3 ms·

I personally think it's the hardware. I've run Linux on a MacBook Air 11 Late 2012 from the day I purchased the machine and it feels identical to macOS. Luckil

by nextos 6y ago

I personally think it's the hardware. I've run Linux on a MacBook Air 11 Late 2012 from the day I purchased the machine and it feels identical to macOS. Luckily, for those using desktops who still want to use a trackpad, the Magic Trackpad works really well out of the box too. And there are not many other options in the market. I used to prefer trackballs from Logitech, but current models are nowhere as smooth as those from the 1990s and early 2000s.

abrowne 6y ago
I agree that's a very large part of it. I have booted Ubuntu on innumerable PCs and Macs while working in repairs, and touchpads vary hugely even when running the same software. The recentish "Precious Touchpad" standard Microsoft has for PCs tend to work better in my experience, even under Linux. As a former Mac user, I can also recommend whatever is in the HP EliteBook I'm using now.
- abrowne 6y ago
  Clearly meant "Precision Touchpad" …
jorvi 6y ago
It is most definitely not the hardware. Apple's macOS palm rejection and especially the crispness & smoothness of the gestures are unparalleled, and using the same touchpad on Linux feels like the touchpad has dropped down into some sort of safe mode where all the fancy extras have been disabled. I mean, its understandable, Apple has been developing this since the original unibody Macs of 2007 so they have nearly a decade of progress vs Windows or Linux touchpad developement, but acting as if they're on par is simply false.
gurkendoktor 6y ago
I have a 13" MacBook Air from 2012, and found the trackpad terrible with libinput (around Ubuntu ~18.04). One example that I still remember: When you've started scrolling with two fingers on macOS, you can tap again with both fingers to "brake". The same gesture would trigger a right-click on Linux. Kinetic scrolling without a way to stop means that I've always either scrolled too far, or dealt with unwanted context menus.

by nextos 6y ago

abrowne 6y ago

I agree that's a very large part of it. I have booted Ubuntu on innumerable PCs and Macs while working in repairs, and touchpads vary hugely even when running the same software. The recentish "Precious Touchpad" standard Microsoft has for PCs tend to work better in my experience, even under Linux. As a former Mac user, I can also recommend whatever is in the HP EliteBook I'm using now.

abrowne 6y ago
Clearly meant "Precision Touchpad" …

jorvi 6y ago

It is most definitely not the hardware. Apple's macOS palm rejection and especially the crispness & smoothness of the gestures are unparalleled, and using the same touchpad on Linux feels like the touchpad has dropped down into some sort of safe mode where all the fancy extras have been disabled. I mean, its understandable, Apple has been developing this since the original unibody Macs of 2007 so they have nearly a decade of progress vs Windows or Linux touchpad developement, but acting as if they're on par is simply false.

gurkendoktor 6y ago

I have a 13" MacBook Air from 2012, and found the trackpad terrible with libinput (around Ubuntu ~18.04). One example that I still remember: When you've started scrolling with two fingers on macOS, you can tap again with both fingers to "brake". The same gesture would trigger a right-click on Linux. Kinetic scrolling without a way to stop means that I've always either scrolled too far, or dealt with unwanted context menus.