Open source operati...
 

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Open source operating systems

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And we're up and running ..

STeam, Whatsapp and signal aren't pre-bundled, but if you open the 'software manager' app, there are clients for both you can download.

 

'software manager' Basically basically works the same way as the google play store, or the apple store. 

No command line text required! Screenshot from 2025-07-11 19-23-12.png 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:26 pm
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Posted by: IvanDobski

As I'm massively over-invested in this for absolutely no reason I can think of, if you dm me your address I'll send you a USB with a live bootable/installable copy of mint or something for you to try if you want?


No need mate.  I will have a go at some point soon and let you know how I get on

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:28 pm
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Dont know why the image didnt work properly in the last post, STW forum strikes again!

22.png


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:44 pm
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Posted by: sirromj

Using Linux is like gnawing our legs off? Rather overly dramatic isn't it?

I tried to get a USB device working under Linux this week.  It took me two days and I'd like to think I know a bit about computers.

In fairness it was an extreme case, it was a development board using (Windows) Visual Studio Code with the PlatformIO extension - neither of which I've used before - bolted into Ubuntu via the Windows Subsystem for Linux.  Not something TJ is ever likely to encounter, my point is simply that when something doesn't work it can be a right pain in the arse.

(Should anyone care, this was what the fix looked like)


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:47 pm
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Ffs, can everyone just imagine the Pablo Escobar meme with Mr Escobar waiting to hear how TJ gets on installing Mint?

The fact I run Linux as a daily driver but can't get images to work on here today, should tell you everything you need to know about how easy Linux can actually be!


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:54 pm
 MSP
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I suppose that is one difference between Windows and Linux.  Windows increasingly hides what it's doing unless you're a developer; with Linux you'd be expected to comprehend at least some of what I just wrote.

 

I find the biggest difference is that when you look for solutions to problems on the internet, for Microsoft people just seem repeat wrong solutions to the problem without any actually experience of the actual issue and are just plain wrong, while with Linux people like to massage their own egos and write to show off their own knowledge rather than actually offer a helpful solution, and are still usually wrong.

 

@couger I am having to run VMS emulation for 16bit applications, hosted on windows 2012 and 12 year old servers because the mission they are needed for doesn't have the budget to replace them.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:55 pm
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Posted by: IvanDobski

Ffs, can everyone just imagine the Pablo Escobar meme with Mr Escobar waiting to hear how TJ gets on installing Mint?

The fact I run Linux as a daily driver but can't get images to work on here today, should tell you everything you need to know about how easy Linux can actually be!

Sounds like user error to me 😉

But jokes aside.. The image upload facility on the forum is a little bit... How can I put this politely?.. A bit clunky!


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 6:56 pm
 MSP
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Does STW run on windows or linux?

 

🤣


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:02 pm
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It's absolutely user error, I'm blaming being on my phone but really, it's user error.  


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:07 pm
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It's a massive yes, you would be foolish, don't do it. The fact that you're even talking about using a desktop says everything. Buy a new or refurbished laptop loaded with windows and go on another mad adventure so we can enjoy your pics!


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:09 pm
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Posted by: IvanDobski

It's absolutely user error, I'm blaming being on my phone but really, it's user error.  

 

Ahh your not a full member so you can't upload images directly.

 

Does STW run on windows or linux?

The website is wordpress by the looks of it, backend could be anything though.

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:13 pm
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I don't like laptops 🙂


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:14 pm
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Posted by: imnotamused

go on another mad adventure so we can enjoy your pics!

 

this not mad enough for you?  I could do daily updates

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:17 pm
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Posted by: tjagain

I don't like laptops 🙂

 

You and me both.. Laptops suck big floppy donkey dicks in terms of value for money unless you absolutely have to be mobile. And even then a smartphone will suffice 99% of the time.

I do have one but it only comes out when I'm going on holiday or will be away with work for a few days.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:25 pm
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I don't like laptops 

 

My personal computer is a laptop, 99% of the time it is plugged into a monitor and keyboard at home and operates no different to a desktop PC, it just gives me the option for it to be mobile when it suits. And when I bought it a couple of years ago I got a refurbished one.

