advantage of ubuntu over mac os x for system automation and homemade workflow apps

[Eirik Nerheim]

Suppose you want to do web development, webmarketing, run a small business and obsessively streamline everyday tasks. To achieve this you'll make your own system automation scripts/workflow applications/business process automation applications/etc. etc. You also have some more exotic ideas for connecting these with your own homemade and interconnected implementations of wiki, gtd and srs software*. What are strengths of Ubuntu over OSX and vice versa? (I can imagine there might be more open source apps you can study and copy in ubuntu. Scripting might be clearer.)

PS: (I apologize for being vague but I don't know a lot about programming terms. Feel free to throw any amount of technical jargon at me. I'll duckduckgo it.)

*GTD is a personal productivity system, srs is an acronym for spaced repetition and srs software refers to a bunch of programs that tries to make the learning effective by timing the repetition of question/answer pairs

[mikejonesey]

i supose the steriotypical classifications arn't all too wrong...

in my comp, coders use linux, developers user windows and designers use osx... although there are crossover compatibilities between all systems they also cater to the type of person using them... eg mac's glossy screens for the designers... linux's low ram usage for coders and windows well the normal guys know how to use them...

in short the main advantage you will have is fast n sleek coding in linux...

[kvvv]

in short the main advantage you will have is fast n sleek coding in linux...

This + the 100% customizable environment.

And I actually love Ubuntu (and Debian by extension) for development. Its repository is so very rich.

[bug67]

I am first and foremost a computer hobbyist. I know nothing of coding or scripting. The extent of my terminal prowess comes in the form of "copy/paste." :p

Macs are the machines that piqued my interest and made the tech accessible. I migrated to OS X from Windows 98 after I let a virus in.

The thing that was nice about OS X was the "hobby centric" software that came bundled with it. I built my website with iWeb and recorded several albums with GarageBand.

At first, all was well. I could give myself permission to open system files and change a gif here or a png there to make GUI changes. There was also 3rd party haxies that gave me effects like windowshade and customized cursors.

However, with each update of OS X, it became harder and harder to change things. Things that were accessible from folders weren't any longer or their paths had been changed or hidden all together. And the 3rd party haxies quit being supported or just plain didn't work.

So, when my G5 quit for the last time (subject for another thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=10487935&postcount=16)) I decided to move back to Windows.

In the interim, however, I had discovered Ubuntu and later, Mint. Here was a file system not unlike OS X but I could change anything I wanted! I know OS X has an application (I forget what it's called. I never used it. Automator?) that is supposed to help with scripting. I seem to always find ways to make things happen how I want.

They've all got their pluses and minuses. The new Ubuntu (Natty/Unity) uses a much less customizable GUI. I am using an outdated version of Mint because I'm waiting to see what the Mint team is going to do next. Since Gnome 2 is obsolete, I'm kinda in linux limbo right now.

As far as Windows 7 is concerned, I really kinda like it. The GUI is as customizable as I need it to be. I can customize my cursors at least. :) Plus, the 3rd party support for Windows as we all know, is phenomenal. There is even a huge amount of open source stuff for Windows.

I don't see myself using OS X for any time in the foreseeable future. It's just become, literally, too "in the box."

I now use Mixcraft on Windows as a replacement to GarageBand for the music stuff. I tried to do an all Linux based studio but, it just never clicked for me. When I get ready to do my web site over, I'll be looking at a Word Press solution. For what I need out of a web site, Word Press will work just fine. I'm going to have to do it soon though, Apple's shift from MobileMe to iCloud will not allow my site to be hosted any longer. Lot of work wasted. I'm kind of pissed about it to say the least. Oh, well. Another reason for me to move on.

I have no idea if any of this answers your questions. You asked me to weigh in. Hope some of this makes sense! ;)

EDIT:

I suppose if I was a coder/programmer, my choice of OS would be the following:

1. Linux. Ultimately open an customizable.
2. OS X. Even though it's the most closed, I'd choose it for it's out of the box resources.
3. Windows 7. Lets face it, Windows is the most used OS on the planet. It is also the most supported OS. It is also, in my opinion, the most difficult to use "under-the-hood" wise.