[melbourne-pug] [offtopic] buying advice on a macbook air

[Lincoln Stoll]

Inline.

On 11/04/2012, at 7:17 PM, Tennessee Leeuwenburg wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I notice that a good number of mpug'ers have Apple computers, and I was wondering how they go as Python development platforms. I'm considering getting a Macbook Air for my next laptop. I want something I can hack on, has a beautiful screen, which travels easily, but which I can also use in front of the telly of an evening, or on a desk for a few hours. I've also never owned an Apple, and I figure I need to try the third of the major environments at some stage :). 
> 
> So, some questions:
>   -- Is the Macbook Air a nice laptop to use?

I find it a beautiful laptop to use - decent battery life, well made hardware, it just feels clean, well engineered and nice to use. On the OS X side, I find it a simple OS to work with, it basically gets out of my way and let's me get work done. On the portability side, I travel a lot and it's very easy to move around. Even small things like the compact power supply are a nice touch.

>   -- Does OSX support development well for Python?

Yes. I'm not a full time python expert, but it has first class python support. I build my own python with the info here: http://docs.python-guide.org/en/latest/starting/install/osx/ , and use virtualenv for everything.

>   -- What about other unix-like tools -- is there a decent C++ compiler, standard linux libraries etc for me to be able to compile linux programs?

Compilers aren't too big of an issue. You don't actually need to install the full XCode to get a compiler - you can download the 'Command line tools for XCode', ~170mb from http://connect.apple.com , free registration required. Apple are shifting towards LLVM over GCC, but I haven't found this to be an issue except with 

As for libraries, everything I've come across has been available for OS X - it's a pretty common Unix development platform these days.

>   -- If not, how does open source development happen on a mac? Is everyone running linux inside a VM or what?

I occasionally use Vagrant (http://vagrantup.com) to test against a 'production like' environment, but the vast majority (95%) of people I come across are using OS X natively.

>   -- How does it go with integration with MS office and Exchange (sigh)?

Surprisingly well - Provided you're talking to an Exchange 2007+ server, the built in Apple Mail/Calender/Address Book talk natively to the server, handling it very well. IMO it's the best Exchange experience. On the Office side you can purchase Office for Mac, which is compatible with PC office.

>   -- What about other Apple laptops, is there a better choice?

I'd say no. The Macbook Air, specifically the 13" version is the best machine I've ever owned.

>   -- Is there anything I should watch out for when buying my first Apple?

I've been using Apple for a while, so nothing I can think of. There isn't any tricky customizations required, it's pretty straight forward. If you tell them your a developer an ask nicely, you might be able to get a ~10% discount

> I'm not in a particular rush, and the pundits seem to think there will be a new model out later this year, so I might take my time before making a purchase. But any and all advice would be much appreciated!

The current model has been out since mid last year, so I'd expect a refresh in the near future. That said, there's nothing particulary lacking with the current version. I generally buy a new machine when it's required, it's not like it will change when a new one comes out.

- Linc
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