The Laptop Thread

[Ron Texas]

Microsoft is forever trying to play catchup with AWS cloud computing. And when they do (never will), Vercel, et al, will already have elevated the level again to levels Microsoft will never achieve.

That's simply not true. Microsoft's cloud business is much bigger. Amazon's problem is it is in to many different businesses. Just look at the performance of Microsoft and Amazon stock over the last couple of years.

 

[droid2000]

Linux doesn't run Adobe Creative Cloud applications. The usual reply is use Gimp and Raw Therapy. For me that would be like giving up my car and taking the bus. Those applications run on Windows and few use them. The free alternative to Adobe for photography is the stuff manufacturers give away with their cameras.

What security is being given up with a Mac? As compared to what? What does Tor get you as compared to the typical VPN other than being free? Thankfully I'm not a political target.

Linux is good for servers. It's the best, actually. Virtually everything you see on the internet was served by a linux server.

Linux is bad for desktops. It can't run what you want. Don't even try.

But, it can provide the best security, way better than a mac or windows can achieve, if you spent the years since you were 11 studying Linux. Otherwise, a mac is your best option. Windows is never the best option unless the software you need to run only runs on windows, like many games.

 

[Ron Texas]

Sorry no go. If you want guaranteed privacy you use open source tools with very good encryptions disreging of platform (especially if you are a war reporter). If you really want to hack pick a BSD as a backbone and a less popular one with truly different code base so that 99% can't touch you (while you hit them) and that's Dragonfly. If you want to do any serious business nothing makes sense other than Linux.
You still don't have a choice if you are into gaming so everyone back to it's tool.

You are talking about an exceptional solution that isn't for everyone. Have fun getting Dragonfly or whatever to work on a new laptop. The fans will drive you nuts and battery life will drive you nuts. However, your point seems to be security by obscurity. Off the shelf malware hopefully will not work, or maybe it will?

 

[Ron Texas]

Linux is good for servers. It's the best, actually. Virtually everything you see on the internet was served by a linux server.

Linux is bad for desktops. It can't run what you want. Don't even try.

But, it can provide the best security, way better than a mac or windows can achieve, if you spent the years since you were 11 studying Linux. Otherwise, a mac is your best option. Windows is never the best option unless the software you need to run only runs on windows, like many games.

I was 11 before the Civil War, or so it seems. Linux definitely rules the roost in the server sector. it's also the basis for Android. Mac's are BDS based. Mac's use to have security by obscurity but with over 20% of the desktop market (that includes laptops) and a user base which is believed to have higher incomes than Windows there are loads of attacks.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Linux is good for servers. It's the best, actually. Virtually everything you see on the internet was served by a linux server.

Linux is bad for desktops. It can't run what you want. Don't even try.

But, it can provide the best security, way better than a mac or windows can achieve, if you spent the years since you were 11 studying Linux. Otherwise, a mac is your best option. Windows is never the best option unless the software you need to run only runs on windows, like many games.

Oh come on, not this crap.

 

[droid2000]

Oh come on, not this crap.

Found the Bill Gates fan.

What part is crap?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Found the Bill Gates fan.

What part is crap?

Actually I'm a Linux user (and MacOS and Windows). Linux wasn't even around when I was 11. It is not bad for desktops and it does run the things I want. I don't even have to try.

 

[Ron Texas]

@Blumlein 88 as far as weight goes you need to include the power supply. I don't know exactly what you have. The fast gaming/creator machines with 145 watt TDP RTX 40X0 gpu's weigh a lot and don't fit in a 14" case because of cooling restraints. There are things I don't like about OS X. However, the total package suits me much better than any of the 3 Wintel laptops I have owned over the last 2 years the two I took back for reasons noted above and an LG Gram 17 I returned for a Gram 16 because the 17" machine was too big. I also exchange a Gram 16 because it had a defective trackpad out of the box. I will have more about these experiences tomorrow.

