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I would prefer a Linux machine with similar hardware features over a Mac. Honestly, if they just said "alright, we'll let you install linux and make it easy an

I would prefer a Linux machine with similar hardware features over a Mac. Honestly, if they just said "alright, we'll let you install linux and make it easy and the hardware should work fine", I'd probably buy one right now.

iillexial 4y ago
Mac with Linux support would be the best tech product ever.
- JoshTko 4y ago
  Anyone know the market size of folks who want linux support on Mac hardware?
  - mikedelago 4y ago
    I think it's less of Mac hardware specifically, and more of the quality of their hardware. The best Linux users can do (for a laptop) is a Thinkpad (as they officially have support from Lenovo) or one of the more boutique brands (system76, starlabs, purism) and at best (my opinion, Thinkpads) they trade blows with Apple hardware. As far as desktops go, building a computer for Linux is simple and easy and doesn't really have that many problems in my experience.
- jonhohle 4y ago
  What is the advantage of Apple supported Linux over XNU?
gtirloni 4y ago
Don't they already? Asahi Linux, etc. It just doesn't have the greatest support (drivers). I think you'd like Apple to provider proper documentation or even their own Linux drivers. That'd cannibalize macOS so I don't see that happening.
- Vt71fcAqt7 4y ago
  You answered your own question. And GPU is still not fully working iirc.
- johngalt_ 4y ago
  That would probably have either a negligible effect on sales or have a small upside overall. People who would buy a Mac to use with Linux are people who are not using macOS already. I would love to use the Mac hardware but I ain't giving up on Linux. The question is whether there are enough of us for them to make it worth providing support to Linux. Unfortunately, probably not.
  - factsarelolz 4y ago
    I can do almost anything on a Mac terminal that I can do in a Linux terminal. So to _me_ there is nothing that a dedicated Linux environment can give me that OSX can't.
    - sofixa 4y ago
      How about a usable package manager, or a usable window manager? Brew is extremely slow and cannot do versioning (as in, installing a package will result in random other packages upgraded across major versions), and for window managers there are only two non-paid versions which are OK but still poorer than alternatives available on Linux.
      - factsarelolz 4y ago
        Versioning is done through the package maintainers. If there is no versioning for the package it's not Apple's fault (you could argue it's brews fault for not requiring it). If you think Brew should require versioning then open a request. If you don't think there is enough free windows managers perhaps you should create one yourself or contribute to a non paid project to ensure your wants are addressed. It appears your problems are with 3rd parties and not Apple.
msk-lywenn 4y ago
Well, they kind of let you. They don't port linux, but the firmware is open to it. https://social.treehouse.systems/@marcan/109676836655086299 https://social.treehouse.systems/@marcan/109676836655086299
amelius 4y ago
Yeah, it's basically the tethering by the vendor that's making me run away from them. If I could buy an Apple laptop and then immediately break all my ties with Apple, still being able to use the machine, then I would certainly buy one. Apple doesn't seem able to decide whether they are offering a service or a product.
- D13Fd 4y ago
  It was this way for Windows for 1.5 decades with Boot Camp. On Intel chips they provided strong support for running Windows natively. In the end it seems like few people used it.
ericlewis 4y ago
You are in luck: https://asahilinux.org/ https://asahilinux.org/ And GPU drivers are getting pretty good. The builders of this are pretty amazing.

iillexial 4y ago

Mac with Linux support would be the best tech product ever.

JoshTko 4y ago
Anyone know the market size of folks who want linux support on Mac hardware?
- mikedelago 4y ago
  I think it's less of Mac hardware specifically, and more of the quality of their hardware. The best Linux users can do (for a laptop) is a Thinkpad (as they officially have support from Lenovo) or one of the more boutique brands (system76, starlabs, purism) and at best (my opinion, Thinkpads) they trade blows with Apple hardware. As far as desktops go, building a computer for Linux is simple and easy and doesn't really have that many problems in my experience.
jonhohle 4y ago
What is the advantage of Apple supported Linux over XNU?

gtirloni 4y ago

Don't they already? Asahi Linux, etc. It just doesn't have the greatest support (drivers). I think you'd like Apple to provider proper documentation or even their own Linux drivers. That'd cannibalize macOS so I don't see that happening.

Vt71fcAqt7 4y ago
You answered your own question. And GPU is still not fully working iirc.
johngalt_ 4y ago
That would probably have either a negligible effect on sales or have a small upside overall. People who would buy a Mac to use with Linux are people who are not using macOS already. I would love to use the Mac hardware but I ain't giving up on Linux. The question is whether there are enough of us for them to make it worth providing support to Linux. Unfortunately, probably not.
- factsarelolz 4y ago
  I can do almost anything on a Mac terminal that I can do in a Linux terminal. So to _me_ there is nothing that a dedicated Linux environment can give me that OSX can't.
  - sofixa 4y ago
    How about a usable package manager, or a usable window manager? Brew is extremely slow and cannot do versioning (as in, installing a package will result in random other packages upgraded across major versions), and for window managers there are only two non-paid versions which are OK but still poorer than alternatives available on Linux.
    - factsarelolz 4y ago
      Versioning is done through the package maintainers. If there is no versioning for the package it's not Apple's fault (you could argue it's brews fault for not requiring it). If you think Brew should require versioning then open a request. If you don't think there is enough free windows managers perhaps you should create one yourself or contribute to a non paid project to ensure your wants are addressed. It appears your problems are with 3rd parties and not Apple.

msk-lywenn 4y ago

Well, they kind of let you. They don't port linux, but the firmware is open to it. https://social.treehouse.systems/@marcan/109676836655086299 https://social.treehouse.systems/@marcan/109676836655086299

amelius 4y ago

Yeah, it's basically the tethering by the vendor that's making me run away from them. If I could buy an Apple laptop and then immediately break all my ties with Apple, still being able to use the machine, then I would certainly buy one. Apple doesn't seem able to decide whether they are offering a service or a product.

D13Fd 4y ago
It was this way for Windows for 1.5 decades with Boot Camp. On Intel chips they provided strong support for running Windows natively. In the end it seems like few people used it.

ericlewis 4y ago

You are in luck: https://asahilinux.org/ https://asahilinux.org/ And GPU drivers are getting pretty good. The builders of this are pretty amazing.