Best mac for programming

[MoodDisorder]

what would be the best mac for development of many things like, bot, ios, game, and android development, along with others not listed.

 

I was looking to use a hackintosh until I got a new desk but seeing as a primarily windows user and started to use a mac at my internship for all of my development needs there. I'm starting to like them a lot more and see them as a necessity for when I code. I wouldn't be using this for gaming by any means necessary.

 

I'd prefer it to be a laptop kind of mac, don't know what they're technically called, so I can work on projects when I'm not home.

[givingtnt]

13 minutes ago, MoodDisorder said:

what would be the best mac for development of many things like, bot, ios, game, and android development, along with others not listed.

 

I was looking to use a hackintosh until I got a new desk but seeing as a primarily windows user and started to use a mac at my internship for all of my development needs there. I'm starting to like them a lot more and see them as a necessity for when I code. I wouldn't be using this for gaming by any means necessary.

 

I'd prefer it to be a laptop kind of mac, don't know what they're technically called, so I can work on projects when I'm not home.

tbh, I recovered a 2011 macbookpro (pre-retina) and it works well for any kind of programming I've been doing.
Coding doesn't require much other than a good keyboard and good monitor for text sharpness. 

why do you believe a mac to be a nessecity ? the hardware/manufacturer doesn't matter much when it comes to this, since all you do is basically type in whatever text editor you preffer. 

You would be much better off spending less money on something as adequate for the job, with potentially a better keyboard (say Asus zenbook ?)
Unless you already have a mac and are used to that, but judging by the hackintosh comment, it doesn't seem like it.

[Ryujin2003]

Quote

"see them as a necessity for when I code"

There's a I feel is wrong with that statement; however, I won't deny you personal preference.

 

Any Macbook would work. Seriously, any. Get one that's 5 years old or a new one, doesn't matter. Same with PC. you can write software on an old junky AMD laptop or an Intel based i3 laptop from 5 years ago. Doesn't matter. If you want something new and if you're doing light programming, you can probably get by with a standard run of the mill Macbook Air if you're wanting something super portable. If you want to do anything graphics intensive, you'll probably wish for more. And no, Android and iOS development wouldn't be graphically intensive.

 

Having had the experience of coding between Linux and Windows on the same project, there are some considerations as for how each operating system tags files. Generally whatever service you're using for reversion control should be able to handle this if properly setup.

 

[MoodDisorder]

17 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

why do you believe a mac to be a nessecity ?

 

16 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

There's a I feel is wrong with that statement; however, I won't deny you personal preference

I'm mainly trying to movr away from traditional IDE's like intelliJ idea and more over into IDEs that let you do things like visual studio code. I forgot the exact terminology but I hope you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Basically using command line to run things instead of a program like IntelliJ IDEA or eclipse etc etc.

 

Can't remember the exact reason/terminology but that's the brief/very vague explaination.

 

And yes I know a linux OS will do practically just the same if not the same as a mac in terms of the usage. It's not necessarily a mac that is a necessity but more control of the terminal if that makes sense. I'm very bad at explainations so I'll ask somebody that started doing the same as I'm trying to do and what their reasoning is.

[MoodDisorder]

24 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

Unless you already have a mac and are used to that, but judging by the hackintosh comment, it doesn't seem like it.

I am using a mac at my internship which is why I'm starting want/like macs in the first place. So I do have a little prior knowledge to using a mac.

[givingtnt]

3 minutes ago, MoodDisorder said:

 

I'm mainly trying to movr away from traditional IDE's like intelliJ idea and more over into IDEs that let you do things like visual studio code. I forgot the exact terminology but I hope you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Basically using command line to run things instead of a program like IntelliJ IDEA or eclipse etc etc.

 

Can't remember the exact reason/terminology but that's the brief/very vague explaination.

 

And yes I know a linux OS will do practically just the same if not the same as a mac in terms of the usage. It's not necessarily a mac that is a necessity but more control of the terminal if that makes sense. I'm very bad at explainations so I'll ask somebody that started doing the same as I'm trying to do and what their reasoning is.

I'm not sure what in the mac's terminal you define as giving you more control tbh.

[MoodDisorder]

1 minute ago, givingtnt said:

I'm not sure what in the mac's terminal you define as giving you more control tbh.

I cannot really explain things, as this was a little while ago, well which is why I'm asking somebody from my intern why theu switched to practically command line stuff. 

 

Edit:

He said word for word

"Building a solid understanding of the command line and associated build tools allows you to understand everything going on with the code. IDEs and tools obscure much of what’s going on and lead to poorly written/unsupportable software. IDEs are good for programmers that are well established and use for larger teams." 

 

I'm also asking why he chose macs and not linux

[Ryujin2003]

2 minutes ago, MoodDisorder said:

 

I'm mainly trying to movr away from traditional IDE's like intelliJ idea and more over into IDEs that let you do things like visual studio code. I forgot the exact terminology but I hope you get the gist of what I'm trying to say. Basically using command line to run things instead of a program like IntelliJ IDEA or eclipse etc etc.

