The Fishbowl

Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux metaphorically explained: Charles Miller has updated the classic "if operating systems were like..." metaphor in a couple of brilliant posts. His thesis, to use a much too loaded word, is that Windows is a whore, while the Mac is a lover. Read the post, and it will make sense. ...

It All Makes Sense Now: Now I understand: The reason all those linux nuts are so passionate about the operating system is that they’re suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. It all make so much sense now!...

The Mac is a Harsh Mistress: Charles Miller has been seduced:I was asked for advice today from someone who was apprehensive about buying a new Mac, and wanted to know my opinion. This, of course, is sort of like going up to Dick Cheney and saying "You know, I’m not sure abou...

So what is *your* OS like?: Everyone and his mother has already mentioned this but I'm a "me too" kind of guy sometimes and this is just too funny (and strikes too close to home) to ignore. So what am I talking about? Charles Miller has a couple of articles in his weblog where he...

The Windows PC is a cheap whore, but the Mac is a harsh mistress: Many have tried to argue the merits of Macs over Windows PCs and vice versa, but I think Charles Miller does it best by describing them in terms of women. Not exactly politically correct, but a great post nonetheless. And...

Mac, Windows og Linux, eller Lover, Whore and Psychotic Ex:

Because Mac users just can't help being elitist snobs...: I find it so ludicrous when people espouse the virtues of Macs over PCs with an almost religious zeal, often under the guise of being "fair and balanced". At least The Fishbowl makes it obvious that he is biased, still his analogy of operating system...

Some good clean fun bashing OSes: Check out these two funny posts: The Mac i a harsh mistress ... and Linux is your psychotic ex. For the record, my computing environment is as follows: Windows XP on a laptop with SSH and PPTP (depending...) over 802.11...

What OS are you dating?: So after my (somewhat over-the-top) response to "The Mac is a Harsh Mistress" I received a (somewhat) well-deserved reply by the author. My big mistake was using such a harsh title - I sometimes forget how trackbacks work ;) . Anywho, the only reason...

re: 1st POST!!!!!!!!!:

Hmm, that makes sense. To continue under that metaphor, I would say that Linux really does behave sensibly - you just have to have four or five years of experience in behavioral psychology to understand her.

I'm very fond of my Linux, but yes, it would be nice to have it stable on medication.

You're making a serious omission. What about various distributions like SuSE Linux that really do work with most PC hardware and human beings?

The point is that you're looking at Linux when it was still rough around the edges. It's been steadily improving and will soon be a better and cheaper solution than both MacOS and Windows.

I think that Linux is like that psychotic girlfriend that just seemed psychotic because you didn't really understand her and becomes a lifelong companion later on ;)

"""I think that Linux is like that psychotic girlfriend that just seemed psychotic because you didn't really understand her and becomes a lifelong companion later on ;)"""

Heh. This kind of rationalisation is what keeps couples together when the psychosis is bad.

Oh, come now...
Mac is the rich, snotty girl who would never give me a second look because I wore old bluejeans and t-shirts and drove an old Ford that I had rebuilt from parts. She wore designer outfits, drove a Lexus, scoffed at my rustic, poverty-stricken life.
Linux was the hippy girl in swirling skirts and tie-dye that looked within, welcomed me with open arms, because she loves all beings, didn't ask for the moon...

BeOS - that girl you had a crush on years ago, never had the courage to ask out, and when you looked her up years later it turns out she died young. (but in an SF twist, there's foreshadowing of a resurrection?)

Much of this horribly sexist of course, although i suppose there's no reason the gender bit couldn't be flipped.

I would have gone with "Linux is masturbation. You stay up alone, staring at the screen into the late hours of the night. It becomes a compulsion and a secret obsession. You don't depend on anyone else for support, but you have to take care of everything yourself, and sometimes get your hands dirty."

(And yes, I am a Linux developer, as well as a longtime Mac user.)

I install secondary hard drives on all my computers and ALWAYS install to that HD, regardless of OS. I see my OSs as my mistresses -- not even on the level of fuckbuddy. I keep my programs and OSs seperate to the maximum degree that I can. I don't want a girlfriend OR a whore.

I miss true DOS.

Odd that you mention Stockholm Syndrome. A friend of mine and I came up with the phrase "Helsinki Syndrome" for those poor people who are convinced that Linux on the desktop is actually a fun and usable experience.

Of course, I'm a long-term Mac user, so who am I to judge?

I love wondering the web in the middle of the night you find such interesting sites,i.e, the fish bowl:Mac/Microsoft/linux-Harsh Mistress/Cheap Whore/Psycho Girlfriend... You boys need to get a wife!
Thank you for the insight on how men view women ...in perspective of course. Even the commentaries were insightful! But to the fella who thought the gender could be switched ...NOT! Though man is a confusing beast, he could never match the fickle complexities of woman. As to the operating systems in question... While a mistress is a nice steady for the home body, she's not often available for travel. While the cheap whore is readily available in most corners of the world. The psycho girlfriend is usually what leads to divorce!

If Linux is a psycho-ex, Lindows is a sugar pill and Gentoo is lithium.

Wow, um interesting analogies here.. Having never used a mac for anything other than a paperweight, I cant really comment. As for the others, Linux is kind of like the chick that you never could really get inside of her head because she speaks some cryptic language that only makes sense if you are as crazy as she is. Windows? International whore, after all, everyone on the internet can get inside of her, without really even knowing her name. Someone mentioned DOS... ahhhh... So I am not alone? The faithful, mature woman that makes perfect sense if you just do a little reading between the lines!