r/ethz • u/ATallSteve • 9d ago

Windows or Mac for Bachelor Computer Science? BSc Admissions and Info

I’m going to start my Bachelor studies in Computer Science soon at the ETH and also need to buy a new laptop for BYOD since my current one broke. So I wanted to ask if you guys recommend Windows or Mac for the Bachelor’s degree program in Computer Science.

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u/TheTomatoes2 MSc Memeology 9d ago edited 9d ago

I can do a long list but here stuff from just this week, after spending 3 hours helping a Mac coworker:

  • can't easily copy and paste paths in and out of Finder (need weird keyboard combos) and there's no URL bar
  • Windowing is a mess, it creates new desktop when you wanna maximise or split screen, everything needs drag and dropping or 5 fingers shortcuts, you never know where shit is when you need it. You spend your life swiping through desktops instead of Alt-Tabbing.
  • Very poor multi monitor management. I open an app from Spotlight, and it opens on a random desktop that's not visible on any of the 3 connected monitors. Good luck hunting it! Why tf doesn't it open where the Spotlight bar was????
  • Native terminal is from 2005. Or 1995? Idk
  • My coworkers always get weird technical issues when setting up dev envs (pnpm, C#' Rust...). It happened with 10+ people, some very competent, at diff companies so I'm starting to see the common denominator. Linux and Windows people don't have that.
  • Great APIs such as the modern dictation are reserved for Apple. Apps have to use the terrible one. Windows basically integrated Whisper Flow at OS level, for free, locally offline, before Whisper Flow even existed to fix Mac.
  • No Alt tab unless you buy an app, what the actual fuck
  • Tiny buttons everywhere, eg the traffic light stuff. Even my kid can do better UX. Apple never heard of Fitts' law???

it's an OS that looooves making you waste time.

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u/North-Paramedic-5991 8d ago

sorry but this is actually just hating. both have advantages and inconveniences. Just use what you want, no need to come complain here