Article:  |
Further Your CS Development with Mac OS X | |
| Subject: | Linux still an option | |
| Date: | 2004-08-17 06:40:22 | |
| From: | chadseld | |
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I think you may have given up on Linux too easily. CS Students don't need a full productivity environment, they need a text editor and a compiler. I agree that Mac OS X is the ideal blend of UNIX and GUI (I did all of my undergrad work on a PowerBook), but it is not the only choice. I like the way CSU (Colorado State University) runs its CS program. The CS computer labs are a mixture of (very old) SUN boxes and (very new) RedHat Linux boxes. Each student has a UNIX account and can log into any computer (or ssh from home). All assignments are to be submitted with a makefile and are expected to run on the Linux machines. As a student, you can choose to run your favorite OS at home, so long as you get your projects compiling and working on the Linux machines before you turn them in. This forces all students to interact with the CLI, but does not limit the use of IDE's during development. Many students found it easiest to duel-boot Linux and Windows on their home PC's. Some used Macs. Everybody gained experience with and (hopefully) appreciation for the UNIX world. |
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