Linux vs Mac

Facts:
I am 73 years old and computer antagonistic (can one be computer agnostic also?)
Shoot Canon dslrs, couple Lumix, couple trail cams
currently have photos on a mini mac and, Lenovo desktop and Lenovo laptop
Having two systems is driving me more buggy than I was
I don't use Lightroom, Photoshop
I do use Hugin, Darkroom and Shotwell

I want to convert to just one system, either all Mac or all Linux
Linux is beginning to drive me crazy. It seems that they are obsessed with upgrading to new versions before they get the old one to be manageable. When I have a problem and find a solution, it's either written by someone that apparently does nothing but work on Meatball Version 118.402 16 hours a day, and writes in jargon only decipherable to him and three other guys, and further more has no relevance to my version 118.422.
Apple doesn't seem to be much better, but the cost is a lot greater.
I have decided that I am going to have to spend more time learning my computer, which really POs me, because my first interest is photography.
So,which system would offer the least frustration, long term to organize, edit, and print photos.

Please keep all personal attacks to less than 500 words. I am a very sensitive person.

Which OS do you like better? Are you happy with the hardware or performance of your setups, or do you feel like an upgrade is needed? Seems like the software you use is opensource. If you like the Mac environment, and the programs can work there, you can Hackintosh the Lenovos (generally). I just did and it works great. If you like the Windows environment, you can Bootcamp the Mac and Dual boot Windows/MacOS. Or you can use Wine and run Windows based programs in a shell.

It seems like you've already done quite well with a Linux solution. Darkroom/Darktable is quite capable albeit with its own set of idioms. You've already stated that you're not going to jump into the Adobe subscription model. Are you interested in jumping into any other ecosystem? Capture One, etc.? If not, and you're happy with staying with the open source software, then what is the least painful computer?

Which brings me to Linux. More specifically, which Linux distro?

I helped a friend that was pro-photography and with a low interest in technology and had only a somewhat aging computer system. Putting her on Ubuntu desktop with Shotwell, Darktable, plus a Chrome browser and LibreOffice was all that she wanted and needed. The Chrome browser (subject to its own debates) keeps up with security updates and everything else can kinda just sit where it's at for some number of years to come. Two years later, she is still happy and hasn't had any computer issues.

My Ubuntu is 18.04.4, bionic.

Here is an example of where I get hung up; Tried to export a photo from Darktable this morning, and got an error message about a "pid" in my system. Then, I spend a bunch of time running that problem down.
So much of the advice on the net to solve problems just doesn't work.
I am going to mull things over for a few days, and then decide if I want to go all in with Apple, or all in with Linux. A big part of my problem is trying to become proficient in two systems.

Thanks, one and all for your very helpful input.

Fred

Puzzlement:
In your OP, you mention two computer brand names: iMac (actually, an Apple model), and Lenovo.

• Those come from the manufacturers with the Operating System software of MacOS and Windows, respectively.
  
• But then you mention Linux...but Linux is usually not loaded by the manufacturers as the OS delivered on the computer;
  
• Linus is a manufacturer-agnostic alternative operating system, used in lieu of the manufacturer's usual choice of O/S by lovers of the Unix0-derviative world, and not usually done by ordinary consumers who are not sophisticated and use off-the-shelf products
  

Fred said his Linux package is Ubuntu.

It would be hard to recommend OS without not knowing more details about your computers. For example, if your Mac Mini is 2018 or above, it has a T2 chip (which prevents non Apple OSes from running....apart from Windows in Bootcamp). I would have assumed that since Apple has their own hardware and OS, they have more stable upgrade releases (as Ubuntu has to support a much larger range of hardware).

When it comes to your listed programs...Hugin has Windows, Mac, and Linux installers. Darktable has Linux, Windows, Mac. Shotwell is an image manager in Linux. So if you really want Shotwell, then you'd have to stay with Linux (and current Macs are really discouraging Linux Oses on them: but there's a lot of similarities "under the shell" since OS X is BSD-Unix based).

For my uses, I'm a Mac and Windows user. I've found they have pretty simple setups now since they're already configured with all necessary hardware and certain pre-installed programs. I was a Windows user for 3D animation, and now have picked up Mac for software development. One thing I do like about Apple is its ecosystem: I've got more secure encryption and website passwords that I can link between my iPhone, MacBook Pro, and iPad. More expensive, yes....so it's subjective about if it's worth it. If you're a Google user, you can auto generate passwords and be able to reference on your other Google enabled devices. I also don't have issues networking Windows and Mac together or sharing files (especially if you get NTFS for Mac, which will let you write to Windows formatted drives).

Teton wrote in post #19044575
My Ubuntu is 18.04.4, bionic.

Here is an example of where I get hung up; Tried to export a photo from Darktable this morning, and got an error message about a "pid" in my system. Then, I spend a bunch of time running that problem down.
So much of the advice on the net to solve problems just doesn't work.
I am going to mull things over for a few days, and then decide if I want to go all in with Apple, or all in with Linux. A big part of my problem is trying to become proficient in two systems.

Thanks, one and all for your very helpful input.

