> I buy a computer so I can write software on it.

And I use Free Software operating systems to ensure that I can continue to do so.

I fully support this effort and the Linux port for the eventual time when Apple does eventually stop supporting this hardware. But at that point in time, I won't be relying on it for work anymore, it will be a hobby/ project, much like my G4 iMac.

In the mean time, it's very fun seeing how quickly people are making progress on this.

>> I buy a computer so I can write software on it.

> And I use Free Software operating systems to ensure that I can continue to do so.

The point of this discussion is your ability to run a free OS on an M1 Mac.

Or rather the lack of ability to run a free os on M1.

> If they did something that got in the way of building the software I need to build? Then I'd punch out in a heartbeat.

Sadly I don't do it for a living, but the stuff I like to write is all tuned for performance, they don't tell me anything about the CPU, so even if I was in the market for one I still wouldn't buy one as I couldn't have any fun using it.

And Computers stopped being mere tools years ago - the phone has now supplanted the laptop and desktop in this regard, but it remains true that many people are in terms of knowledge and purchasing power completely at the whim of (in this case) Apple to go about their lives.

I agree with most of what you say, but this:

> And Computers stopped being mere tools years ago - the phone has now supplanted the laptop and desktop in this regard

Is just plainly inaccurate. The phone has nowhere near supplanted the desktop in multiple scenarios. Office work and programming [0] both come to mind.

[0] And this was the specific use-case brought up by the parent. Pretty obvious a phone is not a competitor for that.

My point was that the phone has supplanted the computer as the sole device for many people i.e. people of my generation will often ask for an app rather than a website

To add to your point, an app is typically preferred for it’s performance compared to a website in a browser. As is developing on hardware with known quirks and structure vs vague hardware. I don’t understand the defense that developing on FOSS within unknown walls is somehow acceptable.

That is a fair point. I just found it important to point out that for many use-cases, including most of the ones in this discussion, phones are a complete nonstarter.

I do apologize for how aggressively I came across as well, that was uncalled for.

> I do apologize for how aggressively I came across as well, that was uncalled for.

No problem https://xkcd.com/386/ - you know the drill!

> And Computers stopped being mere tools years ago - the phone has now supplanted the laptop and desktop in this regard, but it remains true that many people are in terms of knowledge and purchasing power completely at the whim of (in this case) Apple to go about their lives.

I don't follow your chain of though here at all. It is a thing I use to get a job done... that's pretty much the definition of what a tool is.