I began to consider what it would be like to try running a Linux distro as my daily driver, but I thought the Macbook's comfort and ease, especially the hardware's size and weight, would be hard to find in a non-Mac laptop. While none of them became my main machine, I started to really enjoy using Linux. I also collected a number of very old laptops rescued from the trash at universities, so, by necessity, I decided to try out various Linux distros. Later, I began using Raspberry Pi computers booting Raspbian.

Free online course: RHEL Technical Overview.

I thought I had the best of both worlds: the macOS graphical operating system and user interface alongside the ability to jump into a quick terminal session. I couldn't get all my Linux software to work, but much of it did. I used iTerm2 and the Homebrew package manager. Over time, I found myself working largely in the terminal. Most significantly, I am annoyed by Apple's closed ecosystem-the difficulty of accessing photos without iPhoto the necessity of using iTunes and the enforced bundling of the Apple store ecosystem even when I don't want to use it. Other changes annoyed me-not all at once, but slowly.

Some changes have been for the better, such as better stabilization, simpler hardware choices, increased security, and more accessibility options. But as it evolved, it changed significantly. Flash-forward decades later, and Apple is a behemoth, a trillion-dollar company. I remember thinking the company could disappear one day. And even though there was a lot less software for Macintosh than PCs, I thought the Mac ecosystem was better, just on the strength of KidPix and Hypercard, which I still think of as the unsurpassed, most intuitive creative stack.Įven so, I still had the feeling that Mac was an underdog compared to Windows. It didn't start with a DOS command prompt it opened to a friendly desktop. Back in the mid-1990s, I was attracted to its ease of use. I had used Macintosh SE computers in school and learned to type with Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, so I've been a Mac user for well over 25 years.

In 1994, my family bought a Macintosh Performa 475 as a home computer.

See mac on linux