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Running Linux on My MacBook

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Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#151

Post by growse »

jki275 wrote: post #60
growse wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Works well". I have a 2019 mbp16. It does not "work well". For me, the graphics driver crashes me out of my login session pretty much daily, the network stack occasionally shits itself (reboot) and various internal processes (the... window server?) like to use >50% CPU for no reason at all. Looking around, I'm not the only one who has issues.

I have the same machine and none of those issues. Probably yours is broken somehow. Would recommend bringing it in for service while it's in warranty.

The fact that I can point at both colleagues and strangers on the internet with the same issues makes me think it's actually just crap software that doesn't work.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#152

Post by abrowne »

war1025 wrote: post #129
abrowne wrote: post #126

I was nearly Mac exclusive for years before switching to Linux. Similarly to the author I mostly use a browser, VS Code and a few small utilities, although mine are mostly simple Qt GUI apps. My thumbs are well trained to use the keys to the sides of the space bar as the main modifier. My solution to the Command/Control issue is to swap the key positions with xkd so that it's always [Win][Alt][Ctrl][Space][Ctrl][Comp…

> if you set VTE-based terminals (such as GNOME Terminal) to use Ctrl+C for copy, it will automatically set Ctrl+Shift+C to send SIGINT. I just looked in the preferences for Gnome Terminal and didn't see this option. I think I'm used to the current setup enough that I wouldn't switch anyway, but how do you configure this?

I guess I installed Alacritty right away on this new computer, so I have just found and tested the GNOME Terminal option. You just open Preferences from the hamburger menu, choose Shortcuts on the left, and find "Copy Ctrl+Shift+C". Double-click the Ctrl+Shift+C part and press Ctrl+C.

And I should say I'm not sure if it's sending SIGINT or actually Ctrl+C (or if that's even different). I learned just enough of this to make it work :-) But before, if I started top, I could press Ctrl+C to quit it. Now I can press Ctrl+Shift+C to quit it, and pressing Ctrl+Shift+C on a bash prompt prints "^C" and I get a new line.

For Alacritty, here's what I've changed

    - { key: V,        mods: Control,        action: Paste            }
    - { key: C,        mods: Control,        action: Copy             }
    - { key: C,        mods: Control|Shift,  chars: "\x03"            }
    - { key: W,        mods: Control,        chars: "\x04"            }
    - { key: N,        mods: Control,        action: SpawnNewInstance }
The xkb option for PCs is altwin:ctrl_alt_win, I think it's the "Control is mapped to Alt keys, Alt is mapped to Win keys" option if you use GNOME Tweaks, under Alt/Win key behavior. For a Mac keyboard, ctrl:swap_lwin_lctl,ctrl:swap_rwin_rctl, "Swap Left Win key with Left Ctrl key" under Ctrl key position.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#153

Post by mnm1 »

overgard wrote: post #134
bitcharmer wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it feels like that's still the case Very much not true these days. Linux on laptops is (in overwhelming majority) a great experience today. I suggest you just try out one of the live images for Ubuntu or Fedora. On a tangential note I'm surprised that it's still relatively common on HN to see comments like "Linux on desktop doesn't work" or "Java is slow". That was 20 years ago. The world has moved on.

Honestly I just don't think that's true, every laptop I've had I've tried to put Linux on and it's always been a nightmare. My current one is running Ubuntu but Wifi constantly breaks unless I do a stupid hack with the airplane button, power support is weird and flaky, etc. etc.

Yup. For my main machine, I've never had a Linux laptop last more than six months without a problem that required reinstalling the os (wouldn't boot, wouldn't connect to display etc.). I had a laptop used mostly for web browsing that lasted a bit over a year back around 2006. I try it every few years but it always fails. It's especially a bad idea on Apple hardware. I'll check back in a few years but don't expect much.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#154

Post by quietdean »

peteretep wrote: post #5

Thank you for writing this! Whenever I see people using Linux as their main laptop OS, I'm struck by remembering the amount of tinkering needed circa 1999 which was the last time I did it. Having read this -- the custom scripts, the "suspend still doesn't work properly" -- it feels like that's still the case.

