@leighelse >collaborating with others requires licensed plugins that aren't available on Linux
I think "proprietary malware" goes there instead of "licensed".
Why would a kernel have anything to do with music plugins?

Ardour is available for GNU/Linux and makes music just fine, but that would require escaping lock-in and convincing others to do so.

>To balance that
I'm sorry, choosing not to use certain other proprietary malware doesn't balance out and negate the proprietaryness of the proprietary malware you're using.

>my quality of life is in no way diminished by these choices.
You're running malware and you don't have freedom, so yes your quality of life is diminished: https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-apple.en.html