this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023

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What is the Linux equivalent of a MacBook Air? Unless its literally MacBook Air and the virtualization just hasn't come far enough (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I don't understand what you're asking. A mac is hardware, linux is software. There are no "equivalents" between the two.

Why do you mention virtualization? A VM is by no means the only way to run linux on macs, on x86 machines it should install just fine, and Asahi has come a long way towards fully working on ARM.

If you're asking for apple-like hardware that can run linux, just go with apple hardware.

Or are you asking for laptops that come with linux? I don't get what you're actually after here.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

apple like hardware

Yeah, thats fine if Asahi totally substitutes or can substitute for MacOS. I need a lot of work on this topic because I've never ventured outside like CrossOver or whatever the thing that lets you run Windows on Mac. Is Asahi like that but on steroids basically?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No. CrossOver only runs windows programs inside OSx, not windows itself. It's basically "just" Wine. BootCamp would be an actual dual-boot utility which made actually installing Windows onto x86 macs a bit easier. As far as I know, there's been no great success with installing Windows on M series macs. But it works just fine on x86 based apple computers.

Asahi is the linux project which is doing work to implement support for all the mac-specific hardware features that apple arm silicon has. Such as the GPU, fingerprint sensor, touch pad, etc.

Linux already works on arm in general, it's the core of android, after all. But apple keeps the way all their stuff works together for themselves. So using apple hardware, especially the new M series SOCs, with something other than their intended operating system, has to be figured out from scratch. That's what Asahi is doing, and they are very far along now.

I'm not sure you understand how operating systems work. They are not part of the hardware, they are only software, as long you have something else that also works on that hardware, you can completely delete what came with it, and put in whatever else you want. With x86 macs you can literally turn them into windows computers, it's not windows running inside OSx, just windows.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

only runs...in OS

Ah k, this was my understanding of running an alternative OS. Like I thought no matter what you run, Apple was still keeping supervisory control regardless. But I was thinking of this more in-line with what Cross-Over/bootcamp/wine etc do roughly speaking.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

You can run another operating system inside OSx, but that's a virtual machine, an entire virtual computer which you then install the other OS on.

You can also just install an OS an the actual computer. There is no way to make doing this completely impossible, and with professional hardware used by actual software professionals, trying to would be utterly unacceptable. Apple would lose an entire type of customer.

Even with game consoles, people like to circumvent the blocks around doing this and run whatever they want, for fun.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I think I was thinking more like how Apple doesnt want Hackintoshes (Mac running on PC?) as opposed to this up-to-date characterization you are running off of

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

You lost me again. Hackintoshes exist, and the only way apple has to stop them is the legal code around software licensing.

How is that relevant?

Apple can legally stop you from running OSx without a license, because you don't have a license, but they cannot stop you from running whatever you want on your hardware.

Apple can't attach a license to hardware, limiting what you are allowed to do with it. That would be stupid.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I need to shut up now aha

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Careful, bootcamp is running the is on bare metal. This is what you are asking for. The others are different and run ON macOS.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Can you elaborate on this?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Bootcamp is basically a software tools that helps prepare the installation of the different operating system (like Linux or windows) on a Mac.

It will create an install image, it will prepare a system partition and provides windows drivers for the hardware

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

if you're looking for a nice ultraportable, System76 has you covered

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Been using a Sysem76 (Gazelle, not ultraportable) laptop for a year now and love it. Running Pop_OS and performance is on-par with my partner's M2 MacBook Air.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

With linux or what's it running OS-wise?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

System76 is a company that sells computers with a Linux OS pre-installed and made of hardware optimized to work especially with Linux(Linux will work on pretty much any hardware including apples). "Linux" in this context is a loosely defined colloquial term which refers to a large group of OS's (the OS's are also called Linux distributions/distros) which all use the same kernal component (this is the most important part of an OS) which is officially called the Linux Kernel. The actual OS's can vary massively from one another POP_OS! is one of these Linux OS's. You will have to pick a specific Linux distribution, which you can use to completly replace the current OS on any computer, including a MacBook, no virtual machine needed

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

Pop_OS! is system76's inhouse Linux distro. It's pretty good if you're looking for a soft introduction to Linux, I'd recommend them too. You could also download it from their website if you wanted to install it on something else, but their laptops can come pre-installed with it.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

In terms of slim netbooks that are Linux first?

Starbook from Star Labs

Framework 13 from Framework

Slimbook from Slimbook

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

https://9to5mac.com/2023/02/21/m1-mac-linux/

https://asahilinux.org/

Actually not what you asked.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Isn't it tho? Altho, are you in turn suggesting MacBook is the best Linux computer with all the problems of Mac but just in a Hypervisor where they have even more control and would theoretically be more unhinged?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (14 children)

What hypervisor? You can entirely replace macOS with linux and run it directly.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You can just put linux on whatever computer you want. You want it on a MacBook? Do it. You want it on a custom built gaming rig? Do it. You want it on your grandpa’s beige monstrosity? You’ll need a light af distro, but you can do it.

Linux isn’t going to be built around or optimized for any specific hardware, because that’s not what it’s for or how the folks who make it operate. That means that if you want the best linux laptop, go find the best laptop you can afford, and load it with the distro you’re interested in. You don’t buy linux like macOS.

If you want a computer built by a linux distro developer, use a system76 computer with popOS

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I feel like this is the way (altho I'm aiming for getting this on an MBA)

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago

I would say Framework 13. Maybe a bit thicker but it captures the Linux spirit of having something you can customize.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago

I have a Thinkpad x1 nano that I threw Linux on. Not sure if it counts since it came with Windows installed, but Thinkpads have historically done well with Linux support.

It's tiny, super light, can't upgrade any parts, has minimal ports and I love it

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Depending on where you live, but companies producing laptops exclusively for Linux are eg. Tuxedo, System76, Slimbook.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

But which is the Apple among[st] those companies in terms of creating the closest experiential and physical analogue so to speak?

Edit: some folks are saying you can run Linux on M1 Macs to such a complete extent that I almost can just stick with that but I feel like I'd like my cake and eat it too by being able to like dual-boot and use whatever situationally.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

They’re not. None of them are. If you’re wanting to go from always using apple straight to Linux you’re going to have a really, really bad time.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago

The Dell XPS Developer Edition, aka Project Sputnik.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Apple/M1

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

I bought a mid 2012 Macbook Pro specifically for Linux, take from that what you will 🫣

Louis Rossmann having 1000s of videos on repairing these also made the decision a no brainer.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Just yesterday I got a dell inspiron for this reason. It’s the “we have a laptop at home” macbook air IMO and I only logged into the OEM windows for the 5 min of checking out what’s new windows 11 before installing my OS of choice.

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