I was in the same situation. Tried it every few years, and my rule was "If I need to google a CLI solution, I don't want it".

But 3 years ago I tried Fedora on an Asus N56VZ and it's been flawless. Well, less issues than Windows anyway. That's my definition of flawless.

I will admit it's a bit of a hardware and distro lottery though.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#155

Post by breytex »

Tried to migrate from Mac to Linux half a year ago (before the 16" with the new keyboard was announced, because I hated the butterfly keyboard).

Tried a bunch of dell and Thinkpad devices. Configured a t480s with ubuntu. First meeting where I had to share my screen and I recognized that Chrome is not able to share a dedicated screen of my three monitor setup. You need a script for that, which creates a "fake" webcam, otherwise its only possible to share the three stitched-together screens.

Those are things, I just expect to work out of the box without a script or pulling two monitor cables everytime I want to screen share something.

Bought the 16" Mac a week later, also not happy with that because thermals are just bad, but its better than having to script simple things. Clients don't expect you to "have to script something real quick" during meetings.

As long as Linux does not cover ALL trivial multi media usecases, I don't see myself making the switch.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#156

Post by N3cr0ph4g1st »

breytex wrote: post #155

Tried to migrate from Mac to Linux half a year ago (before the 16" with the new keyboard was announced, because I hated the butterfly keyboard). Tried a bunch of dell and Thinkpad devices. Configured a t480s with ubuntu. First meeting where I had to share my screen and I recognized that Chrome is not able to share a dedicated screen of my three monitor setup. You need a script for that, which creates a "fake" webcam,…

Same here lol bought a precision with pre installed Ubuntu thinking it would be a smooth switch but nope. So many random scripts for things that should just work it was ridiculous

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#157

Post by breytex »

breytex wrote: post #155

Tried to migrate from Mac to Linux half a year ago (before the 16" with the new keyboard was announced, because I hated the butterfly keyboard). Tried a bunch of dell and Thinkpad devices. Configured a t480s with ubuntu. First meeting where I had to share my screen and I recognized that Chrome is not able to share a dedicated screen of my three monitor setup. You need a script for that, which creates a "fake" webcam,…

Also touchpad drivers are all just plain garbage.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#158

Post by fsociety »

breytex wrote: post #155

Tried to migrate from Mac to Linux half a year ago (before the 16" with the new keyboard was announced, because I hated the butterfly keyboard). Tried a bunch of dell and Thinkpad devices. Configured a t480s with ubuntu. First meeting where I had to share my screen and I recognized that Chrome is not able to share a dedicated screen of my three monitor setup. You need a script for that, which creates a "fake" webcam,…

I think the thermals on the 16” are the best thermals a MacBook Pro has ever had. Is there a model that had better thermals?

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#159

Post by jki275 »

growse wrote: post #151
jki275 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the same machine and none of those issues. Probably yours is broken somehow. Would recommend bringing it in for service while it's in warranty.

The fact that I can point at both colleagues and strangers on the internet with the same issues makes me think it's actually just crap software that doesn't work.

I think if that were the case there would be a lot more people with the issues you’re talking about.

My whole shop uses Macs and nobody has this issue. I’m on one of three different variant MBPs (including one like yours) all day every day - literally around 18 hours a day - and I’ve never seen it.

That’s why I would really suggest opening a ticket on it, especially with a new laptop. I suspect there’s a hardware issue.

Re: Running Linux on My MacBook

#160

Post by commoner »

cpursley wrote: post #128
xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, I run Linux on a 2015 MacBook Pro. It works much better than it did "out of the box". I get better battery life, because I can turn off things I don't need. I don't have to restart the audio service before every Zoom call. I don't have to reboot to get external monitors to work again. My Yubikey doesn't drain the battery in a few hours. My system boots to the login screen in the time it takes for the Apple…

How did you get the Webcam to work?

There is a reverse-engineered driver for the Facetime HD (Broadcom 1570) webcam on recent MacBook and iMac models:

https://github.com/patjak/bcwc_pcie

https://github.com/patjak/bcwc_pcie/wiki

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