I'm asking this genuinely because I want to like apple.
What do you do that you can't on Linux or Windows? I love their hardware, I just don't see a need for the software. (I want a MacBook air with Linux mint very badly)
I run windows, Linux and Mac boxes. The software I use for work will only run on windows and Mac, does not work well with any Linux virt windows app (though people are constantly trying). Windows is fine, I don’t particularly care for osx. I simply don’t like Microsoft attitude to me a user of their product.
OSX allows me to disable most things. I’m sure it will get shittier as well, but for the moment it works as well as my current pc. I do like apple hardware, not a fan of iOS.
It’s the most highly optimised software available for consumer computers. Much easier when you support a very limited set of devices which you have compete hardware control over.
It is UNIX so very similar to using Linux when you use a terminal.
The UI is very polished and very stable. MacOS has not changed how the UI works or feels in a long time, during which windows and Linux (gnome/kde) have changed a lot. Both becoming more like MacOS. macOS has changed a little mostly features and styling.
It has wide support, including support for priority programs that Linux does not. Apple appears and feels like they respect user privacy much better than Windows. You feel like you paid for the product and you are the customer. Unlike windows, where you pay to be exploited for data harvesting to the real customer advertisers. Apple is in many ways in between windows and Linux. Not as free and open, but not as exploitive and limited as windows. It’s a common misconception that MacOS is somehow locked down or walled off, it’s less locked down and walled off than windows. But like Linux it requires some terminal know how.
It's ok they share a lot brew works in both, climate will be very familiar. I think Macs are getting their own version of proton that isn't metal not sure though I don't pay too much attention to apple but I'd say it makes perfect sense as a switch if your tools aren't Linux supported
Thankfully, I went 99% Micro$haft free quite some time ago. I have two machines with windows literally only to support some essential services and tools that only exist for Windows and and are not able to be virtualized. Other than that, I’m all Linux. I stopped caring how much more fuel they’ve added to their own dumpster fire a long time ago because everything they do now is virus, spyware, data harvesting and government spying. I miss the days when they sometimes put out something outstanding, like OneNote.