This is exactly my experience. I’ve been using Macs at work for at least 8 years. I currently have an iBook and will be provided a new one this fall.
I hate the “Apple Way.” If I try to load pictures into my iBook, iPhoto opens. I don’t want it to do that. I just want to drag photos to my folder. ~sigh~ That’s just one example. I want to do things my way.
I crossed over to Linux from XP [on my home computer] this past winter. I’m much more comfortable with Linux than my iBook (although I’m a Linux newbie). I’ll never spend a dime of my own money on a Mac.
That one’s easy too... you run the “Image Capture” program, and go into the preferences. There’s two preferences there. The first one:
“When a camera is connected, open: iPhoto”
Just change that setting to “No Application.” Ta da.
Glad you decided to see for yourself. So many people buy into the hype that linux is hard to use. In many ways, it’s the easiest to use. For example, synaptec.