I'm able to get far more out of my small cheap netbook using Linux than I can with Windows or a more expensive Mac.
I could do most of my work on a Mac but Linux affords me a deeper level of customization and different set of tools that I need/want to have and that I have found useful. Even when things break in Linux usually it is much more of a learning experience fixing it as compared to OS X and Windows IMHO.
Linux does have the disadvantage of not running popular software that I may like to use like games, image editing software and audio DAWs. But so far I've just been focusing my time on other things so I am not as affected by it as when I had Windows/Mac and Linux boxes.
Ironically if Microsoft and Apple opened up their development toolchain to other OSs, e.g. Linux. I would be more likely to use them more. The more I use Mono in Linux the more I find myself using Windows, if Visual Studio and .NET tools where more open and usable on Linux I can see myself using Windows alot more. The same goes for xcode and OSX/iOS.
I think the point is lower level languages won't save us, as in 'python is too slow let's try C++, C++ is too slow let's try C, C is too slow let's try...' He also does mention C towards the end of the talk.
It's more like he mistakes C++ for C towards the end of the talk. But indeed, the talk is more about using languages closer to machine than about using C or C++ specifically, so this hardly affects the merit.
Of course, but the point of the article is that blanks for high security locks used to be much harder to come by. Now, software and 3-D printers make it easier to defeat the feature that makes them "high security". The implication is that pretty much anybody can do it now.
I remember reading several years ago about how one can take a picture of a key from far away and use that image to replicate the key. Back then, replicating keys from a picture was not something just anybody could do, so it wasn't a threat worth fretting about. Presumably 3-D printing will make that easier too. One can even imagine an app: point your phone, press a button, and get a key in the mail a few days later. I expect we'll see that article soon.
That app/service has existed for years, first Shloosl (now keysduplicated), then KeyMe and I believe the proprietors frequent HN, so I expect you may see them pop up to offer an informed opinion on this article.
For some locks, that's true. Other lock companies use copyright to do key control. Your not going to find blanks for many of the kinds of keys this promises to print.
I had been looking for an ultrabook for linux not long ago.
Here's my experience, I ran Arch on a MacBook Air and it went by okay until the SSD died and I returned it to Apple for a refund (if you buy apple products during the holidays they have a very relaxed return policy). Had a Dell XPS 13 for about 3 days, returned it due some hardware and configuration issues. Borrowed a Toshiba Kirabook for some time, however running Arch on it was, wow, much pain.
I was using a System76 panp5 for sometime before, most System76 laptops are at a great price point for the hardware as compared to many other brands, it got me by but the build quality was poor. Clevo chassis are just generally not good.
I decided to downgrade to a netbook and upgrade my linode plan. Depending on your needs, buying a cheap and upgradable Asus/Acer netbook, maxing the RAM and putting in an SSD in, then using linode or the like for any heavy lifting might be something to consider.
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