@markwyner I’ve had to move from Linux away to Windows + Mac due to ADHD. If all of your apps work on Linux then you’ll have an easier time, but for me there’s two things I hold dearly that just don’t work on Linux at all atm (VR, MusicBee) and trying to get the latter working played part of the toxic overthinking I got about Linux.

My advice is to not worry about sticking it to Big Tech and use it for a practical reason, which includes the fun factor. That alone alleviates a lot of anxiety imo. I see people constantly say Linux is annoying but they don’t want to move back to Windows for ideological reasons, and I feel they’re just torturing themselves. I see a lot of OCD manifesting in ppl when I hear that so I feel like I need to say that tbh. The other is, check what apps you’ll be losing from the move, at the end of the day it’s the stuff you use the most more than anything else on the computer.

@markwyner @frameworkcomputer Hi! If it's any help or encouragement, I switched from Windows to Linux completely a year ago. I don't use any of their products at all now. I u/stand that Mac OS is not Windows & you're facing different challenges, but for me, I'll never go back. Linux is a lot of fun, people help you out on forums and you can find just about any kind of software you need, usually for free. You can donate to the developers if you like it.I think you should do it.👍

@markwyner Hey I've been exclusively using Linux since 2000. Ok that's not true I had an OSX for Lightroom until they fucked up my "lifetime" licence when I updated a couple of time the Apple's OS.

I have installed Linux to friends and family and they're almost all happy ... except for some games or particular software.

Coding should be easy to switch depending of what you use.

Design not sure ... but they are many great designers, and artists that use Linux.

@davidrevoy for example

1/2

@markwyner @frameworkcomputer , either look for distro that wasn't tainted with mandatory AppArmor all over the place, or prepare to learn how to make AppArmor behave, or get ready to find out that your beloved Linux is unable to run most seemingly legit apps.
Everything is Electron based apps now - and Linux is having problems with these nowadays.
For at least Ubuntu users, the problem stands since 2024 and still not quite resolved.
Had to move back to Win10 because of that.

@markwyner Check out https://mntre.com/media/reform_md/2024-09-09-introducing-mnt-reform-next.html
for open source hardware as well.

@markwyner

I use Macs for over a decade and mainly work on a Mini at the moment as a photographer.

About 2 years ago I bought a Framework laptop and installed Bazzite right away. Since then I search for ways to shift my work to Linux and get rid of Apple.

My plan: to strip down my Mac time to just editing and to do everything else on Linux - ideally on a desktop pc.

My advice: get yourself a framework, install Linux and make a soft switch. Start where it's possible.

@frameworkcomputer

@markwyner

I use Macs for over a decade and mainly work on a Mini at the moment as a photographer.

About 2 years ago I bought a Framework laptop and installed Bazzite right away. Since then I search for ways to shift my work to Linux and get rid of Apple.

My plan: to strip down my Mac time to just editing and to do everything else on Linux - ideally on a desktop pc.

My advice: get yourself a framework, install Linux and make a soft switch. Start where it's possible.

@frameworkcomputer

@markwyner We've helped a few people make the shift to Linux on MacBooks. The advice others have given you in the replies is quite good, especially about making a list of the apps you use and finding the same or equivalents on Linux. Maybe it is something more trivial stopping you, though? You can setup a MacBook-looking desktop UI on Linux Mint (and presumably other distributions, but we've only tested it on Mint).

@markwyner In what way do you feel like Linux is the last hold out? I'm guessing you're comfortable with a command prompt with your background? How much time did you spend with it on OSX?

Maybe give it a go on a VM? Use a live CD variant? Spin up a VPS and have some fun with a remote server? Dual boot?

@markwyner I did, I’m not really coding a lot, so no advices here. Sure it will take time to find the right tools and a way of working you actually could enjoy.

I’d recommend to start really slow. Maybe buy used device just to play, it will work quote good as well. Don’t throw your macbook and don’t switch in 1 day, give yourself half of the year, so you have the time to move slow and don’t push yourself too hard for no reason. Consider it as a fun toy, one day it became a real tool.

@markwyner @frameworkcomputer I was on Windows exclusively in 20yrs doing development. Switched to Linux and never looked back.
Because of development I had knowledge of Linux servers and that made it less scary. I guess you have the same experience and Mac leaning on Linux so much, will make the gap less.
I made sure that my core workflows was covered by apps on Linux and then I just went all in. True AuDHD (Au=research core apps, Hyper=all at once, haha...)