Mind you I also have a nuc stuck to the back of my TV, which is what I am using just now.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 7:33 pm
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At least with Apple and Microsoft you know which ‘evil dictator’ is getting your money*.

With Open Source you’ve no idea who’s behind the funding and why.

(*when was the last time any private individual actually forked out cash for an OS!? I think OSX was the last Mac OS I paid money for).


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 8:06 pm
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

At least with Apple and Microsoft you know which ‘evil dictator’ is getting your money*.

With Open Source you’ve no idea who’s behind the funding and why.

(*when was the last time any private individual actually forked out cash for an OS!? I think OSX was the last Mac OS I paid money for).

That's not really the correct way of looking at it.. using an Apple or microsoft pre-configured computer is a bit like buying a ford or a vauxhall car, it's a whole package.

Linux is open source, so anyone with the skills can see exactly what's going on... the development is pretty much entirely community driven... it's more like buying a chassis from Prodrive and an engine from cosworth, etc. And building your own car.

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 8:28 pm
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Yeah, but TJ wants his to view photos and other basic stuff - not run the large hadron collider!! 🤣

None of us build our own car to drive to Tesco just so we can stick it to General Motors!


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 8:43 pm
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Posted by: MSP

I find the biggest difference is that when you look for solutions to problems on the internet, for Microsoft people just seem repeat wrong solutions to the problem without any actually experience of the actual issue and are just plain wrong, while with Linux people like to massage their own egos and write to show off their own knowledge rather than actually offer a helpful solution, and are still usually wrong.

You've just described... is it answers.microsoft.com?  Every answer on there is beyond wrong, it's just stupid.  It's like ringing your typical front line tech support line.  The rest of the Internet is generally pretty good.

Posted by: MSP

@couger I am having to run VMS emulation for 16bit applications, hosted on windows 2012 and 12 year old servers because the mission they are needed for doesn't have the budget to replace them.

Can't say as I'm surprised.  If I'd had a pound for every time I've heard variations on "we can't afford to replace it," I could afford to replace it myself.

There are exceptional cases of course, but many times the truth is that they can't afford not to update things.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 8:56 pm
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Linx Mint.

I'm almost shot of Microsoft:-) I

Insta360 Studio is the only thing holding me back at the moment.

If I had a Pixel phone GrapheneOS be installed as well.

 

 

 

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 8:59 pm
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

None of us build our own car to drive to Tesco just so we can stick it to General Motors!

I don't own a car 🙂


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 9:15 pm
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You know, this thread is the perfect example.  Two pages of disagreeing and he hasn't even got a USB stick yet.

If the question was the other way around, "I'm running Linux and thinking of buying a Windows machine, should I?"  Then the answers would of the binary kind that we all know TJ is so fond of.  1) "Yes" or 2) "OMG NOOO MICROSHAFT IS TEH SUXXOR!!1!"  Oh, and one lone voice saying he should buy a Macbook Pro for his occasional note-taking and emails.

The car analogy isn't a bad one.  The primary manufacturer of automotive wiring looms is (or at least, was) Ukraine.  No-one really "owns" open source software, that's the whole point.  Different components are produced, maintained or ignored by different people.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 9:22 pm
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Its actually been really interesting and useful to me.  I have learnt stuff on this thread.  I shall cogitate on it a bit

for me its a risk / reward equation really - risk of not having it working or getting bogged down and frustrated with it v the benefit of not putting money into american fascist supporters and possibly even extending the life of my current computer which I would also like

the ethical aspect is important to me in a way it is not for others I think.  No judgement in that - its just the way i am wired.  Same as I have never set foot in a Wetherspoons and never will.


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 9:30 pm
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I think you might find Richard M Stallman interesting re ethics. 

Re any stumbling blocks you encounter, post on here and I'll try to help, pretty sure others will too.

