Asahi Linux Issues First Alpha Release For Running Linux On Apple Silicon

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Asahi Linux Issues First Alpha Release For Running Linux On Apple Silicon

The Asahi Linux project for running Linux on Apple Silicon (currently the Apple M1 SoCs) is out with its first official alpha release...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Asahi-Linux-Apple-M1-Alpha

[Developer12]

Some really nice analyses of the system architecture too.

[Developer12]

This alpha, made possible in part by apple's engineers gifting the team a fix for the one part of the asahi installer process that required a hacky race condition.

Apple helped them and continues to help them far more than anyone wants to admit, the load of anti-apple FUD-mongers.

[Setif]

I always feel that this project will end up like the open source 'nouveau' driver.

[Developer12]

I always feel that this project will end up like the open source 'nouveau' driver.

Nouveau died because nvidia took concrete steps to block it. They were writing their own power management firmware before nvidia implemented firmware signing.

Apple by contrast has invested a lot of development manpower into making this possible. The dual boot system, where different OSs can have independent levels of security? That took a lot of effort and made the system SIGNIFICANTLY more complex. Even just this past week apple fixed a critical issue for them that forced them into a race condition during the install process.

It's quite clear by now that apple has important plans and goals for linux on M1 silicon.

[rhadlee]

I am concerned about combined single-vendor hardware and software stacks such as the combination of Apple Silicon and macOS. At its core, this is a highly uncompetitive situation where users are not only restricted in what operating system they can run. Worse, Apple can control what owners of M1 Macs can and cannot do with their hardware.

In my view, this calls for a legal crackdown where there has to be consumer choice on all levels of the stack. Reverse engineering the proprietary M1 hardware is a heroic effort, but is also hardly sustainable. Chances are that some of the more obscure hardware features will never be fully understood without proper documentation.

[ⲣⲂaggins]

This alpha, made possible in part by apple's engineers gifting the team a fix for the one part of the asahi installer process that required a hacky race condition.

Apple helped them and continues to help them far more than anyone wants to admit, the load of anti-apple FUD-mongers.

A real gift would be GPU documentation.

[Mark Rose]

If they can sell the hardware to Linux users, that's more hardware sold.

[Volta]

Apple helped them and continues to help them far more than anyone wants to admit, the load of anti-apple FUD-mongers.

It seems apple finally want to have a fast and secure system on their hardware.

[archsway]

A real gift would be GPU documentation.

GPUs are easy to reverse engineer. The problem is finding someone with the time, interest, and ability to write a driver.

The best way to make one of those appear is to have someone with an M1 machine as their only computer who bricked their macOS install but really wants to play 3D games on it.