This is total FUD. Other Apple devices are locked down like you say, but Macs are wide open. There is nothing preventing me from installing any software I wan

This is total FUD. Other Apple devices are locked down like you say, but Macs are wide open. There is nothing preventing me from installing any software I want on it (so long as it is supported by macOS of course). The best, easiest, safest, path of least resistance app install experience is of course through the App Store, but it is not mandatory to use. Windows also has an App Store since Windows 8. That being said, I can download and run any software I please on my Mac without Apple's permission. Notarization is only required to prevent a scary (but easily bypassed) warning from popping up. This is also similar on Windows. Software that has not been properly digitally signed will pop up a similar scary warning. To top all of this off, macOS is a certified UNIX^tm system, which means I can easily compile software from source and use package managers like Homebrew. Apple has made no indications of removing any of this. Additionally, they have put no barriers in place to prevent the installation of Linux on Apple Silicon Macs via the Asahi Linux project, so that is always available as the nuclear option if Apple goes full lockdown on my devices.