 

Can't remember the exact reason/terminology but that's the brief/very vague explaination.

 

And yes I know a linux OS will do practically just the same if not the same as a mac in terms of the usage. It's not necessarily a mac that is a necessity but more control of the terminal if that makes sense. I'm very bad at explainations so I'll ask somebody that started doing the same as I'm trying to do and what their reasoning is.

Yeah, I think legit reasoning would help in understanding.

 

You can code outside of traditional IDE's with Windows based machines with no issues. I used Notepad++ and Powershell to do all of my Rust programming. IDE's help with a lot of the basic things. Executing your programs in terminal and editing them with vim or a notepad isn't any different than using an IDE.

[givingtnt]

Just now, MoodDisorder said:

I am using a mac at my internship which is why I'm starting want/like macs in the first place. So I do have a little prior knowledge to using a mac.

Then if you do want that you could go and get a used one for a bit less money, I personally hate the new "superslim" keyboards that don't really press down but fake it instead. but that's me.

(you could always go to an apple store and try them out) but in the end, it really doesn't change much (say for the OS, but most can get up to the latest version with ease, my 2011 doesn't get Mojave tho. but anything later does iirc)

[Ryujin2003]

Just now, MoodDisorder said:

I cannot really explain things, as this was a little while ago, well which is why I'm asking somebody from my intern why theu switched to practically command line stuff. 

The only time (outside of Rust) that I've used command line for programming was in a Linux environment because it was easier to cross compile (writing for embedded systems). Writing the actual code didn't matter if you used vim or Sublime (which most of us used Sublime because it helps spot typos easier). IDE vs Terminal doesn't make you a better or more efficient developer. There's personal preference, but there's also application. You'll have to use various different tools throughout your career. It's nice to have the experience at both, but you can seriously do the same thing (command line tools) on any operating system.

 

If you want a Mac, get a mac. Just don't use the argument that they are a requirement for "command line". Because that's completely false. Platform doesn't matter (as I think we've stated enough). I would suggest something older if you want to save money. If money isn't an issue and you want a new Mac, get a Macbook Air unless storage is a concern. In which case get a pro.

[MoodDisorder]

2 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

requirement for "command line"

I didn't mean to say they are a requirement for command line if I did. As I'm pretty sure linux and mac practically have the same command line usage if not the same. With a few minor differences. Would you think having linux would be the best option instead of buying a whole new computer?

[Ryujin2003]

Just now, MoodDisorder said:

I didn't mean to say they are a requirement for command line if I did. As I'm pretty sure linux and mac practically have the same command line usage if not the same. With a few minor differences. Would you think having linux would be the best option instead of buying a whole new computer?

I think Linux would be the better option. If you get a career in software development, having Linux experience will count MUCH more than Mac. Yes, they are similar, but they are also different. I interned for a year. I used Linux daily for the last 7 months I was there on a project. If you want a Mac, by all means get a Mac. But if you run Linux you'll also get the VM experience as well. Not every place has dedicated Macs or dedicated Linux machines. Where I work, there's a central Linux cluster that you log into through a VM. And since it's VM'd, everything was through terminal.

 

I do think Linux would be more beneficial. It's cheaper if money is a concern; however, if you want a Mac, by all means get one. There isn't any shame in purchasing a product you want.

 

If you do decide to do Linux, I would probably recommend using a VM over a dual boot. I haven't been a fan of how dual boot works with Windows 10 as compared to Windows 7. Not as user friendly.

 

Are you still in university? If so, you might be able to VPN into a Mac or Linux machine already provided at the school. That would give you the Mac experience you want at no additional cost. But if you're looking for something portable any ways and all you have is a desktop, again, a Mac isn't the worst thing you can purchase if that is what you truly want.

[MoodDisorder]

6 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

I think Linux would be the better option. If you get a career in software development, having Linux experience will count MUCH more than Mac. Yes, they are similar, but they are also different. I interned for a year. I used Linux daily for the last 7 months I was there on a project. If you want a Mac, by all means get a Mac. But if you run Linux you'll also get the VM experience as well. Not every place has dedicated Macs or dedicated Linux machines. Where I work, there's a central Linux cluster that you log into through a VM. And since it's VM'd, everything was through terminal.

 

I do think Linux would be more beneficial. It's cheaper if money is a concern; however, if you want a Mac, by all means get one. There isn't any shame in purchasing a product you want.

 

If you do decide to do Linux, I would probably recommend using a VM over a dual boot. I haven't been a fan of how dual boot works with Windows 10 as compared to Windows 7. Not as user friendly.

