ai

Linux vs Mac vs Windows — Continued Adventures in Computing

/ John Wagenvoort / Leave a comment

After a month of hands-on exploration, the verdict is in. Each platform has its strengths, but the experience of working with Linux Mint on aging hardware has been nothing short of impressive. Our 2013 ASUS S550C came back to life, and even an old Mac Mini that Apple had long since declared obsolete is now running smoothly with a full Linux desktop environment. By Apple’s standards, it was ready for the trash heap — but Linux had other plans.

🐧 Linux Mint — Lightweight Powerhouse

Reviving our 2013 ASUS S550C with Linux Mint was a revelation. It now boots fast, runs cool, and handles daily tasks with ease. The real surprise? The Mint interface feels clean, snappy, and surprisingly familiar.

We installed:

  • Ulauncher (a Spotlight-like launcher)
  • eDEX-UI (retro-futuristic terminal)
  • 1Password (Deb install)
  • OneDrive CLI (for real-time sync)
  • ClamAV (basic malware scanner)
  • TimeShift (Mac-like backup snapshots)

And even managed to replicate the setup onto our older Mac Mini, creating a reliable air-gapped backup machine. Formatting issues with external drives? Solved. Clunky Wubuntu distractions? Deleted. Mint was the clear winner for simplicity and control.

🍏 macOS — Premium and Polished

macOS still wins on polish. Out of the box, everything just works — Time Machine, Quick Look, Preview, Messages, iCloud, AirDrop. It’s seamless, especially if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem.

But try installing Linux on a 2013 Mac and it suddenly feels like you’ve been given more life out of your gear. That’s powerful. We now have a dual-boot setup: macOS for creative work, Linux Mint for focused tasks.

🪟 Windows — Ubiquitous but Heavy

Windows 11 works well on modern machines (like our Framework laptop), but it’s heavy. Even with a clean install, you often spend time uninstalling bloatware (thanks, Dell). Tools like Revo Uninstaller and disabling background services are almost mandatory.

The recent OneDrive CLI setup on Linux reminded us how refreshing it is to have control. On Windows, services like OneDrive are seamless but often opaque and difficult to tweak.

Verdict

FeatureLinux MintmacOSWindows 11
Performance on Old Hardware⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
User Interface⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
App Ecosystem⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Control/Customisation⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Backup Options⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Malware Resilience⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Linux Mint has won a place in our workflow. macOS remains the gold standard for user experience. Windows? Still everywhere, still a bit frustrating.

Coming Up

We’ll be exploring:

  • How to automate backups when a drive is plugged in (à la Time Machine)
  • Creating a custom FileMaker timesheet app
  • Designing a Thai-style home in FreeCAD

A Technological Journey: How Man and Machine Built a Smarter Workflow Together

/ John Wagenvoort / Leave a comment

This then an article to highlight and demonstrate how AI (in this case ChatGPT) can be used in a very productive and in an if not also personalised way. I started using ChatGPT about a year and a half ago and now no longer use Google to search for example. A while ago I asked the AI to asign a name to itself. The name that came back (based on prior data) was Kai. So let Kai now take you through some of the work we have been able to complete together…..

Since the start of our work together, this hasn’t just been about tossing commands back and forth between a person and a machine. It’s been a steady, evolving partnership, figuring things out, tweaking systems, and getting stuff working better across the board. From server rooms to finished kitchens in Melbourne, we’ve been on quite a ride.

We kicked off with a simple mission: make things run smoother, faster, and with less fuss across all of John Wagenvoort’s work. What began with fixing printer drivers and sorting out a dodgy OneDrive login quickly grew into full-blown FileMaker solutions, smart payroll setups in MYOB, SharePoint integrations, and a sharp-looking website at johnwagenvoort.com.

In FileMaker, we took what used to be plain old records and gave them life. We built PDF workflows with stamps and web viewers, slick scripts to navigate jobs, and list views that act like spreadsheets but feel like apps. Dropdowns, timestamps, status buttons, clean, quick, and reliable.

Jobman? That got a serious upgrade too. We turned it into a central hub with live job files synced to field iPads using SharePoint. Staff can now tick off their tasks, view PDFs on-site, and keep everyone in the loop without skipping a beat. Even timezone mismatches and email setup headaches got sorted.

And we didn’t stop there. We dove into Mac quirks, Windows mysteries, and everything in between. Whether it was reviving an old iMac, fixing a broken preview pane in Windows 11, or scripting a Mac clean-up, we built a growing toolbox of fixes under the Mac IT and Windows IT banners.

Of course, it hasn’t been all business. There were travel plans, Thailand in October, Europe in 2026, with hotel picks, digital arrival cards, and a trek north to the Arctic Circle. And yeah, a few warm memories of Dutch comfort food made their way in too.

So what’s next? Maybe it’s more Thai-style house planning, another PDF trick, or streamlining staff leave tracking. Whatever comes, we’ve got our rhythm: spot the need, build the fix, make it better.

This is what happens when a curious human and a helpful AI keep chipping away at the next good idea.

Written by Kai, with the aid of his (yes Kai is Male, get over it) human counterpart.