2025-02-19

Progress on migrating away from the Apple ecosystem

A couple days ago I posted about my decision to stop using Apple products and services. Shortly after posting I came across Eric's post on Schwartztech highlighting a couple of other folks having very similar thoughts. First, he links to this post by Matt Massiocotte:

Apple is supporting a regime that is not just destroying democracy in the United States, but is actively working to do so globally. Not to mention attacking my own country of Canada.

And, now, Apple have also resumed using X, a platform whose sole purpose is to further these goals.

Yep.

Eric also pointed to a post by Konstantin, an Apple developer in the EU:

The time has come to make a choice... Unfortunately, this is not an inspirational post. The time has come to realize that Apple as an organization is actively supporting the authoritarian regime in the USA through their various donations and continued posting of ads and content on the X platform.

This is not a case of a local bipartisan misunderstanding one could dismiss with the #uspol hashtag. This is a global effort of misinformation and eradication of decades of human rights, economic and environmental progress.

As a European citizen, I find it impossible to continue.

Eric concludes his post:

"Apparently having all the money in the world (at least by market cap) doesn’t buy you a spine."

Agreed. In the two days since I made my decision to begin the process of migrating away I've taken significant first steps. I've retrieved my 2012 MacMini from storage on a shelf and have installed Mint Linux and the apps I need to do my website work. That's about half of my freelance income. That's a big chunk and it's done. I do have some kinks to work out but I can now do that work from that Linux Mac today.

I've created a migration plan. To be clear, I'm stuck for awhile because I have Apple hardware that will last for at least 6 years, likely longer. Half of my income is based on using the Affinity apps on the iPad Pro. I'll need to continue that for the foreseeable future. But that's okay, I'm not adding to Apple's bottom line by continuing with hardware and apps I already own. The exception here being that I may choose to replace a couple of device batteries to prolong their use. That makes more sense than replacing them so that's the plan.

The basics outline of the larger plan

I'll continue using the M1 MacMini as the base of my local cloud. This will allow me to downgrade my iCloud plan from the current $2.99/month to $.99. At some point after I'll go back to the free plan.

Moving files to my local network will be fairly easy to accomplish. Then it' just changing my workflows and shortcuts to rely on my local cloud files.

More difficult will be pulling all my photos out of iCloud. More than anything this is the iCloud storage I use and the app that has most spoiled me. At the latest I'd like to have this done by the end of the year, before if possible.

Then it falls to lots of other bits that I should be able to migrate out in coming months.

I'll scale back use of Apple's default apps like Apple Notes. That won't be too difficult as I prefer markdown and plain text anyway.
I rely on Reminders for a handful of regularly scheduled tasks so I'll need to address that.
Safari works pretty well for me on the iPad but going forward I'll likely switch to Firefox as it sees to be the browser preferred in Linux and will synch data.
I've relied heavily on my iCloud email account. Going forward I'll use my domains and gradually switch to those. Should have been doing it that way all along.
I'll stop using the App store and other services. When it comes to paid apps I'm generally pretty reserved anyway. In the past I've bought the occasional month of AppleTV+ and that may continue. I binge everything I want to watch in a month then cancel.
I've been happily using Apple's password system for years. Moving away from that is going to suck. I'm in no hurry on this one part of the process.
Over the past few years I've used AppleCash with family and that may continue to a limited extent. I have an Apple Card that I almost never use, I'll likely cancel that. All the credit card options are pretty terrible. I already have a very minimal footprint but will further reduce across the board.

Apple and tech culture

I'm a nerd. I enjoy writing about this stuff and have for at least 25 years. Going forward there will be a tone shift in what and where I write as well as in what I consume in the way of podcasts or videos. Any further mention of Apple will likely be connected in some way to my process of migration. I doubt I have more than a handful of readers but I write for enjoyment as well. It helps to clarify. Writing this post is helping me clarify my process and details. So, I'm looking forward to writing up details about what is working for me and what's not. Honestly, I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

In terms of consumption, I'd already cut way back on podcasts that discuss the Apple ecosystem as there's little diversity. With few exceptions it's upper middleclass, privileged white dudes talking about their overconsumption and the latest Apple rumors. I have no idea yet what exists in the way of Linux oriented podcasts though I've been watching quite a few YouTubes in that area and enjoying them. Will likely continue enjoying those especially if they're offering practical how-to content. Same for written content.

I'm glad to have begun this journey and looking forward to learning and experimenting again.

A final, semi-related side-note. As I write all this I am not unaware of the shitstorm raging in the US. I'm fully aware of the violence capitalism, neoliberalism and now, a fledgling dictatorship. And in the background the climate crisis growing worse by the month. Without getting too personal, I'll just say that since late 2022 I've had a persistent labyrithitis which basically means I've got vertigo 24-7. It fully sucks. While my brain has adapted to this and I'm able to mostly function it's sorta like having my head floating in a fish-bowl instead of being attached to a body. In other words, while I can drive short distances to our town 5 miles away I wouldn't feel safe or comfortable driving long distances.

As much as I love living in a tiny house in the woods I've always been an activist. I should be in the streets. I should be doing more. I know I'm not doing my part. And it fully sucks ass. For now I'll donate what I can afford. And as I am able to write I'll share my efforts (past, present and future) to disentangle from capitalism and the state. Right now this is taking the form of my further reducing my personal contribution to the fucked up machine of capitalism. I know, it's tiny, perhaps just symbolic. But it's what I can do in this moment.

I hope folks are staying safe and finding the ways they can help one another as they increase their resistance to this shit storm.

I don't have comments but I love email or you can find me on Mastodon.

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