_<style>.literal {font-family: courier; color: #eee;}_</style>
The _<A HREF="https://wikipedia.org/wiki/MacBook_Pro">MacBook_&nbsp;Pro_</A>:
a workstation-level PC that I switched to 
after decades on _<A HREF="2013 Vaio Z.jpg.html">Windows_</A> 
for the software development that I was starting to do on a
pro-bono/hobby basis.

Windows was going down some dark paths at this point (including
mandatory updates, antivirus, and marketing), and the Macintosh 
had all the tools that an old Unix developer craves.  Well, that,  
and draconian app-store 
_<A HREF="https://learning-python.com/macos-app-installs-2025/_thumbspage/1-frigcal-open.png.html">
biases_</A>,
rude _<span class=literal>._*_</span> 
AppleDouble files on exFAT drives
and _<span class=literal>.DS_Store_</span> files
_<A HREF="https://learning-python.com/mergeall-products/unzipped/UserGuide.html#cruft">
everywhere_</A>, 
and enough proprietary nonsense and frequent change to keep it interesting.

Still, Unix coherence, a real Bash command line, and Office made macOS
a net win.  Windows storage was too slow and its UI was nowhere near as 
nice_&mdash;though it's adopted many of macOS's UI ideas since then; and 
Linux didn't run Office and was too personality based_&mdash;one really
shouldn't have to rely on online gossip to use a computer.

_<HR>
_<I>2024 Update_</I>: Linux can also be used within Windows today thanks 
to WSL2, and this nearly negates its lack of Office.  At latest look,
though, WSL2's cross-platform storage access was still quite slow, and
its GUI support was still haphazard.  See the vetting doc 
_<A HREF="https://quixotely.com/PC-Phone%20USB%20Sync/Tech-Notes.html#n9">here_</A>.