 


 
Posted : 11/07/2025 10:42 pm
 Del
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if the reason for migrating to another OS is windows 10 EOS i'd suggest searching for 'massgrave'. activated windows installs that TBF take a minor bit of dicking about with to sort out but once fixed are very nicely stripped down installs and fully supported for a few more years for security updates. free. the distributions are targeted at IoT but are very tidy and without bloat. i've tried it recently and although i've had to reactivate it once following an update it's otherwise been seamless and free. assume if the original desktop in question was running win 7 or even vista, win 10 won't be a problem - this has been my experience anyway. a bit more RAM never hurts but it's unlikely most PCs bought in the past 10 years are scrap if treated appropriately. let me know if i can help.


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 12:21 am
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Posted by: Del

if the reason for migrating to another OS is windows 10 EOS

Apparently you can get one year of free security updates if you enable cloud backup on Win10.

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-10/windows-10-esu-support-free-updates-cloud-backup


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 12:48 am
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Posted by: tjagain

I don't like laptops 🙂

Do you like any dancers? 🙂

 


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 6:54 am
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Posted by: thols2

Apparently you can get one year of free security updates if you enable cloud backup on Win10.

did wonder when they would start caving in to the holdouts.

this was why I put my comment about if you pay microsoft, you are still the product (but maybe I should have put a smilie)

when M$ announced Win11 automatically enabling full disk encryption at some point, and automatically enabling OneDrive by default (and saving your keys there), that is when I estimated your data has a monetary value to them, probably in the ballpark of about $250.

No ta. I can do my own backups.


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 8:44 am
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Posted by: tjagain

I don't own a car

 

You do use one when it's the right tool for the job though <cough> Australia </cough> 😉

And if ethics are an issue you'd better go off grid and stay away from the internet and all those AWS websites and huge data centres.

Your argument is a bit like those people who proudly profess to not owning a TV then tell you about all the shows they pirate and stream on their laptops.

If you are a techy type who gets a kick out of debugging opensource software then crack on.


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 9:05 am
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

Posted by: tjagain

I don't own a car

 

You do use one when it's the right tool for the job though <cough> Australia </cough> 😉

And if ethics are an issue you'd better go off grid and stay away from the internet and all those AWS websites and huge data centres.

Your argument is a bit like those people who proudly profess to not owning a TV then tell you about all the shows they pirate and stream on their laptops.

If you are a techy type who gets a kick out of debugging opensource software then crack on.

There's a compromise to draw and I think that TJ's clear that you can't avoid everything in the modern age, but you do the best that you can without living the life of a hermit in a cave.

If you are a techy type who gets a kick out of debugging opensource software then crack on.

I can't remember the last time that I debugged opensource software and don't forget that MS Edge is based on Chromium, which is open-source software. If it doesn't work then it gets swapped for something else; life's too short 🙂

It's fair to say that some distros are more user friendly than others, but that's why you liveboot a few

 


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 10:14 am
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

 

 

 

If you are a techy type who gets a kick out of debugging opensource software then crack on.

 

That's simply not true... I even demonstrated it myself on the previous page, I'm living proof 😉

 

The whole episode took about two and a half hours from starting the download of linux mint, mounting it on a flash drive, installing it and being fully up and running.

No command line stuff, no debugging, it all just works. Granted I kinda know what I'm doing so it didn't really take long, but there's nothing really technical, it's just a process you follow.

 

The only real danger is to ensure you have stuff backed up incase you do something daft like nuke your windows install by accident, if you are keeping windows to duel boot with linux.

 

 

 


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 1:00 pm
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It's reached the stage where running a Windows game on Linux, for a lot of games can be faster than the same game in Windows 11. What has set the cat amongst the Pigeons has been the Lenovo Legion Go S, as it is available with Win 11 and Steam OS, a lot of games run faster on SteamOS and the battery lasts longer. So exact same hardware, manufacturer support etc. A game not developed for Linux, only for Windows, running thru some compatibility software is faster than Win 11 says it all....


