Abstract

• macOS offers entry to prized Linux options like Unix compatibility, important instruments, and scripting capabilities.
• Apple’s working system affords a user-friendly consumer interface, glorious reliability, and effectivity; whereas Apple’s method of designing software program and {hardware} in unison places compatibility points to mattress.
• Apple’s method to software program improvement with instruments like Xcode can frustrate, however instruments like Homebrew and companies like GitHub bridge the hole to the perfect Linux software program.

Linux is a superb working system, and its open-source license is commendable. However for day-to-day work, I can’t hand over macOS.

macOS Provides Me the Better of Linux

I began utilizing macOS out of necessity, initially for cross-browser testing, and later for full-time work in an organization that used Macs and solely Macs. On the time, I’d used Linux (and even Unix) fairly a bit, so I appeared ahead to the promise of a user-friendly GUI with a POSIX underbelly.

“POSIX” means, roughly, “Unix-compatible.” Curiously, macOS is totally POSIX-certified, whereas Linux is just not, though it’s largely compliant.

As quickly as I booted up, I went in search of acquainted Linux goodies and I wasn’t dissatisfied. Utilizing Finder to discover the filesystem, I discovered a familiar directory structure, albeit one with some Apple quirks. The presence of per-user residence directories, with permissions defending them, reassured me that I used to be working with a real multiuser system.

What’s extra, these acquainted directories (/bin, /sbin, /usr/bin) contained all the vital tools I relied on: diff, grep, curl—you title it. Opening up the Terminal app, I may run these in the identical approach I beforehand ran Linux instructions. Utilizing bash (now zsh) as a scripting language, these instruments could be mixed in numerous methods to realize on a regular basis duties simply and reliably.

macOS additionally included the extra ‘beefy’ Linux goodies that I used to be used to, just like the Apache net server, programming language interpreters and compilers, and model management through the ever-present git.

macOS Wraps Unix in a Layer of Polish

Let’s face it, the perfect issues about Linux are its underlying structure, its open philosophy, and its built-in command-line packages. No person says, “I take advantage of Linux as a result of it has the perfect GUI.” That’s to not say GNOME or KDE aren’t good; they’re simply not the primary promoting level.

macOS may hardly be extra totally different. Since I moved from Home windows as my day by day driver to macOS over ten years in the past, I haven’t appeared again. After a short while getting used to it, Apple’s OS has at all times appeared good, labored reliably, and acquired the job achieved.

Whereas macOS often attracts criticism for being a walled backyard, that is considered one of its biggest strengths for me. After I was youthful, I soaked up the intricacies of my methods like a sponge, whether or not I used to be utilizing Home windows or Linux. I tweaked, configured, and chased error messages; something to keep away from doing productive work! Now I simply wish to get stuff achieved, tinkering be damned.

Typically, I’ll run right into a scenario that leaves me cursing Apple’s heavy-handed method. However these instances are far outweighed by all of the occasions I haven’t needed to fear about which driver I’m lacking or why an improve has immediately made my audio not work.

And a lot of the Mac interface utilities are handsome, with glorious usability. The Dock operates easily and is offered once I need it, hidden the remainder of the time. The worldwide menu bar is, for me, an enormous enchancment over per-window menus. I really like the feel and appear of Launchpad and the truth that all these apps strongly adhere to a constant design ethos. With macOS, I truly get pleasure from wanting on the GUI, in a approach I by no means fairly did with Linux and positively by no means did utilizing Home windows.

macOS Means Apple {Hardware}

One factor that’s key to the managed atmosphere through which macOS thrives is the inventory Apple {hardware}. I discovered operating Home windows on a self-built PC, with commodity {hardware}, to be a trial. From time to time, one part would begin behaving surprisingly, proving incompatible with others. Upgrading elements of a pc, solely to find extra issues in consequence, began to really feel like a recreation of Whack-a-Mole I may by no means win.

Apple’s {hardware} is each bit as restricted as its software program, however the ecosystem is rock-solid in consequence. I can’t keep in mind the final time I needed to power-cycle a crashed macOS or restart my machine to put in software program. My MacBook Professional lasted me a very good ten years earlier than I changed it with an M2 Mac Mini that I count on to final simply as lengthy.

Though Home windows and Linux boast ever-increasing {hardware} assist, there’s little or no within the PC {hardware} world to compete with Apple’s trackpads or Retina displays. I’d miss macOS if I purchased into Linux full-time, however I believe I’d miss high quality, dependable Apple {hardware} much more.

Homebrew Provides Me Linux Software program

For a very long time, there was nonetheless one thing lacking from macOS, one thing that was an important a part of the Linux ecosystem: software program. Though the bundled command-line instruments are glorious, there are nonetheless apps—each terminal-based and with full GUIs—that I want. However Apple’s “half-in half-out” perspective to open supply used to carry again a few of the greatest Linux apps obtainable.

Due to Homebrew—and supporting apps like Cork—that is not the case.

With Homebrew, putting in software program on macOS is as quick and easy as using a Linux package manager. With 1000’s of utilities and apps obtainable, many Linux instruments are offered both immediately or as equivalents. The recognition of Homebrew has helped open-source software program thrive on Mac greater than ever.

One other pillar that has helped assist the open-source motion on the Mac is GitHub. GitHub is the most popular host of open-source software, and it’s very important for group initiatives massive and small. GUI shoppers like GitHub Desktop and GitKraken make improvement extra approachable for Mac customers, however the very existence of GitHub helps to make sure programmers can collaborate on Mac software program extra simply than ever.

Apple’s improvement atmosphere, Xcode, continues to be irritating and the insistence on retaining a closed-source, monolithic method continues to place a pressure on innovation, however initiatives like Homebrew and GitHub have undoubtedly remodeled the panorama for the higher.

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I nonetheless use Linux on a regular basis, whether or not I am ssh’ing into distant servers, or operating a distro in a virtual machine using UTM. However, for day-to-day desktop work, macOS is the perfect compromise I’ve discovered between a walled backyard and an open ecosystem. It offers me the perfect of each worlds, and I can nonetheless faux I’m dwelling the Linux life.