One would think that over the last decades, with a countless number of smart people, there would be a Linux distro on the level of macOS. I am talking about a distro, that you don't have to configure anything for. A distro that handles things like external devices screen recording without weird glitches. A distro that is _worry free_ and that _just works_.
Why do you think that is the case? Or am I simply ignorant of the current state of Linux distros?
Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
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Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#2Ubuntu entered the chat
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#3Ubuntu entered the chat
I have so many issues with standby, power control and dedicated graphics on 20.04 on my ThinkPad... it's not yet comparable. getting there, but not yet.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#4Mac owns the hardware. If you run a hackintosh, you will discover just as many oddities as any Linux distribution does on variant hardware to the spec of a PC or laptop.
Try a Linux in system76 or some purpose built hardware, or the vendor installed Linux on a system.
BTW osx on my m1pro has its oddities with non apple external Thunderbird, displayport, Ethernet..
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#5I use Fedora with Gnome 42 and it "just works" for me.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#6macOS only runs on compatible hardware.
If you buy compatible Linux hardware then Linux "just works" too. It won't work with just random stuff you found in a basement the same way hackintoshes don't "just work" either.
Also, after the trash fire that's M1 Mac external monitor support I'd strongly dispute the "just works" tag for macOS too.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#7I noticed that on specific laptops, over the years Ubuntu and other large distributions work better Out-of-the-box, especially if it's a popular device with laptops.
For instance my couple years old Thinkpad yoga had some wifi issues in the beginning, but it got better later. There were also some very specific configuration issues, but the defaults got better over the years.
Also, people were making github repos with a one-click "fix a lot of stuff" scripts. So I guess if you have a specific device, it can get better. Like framework laptops, popular thinkpads, those dell laptops etc
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#8The closest you will get is probably openSUSE, which has "YaST", a graphical tool to configure almost everything you will ever need, eliminating 99% of the reason to open a terminal.
They also have "PackMan", probably the largest single repository of third party software available to any distro, which eliminates the need to add third party repos for all but the most obscure software.
But, Apple still has one advantage. They make the hardware, and the software. You're always going to have a very variable experience when the two are made separately.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#9Ubuntu entered the chat
I have so many issues with standby, power control and dedicated graphics on 20.04 on my ThinkPad... it's not yet comparable. getting there, but not yet.
It definitely depends on the hardware. It works pretty well if not too new and if old, it is mostly perfect. I get a lot of older laptops from friends in my town and first thing I do is installing Ubuntu to see if how well it works. Usually, it is perfect or almost perfect but these are 3+ year laptops usually without discrete GPU’s.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no Linux distro that “just works” like macOS?
#10macOS only runs on compatible hardware. If you buy compatible Linux hardware then Linux "just works" too. It won't work with just random stuff you found in a basement the same way hackintoshes don't "just work" either. Also, after the trash fire that's M1 Mac external monitor support I'd strongly dispute the "just works" tag for macOS too.
Everything external display I’ve plugged my M1 Mac into has worked well. Monitors of various dimensions and a TV. It’s just-worked for me. What’s the trash for you’re referring to?