My Thinkpad is dead, back on the (old) macbook

My trusty Thinkpad is finally so slow that I’ve calling it dead.

This is bringing great shame to me as I know am resorting to using my partners old Mac.

I think I’ve been a linux master race user since leaving mac around 2017-2018. Despite mac being based on linux it still sucks to use.

No docker (docker destop/orbstack/colima are all workarounds), inexplicable usage of the “Command” key in the “Alt” key position, weird security prompts requiring clicky clicky.

But, I do get it, people enjoy this because some things “just work”. I mean they work because millions and millions are poured into its development.

Now I need to figure out how to manage Chezmoi with two different operating systems. Should I keep using mise, or just leverage brew. I feel like the answers to these questions are only a footgun away!

On a good note, rebuilding this machine showed me that my zet tool no longer builds as an underlying package has been deleted upstream. I’m guessing its cached on my other machines so I didn’t notice - some learnings in there. I rewrote the tool using https://github.com/alecthomas/kong over the weekend to get it back online.

https://github.com/danielmichaels/zet-cmd

Edit: adding apps that have similar ergonomics on Mac as they do linux:

Terminals

Dropdown:

iterm2 is (so far) the only terminal I can configure to have dropdown like functionality similar to guake or ddterm on Linux. This really breaks my flow. I have f12 mapped to dropdown a terminal meaning I can keep my IDE/Browser whatever in view whilst I have terminal access. Iterm2 supports this BUT if you use mac’s desktop’s it’ll yank you from a fullscreen in desktop 3 back to desktop 1 if thats where you “main” desktop is. Iterm won’t dropdown into the current desktop - only the “main”, typically desktop 1. I’m sure theres a mac way of explaining this but its a massively negative experience for my flow.

Edit: I think I’ve fixed this by doing this, which is to set Profiles -> <profile> -> Keys -> Configure Hotkey WindowFloating Window -> Floating Window then restart iTerm. Works well so far..

Terminal:

wezterm and Iterm2 so far are the only terminals that support the Zellij option key (alt rebinding).

Terminals that do not support my workflow:

• ghostty: doesn’t work well with Zellij, no alt key alternative
• alacrity: as above
• kitty: as above

Tags:

#mac #linux