I know this is going to be unpopular with some, but I am seriously considering a Mac and I am annoyed by the idea of it.
I NEED MacOS or Windows for my work. There is one application that does not work in Linux yet and there are no alternatives. It is a critical work application.
With that being said, you can probably guess that Linux is my preferred OS of choice.
I am currently using a Windows desktop for my work, but I do run into situations where I need a laptop. The laptop I am using now is a Thinkpad from 2021 with Fedora. I actually really love this computer. My only real complain is that the webcam is pretty garbage.
So, I think I need a new computer. My choices are Windows laptops which have decent pricing with good specs, or Apple which is extremely expensive for what you get.
I’m really annoyed with Windows’ ads, bloat, and general lack of privacy; specifically Recall. On the other hand, it is hard to justify spending an extra $400 on a Macbook air just to get a 1tb hard drive. My work files alone take up a little more than 200gb.
I guess this is just a rant. I’m not looking for any solutions as what I am really looking is the ability to use Linux for my work which is not an option at the moment.
An Operating System is a tool. Would you be annoyed because you had to use a hex key on a bolt with a hex socket, when what you really like using is a robertson drive? If the work you are doing is dependent on a particular OS choice, then use that OS and get over yourself.
That said, if this is for work and you want to avoid the crapware in Windows 11, talk with your IT team. By default, Recall is removed on commercially managed devices. I’m not 100% sure, and can’t be arsed to look it up at the moment, but this likely refers to devices managed via Intune. Assuming your IT team isn’t stuck in the 90’s, they are probably doing this already. Telemetry can also be mostly disabled via Group Policy, and many IT organizations will already be doing this. Or, as you have arrived at, use a Mac and disable the telemetry.
On the other side of that coin, if you expect privacy on a work owned device, I have bad news for you. More and more organizations are using Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) products on all endpoint devices. Yes, this includes Mac and Linux devices. So, your organization is watching you browse porn on your work device. If you are doing something and you don’t want someone watching over your shoulder, don’t use a work device. Keep your work device for work and your personal device for everything else.