[Discuss] GNU/Linux Distro for Mac?

[Richard Pieri]

Will Rico wrote:
> I have a colleague at work who uses a Macbook Pro Retina at home.  Since we
> use GNU/Linux for our office PC's (Ubuntu and Mint currently) he has become
> a fan and would like to give GNU/Linux a whirl on his Mac.  Is there a
> distribution that is particularly suitable for Macs?

I recommended Yellow Dog in the PowerPC days. Today I recommend FreeBSD 
over Linux on Mactel kit for two reasons.

Reason one: Linux desktops suck. All of them. Linux itself doesn't suck 
(some things about it do suck -- but that's a different rant :), but the 
array of desktops? They all suck and, based on where Gnome and Ubuntu 
are going, they're getting worse not better.

Reason two: Every Intel-based Macintosh ships with a FreeBSD-based 
operating system already installed on it. All that's missing is an X 
server and a Ports collection. The former can be had by installing 
XQuartz, and the latter by installing MacPorts. That will get you about 
98% of what you'll find in a Linux distribution without having to deal 
with proprietary hardware drivers and desktop environments that make 
Windows 8 look swell. Unless you want to: MacPorts has Gnome 2 (maybe 
3), KDE 3 and 4, and Xfce 4.6.

-- 
Rich P.