I've been alternating between Linux (Fedora/KDE) and macOS since the beginning of the year.

I'd describe Linux and the software running on Linux like this:

Less polish, more power.

What I find challenging is that sometimes I want the power, other times I want the polish.

Surprisingly, I am starting to prefer being in Linux than being in macOS. Linux feels like it's mine and I like that feeling. Everything in the OS makes me believe it was done with me mind. "Me" being "the user". Even when things are frustrating, I usually understand why. macOS used to feel this way, but has drifted from it. It's not all Tahoe's fault, but it certainly hasn't helped.

What I miss most about running macOS is not macOS. It's the software. The polish.

Most of the stuff I use on Linux also works on my Mac. That doesn't apply the other way around. Whenever I discover some cool new app and find that it's macOS only, it stings a little.

I want BBEdit and Tinderbox and Keyboard Maestro and Things and iA Writer and Preview. There are usually "equivalent" apps on Linux, but they're not really. They do mostly the same things, but they're not the same. Not even close. It's been hard to adjust.

The other glaring omission on Linux is an easy way to share things with family and friends. How am I supposed to send funny memes to my wife when I have to jump through so many hoops first?

KDE Connect would be a great solution, but every other time I want to use it, the computer can't see my phone, or vice versa. By the time I cycle wifi on both devices, the moment has passed. Maybe I'll try talking everyone into switching to Signal. Ha! There's no chance of that, so I'm on my own here.

If we're keeping track, I'm writing this in Emacs on the Linux desktop. It's where I'll probably end up full time eventually, but it's not happened yet.

d

I swear every one of my gel and ballpoint pens has started skipping at once.

The plan was to only generate /notes with ox-hugo, but I just spent like an hour getting the snippet and properties configured so I can generate these journal posts also. WHY!?

For a few years (a few years ago) I wrote all my blog posts using one big Org mode outline and let ox-hugo generate the Markdown files for Hugo. I eventually decided it was a layer of abstraction that I didn't need, so I fell back to writing in Markdown directly.

I'm really into using Emacs for everything again (still?), so I dusted off and updated my old ox-hugo config and here I am, typing this with Emacs in a big Org mode outline.

I have a (ya)snippet for generating the posts, like so:

# -*- mode: snippet -*-
# name: Hugo blog post
# key: blog
# uuid: blog
# --
**** TODO ${1:title}
:PROPERTIES:
:EXPORT_FILE_NAME: index.md
:EXPORT_HUGO_BUNDLE: `(format-time-string "%Y-%m-%d")`-${1:$(replace-regexp-in-string " " "-" (downcase yas-text))}
:EXPORT_HUGO_SLUG: ${1:$(replace-regexp-in-string " " "-" (downcase yas-text))}
:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :coverCaption ""
:END:

#+begin_description

#+end_description

$0

The snippet prompts for a title, then creates the appropriate properties for the post.

One nice thing about this is that once the Markdown is generated, I no longer need the .org file. Writing this way is a bonus, but not a requirement.

I've been running Navidrome on the NAS for a few weeks as a way to avoid figuring out how to use Roon on Linux. Navidrome is no Roon, but it's fast and simple and works well enough for my purposes.

Navidrome's web UI is fine, but I thought I'd look for a "real" (Linux) client for it. Navidrome's API is compatible with the OpenSubsonic API, which apparently is quite popular, so there are many options. I've started with Supersonic.

I don't tinker with my music clients much. I listen to complete albums only and almost never use playlists.

Supersonic as a front end to Navidrome is working great so far.

I'm sure you are tired of hearing about my non-stop waffling around software, operating systems, workflows, etc., and in that case, I apologize in advance.

After putting the Macs in the closet and committing to Linux, I went 180° and dug the Macs out and shelved the Linux machines. Now, I've been back on Linux exclusively again for a few days. I'm finding I prefer being in KDE than Tahoe. A week ago I wrote How I feel when using Linux and that became even more true the longer I was back on macOS. I need to decide if I can live without the apps that I thought I couldn't live without. Still working on that.

Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World – On my Om:

We’re living in the endgame. Algorithmic reality doesn’t just commodify interaction. It standardizes imagination. The algorithms squeeze creativity out of millions by showing them exactly what “works.” We don’t get unique. We get infinite variations of the same.

I hate 90% of the internet, now. It makes me sad and angry.

