They’re ice skating in hell today…

By kate on June 2nd, 2006

I got a Mac. As my desktop computer!

It all happened so fast. One moment, Steve and I were talking about simply installing WordPress on our linux server. Before we knew it, the plan had changed and I was formatting my PC and building a new/better linux server (now on Fedora Core 4 instead of Slackware) with it. After a week or so, when we’re sure the new server is all OK, we’ll reformat the old linux box, install a pared-down Windows, and make it a backup and media server.

That left me without a desktop computer, which I need when my laptop is at work. I think it was Steve who first tossed out the idea of a Mac mini, and I jumped on it.

Last night, I only had about half an hour to play with it (because of the baby and the late hour), and most of that time was spent plugging everything in. I found the “it just works” philosophy to be very true, because it did. I had internet access, my external USB hard drive worked, I could play music, and ssh into my linux server. All without doing any config.

Why did I do it? I’ve had some contact with the Mac OS through work (last two jobs), and have been quite impressed with OS X (the GUI as well as the linux-based shell). I figured it was a great opportunity for me (and Steve) to really get familiar with it. As an IT person, it’s good to understand a platform that’s growing in popularity like the Mac. I’m still going to use MS Office, will be doing some kind of remote desktop into work computers, and still have a Windows laptop, so I’m not abandoning Microsoft by a long shot. I like the variety.

Super geek alert 1: One of my very favorite activities is setting up a new computer. I couldn’t tell you why.

Super geek alert 2: Our house is now actively running 3 different OSes on eight computers (counting my work laptop and the servers for Feedwhip). Good thing we built a server closet when we renovated the basement…