In the spring of 2025, I gave up on Linux, sold most of my Dell workstations, and replaced them with a Mac Studio. Having used an iMac back in 2009 for app development, the return to Apple’s ecosystem has, once again, paid off. Since I handle most of my programming and web design on GhostBSD, I’ve configured the Mac primarily for LMStudio and audio production, where it excels.
Inspired by privacy expert Naomi Brockwell, I implemented all the tweaks recommended in her YouTube video, “How to Make Your Mac PRIVATE,” to ensure my macOS setup prioritizes privacy without sacrificing usability.
Installed Software
Brave
I use Safari for web design but prefer Brave for casual browsing due to its robust ad and tracker blocking right out of the box. It feels fast, secure, and private without needing extensions or complex tweaks. In addition, I turn off most settings to enjoy a smooth, uncluttered experience. Brave quietly protects my privacy and speeds up browsing, making it an excellent daily driver for everyday internet use.
Harrison Mixbus 10 Plus
I picked up Harrison Mixbus 10 Plus during a Black Friday sale because it worked on Linux. The audio recording and mixing tools are top-notch and it comes with more plugins and processing than I’ll ever need. However, the MIDI editing features are too limited for my needs. Since it doesn’t save MIDI data properly, I’ve decided not to upgrade it any further and will be switching to another DAW. If Mixbus had more advanced MIDI capabilities, I’d absolutely stick with it because it is very capable on the audio side.
LMStudio
LMStudio is my preferred app for running local large language models (LLMs) like qwen3-coder 30B and others. It’s intuitive, lightweight, and supports a server mode that allows me to integrate Morpheus FastAPI for local text-to-speech (TTS) tasks alongside general AI workflows. LMStudio makes it easy to experiment with cutting-edge models without relying on cloud services, a perfect fit for my Mac Studio.
LocalWP
Over the years, I’ve used dozens of apps but few have impressed me as much as LocalWP. Whoever conceived and built this gem deserves serious credit. Running a local mirror of WordPress sites is an absolute breeze. Just install LocalWP, spin up as many sites as you need, and you’re ready to develop, test, and experiment without touching a live server. For local WordPress development, there’s simply nothing better.
Pixelmator Pro
The only good thing about Pixelmator Pro is that I was able to install it for free. Apple remembered my original purchase from nearly 15 years ago when I used an iMac for development. While it took some time to get used to, and I occasionally needed AI assistance for basic tasks like cropping, it does have standout features. My favorite is the background removal tool, which works impressively well. That said, for most editing tasks, I still prefer using GIMP.
UTM
On Linux, I relied on virt-manager for virtualization, and I was impressed when I discovered UTM on macOS. It runs ARM64 versions of Ubuntu and Debian super fast, and setting up a bridged network is refreshingly easy. That said, for now, I don’t have UTM installed since I prefer running GhostBSD on actual hardware, as there is no ARM64 version available.
Lately, Linux seems to focus on features I don’t want, like Flatpak, while issues with system suspend and wakeup remain unfixed. Those problems, along with several other developments, made me switch to the Mac, which just works without wasting my time. Still, UTM remains the best option for running Linux if I ever want to.
VsCodium
VsCodium is my go-to code editor for development work. I appreciate its clean interface and extensive extension ecosystem. Whether I’m writing scripts, debugging, or managing projects, VsCodium delivers a smooth and efficient coding experience on macOS.