Good timing for this product! With so many Macbook Pro users upset and looking for Linux (like myself), being able to find a laptop with excellent build quality will be really nice!
So you're switching your entire operating system because of Apple's lack of creativity with new laptops? Seems like a bit of an overreaction (unless you're planning on building a hackintosh).
What "loyalty" do i have to OSX or Apple? Why does it matter? Yes, i can switch an OS when i please, i purposefully don't tie myself to the OS _(where possible)_. Eg, i'm a terminal user and 90% of my workflow is in iTerm. It will be the same on any Linux box.
Furthermore, my OSX experience has been absolute shit. When i got my macbook pro ret, it crashed frequently. It became stable after a while, so yay i guess. Lately, after upgrading from Mavericks to Sierra, it went back to shit.
Apparently i'm foolish for using Mavericks (came with my laptop) and Sierra when they are fairly new. From many OSX users, it's apparent that Apple releases terrible products, and i am silly for using them in the beginning. This is reason alone enough to switch.
Regardless, i'd gladly stick with OSX over Linux, but seeing as Apple only releases one laptop in the tier i want, i don't have much choice do i? I either buy what they dictate, or i switch OSs. Not really my preference to switch to Linux, but it's the only option i have if i don't want to buy the new Macbook Pro Ret.
I think the frustration has been boiling for a while (the constant nickle&dime approach is hard to bear for long, and traditional Apple desktops are dead in the water). These "Air at Pro prices" are just the last straw for many.