You don’t need code signing though. Just hold option when you open the app the first time and you’re never bothered about it again. Like the other person said, give us a list of things you can’t do on Mac, that you can on Linux.
As of MacOS 15.1 Sequoia, that is no longer possible.
In answer to your question, though, off the top of my head:
- Use a different desktop environment
- Uninstall OS components that I don’t need for a lighter weight system
- Be absolutely certain that Apple isn’t spying on me instead of just stopping Facebook from tracking me and then doing it themselves instead
- Run 32-bit apps after Apple ended support for them
- Play video games (the MacOS version of Steam is a joke and everyone knows it)
- Take my laptop or desktop to a repair service that isn’t sanctioned by Apple, or (horror of horrors!) replace the components inside it myself
As of MacOS 15.1 Sequoia, that is no longer possible.
Did you read the page you linked to? You can still run unsigned code. You have to review it in the system settings, but you’re not blocked from doing it. I’m doing it right now on the latest version of Sequoia…
- Use a different desktop environment
- Uninstall OS components that I don’t need for a lighter weight system
Valid, but these are things the vast (and I mean >98% VAST) amount of general computer users are not capable of understanding and should not attempt regardless.
- Be absolutely certain that Apple isn’t spying on me instead of just stopping Facebook from tracking me and then doing it themselves instead
If you care about privacy on any OS, you should be using a local firewall—something you can do on macOS. I use Little Snitch, which absolutely can block traffic to Apple’s domains.
- Run 32-bit apps after Apple ended support for them
This is the single most annoying thing about macOS. I’ll give you that. However, that being said, I haven’t actually run into an issue with it in the last two years.
- Play video games (the MacOS version of Steam is a joke and everyone knows it)
Similar to others have said, I daily drive my MacBook for basically everything except playing games. I do still play Minecraft, or any (usually smaller) games that I can install on my MacBook natively, but I play most games on my desktop PC—in fact that’s about all I use it for these days. Funny enough, that hasn’t changed since years ago when I used Linux Mint on my laptop and Windows on my PC.
- Take my laptop or desktop to a repair service that isn’t sanctioned by Apple, or (horror of horrors!) replace the components inside it myself
I work at a small, locally owned, computer shop. We order Mac parts and install them all the time. I’m literally doing a MacBook Air screen replacement tomorrow morning, and we’re not AASP. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
these are things the vast (and I mean >98% VAST) amount of general computer users are not capable of understanding and should not attempt regardless.
That’s the problem, isn’t it? It’s actually fine that you can’t do this, because the average user is too stupid to be able to do it safely. That’s the Apple ethos. That’s their justification for disallowing sideloading on iOS, however flimsy it may be. I don’t care that my grandma doesn’t know what doing this would mean. I’m not my grandma, dammit. I own the computer, let me do whatever I want with it!
I use Little Snitch, which absolutely can block traffic to Apple’s domains.
That’s another thing I should’ve added to my list: find basic system utilities, like a drive cleaner, firewall, or alternative terminal emulator, that aren’t paid products.
I work at a small, locally owned, computer shop. We order Mac parts and install them all the time. I’m literally doing a MacBook Air screen replacement tomorrow morning, and we’re not AASP. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Has Apple finally pulled their head out of their ass and removed parts pairing? This is great news!
Option click is still possible, it just works slightly differently. I literally did it yesterday on my Sequoia work system.
use a different desktop environment
Fair, I think this is one of the worst parts of the Linux “ecosystem”, as it completely fucks anyone that doesn’t know to use whatever the “current hotness” is, but I understand a lot of people like it.
uninstall OS components…
Like what? You mean like running without a login screen or do you mean uninstalling something like systemd?
be absolutely certain…
You can do that with plenty of network scanning apps, and you shouldn’t be doing that on device anyway. Not sure how Linux would stop that when you could install a bad package, or run apt update on something that has had a supply chain vulnerability.
run 32 bit apps
Fair. I haven’t needed this since about two months after Apple made the change, because Apple sure does a good job of getting developers to update their code, but I’m sure there are still some apps people wish worked that never updated.
play video games
Yeah video games on Mac are terrible, no argument there. Literally the only reason I still have a windows computer. Soon as they force 11, I’m switching back to a Linux desktop, but honestly I’m not looking forward to it.
take my laptop
You can do that now and you could before, Apple just didn’t like it and they made it as hard as possible. I agree it’s a shit policy, but I’m mostly asking about the operating system here. For example you could be running a hackintosh.
You can do that with plenty of network scanning apps, and you shouldn’t be doing that on device anyway. Not sure how Linux would stop that when you could install a bad package, or run apt update on something that has had a supply chain vulnerability.
If you’re willing to consider supply chain vulnerabilities when considering whether someone is spying on you, who’s to say there’s not a supply chain attack against Wireshark that hides the malicious traffic?
For example you could be running a hackintosh.
Aren’t hackintoshes virtually dead with the latest release of MacOS?
Soon as they force 11, I’m switching back to a Linux desktop, but honestly I’m not looking forward to it.
I don’t know when you last used Linux, but I can virtually guarantee that the new user experience is better than you remember it being. The last time I had a driver issue with anything apart from my graphics card (and that was easily resolved) was roughly ten years ago. As for the new user experience and just getting everything set up without using the terminal, confessedly, I’m an Arch user, so I’m a bit out of touch with the newbie side of the Linux distro world, but from what I’ve heard, Bazzite makes the transition fairly painless.
uninstall OS components…
Like what?
Like whenever you connected Bluetooth headphones to the MacBook, they started Music app. The official solution to stop this was to reboot in safe mode and rename Music app, because it was baked in so hard, or install third party software to prevent Music from starting. That’s not to mention that I don’t need Music app at all and would uninstall it but it will get restored back.
It looks like this behaviour changed somewhere in 14, as I no longer see Music starting, but it worked that way for longer than it should, really.
Upd: can’t find the support thread where they offered this solution, so it must’ve been not the official one. Officially you didn’t even need a solution because it’s not a problem.
Does macOS have namespaces? Can you modify the kernel? An equivalent to Linux Security Modules? ConfigFS? FunctionFS? I haven’t used it in decades so genuinely asking.
If I remember correctly you have to do some funny business to change things in the root directory too?
They’re completely different operating systems, there will of course be differences. In my experience Linux definitely gave more freedom to do whatever you wanted though. It’d be a bit disingenuous to argue otherwise. They serve different purposes, and that’s ok.
But oof repairing things on those logic boards… Everything soldered on makes the hardware a nightmare. I swore off Mac after trying to get one repaired. Had to trash the whole logic board and lose everything. I think that design is almost criminal tbh.