 

Are you still in university? If so, you might be able to VPN into a Mac or Linux machine already provided at the school. That would give you the Mac experience you want at no additional cost. But if you're looking for something portable any ways and all you have is a desktop, again, a Mac isn't the worst thing you can purchase if that is what you truly want.

Okay, I was thinking of having all 3 OS types eventually, windows, linux, and mac but I'm not too entirely sure as of now. That is all on different hard drives.

 

And I'm a senior in high school. I would never be planning on dual booting as I feel as if it's not good to do. Just have a gut feeling it could end very badly at some point in dual booting into the other OS. Any who, do you have your own preferred linux os? 

 

And I forgot if my pc can handle 3 ssds/hdds in the power supply. Iirc it ran out at 2. I'd have to look again.

[Ryujin2003]

2 minutes ago, MoodDisorder said:

Okay, I was thinking of having all 3 OS types eventually, windows, linux, and mac but I'm not too entirely sure as of now. That is all on different hard drives.

 

And I'm a senior in high school. I would never be planning on dual booting as I feel as if it's not good to do. Just have a gut feeling it could end very badly at some point in dual booting into the other OS. Any who, do you have your own preferred linux os? 

 

And I forgot if my pc can handle 3 ssds/hdds in the power supply. Iirc it ran out at 2. I'd have to look again.

You can literally use any Linux you want. If you're new and want an easy start, Ubuntu is popular for new users. The Ubuntu will be easier for package installation IMO. The first C++ Linux programming experience I had was with Ubuntu.

 

I don't have Linux installed on a VM or as a dual boot. I have CentOS installed on AWS and access it MobaXterm. But you probably don't want to do that. Use Ubuntu for learning.

 

If your PSU only supports 2 SATA power adapters, you can always get a Molex to SATA adapter.

[MoodDisorder]

7 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

You can literally use any Linux you want. If you're new and want an easy start, Ubuntu is popular for new users. The Ubuntu will be easier for package installation IMO. The first C++ Linux programming experience I had was with Ubuntu.

 

I don't have Linux installed on a VM or as a dual boot. I have CentOS installed on AWS and access it MobaXterm. But you probably don't want to do that. Use Ubuntu for learning.

 

If your PSU only supports 2 SATA power adapters, you can always get a Molex to SATA adapter.

Okay, I might go with debian or ubuntu just got to find out more info on them. Thanks for the replies man.

[Ryujin2003]

1 minute ago, MoodDisorder said:

Okay, I might go with debian or ubuntu just got to find out more info on them. Thanks for the replies man.

No problems. Again, if you want a Mac, get one. The Macbook Air I think comes with fixed, nonupgradable storage, so the pro is probably better. You can always find used ones online for a decent price as well.

[MoodDisorder]

26 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

No problems. Again, if you want a Mac, get one. The Macbook Air I think comes with fixed, nonupgradable storage, so the pro is probably better. You can always find used ones online for a decent price as well.

Do you know if it's possible to boot into a linux drive from windows or visa versa without having to restart the hardware/turning off the pc all the way.

 

IE you're on linux and you want to get to windows without restarting the entire computer to get to the other drive. And visa versa.

[Ashleyyyy]

On 3/5/2019 at 4:22 PM, givingtnt said:

tbh, I recovered a 2011 macbookpro (pre-retina) and it works well for any kind of programming I've been doing.

i would stay the hell away from those. the 15" and 17" have very bad gpu problems. that can be fixed by disabling the dGPU, therefore running on iGPU only, but this presents issues such as screen brightness and sleep not working correctly. i know this because mine has a disabled gpu and has these problems. 

 

On 3/5/2019 at 4:51 PM, givingtnt said:

my 2011 doesn't get Mojave tho

same.. *cries*

[tikker]

On 3/5/2019 at 4:50 PM, MoodDisorder said:

I cannot really explain things, as this was a little while ago, well which is why I'm asking somebody from my intern why theu switched to practically command line stuff. 

 

Edit:

He said word for word

"Building a solid understanding of the command line and associated build tools allows you to understand everything going on with the code. IDEs and tools obscure much of what’s going on and lead to poorly written/unsupportable software. IDEs are good for programmers that are well established and use for larger teams." 

 

I'm also asking why he chose macs and not linux

Just to chip in, this statement stands free from choosing one OS or the other. What he meant is that IDEs can be a black box: code goes in, <black box magic >, program comes out. Using command line tools makes you better understand what steps "black box magic" part takes to turn your code into a program and will help you understand better when and where things can and will go wrong.

[MoodDisorder]

On 3/10/2019 at 7:07 AM, tikker said:

Just to chip in, this statement stands free from choosing one OS or the other. What he meant is that IDEs can be a black box: code goes in, <black box magic >, program comes out. Using command line tools makes you better understand what steps "black box magic" part takes to turn your code into a program and will help you understand better when and where things can and will go wrong.

Essentially yes, explained it a lot better than I. Also sorry for the belated response wasn't expecting any more responses. Ahaha