Griffin Li

I used a MacBook Pro the past four years. I’ve switched over to using Linux as my primary OS, on a Framework Laptop, and I’ve really enjoyed it.

I started off using Ubuntu 24.04, but it’s still fairly new and had bugs that made it frustrating to use at times. I’ve since switched to Fedora 41 with the KDE Spin, and it’s great. Fedora has been very stable and minimal. If you’re used to MacOS, you’ll immediately understand how to use GNOME. If you’re used to Windows, you’ll immediately understand how to use KDE.

Linux is great for a few reasons:

• It’s powerful. You see information across the desktop environment that’s usually hidden by prominent operating systems, such as detailed information about Wi-Fi/Internet and more configuration options in Settings. Built-in apps often have more functionaity than counterparts on Windows/MacOS – for example, KDE’s file browser.
• It’s open. It feels nice to be using an operating system that’s open-source and built from the collective contributions of many people across the world.
• If you’re used to Windows: you can use your computer in the same way you’d manage any Linux cloud server. Everything you do to operate that also works on your personal laptop. Plus, you avoid bloat that has accumulated through years and years of feature additions on a dated codebase. Plus, you get full control over your device: you decide when you want updates, what apps you want pre-installed, what cloud services you want to use.
• If you’re used to MacOS: you escape Apple’s locked-down ecosystem (for example, the only encryption options for external drives are Apple’s proprietary file systems which only work properly on Apple devices) and have greater control over how your computer works (you don’t have much control over iCloud online-only files and photos being downloaded to the disk).
• Over time, you’ll develop a better understanding of computers. DHH wrote a great post explaining this: at times, you’ll encounter and need to fix small issues, and the knowledge you gain adds up over time. For example: how to enable fingerprint authorization for the terminal, how to install AppImages (I use AppImageLauncher), and what it really means when an application is shown on the desktop.

I was hesitant about losing certain Mac-only software and features that I enjoyed, but I’ve found viable alternatives to every piece of software I relied on in MacOS. Here’s what I previously used and what I switched to:

If you’d like to switch to Linux but are locked into the Apple ecosystem, you should move your data to somewhere cross-platform. I migrated my calendars and contacts from iCloud to my Google account, saved my iCloud Notes and iCloud Drive to my local disks, moved most of my communication from iMessage to other apps, and switched from iCloud Reminders to Todoist. If you use iCloud Keychain, I recommend 1Password.

I set up a MacOS virtual machine using OSX-KVM in case I needed some MacOS-specific software such as Xcode or Apple Configurator, but I rarely use it. Life has been good on Linux.