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Linux - Come on in, the water's fine.

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For those disheartened by today's news about Apple's semi-fast-paced transition to their own CPUs (SoCs), I invite you to re-evaluate Linux. I've been investigating (and have finally made) the switch over the past year. I don't really miss mac (I DO have to occasionally dual boot into mac - eventually it will be Windows - for my clients that need me to use Adobe, but I have happily found software replacements in the open source realm and in the growing number of commercial applications that support Linux). I realize that a Linux switch will not, ultimately, make sense for many of you but, for those on the fence, come on in, the water is fine.

THE KDE PLASMA DESKTOP (AFTER SOME EASY CUSTOMIZATION)
KDE-PLASMA.jpeg


In truth, I think Hackintosh has many years left. No need to make big changes now, but for those who just can't bring themselves to further invest in a platform that has an impending (and uncertain) expiration date - I think Linux might prove a surprising alternative.
 
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Agreed, and the Clear Linux version is an absolute performance beast. Optimize 256 threads of EPYC goodness (along with software that can utilize it)? No problem.
 
As I've put in other threads, there are a few "killer apps" on MacOS, most obviously Logic Pro X in my case, that you just can't do on Linux.
 
As I've put in other threads, there are a few "killer apps" on MacOS, most obviously Logic Pro X in my case, that you just can't do on Linux.
And that of course makes perfect sense. The commercial software desert is what kept me away from Linux for so long.

But.... The Logic Pro case actually, I think, helps make the argument for open (or at least flexible) software. Apple has you (and a lot of the music industry) a wee bit trapped. It was like that for a certain sector of the entertainment industry back in the days of Final Cut Studio (pre Final Cut X). I can't tell you how liberating it felt when I started to discover that Adobe Premiere Pro was becoming powerful enough to replace Final Cut. Ultimately, while I switched to Premiere, I stayed with Apple (because I loved OS X/macOS), but there was both a psychological and practical benefit to switching to a platform that didn't tie me to a single operating system. The problem with this example, of course, is that Adobe Premiere is not available for Linux... but Davinci Resolve is! I've made the switch and am not looking back. With that last hold out (video editing), I have now been able to replace virtually all of my work needs (including visual effects software) with open source solutions or commercial software that is available on all three major operating systems - Windows/Mac/Linux (see exception in my first post - occasionally my clients want to give or recieve Adobe project files). Having been trapped in Apple's ecosystem for so long, it really feels good to be free.

My situation (I can produce most of my work on my own terms) is not, obviously, going to mirror what a lot of other people can get away with. I know that there really isn't any other package that can drop in replace the power of Logic Pro. That said, if you ever find one that can (and there are contenders available for Linux: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasone...linux-to-record-their-new-album/#45a011d34439), there really is an amazing piece of mind to not having your lively hood tied to the whims of a giant company that (understandably) has different priorities than you do.

I've obviously become a Linux evangelical (as the major underdog - Linux users tend to get that way), but I understand that it is not the right solution for many. My aim is, simply, to nudge those who are wondering if it might work for them, to dip their toes in the water.
 
Just to push the heretical theme, Im really enjoying Windows 10 these days, not a touch on OSX for looks but just as stable and with its SubSystem for Linux it gives developers a better than pure OSX or Linux experience.
 
And that of course makes perfect sense. The commercial software desert is what kept me away from Linux for so long.

I've switched to Cubase a couple of years ago because it's also available for Windows. Fed up with having to follow weird Apple moves.

I could switch to Reaper or Waveform on Linux as a DAW, but I would miss my a-grade third party plug ins and virtual instruments(Native Intruments, Arturia etc). I would also miss some indispendable tools.
Plus, my current expensive audio interface is Mac only.

I also have a 100.000 photo library in Adobe Lightroom, there's no clear replacement on Linux.

I would need to keep a Mac for older projects done in Logic(I have at least 25 years of stuff)

So, I would like to switch, but as you said there's just not enough commercial software, and I doubt if this will ever change.
 
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