this post was submitted on 02 Jun 2025
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43
I'm annoyed with the idea of getting a Mac (lemmy.dbzer0.com)
submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
46 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I know this is going to be unpopular with some, but I am seriously considering a Mac and I am annoyed by the idea of it.

I NEED MacOS or Windows for my work. There is one application that does not work in Linux yet and there are no alternatives. It is a critical work application.

With that being said, you can probably guess that Linux is my preferred OS of choice.

I am currently using a Windows desktop for my work, but I do run into situations where I need a laptop. The laptop I am using now is a Thinkpad from 2021 with Fedora. I actually really love this computer. My only real complain is that the webcam is pretty garbage.

So, I think I need a new computer. My choices are Windows laptops which have decent pricing with good specs, or Apple which is extremely expensive for what you get.

I'm really annoyed with Windows' ads, bloat, and general lack of privacy; specifically Recall. On the other hand, it is hard to justify spending an extra $400 on a Macbook air just to get a 1tb hard drive. My work files alone take up a little more than 200gb.

I guess this is just a rant. I'm not looking for any solutions as what I am really looking is the ability to use Linux for my work which is not an option at the moment.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

I agree. Pricing is eyewatering. Business practices shady. But the laptop itself is fine.

I've been a long time Linux user. But in the end gave up. Bought a Mac precisely because it was a pain in the butt, or practically impossible to run certain proprietary software on Linux. In the end, I did not have nor the time nor willpower to fight against it.

Now, coming to Mac, there are some changes you can expect:

The good

  1. Battery life is impressive. Of all the laptops, macs would hold charge for me the longest. Even Pros with lots of RAM and high performance CPUs.
  2. Laptop is sturdy. Even after a couple of years of use, the lid still opens and closes as a new one. No squeaks. No loose ends.
  3. CLI is great, iTerm2 is one of the best terminal emulators out there. And it's free.
  4. Homebrew helps a lot, you can install practically any (CLI) application you find on Linux.

The bad

  1. UI takes some time getting used to. Some decisions feel weird. In a typical Apple fashion, it's 'my way or no way'. Luckily not as closed as iOS (yet). There are some tools which can help, such as BetterTouchTool, Rectangle, and similar.
  2. It's more difficult to find free software for macOS. Most is commercial and can range from a couple of $10s for a perpetual license to a couple of hundred for a yearly license.
  3. Good luck running Linux on new macs. Ashanti works on M1, but some hardware is still not accessible.
  4. Virtual machines run fine, but you'll most likely need to shell out for Parallels.

The ugly

  1. No USB-A. No Ethernet. Dongles are your life now.
  2. Crazily expensive.
  3. Not upgradeable. Need more RAM after a couple of years? Straight to the store for a new laptop. Bigger disk? Believe it or not, straight to the store.
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's more difficult to find free software for macOS.

Most Linux software is available for macOS as well.

The indie developer scene for macOS is quite healthy and there are a lot of gems to be found like Panic, Omni, Kaleidoscope.app, GitTower, and many more.

Not upgradeable

Buy as much RAM and storage as you can afford. The high purchase price is offset somewhat by the very good resale value.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I'm not saying there's no free software. But for someone who's used to apt install everything, the change takes some getting used to. Yeah, you can install Inkscape on a Mac, but frankly it runs much nicer on Linux.

I ended up with a mix and a lot more paid software than I expected.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Install homebrew. Install packages with brew install. Done.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

The bad:

  1. It is Asahi Linux
  2. Try UTM, free and uses QEMU as the backend