next notebook is going to be a Macbook Pro. My iPad 2 has impressed me so much I'll bite and try the higher end offerings.

 

[marvdmartian]

I now firmly realize that Apple makes products for 'artistic' people. And by artistic I mean people who surf the web and post on Facebook while drinking latte at the latest trendy coffee shop.

You forgot to mention they do all this while practicing their smug sense of superiority.

 

[dwell]

I now firmly realize that Apple makes products for 'artistic' people. And by artistic I mean people who surf the web and post on Facebook while drinking latte at the latest trendy coffee shop.

I did not have an informed opinion before, since I never owned a Mac, and now I use it for work (iOS development).

It is painfully obvious Apple has very little experience in gearing their products for code developers. Xcode is a poor bastard child with a deformed leg. Apple could seriously take clues from MS and Eclipse. I have a nagging suspicion that Apple people themselves must be using something else, and release Xcode to purposely slow down and detract others to steal their ideas and release under Apple brand.

I don't know if it's the same story for Photoshop/Corel users or video production - maybe Mac is awesome and excels in those categories, but code development - NOT.

Nice eye candy to haul around, though, can't deny that.

Have fun installing Cygwin under Windows and pretending you have a real CLI.

OS X = Ultimate development box.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Funny you say that since all the Linux admins at work use Macbook Pros. You must be a Windows user.

 

[shortylickens]

I agree.
But every time I share such opinions I get blasted.