Open To New Possibilities

I’ve mentioned a few times in the past that I’ve considered moving to Linux for my daily computing needs in the future. While there’s a lot to like about the iMac that I currently use, and I’m interested in the possibilities offered by Apple Silicon, I am mindful of the pitfalls of being tied to Apple hardware and services.

Thankfully, the majority of my data is stored in open formats and not tied to specific apps. And I’ve been using open source software for a while for some tasks, such as audio editing and now 3D modelling.

The Mac apps that I rely on are fewer in number these days, and from developers who (for the most part) have earned my trust and support. It pains me to see how Apple has increasingly mistreated such developers over the years.

There are a few tasks such as broadcasting where Linux would be more challenged, but I can count those on the fingers of one hand. And I’ve been impressed by how far Linux has come in terms of functionality and usability.

I’m not entirely sure where my computer journey will go next. I intend to keep my iMac running for as long as I can, then consider my options. I’m leaning towards the idea of owning a laptop again, for the first time in over a decade, and perhaps a second computer if my budget allows. That way I could have a fixed setup for those tasks where it makes set, but the option to do work elsewhere.

I’ve started to look into other open source apps and how they could help me work in a platform-independent manner in the future. That doesn’t mean that I’ll be uninstalling many of the Mac-assed apps I currently use; I want to make full use of their capacities, and those of macOS, for as long as I’m able. It will be a gradual process, I expect, with some learning (and relearning) along the way. But my hope is that I’ll end up in a position where I can be fairly confident that my setup is good for the long term.