Windows vs Mac: From a GNU/Linux User

It’s not possible for many FOSS stalwarts to live without being asked or required to use a more mainstream or work related operating system. Some people just need the ease of preinstalled OSes or integrated hardware. Windows and Macs are everywhere, but as a GNU purist or privacy concious user, which is the lesser of two evils? Microsoft has often been accused and revealed to have been abusing user data and collecting gratuitus amounts of analytics, while Apple does far more to lock in or out users of repair, reuse, or full operation of their devices. Many are left questioning what to do, and there is no clear cut answer.

One important place to start is hardware. Apple is a hardware company first and foremost, that tie their OS to their devices, making it difficult and often unstable in the long term to use MacOS on non-Apple hardware. This raises the bar to entry for people who want the OS but cannot or will not pay Apple’s premium. Apple’s clear game plan is to merge their various OSes for their hardware, but only their hardware, making the future very uncertain for where the future of MacOS lies. Windows on the other hand is Microsoft’s flagship, and the majority of computers shipped within the last 30 years have been preinstalled with Windows. Its decently quick to install, most drivers are written for it, and hardware support is Windows first. Those who are seriously considering Mac or Windows and are the afforementioned FOSS aware are probably not tech savy enough to do any sort of complicated install, and will likely base their descision on price, which is where Windows pulls ahead. But this is really an OS comparision, for which this is a minor point. The IME or other low level proprietary code exists on both platforms regardless.

Perhaps the major draw and argument for MacOS is “its Unix!” and “I can do everything natively!” Many of the GNU tools exist on MacOS (although older versions in most cases), and open packaging does exist through programs such as Homebrew. The GCC is there, so code can just be compliled in most cases. Many of the cloud and first party Apple tools can just be ignored, but in late 2019 we are left to wonder for how long. There has been a consistent and steady move towards forcing these tools onto users, but the Mac hacking scene is strong and well established enought to likely continue to find work arounds for what Apple does, for the near future. The massive bloat and security flaws are not the same as what Windows users must deal with, their platform riddled with backwards compaibility and undesireable code. But there exists a massive library of software and many ported GNU tools, and of course Microsoft’s newest bragging point: Windows Subsystem for Linux. This tools puts a modified kernel and distribution on the Windows computer, which is pretty close to fully featured. The future is looking bright for this program, as the WSL will soon be getting a full kernel.

In conclusion, neither platform is great. Neither are open source, Microsoft is probably worse when it comes to privacy, but has more native productivity options. Both have GNU tools and can be modified to make FOSS and privacy improvements. So it comes down to if work is more critical, or if being a native but ultimately closed, poorly documented and supported, and overpriced UNIX enviornment, then maybe Apple is the way to go. There is no right answer but to just jump ship and go GNU! Find someone who can or learn to install, and just learn the platform. Ultimately both you and the FOSS community will be better for it.