When I was setting up my desktop computer with Linux, I wanted to install Gnome, but I couldn't get itto work with the Apple Studio Display. I went with KDE instead, and put Gnome on the laptop.

After using both for a couple weeks, it turns out I prefer KDE. This morning, I wiped the Framework and installed KDE. It took me a couple of hours to get to a point where I could do most of the things I normally do (write this post, for example).

I didn't take detailed notes, but I did list all of the things I've done so far. I'm putting it here for safe keeping. I keep threatening to make this into a script, but honestly I'd rather just run through it manually each time.

Install log for Fedora/KDE on the Framework

Jan 16, 2026

• Configure inverse scrolling
• Disable tap-to-click
• Set Caps Lock as Control
• Log into 1Password
• Log into Firefox
• sudo dnf install syncthing
• Add device to Syncthing from another computer. Share everything
• sudo dnf install -y stow
• sudo dnf install -y fzf ripgrep zoxide just
• curl -sS https://starship.rs/install.sh | sh
• stow bash
• stow auth
• stow ssh
• sudo dnf install -y pandoc
• sudo dnf install -y texlive-scheme-full
• sudo dnf install -y neovim
• add Start Syncthing to Autostart apps
• stow pandoc
• sudo dnf install -y btop
• sudo dnf install -y fastfetch
• sudo dnf install -y emacs
• git clone https://github.com/jamescherti/minimal-emacs.d.git .config/emacs
• git clone git@github.com:jackbaty/dotemacs.git .config/emacs-mine
• cp .config/emacs-mine/pre-early-init.el .config/emacs/
• ln -s ~/Sync/emacs/manual-packages .config/emacs-mine/
• Install Berkeley Mono font to ./local/share/fonts
• sudo dnf copr enable dejan/lazygit && sudo dnf install lazygit
• Install Signal (Flatpak)
• sudo dnf install aerc
• stow aerc
• python3 -m venv maestral-venv
• python3 -m pip install --upgrade maestral
• maestral start (then auth with Dropbox)
• maestral autostart -Y
• sudo dnf install -y go hugo

I hit a computing wall yesterday. Suddenly, I stopped caring about any of it. I'd just as soon live in the woods than think about how to manage my dotfiles (again). Or sync, or window managers. In fact, I don't want to think about the computer at all. I just want to use it. For some reason all I do is think about it. I'm back on macOS again on my desktop and thinking about just ditching Linux for now. It's so cool, though! Maybe when I start wanting to think about the computer again. This mood probably won't last, but for now, I'm going to go out and take some pictures.

I'm sitting here at my Fedora desktop thinking about how I spent hours yesterday learning about and setting up Chezmoi for managing my dotfiles. Just a week ago I posted something on Mastodon to the effect of, "I think I lost the thread the minute I started worrying about managing my dotfiles." I started wondering if maybe maybe the all-in-with-Linux thing wasn't such a great idea. It's fun, but it has consumed so much of my time that I'm wondering if it's worth it. I kind of want to stop thinking about it. I'm charging the MacBook Air as I type this. You don't want to be in my head. It's chaos in there.

And now I'm typing on the Mac Mini at my desk. I need a break from trying to make everything I want to do on a computer do it the way I want it to on Linux. I think where I'll end up is macOS on desktop and Linux on the Framework. The laptop will be more of a satellite device and not one that I need to do everything on. Just writing and browsing, mostly.

I'm considering bringing back the /notes section of the blog. For a minute I planned to modify the template so that /notes didn't display or require titles. Thing is, I don't want to go down the customize-my-blog-all-day path right now. I'm busy enough with the move to Linux. Maybe later.

My reef tank continues to confound all efforts to make it pretty.

The most pressing problem is a serious outbreak of Aiptasia. I've been unable to keep up with it using chemical methods^[1]. The most common non-chemical suggestion is to introduce Berghia Nudibranch into the tank. The only thing these "sea slugs" eat is Aiptasia.

My tank is only 32 gallons, so I ordered six slugs. The medium ones (1/2-3/4 inch in length) run about $17 each. The expensive part was shipping. They must be shipped overnight, so shipping was $56. Yeesh.

They arrived yesterday and I began to drip-acclimate them. Once acclimated, I placed their jar on its side on a live rock. They all eventually crawled out onto the rock in about two hours. They immediately disappear into crevasses and holes in the rock. They are nocturnal and remain hidden most of the time, so it's likely I'll never even see them again.

I'm told it can take months for them to seriously dent the Aiptasia population, so now I wait.