Dear Jacob, I would anticipate more than one response to this. Here's one: it depends on the context. For a laptop machine I would consider a macbook pro a no-brainer (i.e. OS X), as you can get a lot of horsepower in a decent size box which works very well. For a box sat on a desk, I would probably use Linux (essentially down to cost.)
I have found linux with wireless networking etc. to be patchy, though more recent experience with openSuSE was good. Crystallography software wise there is little to choose between them, though of course with OS X there's no messing around with e.g. Nvidia drivers. I have to say though, I use XDS a lot, which removes the use of Windows / cygwin from bring a runner. At every conference I attend there are a lot of macs to be seen, so you will be able to expect decent support software wise. I wonder how many pro-windows responses you get. I don't expect many :o) Cheerio, Graeme On 9 August 2012 14:55, Jacob Keller <j-kell...@fsm.northwestern.edu> wrote: > Dear List, > > I guess this is somewhat of a perennial issue, but I am faced with > choosing an OS for a new computer, and am curious about benefits and > drawbacks with regard to crystallography. So far, I have been using > windows, and have found no limitations whatsoever, but then again, maybe I > don't know what I am missing. But, since so many folks out there use Macs, > I am open to using one. Are there any really reasonable arguments for > preferring Mac over windows (or linux) with regard to crystallography? What > can Mac/Linux do that windows cannot (especially considering that there is > Cygwin)? What wonderful features am I missing? > > Jacob > > -- > ******************************************* > Jacob Pearson Keller > Northwestern University > Medical Scientist Training Program > email: j-kell...@northwestern.edu > ******************************************* >
