Member Avatar for jamesbrown11

I have been using Linux for the past year or two, it has been an amazing experience so far, aside of the lack of proprietary software support, namely Adobe products. I have been considering switching to MacOS for this very reason, and was wondering if anyone has made the move from MacOS to Linux or vice versa, and could share their experiences. What are some things you miss about one OS versus the other? How are things done differently?

I am not too concerned with the aesthetics differences or customizability of aesthetics, but I do highly value the ability to configure keybindings and scripts. Also, can all development work done in Linux be done in MacOS?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt

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Brief, practical summary for (and anyone deciding between the two): macOS buys you native support for most proprietary creative apps (Adobe, etc.) and a polished hardware/software package. Linux gives deeper low-level control, easier full-system customization, and a wider choice of window managers and init systems. If Adobe is the deciding factor, macOS removes most compatibility headaches; if fine-grained system tinkering is the goal, Linux is harder to beat.

On development: macOS is a Unix-like environment and can run the vast majority of languages, toolchains and editors you use on Linux (clang/gcc, Python, Node, Ruby, Docker, Homebrew, Xcode CLI tools). Important differences to watch for: macOS uses launchd rather than systemd, the default APFS volume is commonly case-insensitive (this can break repos or builds that rely on case-sensitive filenames), and kernel-level features or Linux-only modules won’t be present. For Linux-specific services or kernel-dependent work, use a Linux VM, container, or a remote build/test host to keep parity.

On keybindings and scripting: macOS supports POSIX shells and multiple automation layers (AppleScript/Automator/Shortcuts) and has strong third-party tools for remapping and automation (examples: Karabiner-Elements, Hammerspoon, BetterTouchTool). Expect to rewire some muscle memory (Command vs Ctrl) and to recreate certain workflows with different tools; it’s doable, but approaches differ from typical Linux DEs.

Migration checklist / practical tips: inventory apps and licenses, back up data, test critical workflows in a VM first, and prepare to run a Linux VM or server for anything kernel/systemd-dependent. As warned, check device/account unlinking procedures before handing devices away—sign out of iCloud, disable Find My/Activation Lock, and deauthorize services so moving on is straightforward.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

What about https://www.maketecheasier.com/install-adobe-creative-cloud-linux/ ?

As to my move, I only used Apple when there was no other solution. What was that? iOS apps. Today that need is gone and so am I (from Apple products.) I still have my iPhone 6 but Apple is not making it easy to leave as I can't remove it from their cloud so I can't sell or give it away. THAT expererience has me even more reluctant to ever go near Apple again.

So I'm pretty much only into PCs, Android and the embedded systems I work in.

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