Hello! This is my first post on your forum. I'll get to the point. I have been using Linux on my home computer for 15 years. I used Windows before. My wife uses windows on a laptop, I also have to use this system at work. I don't like him because it's heavy, requires antivirus software, and is still doing some things in the background that slow him down.
Unfortunately, Linux has numerous limitations, no software (although no games are positive
), no drivers. I learned to live with it, especially since it does not require antivirus, it can be configured, and in a stable version it is quite predictable.
I use the computer after quite trivial tasks:
- simple texts and spreadsheets in Libre Office (home affairs),
- mail,
- internet,
- simple photo processing (resizing, cropping, watermark - GIMP),
- home data storage (letters, sheets, photos, music, movies),
- home data server (miniDLNA, SMB),
- sometimes I use a CD-ROM (data archiving but I also rip my music CDs - law in my country allows me to make a backup copy, although of course I prefer to listen to music from an iPhone, on a computer during work or through a receiver connected to SmartTV).
I also have a simple Brother DCP 1622WE printer with a scanner, which works terribly as a printer under Linux and quite well as a scanner (XSane).
My wife and I have been using iphones for several years. In addition to the inconvenience associated with file management (iTunes for Windows), you can live with it - I uploaded a large collection of music for iPhone once, while photos from iPhone are transferred to a computer via cable (copy-paste). In this way, on my computer I create my own collection of photos according to my own layout, e.g. Holiday2020, Easter2018 etc.
Last year I bought an iPad mini 5, which I am very happy with. I use it mainly for entertainment. Something I managed to sync with the computer via Dropbox and Evernote but I lack more integration, especially the lack of Safari on Linux (I have and I like Firefox but I'm not convinced to use it on iPad and iPhone).
It was normal to want to expand the ecosystem with a Mac, especially since my old computer began to show signs of age (the network card stopped working).
I bought a Mac mini but returned it due to a random display of a black screen after starting (external Phillips monitor, USB-C connection). I came to the conclusion that it is not for this money to pay a lot of money, to continue to play, as on Linux, in finding solutions.
In addition, Mac OS did not impress me - I did not like the attempts to organize my folders with music and photos by Music and Photos applications, and I find the data synchronization system with iPhone and iPad quirky. Copy - paste gives me much more control over my data.
Besides, I would have to buy additional devices, such as an external CD-ROM, data discs or NAS (QNAP, Synology, Raspberry), which made this option ridiculously expensive for a home computer. Yes, I can still use my old computer as a server but it would be the fourth device in total, next to the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
I also considered the option with iMac but I do not need so much power (and I do not have so much money) or MacBook (but I do not need so much portability, which costs so much).
So I decided to move with all my activity to the iPad, but to a larger one. I want to exchange a mini for Pro 11 ". With LibreOffice I will move to iWork, from GIMP - to Polarr or another application (I tested Polarr, what I did on GIMP I do faster on Polarr). I liked transforming movies from iPhone (iMovie). I haven't found a good photo scanning application yet, so far it's better on a Brother scanner. For everything I need, I've been printing with iPad for a long time.
I would only turn on the computer as an SMB server (transferring data from iPhone / iPad), DLNA (watching movies on iPad and SmartTV, listening to music on SmartTV). I would also use it when working with CD / DVD and to scan photos until I find a good application (the application from Brother has few options and scans photos in too low quality). All pendrives could also be connected to a computer and in this way I could get to them from an iPad (I probably won't need to connect directly to an iPad).
I'm a bit worried about email archiving - I use iCloud, live and gmail email - I'm just archiving it on Thunderbird on my computer and I could still do it. I know that the mail application archived on iCloud is only mail from this server but after all you only need to transfer the mail from the live inbox to iCloud and it's ready - you can archive.
The worst problem is multimedia management, I know the VLC capabilities but it is nicer to have music in the system application. Transferring photos via SMB suits me completely.
I was able to diagnose so many benefits and problems ex-ante. Cool suggestions welcome
I ordered an iPad 11 ", 256 GB, and I will buy Smart Folio Keyboard (or something from Logitech). Magic Keyboard is too expensive, it does not protect the iPad after removing it and the trackpad is not on my wish list. I prefer to spend the price difference on an Apple Pencil. I know that MacBook Air is affordable but I am not convinced by this computer. MBP is simply too expensive - counting the USB-C adapter and AppleCare.
Also, the wife wants to replace the old laptop with the MacBook Air, although in my opinion it will quickly put it in the corner, because every day her old iPhone SE was enough (and since yesterday she has SE 2020). I think my iPad mini is enough, and if not - we will return to the MBA talk.
Greetings!
