ZacOS 9 and Mavernix: Two classic Apple desktops find their Wayland to Linux

A Mac-like desktop for Linux has finally arrived in two distinct forms, offering users a choice between the classic Platinum look or the more modern, "lickable" Mavericks-era Aqua aesthetic.

These two fresh projects, ZacOS 9 and Mavernix, represent independent endeavors, yet they share the goal of resurrecting vintage Macintosh desktop environments within Linux. While AI assistance likely played a part in both, ZacOS explicitly utilizes LLMs in its creation.

The GitHub page for ZacOS, which is only a few weeks old, credits both Claude and Copilot for coding assistance, a fact the inventor, Adam Lawson, confirmed in Hacker News discussions. This project aims to replicate the appearance of MacOS 8 and 9, echoing elements salvaged from the Copland project.

ZacOS incorporates a window manager, a file manager, a global menu bar, a Control Panel app, a Control Strip, and desk accessories. Furthermore, it can connect to Macs and integrate with the SheepShaver emulator to run legacy Mac applications.

Mavernix, conversely, builds upon existing software. Its windows are rendered by the Wayfire compositor, and its panels are managed by Quickshell, making it entirely Wayland-based. Its key feature is a utility allowing users to pull assets—images, icons, and textures—from a genuine copy of Apple OS X.

While ZacOS features a complete pre-installed Debian Linux image via Sourceforge, Mavernix is currently only accessible on Arch Linux and requires a copy of OS X to operate. The license agreement for Mavernix restricts its use on non-Apple hardware, though this doesn't appear to constitute an IP violation in this context.

Prior attempts to achieve this look existed, such as Ryu Kojiro’s classic-wm for System 6 or Morgan Aldridge’s mlvwm targeting MacOS 7 and 8. However, ZacOS appears to be one of the more complete implementations seen to date.

For a less drastic approach, using versatile desktops like Xfce combined with themes such as the Platinum9 theme from "Grassmunk" offers a more manageable path toward a Mac layout.