I installed Ubuntu Linux and Omakub on my old Mac from 2015 to extend its life a little bit longer.
What are Ubuntu and Omakub?
When you have a Mac book for long enough, it stops getting OS updates. That happened to mine some time last year. I got the warning that my computer would no longer receive security updates, making it vulnerable to malware. The warning also mentioned that some software could stop working, and I noticed some software actually stopped working!
Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution that works on a wide variety of computers. Some computer hobbyists like myself prefer it to other operating systems. I happen to dislike the direction certain mainstream operating systems are going in, especially recently.
One pain point with Ubuntu is that there is quite a bit of customizing to do to really unlock its potential. Omakub is an installation script for “fresh” Ubuntu computers that fast-tracks this process, quickly turning it into a great developer workstation.
Why keep using an old computer?
Upgrading is good, but maybe not just right now. The longer I can wait, the better the upgrade will be. Just think of the awesome power computers will have after a couple more years of waiting.
My Mac book was top of the line when I got it. Most software doesn’t need more than 16gb RAM and 512gb of storage. I had a replacement battery installed as part of some other maintenance at the end of its warranty, and I got a new charger too. This computer works well enough and the parts have already been replaced. There’s currently no pressing need to upgrade to a faster or more storage intensive computer.
Prior to attempting this, I had Ubuntu on my Windows gaming desktop. I have no time for games anymore, and I have trouble putting a game down once I pick it up. I already knew that I could use Ubuntu for my developer work. Once Omakub was released last year, I knew Ubuntu could be a great developer machine with very little set up time.
How did it go?
I ran into a graphics issue in the installer where large parts of the screen turned white. Searching the webs for an answer suggested changing some kernel settings, but I did not do these things. First, I tried starting the installer in graphics safe-mode and that got me through the installation process. Installing went off without a problem.
After installation was complete, I installed Omakub. Again, large parts of the screen would turn white and I couldn’t see what some windows were displaying. Reinstalling Ubuntu and Omakub resolved this! The white screen issue came back and went away during a system upgrade. It doesn’t seem to be a big problem that needs any fixing on my end. I’m keeping an eye on it. Overall stability and usability is not impacted. Ubuntu now works on my laptop, and it’s nice.
Ubuntu itself is great for developers. Omakub takes care of a lot of the setup and installation of software. I’m noticing snaps are getting better. The Hugo I installed to produce this website was installed as a Snap package. However, The process of installing software remains my biggest complaint in Ubuntu. Switching between snap, apt, or adding a ppa to install what I need is not fun. However, once a package is installed, updates are automatically grabbed from the proper source. That is to say it’s not a big issue that ruins it for me.
Will it last?
WILL I BREAK DOWN AND GET A NEW MAC? Maybe one day, but not today. Tomorrows computers could be very different, the stars just aren’t aligned, maybe Mercury is in retrograde.
I’m happy this computer has been with me for 10 years. In a disposable world, this little laptop has grown on me. I doubt it’ll last another 10 years, but it’s nice to extend the life a little bit longer. The future could be radically different from the present. We might have repairable laptops that last 20+ years, or maybe we won’t have laptops at all!
Conclusion
Highly recommend trying Ubuntu on your old laptop. Ubuntu is getting better all the time while other operating systems seem to be sliding backwards. Highly recommend getting the most you can out of he computers you have, without opening yourself up to malware on an outdated operating system. It’s never been easier to switch.