Asahi Linux Still Working on Apple M3 Support, M1n1 Bootloader Going Rust

Asahi’s Pace vs Apple’s Chip Cadence

• Some see supporting each new M‑series chip as a Sisyphean task; others (including a contributor) say most non‑GPU/NPU interfaces evolve incrementally, so once a base of drivers exists, a small team can keep up.
• Many note that even an M1 remains very capable for years, so lagging behind the latest hardware is acceptable, especially for Linux users who often prefer older/used machines.

Openness, Secure Boot, and General‑Purpose Computing

• Several worry that Macs are a last bastion of general‑purpose computing as platforms drift toward locked‑down, signed‑only ecosystems.
• Apple deliberately allowed other OSes to boot on Apple Silicon Macs, unlike iOS/iPadOS, but people fear this could be revoked in future generations.

User Experience: What Works Well, What Doesn’t

• Many report Asahi on M1/M2 as remarkably polished: smooth installation, good daily usability, strong performance, even working 3D gaming for some.
• Key missing pieces remain: no Thunderbolt/DP Alt‑Mode on some models, no reliable suspend‑to‑RAM or hibernate, and notable sleep battery drain. These keep some users on macOS as primary OS, with Asahi only for specific tasks.

Bare‑Metal Linux vs Virtualization

• Several insist VMs/containers (Docker, Orbstack, UTM, Apple’s container project) can’t replace bare‑metal Linux for things like Wi‑Fi promiscuous mode, low‑level debugging, or obscure kernel features.
• Others argue macOS + a well‑integrated Linux VM is more pragmatic than fighting incomplete hardware support.

Mac Hardware vs Linux‑Native Laptops

• Strong divide: some claim no PC vendor matches MacBook build quality, battery life, and reliability; others point to ThinkPads, Framework, and Linux‑preloaded OEMs as “good enough” or ethically preferable, despite worse battery life.
• Cost, repairability, and upgradability (soldered RAM/SSD vs modular designs) are major axes of disagreement.

Project Health and Strategy

• Commenters note key reverse‑engineering figures leaving and worry Asahi is “on life support.”
• Others counter that the current focus is upstreaming and maintenance; GPU for M3+ is hard because Apple changed the instruction set, but core platform support continues.

Apple’s Incentives and Documentation

• Many argue Apple has little financial reason to fund Linux drivers: profit comes from ecosystem lock‑in, not from selling Macs to Linux users.
• Apple is seen as “hands‑off but not hostile”: they neither document nor actively block Linux, which forces Asahi to continue its reverse‑engineering approach.