Fred

Fred, this was caused by you shutting down the system without closing Darktable (or shutting down a little too soon after closing down Darktable) leaving behind two lock files.

The fix is go to

Home/UserID/.config/da​rktable/

You will find two files:

data.db.lock

library.db.lock

You can use your Files file manager to get to that directory. Keep in mind that .config is a hidden file. Ctrl+H makes it appear and you can keep going.

I use 18.04 as well. My experience is that Darktable and 18.04 is rock solid and my PC is from 2011...

Good luck and let me know if you need any more help


Erase both files and the PIDs will go away, allowing you to use Darktable

Wilt wrote in post #19044698
Puzzlement:
In your OP, you mention two computer brand names: iMac (actually, an Apple model), and Lenovo.

• Those come from the manufacturers with the Operating System software of MacOS and Windows, respectively.
  
• But then you mention Linux...but Linux is usually not loaded by the manufacturers as the OS delivered on the computer;
  
• Linus is a manufacturer-agnostic alternative operating system, used in lieu of the manufacturer's usual choice of O/S by lovers of the Unix0-derviative world, and not usually done by ordinary consumers who are not sophisticated and use off-the-shelf products
  

Did you somewhere procure Linux?!

I erred in my post. I am running Ubuntu on an old HP Pavillion because my wife pilfered my Lenovo laptop. I also have Ubuntu on a
Lenovo desktop.
I have used Ubuntu for years, but it seems to be getting more and more finicky. Or maybe I am getting less nimble mentally.
My Mac is a mini Mac with Catalina 10.15.4.
L

MakisM1 wrote in post #19044775
Fred, this was caused by you shutting down the system without closing Darktable (or shutting down a little too soon after closing down Darktable) leaving behind two lock files.

The fix is go to

Home/UserID/.config/da​rktable/

You will find two files:

data.db.lock

library.db.lock

You can use your Files file manager to get to that directory. Keep in mind that .config is a hidden file. Ctrl+H makes it appear and you can keep going.

I use 18.04 as well. My experience is that Darktable and 18.04 is rock solid and my PC is from 2011...

Good luck and let me know if you need any more help

Erase both files and the PIDs will go away, allowing you to use Darktable

Thanks. I ‘ ll try that.

Teton wrote in post #19044997
...
I have used Ubuntu for years, but it seems to be getting more and more finicky. Or maybe I am getting less nimble mentally.
...

Ι run Ubuntu on all my computers since 2009 starting with Ubuntu 9.04.

Those days you had to do some work under the hood to keep the system running. I found a lot of help at the dedicated Ubuntu forums,especially the Greek one (in Greek) as I lived there in the 00's. Actually, I became good enough to become one of the Moderators in the forum, helping (mostly) new users get their Ubuntu legs. Glory days, doing everything in the command console.

Then I repatriated here and growing older (both I and Ubuntu) became softer, more luxury oriented I doubt if I can do diagnostics from the console anymore. It comes with age...

However, I am using only Long Term Support (LTS) versions, which are more stable and easier to find error information.

MakisM1 wrote in post #19045020
Ι run Ubuntu on all my computers since 2009 starting with Ubuntu 9.04.

Those days you had to do some work under the hood to keep the system running. I found a lot of help at the dedicated Ubuntu forums,especially the Greek one (in Greek) as I lived there in the 00's. Actually, I became good enough to become one of the Moderators in the forum, helping (mostly) new users get their Ubuntu legs. Glory days, doing everything in the command console.

Then I repatriated here and growing older (both I and Ubuntu) became softer, more luxury oriented I doubt if I can do diagnostics from the console anymore. It comes with age...

However, I am using only Long Term Support (LTS) versions, which are more stable and easier to find error information.

I think the problem is that I need to become more computer savvy, no matter which system I use. Deduced that last night.

Did my suggestion to erase the lock files work?

Launch date 4/23. Yay!

https://www.omgubuntu.​co.uk …tu-20-04-release-features

MakisM1 wrote in post #19048424
Did my suggestion to erase the lock files work?

Your solution was a catalyst. I haven’t been back to Darktable, but I dug out all my Linux books and learning the Linux file system. I also ordered a book of terminal commands.
So, thanks a million. You helped me more than you know.
Fred

MakisM1 wrote in post #19045020
...I am using only Long Term Support (LTS) versions, which are more stable and easier to find error information.

^ ^ ^ THIS ^ ^ ^

I'm not proficient with 'nix by any means, but it's easy enough to differentiate between
the 'nightly' builds, interim release, and the LTS(Long Term Support) of nearly any distro
which offers a long-term release. Not all distros do this, and there are seemingly
a hundred or more new distros per day, but the longer-established distros offer this.
You can often find mention of LTS versions on the respective distro's website,
and find an archive of all releases.

It's similar to Windows and their previous 'Service Packs.'
Each SP was essentially labeled an updated stable release, intended to be stable
and functional for a longer time than the interim 'updates.' As these SPs were
made available for download & installation, so would they also make their physical
installer media with those same updates. Linux LTSs are much the same in approach.

distrowatch.org is a good site to look through if you're jonesing to learn about
the various distros out there in the wild.