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 8:32 pm
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Posted by: Russell96

It's reached the stage where running a Windows game on Linux, for a lot of games can be faster than the same game in Windows 11. What has set the cat amongst the Pigeons has been the Lenovo Legion Go S, as it is available with Win 11 and Steam OS, a lot of games run faster on SteamOS and the battery lasts longer. So exact same hardware, manufacturer support etc. A game not developed for Linux, only for Windows, running thru some compatibility software is faster than Win 11 says it all....

 

Yup, forza horizon 5 runs just fine on linux - you have to buy it via steam though, not the silly microsoft app store, whatever it's called, that won't work for obvious reasons.... Has anyone actually ever even used that? 🤣 

 


 
Posted : 12/07/2025 9:15 pm
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Posted by: andytherocketeer

No ta. I can do my own backups.

This may be true but many people can't.  And many more who can, don't.

Posted by: Russell96

as it is available with Win 11 and Steam OS, a lot of games run faster on SteamOS

An operating system dedicated to doing one thing well will outperform another which is designed to do anything and everything, all at once.  Well, I'm shocked.


 
Posted : 13/07/2025 6:09 pm
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SteamOS or my fave Bazzite still has a full desktop mode that you can switch in and out of without a reboot. So still an OS that can do it all. 


 
Posted : 13/07/2025 6:38 pm
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OK, fair, a specialised OS then.  Microsoft has such a thing also, as do Sony and Nintendo.

Whilst you could use Steam OS as a 'full' desktop, I'm not so sure as you'd want to.


 
Posted : 13/07/2025 7:03 pm
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Posted by: Cougar

An operating system dedicated to doing one thing well will outperform another which is designed to do anything and everything, all at once.  Well, I'm shocked.

The only real difference is that it launches directly into Steam client rather than into a desktop environment, it's still effectively a full OS (Arch Linux).

It's in fact almost the same performance running Steam on Ubuntu vs SteamOS. 

The remarkable thing is that even though the games are having to go through a translation layer (Proton, a fork of WINE), and use GPU drivers which are at best an afterthought still runs significantly higher framerates than the OS the game was natively built for.

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 8:12 am
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Posted by: tjagain

Same as I have never set foot in a Wetherspoons and never will.

Never buy a Dyson


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 9:34 am
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Posted by: Cougar

OK, fair, a specialised OS then.  Microsoft has such a thing also, as do Sony and Nintendo.

Whilst you could use Steam OS as a 'full' desktop, I'm not so sure as you'd want to.

I wouldn't... I just use the steam launcher in Linux, to play most games, the same way you would in windows.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 10:49 am
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Last time I had to do anything vaguely techy to get a basic Ubuntu installation to run (from what I remember I had to use a wrapper to get the wifi to work) was back in 2008.  Since then everything has just worked out of the box.

Life is too short.  Just install Ubuntu and get on with it.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 11:04 am
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Every post on this thread now that isn't TJ asking whether to choose Xfce or GNOME is like a dagger in the heart.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 4:42 pm
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Posted by: stevious

Every post on this thread now that isn't TJ asking whether to choose Xfce or GNOME is like a dagger in the heart.

If it makes you feel better, over the last 3 days I've sacked off Nobara, and Mint, and now I'm test driving Bazzite.

Just waiting for Horizon 5 to install so I can test it out. (I've had to limit the download speed as it was saturating my connection and i like to stream radio at the same time without interruptions.) so it may take a while.

 

  Screenshot From 2025-07-14 17-51-33.png 

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 4:57 pm
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Posted by: stevious

Every post on this thread now that isn't TJ asking whether to choose Xfce or GNOME is like a dagger in the heart.

 

Arrggghhhh

 

I had just about decided to give mint a try now you are confusing me more

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 5:03 pm
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I had just about decided to give mint a try now you are confusing me more

Ignore it. Try Mint - stop reading the thread unless you get stuck or want to report success.

The above comments are equivalent to people arguing about Hope vs Shimano brakes when someone's asked what £200 bike for going to the shops.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 5:16 pm
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Yeh just go with mint and see how you go.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:09 pm
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Posted by: tjagain

Posted by: stevious

Every post on this thread now that isn't TJ asking whether to choose Xfce or GNOME is like a dagger in the heart.

