Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Windows or Mac?

l just killed my Mac, so am starting from scratch. l used it solely for web browsing, downloading movies, and Sol. What I couldn't do was use blue water or other routing software with a Mac. What do other SOLers use?

Also tablets. l have a Samsung Galaxy Notebook 10.1, but no flash and therefore no sol. What do other SOLers use?
I use Win PC (running an old OS) and all that stuff works just fine. There are some folks that use Linux distros...stoertebaeker and kropper I seem to remember.
I've actually looked at and played with a chromebook, which did sol very well as well as played netflicks and youtube stuff.
If you're into playing with your system, then a Linux setup might be the best.
If you just want something that works out of the box, Win8 or a chromebook might be best. Of course most Nav software is designed to run on Windoze, not sure how that stuff would work on the chromebook.

Just as a point of interest, how did you kill your Mac? I fried the motherboard on my previous laptop by spilling a really good IPA on it. :-p
Yes, I use linux.

I see apple software a bit like a taxi: pricey, you (almost) always get where you want to go, but you rarely have a choice in how you get there. If something goes wrong, you're scr..- you're fu..- you're not happy.

windows is more like your own car, where you can steer yourself. But the steering wheel comes loose once in a while, and occasionally you have a flat battery :)

linux more like the car that you spend your whole Sunday on to get it working again, not because it broke down, but because you want to make it better.

chromebook... I don't have much experience with that. As far as I know, it's basically a browser. More like a train, only a limited number of places you can go to, with a railway guard that watches you.

---
well that was fun :) what was the question?

If you like playing around with your computer, take a look at linux. If not, take a look at linux :) If really not, well, never mind then.

If you was happy with apple, then stay with apple. There are ways to get BWR running on apple, but I would recommend looking for other nautical software that can run on mac without much trouble. For a router: qtVlm is crossplatform, it shouldn't be too hard to get it running on mac.

If you don't have a special preference for apple, go for windows. Most programs run at least on windows, just because they form the majority of the market. Maybe look into chromebook, I'm not sure how easy (if even possible) it is to install things like routers on a chromebook.

You can install windows and linux on the same PC. Apple has trouble keeping hardware and software separate.

As for the tablet... My opinion is that it combines the disadvantages of laptop and smartphone: you can't put it in your pocket, and you can't do much with it. But that's just me.

On "no flash"-machines, people use puffin to get the SOL client running. I have no experience with that.

---
PS: if you do choose for linux, or are seriously considering it, there is a lot to choose from.
Maybe it's still possible to boot Linux on a PC. But M$ is trying to make it hard.
SSD won't boot

--- Last Edited by captjack1942 at 2014-03-05 18:01:30 ---

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Mad Max by Balloon 2026 - Across the Outback


Mad Max Rockatansky doesn’t get to go in a balloon in any of the Legends of the Wasteland, and the Wasteland is not necessarily the Outback of Australia, but Mel Gibson and film director George Miller indubitably are… of Australia, and ballooning as reconnaissance is a main feature of the Mad Max spin-off video game, so here goes: 1500nm in a balloon from somewhere on the edge of the Outback, Goondiwindi, to cross a finish line at Fitzroy Crossing, somewhere on the edge of the Outback!
Race #1974
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: BOL - SYC
Race starts: Oct 14th 13:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Valdes Peninsula TIMED Race 2026

October finds us on the Argentina coast for the Valdes Peninsula race. A UNESCO World Heritage Site the peninsula is a breeding ground for southern right whales. Sail the luxurious blue water Delphia 47 around a 160 nm course in an attempt to turn in the fastest time.
This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have two weeks to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2066
INFOby brainaid.de
PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ4 - TRCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
24 October at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Oct 11th 12:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Roma Giraglia Regata 2026

Our eighth race of nine to celebrate all things Mediterranean - fickle winds, history and olive oil – is another buddy-up; this one with the Circolo Nautico Riva di Traiano . Founded in 1984, as the new Traiano yacht Harbour neared completion, the Circola since then has developed into one of the major yachting competition centres in Italy, and next to the 450nm Roma per Tutti (which SOL buddied earlier in the year), the Roma Giraglia Regata is its other headline offshore event. First raced in 2005, the 210nm course takes competitors from Traiano to a rock on the inside of the Ile de la Giraglia off the northern tip of Corsica and back to the Italian mainland for a finish in the bay of Santo Stefano. We’re racing this one in our Class 40!
Race #2058
INFO by brainaid.de
Class 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MED - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Oct 08th 16:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Arctic Tern - Greenland to Antarctica 2025

Welcome to the fifth leg of our MIG series. Now it's time to race the Arctic Terns, on their migration from Greenland to Antarctica, 8300 NM. This is also part of our monthly Ocean Championship, and as such the first race of OCQ4 2026. This race will be sailed in our Maxi Trimaran. Race #2061
INFO by brainaid.de
Maxi Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230 Ranking:
OCQ4 - OCCH - SYC - MIG
Race starts: Oct 05th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cross the Convergence 2026 - Masirah to Chagos


Having crossed, re-crossed and re-re-crossed the Convergence Zones of the Pacific and the Atlantic, we now face our second crossing of the Convergence Zone of the World’s third great equator-spanning sea, the Indian Ocean, taking us from the channel between Masirah Island and the Oman mainland to the Chagos Archipelago. It’s 1900nm and we’ll be sailing our very fine Archer 78, and won’t mention that both locations (of departure and arrival) are heavily militarized and the why’s and what next’s concerning that – mindful as always of SOL Netiquette.
Race #1988
INFOby brainaid.de
Archer 78PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: CCZ - SYC
Race starts: Oct 02nd 18:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member cdhinman
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rthinman
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client