Every once in a while I feel tempted to switch to Ubuntu Linux on my MacBook. Today is one of those days. I’ll be updating this page in the coming days, to describe the thought-process involved. I might switch to Linux on my MacBook, I might keep Mac OS X. Who knows?

Switching to Ubuntu Linux

Pros

• Running a Operating System with software that is almost 100% FOSS. (I do need stuff from multiverse.)
• Superior software management with APT
• I like the LAMP-stack more than I like the MAMP-stack
• Advances concerning Linux are more interesting to me than advances concerning Apple.
• Running a fully 64bit OS. (not much of an advantage, but it sounds cool)
• I would like to see if Unity is something I would love or hate. If I hate it, I still really like Avant Window Navigator more than the Mac OS X Dock.

Cons

• Other people using my MacBook might find it difficult to adjust. (i.e. my girlfriend)
• Find alternatives for some Mac OS X only software I use.
• The MacBook keyboard is different. I hope I can find the right configuration that suits me.

Finding alternatives

There is some Mac OS X only software that I use. I will have to find alternatives for that if I want to. There is a site called alternativeTo that can help me with that. Let’s make a list:

• Sparrow – It’s a cool App but I can live without it.
• Twitter for Mac – Let’s see if Gwibber will do
• Adium – This one is perfectly replaceable by Pidgin
• Cyberduck – Filezilla, a little less pretty but works just as good
• Spotify – Just have to wait till the Linux version is available
• iTunes – I think Songbird will do
• Plex – Plex is based on XBMC, tested it and it works perfectly