 

Arrggghhhh

 

I had just about decided to give mint a try now you are confusing me more

Go for it. Cinnamon is their flagship and pretty familiar to anyone used to windows 

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:09 pm
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Posted by: tjagain

Posted by: stevious

Every post on this thread now that isn't TJ asking whether to choose Xfce or GNOME is like a dagger in the heart.

 

Arrggghhhh

 

I had just about decided to give mint a try now you are confusing me more

 

 

sincerest apologies. I just chose a bit of random Linux jargon in an attempt to be funny. You should absolutely ignore my post and crack on.

i feel oddly invested in the outcome of this thread so every time I saw more posts that weren’t a genuine update it made me feel sad.

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:36 pm
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Posted by: tjagain

...would I be foolish to look at an open source OS ?  Or have they reached a level now where and averageish user can make them work?

It really depends on how much of your personal time you are prepared to getting the familiarity with a new system that you have with your existing options.

I use Mac for my desk computer. My laptop has been on Linux Mint for the last 2 years. I regard laptops as disposable as in they are more likely to be stolen or dropped so I go low spec on them because you can get or setup Linux to run well on minimal resources.

I got my Luddite wife a ChromeBook a year ago, and I'm impressed by how well it works for her. If you can get over the likely spying, it may be the answer.

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:42 pm
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stevious - my reply was supposed to be funny as well 🙂  All good

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:55 pm
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Posted by: epicyclo

Posted by: tjagain

...would I be foolish to look at an open source OS ?  Or have they reached a level now where and averageish user can make them work?

It really depends on how much of your personal time you are prepared to getting the familiarity with a new system that you have with your existing options.

I use Mac for my desk computer. My laptop has been on Linux Mint for the last 2 years. I regard laptops as disposable as in they are more likely to be stolen or dropped so I go low spec on them because you can get or setup Linux to run well on minimal resources.

I got my Luddite wife a ChromeBook a year ago, and I'm impressed by how well it works for her. If you can get over the likely spying, it may be the answer.

 

 

Well, both mac OS and Chrome OS are types of linux when you drill it down, broadly speaking.

As is the Android mobile OS. Locked down and full of spyware, just like MS windows, true, but still the same family.

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 6:56 pm
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Posted by: mattyfez

 Well, both mac OS and Chrome OS are types of linux when you drill it down, broadly speaking.

As is the Android mobile OS. Locked down and full of spyware, just like MS windows, true, but still the same family.

 

Most OSes are based on a version of 'nix these days. MacOS is based on BSD and so is Darwin.

As for spyware, there's always Deepin or Kylin ... 🙂

 


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 8:14 pm
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Posted by: tjagain

I had just about decided to give mint a try now you are confusing me more

 

And once more with feeling,

If you get yourself a USB pendrive you can "give Mint a try" without installing anything.  If you don't like it, unplug the drive and reboot back to Windows.  You could then rebuild the USB drive with a different version of Linux and try that instead.  A 128GB Sandisk stick will set you back about ten quid.

Posted by: mattyfez

Well, both mac OS and Chrome OS are types of linux when you drill it down, broadly speaking.

 

The main difference to my mind is that Apple also control the (very expensive) hardware, so can pretty much guarantee that the hardware and software are going to play nicely together.  Non-MacOS Linux has to run on all manner of random PC shite.

The Linux kiddies like to rag on the Windows kiddies and vice versa, but it's honestly astonishing that any of it works at all.  (And I'm old enough to remember a time when neither of them particularly did.)


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 9:20 pm
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Inspired by this thread, I've had a whistlestop tour of several distros and landed on Zorin - very fancy with a sort of "Weyland Yutani" vibe.  

Given that most of the forum's linuxers are likely to be on here has anyone used the Zorin connect phone feature? It looks useful but I've not had chance to fettle with it yet.


