I just got my hands on an old MacBook Pro (circa 2012) with pretty outdated specs (2.5 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM) and MacOS Catalina. I usually use my HP Laptop for everything since it has much better specifications, but I'm eager to experiment with this MacBook. I want to dive into projects like SSH, setting it up as a server if possible, dual-booting with Linux distributions, and more. I'm looking for all sorts of ideas about programming or software-related activities that I can tackle with this device, as I'm not too worried about potentially risking its functionality. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
You should definitely get familiar with bash commands if you haven't already. They're essential for navigating and performing tasks in the terminal. Also, try out different text editors. Are you team vim or team something else? 😂
A great start would be dual-booting a Linux distro like Ubuntu or Fedora. It’ll not only give you hands-on experience with different operating systems but also an understanding of the boot process. Just be prepared to manage your existing macOS partition!
That sounds fun! I’ve done dual-booting on my HP with Debian, but I didn’t learn much since my friend helped me a lot. I’m looking for a more challenging distro for the MacBook. Any recommendations?
You could really dig into the details of the boot process and how the kernel starts up. Since this will be your first Unix-like system, it’s a great opportunity to learn shell scripting as well. Bash is likely already installed, so you're all set to start.
I just tried vim for the first time, and honestly, I’m in love! It’s the perfect choice for coding since I can keep my hands on the keyboard the whole time.