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Discussion on: Why are Apple computers considered "high quality", when their hardware has so many flaws (by design)?

 
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Dave

I use Gesture, in Ubuntu. Required some libtools-* to be installed at the same time.

I also have devilspie installed with a custom launch script so that it can tell if I'm WFH/my desk/presenting in a meeting room, and organise the desktop layout for me.

Re the question in the original article, I think Mac's are popular for exactly one reason... Apple Salesmanship. Apple's entire ecosystem works very well together & doesn't like others. So if you have an iPhone, you'll likely buy a Mac because it'll work better with your phone.

That's the reason Microsoft started to embrace Linux, and started cutting loss leaders like IE and moving to Chromium.

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Mike Bybee • Edited

As a Linux user on several MacBooks, I can say that MacBook touchpads are infinitely superior in feel and functionality to the majority of non-Mac laptops (though palm detection is iffy at best on the new gigantic touchpads, so I did something I haven't done since switching to a MacBook: disabled tap to click).

Worth the Apple tax, especially considering other hoops you have to jump through (e.g. getting Touch Bar to work on a basic level of multimedia and function keys)? Absolutely not.

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Dave

I've never really cared for the feel aspect of it, but functionality wise, after spending the time configuring it, there's nothing a Mac can do that mine won't. Maybe palm detect, but again, I've never felt like I was missing out.

I did look at completing the Linux drivers properly for the Magic Mouse 2, but didn't see the benefit to my workflow over the key combinations, trackpad, and MX3 (where the thumb button is mapped to screenshot -c).

A couple of guys I work with have switched from Mac to Ubuntu, having seen my setup. Mostly now they don't have to wait while an OS update takes 4 hours to apply.

To each their own really, I just can't see myself buying into the Apple ecosystem any time soon.

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Mike Bybee

My next laptop will not be a MacBook. Most likely, I'll go with System76 (no way I'm keeping Pop!OS with GNOME, though). Or, if I make some clustering breakthroughs, build something of my own with multiple RPis and/or other SBCs.