John Spahr
Linux Saved My MacBook Air
Feb 13, 2026
Several months ago, I got an 11-inch 2015 MacBook Air. Mine is the model with the Core i5, 128 gig SSD, and 8 gigs of RAM. The hardware is still pretty nice. Yeah, the screen’s kind of bad and low-res. Admittedly, the lack of newer ports is a frustration. The speakers suck. It’s definitely a decade-old laptop.
However, this laptop is still amazing in a few ways. For one, it’s super compact and light. It’s delightful how portable it is. I can throw it in a bag and forget about it. MagSafe 2 works great, and the two type A ports are handy for sure. The keyboard is solid, as it’s not the infamous Butterfly keyboard. The touchpad is small but fine. Finally, it’s still quite snappy! The reapplied thermal paste and SSD definitely help with this, but the biggest improvement came from switching operating systems.
Look, I love macOS. It’s great on my MacBook Pro. Sadly, Monterey is the latest official release that this MacBook can run, which is a little old. Initially, I tried to install Sonoma via OpenCore Patcher, but it didn’t work well. The graphics driver had a lot of issues, and bear in mind that Sonoma isn’t even the latest version. It was really rough.
Linux was the obvious answer. First, I tried elementaryOS, but it struggled to recognize the EFI partition no matter what I tried. It simply didn’t work, and I didn’t have the patience to keep dealing with it.
Next was Ubuntu Budgie. I thought it looked good and would work nicely. Not so. Turns out that it hates the Broadcom wifi chip in this thing. The driver did not work well. Also, I had to screw around in the terminal to get it to suspend when I closed the MacBook’s lid. Notice a pattern here? I do. Hardware compatibility issues were popping up at every turn.
Finally, I landed on the latest release of Zorin OS. I preferred the UI to plain Ubuntu. Once I got it installed, I was pleasantly surprised. Things just worked! No driver issues were apparent. Shutting the lid shut it off. Best of all, it was super quick! Even after installing my usual apps, it had no problem juggling Chrome tabs and doing the light work that I use this ultra-portable laptop for.
Linux is frustrating. Things don’t just work. I understand why some people don’t want to mess with it. But the reward was worth it. Zorin OS makes this little MacBook not just usable, but fun to use. Its shortcomings are easily eclipsed by its performance and excellent portability. It’s perfect for small lecture hall desks.
For under $100, and with a little patience, a Linux-powered 2015 MacBook Air 11” is an incredible value. I can’t wait to keep using it over the coming years.
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Clicks Communicator: My Thoughts
Feb 2, 2026
Recently, a product announcement piqued my interest. Behold, the Clicks Communicator! To put it simply, this is a modern, Android-powered, BlackBerry-like keyboard phone. And I want so badly to be excited for it.
Theoretically, it has everything I need: Full access to the Play Store, Android Auto, modern specs, long-term update support, and 5G connectivity.
What rubs me the wrong way is how it's been announced. I think it's odd to be taking early bird preorders without even showing a working demo of the product. Even if a refund would be issued if things feel through, a competent phone is a very hard product to make. Not having a working prototype to show us and relying on 3D models does not inspire confidence.
It's for this reason that I have not preordered. Even though early birds get a sizable discount, I don't want to gamble on a product that might have a lot of issues and I haven't even seen yet. To its credit, Clicks has released multiple keyboard accessories already, but those are a lot less involved than making a proper modern(ish) phone.
If it works well, though, then I'm all in. My iPhone 15 Pro has some great things about it, like iMessage, Mac integration, and all the perks of a flagship smartphone. The problem is that it feels like a burden to me. I don't believe that buying a product is the right way to fix your relationship with technology at all, but I do think a phone less tailored to doom scrolling could be nice.
There are a lot of unknowns, and this first-generation product could really suck... Assuming it sees the light of day. I have no doubts about the talent or expertise of the Clicks team. Hell, I've been watching Mr. Mobile religiously since 2018. It's just that there are a lot of hurdles, and I'd rather pay the premium than gamble on it.
I guess by the standards of my Risk Management Insurance class, that makes me risk-averse. But I will take the leap of faith if the Communicator makes it to production and works well enough. Even if it has some flaws, I'm still all in. I love physical keyboards and the idea of owning something unique. That said, only time will tell. Fingers crossed.
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Games I've Played Recently
Jan 31, 2026
The Xbox 360 was my childhood, and I've recently gotten back into playing it. Here are the games I've been enjoying and my thoughts on them:
- Portal 1/2: I played through both Portals on the 360, and it was a blast. I seriously think that Portal 2 is one of the best games ever made. The characters are delightful (Wheatley, my beloved) and exploring the different phases of Aperture is super cool. It's a must play for the system.
- Minecraft: This one is pretty basic. I still think console edition is awesome, though. I don't care for Bedrock.
- Terraria: I've had fun with Terraria. I haven't killed any bosses or anything yet, but mining has been fun. Great game and a cozy play.
- Mirror's Edge: What an underrated game. The visuals are beautiful, as is the music. It pissed me off on many occasions, but finishing it was so rewarding. Faith's parkour mechanics are very unforgiving, but that works in the game's favor. This game deserves a lot more love.
- Bejeweled 2: Best Bejeweled soundtrack and a lot of fun puzzles.
- Battle Block Theater: Quirky platformer with fun multiplayer. Good stuff.
- Alan Wake: I just started this one! The story is intriguing and the flashlight mechanic is really unique. I've been having a great time with it thus far.
The 360 has so many great games, so it should keep me entertained for many more years. The new Xboxes may be technically superior, but the 360 is timeless and way more interesting to me. I adore it! And seriously, these games are great. Try them out!
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What's Good?
Jan 30, 2026
Welcome to the blog! These will be bite-sized posts about anything that interests me. Think of it like a microblog. Making this 90s-inspired website has been on my bucket list, and it's incredible to see it finally materializing. This will be the start of something great. So, buckle up, because this blog is about to get crazy. Woohoo!
If you're interested, the code for this site is open source!