 
Posted : 14/07/2025 11:12 pm
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Posted by: Cougar

it's honestly astonishing that any of it works at all

The old joke was that "Windows is just a driver bundle." Given the literally trillions of different permutations of hardware that Windows runs on, the backwards compatibility of Win10 is pretty impressive. Apple have the luxury of only needing the OS to run on a limited range of approved hardware. 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 1:09 am
 DrJ
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Posted by: Cougar

The main difference to my mind is that Apple also control the (very expensive) hardware, so can pretty much guarantee that the hardware and software are going to play nicely together. 

Not clear to me what role price plays in that situation?


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 7:33 am
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If you get yourself a USB pendrive you can "give Mint a try" without installing anything.

You are coming at this from the techie angle.  When you go to the Mint homepage it offers you three 'versions' with either Cinnamon, Xfce or Gnome. This is a choice that someone like TJ won't be able to make...

Not clear to me what role price plays in that situation?

The reason PCs are cheap is because ever since IBM PCs were cloned, third parties have been making cheap components and peripherals in high volume, which makes buying and owning PCs cheap.  Because Apple control the whole process they can enforce that better stuff goes into their computers and charge more for it.  Essentially, there are high quality, middle market and cheap crap PCs - but there are no cheap Macs.

From a moral point of view though, Apple clearly could make Macs cheaper, or make better lower budget options - we know this because they are incredibly rich.  They are gatekeeping their ecosystem by charging more for it and they are not making an effort to spread their allegedly superior system to the plebs.  They are doing this deliberately to keep their premium image, and I think that's a bit shitty.  People will say 'oh but it's no different to say Orange or Mercedes only making expensive stuff' but I disagree - you can do exactly the same things in a Ford as you can in a Mercedes, you can drive the same roads and park in the same places - your life is not diminished.  However if MacOS really is materially better as I assume Apple believe, then it would be like Mercedes having special roads that only Mercedes drivers could drive on, or premium parking spaces and so on.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 8:08 am
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Posted by: molgrips

From a moral point of view though, Apple clearly could make Macs cheaper, or make better lower budget options - we know this because they are incredibly rich

I'm not sure giving away free stuff would be very popular with the Apple shareholders - that's not how capitalism works. Having said that, it's interesting that Bill Gates was once the Bad Guy, but he has been busy giving away his personal wealth, whereas Steve Jobs, once the rebel, now seems to have been a bit of an asshole.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 9:43 am
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Posted by: DrJ

Posted by: molgrips

From a moral point of view though, Apple clearly could make Macs cheaper, or make better lower budget options - we know this because they are incredibly rich

I'm not sure giving away free stuff would be very popular with the Apple shareholders - that's not how capitalism works. Having said that, it's interesting that Bill Gates was once the Bad Guy, but he has been busy giving away his personal wealth, whereas Steve Jobs, once the rebel, now seems to have been a bit of an asshole.

 

To be fair to Jobs, he was always the 'mover and shaker' the visionary, the marketer, if you like, whereas it was his partner, Steve Wozniac who was the tech guy behind the outfit. I don't think either of them could have made apple what it was without the other.

 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 10:46 am
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I'm not sure giving away free stuff would be very popular with the Apple shareholders

I didn't say they should give away free stuff?  I think they could afford to make their stuff cheaper and/or make cheaper options.

I think that Microsoft and to a lesser extent IBM (possibly accidentally) are responsible for the explosion of availability of IT.  When IBM made the first PC it was designed to be cheap so it used open architectures that could be copied - whilst they tried to stop people copying the BIOS they failed; and MS-DOS was available to buy separately.  This created a huge market in even cheaper clones which allowed PCs to spread through society.  And because of that, the internet took off.  Then the fact that makers in China became so good at making cheap stuff you can now get a laptop for a few days' minimum wages.  The fact that this hardware is so cheap also means that the Welsh Government for example can give a Chromebook to every school kid.  Meanwhile Apple is for rich people still.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 11:03 am
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Posted by: DrJ

Not clear to me what role price plays in that situation?

