Asahi Linux Progress Report: Linux 6.19

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s stance and openness

  • General agreement that Apple is aware of Asahi; some recall deliberate bootloader features that make alternative OS booting easier on Macs than on iPads/iPhones.
  • Explanations differ:
    • One camp sees this as Apple enabling choice and avoiding jailbreaks.
    • Another sees it as a “safe path” for hackers so they don’t dig into more sensitive areas, or as a way to observe exploits.
  • Some argue Apple could lock things down at any time, which makes people wary of depending on Asahi.

Why run Linux on Macs?

  • Main motivations: Apple’s high‑quality hardware (screen, trackpad, build, battery) combined with a preference for Linux tooling, workflows, and openness.
  • Linux is seen as the de‑facto platform for cloud/web/ML; macOS being “a capable Unix” is not equivalent.
  • Others question the point, given macOS similarity and risk; for them, x86 laptops with good Linux support are “good enough”.

Hardware quality, alternatives, and e‑waste

  • Many see Apple laptops as the best overall, with Thinkpads/X1 Carbon as the main open alternative but worse on noise, battery, and refinement.
  • Debate over whether modern x86 (e.g., recent Intel/Qualcomm) now matches M‑series efficiency.
  • Several hope Asahi can extend the life of used M1/M2 machines and reduce e‑waste; others argue non‑repairability undermines that.

Project maturity and technical gaps

  • On M1/M2, Asahi is reported as daily‑driver ready for some: keyboard, touchpad, Wi‑Fi, NVMe, USB3 solid; battery life ~⅔ of macOS but still “don’t think about it” for some users.
  • Major missing/rough areas: Thunderbolt, external displays (partly available via experimental kernels), fingerprint sensor, newer GPUs (no M3/M4/M5 GPU support yet).
  • M3 support is roughly where M1 was at first beta; M4 introduces tricky boot/monitor changes.

Longevity, repairability, and risk

  • Concern that soldered SSDs and integrated design make Apple Silicon laptops effectively disposable; others counter that SSD failures are rare and board‑level repair is growing.
  • Core fear: a small reverse‑engineering team may struggle to keep up with Apple’s silicon roadmap long‑term, echoing Wine vs. Windows debates.

Funding and sustainability

  • Many express admiration for the tiny Asahi team and wish it had funding for more developers, QA, and hardware.
  • Explanation given: crypto/VC money wants direct profits, which a free hardware‑enablement project can’t offer; donations (e.g., via OpenCollective) exist but won’t fund “a staff of fifty”.

Broader ecosystem implications

  • Thread reflects anxiety that custom, closed silicon (like Apple’s) will dominate while free software lags.
  • Some advocate voting with wallets and regulatory intervention against locked boot chains; others note that, for now, Apple remains the only mainstream vendor shipping top‑tier ARM laptops.