MacBook Revisited – Thoughts After Three Months
About three months ago I started a new job where I was issued a MacBook computer. At that time I wasn’t sure I liked the machine. It did most of what I wanted it to, but had a number of quirks I found rather annoying. I’ve continued using the MacBook, and have come to appreciate some of the software that’s available for OS X. Applications like TextMate, Cornerstone, and CocoaMySQL are fantastic. I’m sure there are similar applications for Windows, and other Unix Like operating systems (FreeBSD, Linux). However the integration between these applications and the operating system really is very good.
The default Apple Terminal application is also very good. Most terminals are suitable for my needs, however the keyboard shortcuts are great. Copy/Paste “Just Works”, opening new terminal windows are just a Command+n away. All in all a solid terminal, with a lot of features, that works with a minimum of annoyances.
Applications like QuickSilver make using the computer even faster. Ctrl+Space itu Enter launches iTunes. Ctrl+Space file Enter launches filezilla. Ctrl+Space text Enter launces textedit. really a simple function to add, and I’ve been told QuickSilver does a lot more than function as an application launcher, but this feature alone is enough to make me happy.
Considering the slow hard drive installed in the MacBook I’m surprised at how snappy the system is overall at most tasks. If I continue editing video from conferences we attend I am likely to have a 320gb 7200rpm drive installed. In part because 1 hour of video is 12gb, and in part because drive speed does matter while editing videos.
I wouldn’t say the MacBook is a superior computer to a commodity PC with a Unix Like operating system installed, and a fair amount of system customization to fit the users individual needs. But I will say that out of the box, with a minimal amount of configuration Apple has provided a pretty fantastic system.
Thanks to: The_Jorr for the image