Cynicism?

It you want to run Linux, you can pretty much do that on a Speak 'n' Spell.  (A mate of mine has literally got it running on a Teasmade).  If you want to run MacOS which is, as the previous poster said, pretty much Linux anyway only with a flashy front-end, you need to get your hand in your pocket.  A "cheap Mac" doesn't exist, as Mols says.

Posted by: molgrips

When you go to the Mint homepage it offers you three 'versions' with either Cinnamon, Xfce or Gnome. This is a choice that someone like TJ won't be able to make...

Sure it is, this was my whole point.  It doesn't matter, pick one at random.  Play with it for an afternoon.  Then hose it and pick another one.

In any case, the last time I touched Mint was pretty much when it first came out, I have no technical advantage in being able to make that choice.  But after reading this thread it would be an easy decision, the answer is in here already.

 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 11:17 am
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The thing with linux is its getting better all the time, and it's now very easy to use for you average web surfing, media consuming user.

I'm running both windows and linux as I intend to fully transition over as one of my PCs, the one I’m using right now, and every day at my desk is not supported in Win11, only win10, and that’s EOL. And its a perfectly capable machine, but because it's a gen6 intel, it's e-waste according to microsoft..

 I mean it's capable of running horizon 5 at 1440p at 70fps.. so hardly ready for the recycling center. The direction windows is going in, in terms of user accounts, and all the intrusiveness, updates that revert settings back without telling you, it's all the push I need to make the transition.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 11:18 am
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Meanwhile Apple is for rich people still.

I’m  not sure, those new Mac minis look very reasonably priced and they don’t charge for os and seem to have pretty good free software pages,numbers etc for it 🙂


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 12:06 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: molgrips

I think they could afford to make their stuff cheaper and/or make cheaper options.

I don't think you've really grasped this "business" thing. Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing what their customers want. The evidence suggests that they've done it pretty successfully. If they sold budget range items, that would impact their main product line. Like-for-like Apple products are not very different price from their competitors, but if you don't want to pay for what they sell, other options are available, as you've said. 

But this has nothing to do with with tj's query, so apologies for the digression. I was mostly just commenting on cougar's reflexive "Apple hater" remark.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 12:11 pm
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Posted by: DrJ

Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing what their customers want.

Almost.  Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing what they've convinced their customers into believing what they want.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 12:20 pm
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Apple kit has never been cheaper - the cost of our companies first IIfx and Apple LaserWriter in the early 1990s was knocking on £10k! And those were the days you had to convince your bank manager personally to lend you the money! 😀

A very capable M4 Mac Mini is £600.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 12:33 pm
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Almost. Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing what they've convinced their customers into believing what they want.

Almost. Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing their shareholders profit, while additionally convincing their customers into believing what they want.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 12:49 pm
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A couple of points on the Apple thing, I know I shouldn't but what the hell;

- I am sure some will disagree, but I thought it was generally agreed that when you compare like for like on specification, then Apple hardware is not really any more expensive than others. Obviously, when I mean 'like for like' I mean actually like for like in comparison of everything (eg. things like screen, trackpad, webcam speaker quality), not just the basic spec of screen size, RAM, SDD etc.

- As someone mentioned above, I distinctly remember every journo/YouTuber etc. across the board (not just the 'Mac' ones) raving about how the latest base model Mac Mini was the best value computer you could buy bar none.

- I would also mention that Apple are rumored to be introducing a low end MacBook running a phone-derived A18 chip. If true, that does suggest that Apple are interested in address markets below where they currently sit.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 1:01 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: Cougar

Almost.  Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing what they've convinced their customers into believing what they want.

True, but not everyone has the luxury of asking you what it is they really really want. Most of us have to trust our own judgement.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 1:16 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: sirromj

Almost. Apple have worked out where their optimum price is in terms of providing their shareholders profit, while additionally convincing their customers into believing what they want.