 

[ZolaIII]

You are talking about an exceptional solution that isn't for everyone. Have fun getting Dragonfly or whatever to work on a new laptop. The fans will drive you nuts and battery life will drive you nuts. However, your point seems to be security by obscurity. Off the shelf malware hopefully will not work, or maybe it will?

If almost no one is using something it will be most secure and not because it's best written or patched most promptly but because no one bothered to dig or spend time developing attacks that will influence 0.001% of running machines. On the other hand there are open source projects especially developed for secure press and such use which God thankfully never whose much popular but serve its purpose. Of course you can always use multiple encryptions and strong ones that even three letters agency's won't decrypt for average lifetime. What you can't is disappear only use glitches (disappearing act).

 

[Ron Texas]

Actually I'm a Linux user (and MacOS and Windows). Linux wasn't even around when I was 11. It is not bad for desktops and it does run the things I want. I don't even have to try.

When I was eleven nobody knew what a computer was. If any existed they were in labs.

 

[sweetchaos]

Linux is only 3.83% of worldwide marketshare for Desktop OS only (excluding mobile or tablet):

Here's worldwide traffic, for all platforms (desktop, mobile and tablet):

In Summary:
Linux is basically <1% of worldwide traffic.
OSX (aka MacOS) is only 6% marketshare of worldwide traffic.
Windows is 29% marketshare of worldwide traffic.

So if we were to do a survey, I would expect 1% of ASR users to use Linux as a daily driver.
Maybe slightly more since ASR users are more technically minded.

 

[Ron Texas]

If almost no one is using something it will be most secure and not because it's best written or patched most promptly but because no one bothered to dig or spend time developing attacks that will influence 0.001% of running machines. On the other hand there are open source projects especially developed for secure press and such use which God thankfully never whose much popular but serve its purpose. Of course you can always use multiple encryptions and strong ones that even three letters agency's won't decrypt for average lifetime. What you can't is disappear only use glitches (disappearing act).

You have just defined security by obscurity. Remember, a 3 letter organization (2 letters for Israel) can always put a gun to your head as a last resort. However, if the spooks get wind that a bunch of journalists are using some oddball system they will manage to port existing malware to it.

 

[Ron Texas]

@sweetchaos I have used that resource for OS market share. The December drop in OS X and increase in Windows appears to be an aberration. Must be all the Mac users unplugged for Christmas. One might note the bulge in "unknown" matches a sudden dip in windows use. Maybe the data gathering could use some improvement.

 

[ZolaIII]

Linux is only 3.83% of worldwide marketshare for Desktop OS only (excluding mobile or tablet):
View attachment 342707

Here's worldwide traffic, for all platforms (desktop, mobile and tablet):
View attachment 342708

In Summary:
Linux is basically <1% of worldwide traffic.
OSX (aka MacOS) is only 6% marketshare of worldwide traffic.
Windows is 29% marketshare of worldwide traffic.

So if we were to do a survey, I would expect 1% of ASR users to use Linux as a daily driver.
Maybe slightly more since ASR users are more technically minded.

Yeah but Linux serves over 90% of all users on all platforms and from router to pretty much everything else except traditional user desktop on PC it's dominant.

 

[droid2000]

Actually I'm a Linux user (and MacOS and Windows). Linux wasn't even around when I was 11. It is not bad for desktops and it does run the things I want. I don't even have to try.

Can't run Roon. Can't run Quboz. Can't control my RME DAC.

 

[droid2000]

Can't run Roon. Can't run Quboz. Can't control my RME DAC.

These are basic requirements to life lol

 

[middlemarch]

I'm with you, Ron Texas, seems pretty clear to me (he says, typing on his cool as a cucumber M1 Pro MB, never having heard the fans in two years), but you'll never convince the folks who just love beating their heads against a wall, cause they seem to have a thing for pain, I don't know. Arguing is a lost cause

 

[Chrispy]

These are basic requirements to life lol

Strange life you got there....

 

[droid2000]

Strange life you got there....

Sounds good tho

 

[amirm]

why do you keep using that crap?

No choice. Have line of business apps that only run on Windows (AP, Klippel, etc.).