I started thinking about getting a new laptop for programming, and an idea came to my mind. Do I still want to use a MacBook? Maybe it’s time to go back to Linux?
I started using Linux in 2001. Red Hat 7.2 was my first distribution. I’ve also used Mandrake, Mandriva, Slackware, Aurox, Debian, Ubuntu, Arch, Fedora, openSUSE, and even Gentoo, which was my favorite. With Gentoo, I compiled all packages from stage 0 on an Intel Celeron 600, building the entire system from scratch. It was fun, and I learned a lot. To this day, Linux is the system I know best. I used Linux on servers and desktops until around 2019.
At that time, many people were using MacBooks and claimed they were much better than Linux. Linux wasn’t ideal back then. It worked, but it was more challenging to use than macOS. I decided to try macOS, and I liked it. It felt like a mix of Windows and Linux. Everything worked without issues. I could install all the popular apps and, at the same time, maintain a similar programming environment as on Linux.
MacBook with macOS just works. I can focus on my work. I’m writing this on my second MacBook.
So why am I thinking about Linux again? I have several reasons:
- I really like Linux. I enjoy how it works and what I can do with it. I’m confident using it and fixing it if any problems arise.
- I like open-source software (open-source doesn’t mean it has to be free).
- I appreciate having an environment similar to the servers where I deploy my apps.
- I’m concerned about privacy. Sure, Apple says that privacy is one of their main priorities, but is that really true? Apple may be better than Google, but Linux definitely provides more privacy.
- A laptop with 96GB RAM, Intel i9 processor, and a good NVIDIA graphics card costs only about 50% of what a MacBook with an M4 chip and 48GB RAM does.
- I’ve started using more and more Apple hardware and software. Everything works perfectly, but I’m uncomfortable having everything within one ecosystem.
When I used Linux before 2019, I had several issues:
- Lack of software for Linux
- Short battery life
- Problems after updates, such as Wi-Fi not working or kernel panics
Has this improved now?
I know there’s already more software for Linux than years ago, so that probably wouldn’t be an issue anymore. It may not be as polished as macOS, but it should be sufficient. In fact, I’m certain it would be better for programming tasks than macOS.
According to laptop manufacturers, newer Linux laptops can run for about 8 hours on battery. Around 6 hours would be enough for me.
I use my computer for work, and although I like fixing issues, I don’t always have time for it. I’ve found some laptops I would consider buying to install Linux, but all have reported issues according to forums. I’ve gotten used to the reliability of macOS. I haven’t faced a single problem in six years. Any new Linux issue would be something I wouldn’t want to waste my time on.
It’s tempting to return to Linux, but is it really as polished a desktop OS as macOS? Honestly, macOS works perfectly. I can fully concentrate on work and use whatever I need. Apple hardware is the best I’ve experienced so far, and the entire ecosystem operates exactly the way I prefer.
So, what’s my complaint, right? Good question. Maybe the high price of MacBooks reflects their reliability? Perhaps there’s no compelling reason to switch to Linux when everything works perfectly already. I know open-source, freedom, privacy, etc., matter, but are they significant enough reasons to switch back and reintroduce issues I left behind by switching to macOS?
Apple created exactly what I wanted when I was a Linux user: laptops with perfect compatibility and no setup hassle. Yet, it bothers me slightly that they are a huge corporation where making money is probably more important than their users, and they could easily change their privacy policies anytime.
What do you think? Is it worthwhile switching to Linux, perhaps for ideological reasons (that’s how it sounds, doesn’t it)? Can we achieve the same level of privacy as we have on Linux?
Honestly, I would happily pay the same amount of money for a Linux laptop that works as smoothly as a MacBook and is based on an open-source, privacy-centered ecosystem like Apple’s.