Yeah, that's what optimum actually means, for a business.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 1:18 pm
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

Apple kit has never been cheaper

Same for everything else too - everything is cheaper, but Apple is still relatively expensive.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 1:55 pm
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Posted by: mattyfez

The thing with linux is its getting better all the time, and it's now very easy to use for you average web surfing, media consuming user.

 

Literally just turned on my steam deck and it's refusing to connect to the same wifi network it's used for two years. The error message? "WiFi authorization supplicant disconnected". How is the average user supposed to know what to do here? Even more so when you consider that Valve control both the hardware and software aspect of this.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 2:06 pm
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

A very capable M4 Mac Mini is £600.

And a Mac Pro is "from" £7,200.

This article from 2019 is quite clearly ludicrous, but it shows that it's quite easy to cherry-pick in order to attempt to prove a point.  I've spent less than that on enterprise-grade servers.  Your Mini Money there wouldn't even cover the cost of the Apple monitor stand (sold separately).

Posted by: the-muffin-man

Apple kit has never been cheaper

You could say that about pretty much all computing.

By way of comparison, your very capable M4 Mac Mini (which I note is also listed as "from" £600) is about the same price adjusted for inflation as the 48k ZX Spectrum was at launch.

 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 3:06 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: the-muffin-man

Posted by: the-muffin-man

 

Apple kit has never been cheaper

 

You could say that about pretty much all computing.

Of course, but most folk get paid in specified amounts of money, not equivalents of ZX Spectrums (Spectra?) so a computer that was "only for the rich" 20 years ago is now quite accessible since it's about the price of a Halfords city bike.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 3:30 pm
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Posted by: Flaperon

Posted by: mattyfez

The thing with linux is its getting better all the time, and it's now very easy to use for you average web surfing, media consuming user.

 

Literally just turned on my steam deck and it's refusing to connect to the same wifi network it's used for two years. The error message? "WiFi authorization supplicant disconnected". How is the average user supposed to know what to do here? Even more so when you consider that Valve control both the hardware and software aspect of this.

 

I've no idea about steam OS or steamdecks I'm afraid..  I use the steam app/launcher on windows and linux but thats a different thing.

Have you tried turning it off and on again? 😬

 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 3:48 pm
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Posted by: Flaperon

Posted by: mattyfez

The thing with linux is its getting better all the time, and it's now very easy to use for you average web surfing, media consuming user.

 

Literally just turned on my steam deck and it's refusing to connect to the same wifi network it's used for two years. The error message? "WiFi authorization supplicant disconnected". How is the average user supposed to know what to do here? Even more so when you consider that Valve control both the hardware and software aspect of this.

I've had that sort of thing happen on a windows laptop before - The average user solution? Buy a new router or a new laptop because you don't even get an error msg to work with.

 


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 4:11 pm
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OMG - what have I started 🙂  its worse than the wheel size wars 🙂


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 4:22 pm
ChrisL and Sandwich reacted
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I don't think you've really grasped this "business" thing

I think I do - that was my point. For them it's just business, and that is itself the problem.  The thing is that they *could* do so much more, they just don't want to, they want to sit there and rake in cash.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 4:37 pm
 DrJ
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Posted by: molgrips

I think I do - that was my point. For them it's just business, and that is itself the problem.  The thing is that they *could* do so much more, they just don't want to, they want to sit there and rake in cash.

Well that's a whole bigger issue. A German guy wrote a book about it a couple of hundred years ago and triggered a big hoo-ha so I'm not sure we'll see the question resolved here.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 5:13 pm
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I'm talking about a tiny bit of social responsibility not Marxism.  There's a fair distance between those things - unless you're American.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 6:01 pm
tjagain reacted
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Well that's a whole bigger issue. A German guy wrote a book about it a couple of hundred years ago and triggered a big hoo-ha so I'm not sure we'll see the question resolved here.

Who was alive around the same time as Ada Lovelace. Everyone give up coding!

BTW, Karl Marx and Ada Lovelace had an illicit relationship and the descendants of which, a few generations later, popped out Richard M Stallman.


 
Posted : 15/07/2025 6:14 pm
bearGrease reacted
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