Determinate Systems aims to simplify the use of Nix, a powerful package manager traditionally associated with Linux, by making it equally accessible on macOS. To achieve this, they have developed a sophisticated continuous integration (CI) setup using Buildkite, which addresses the limitations of GitHub Actions, especially in supporting macOS, including Apple Silicon. Their unique CI infrastructure comprises four physical Macs located in the CEO's basement, configured with Nix and managed remotely via Mosyle, allowing each machine to be reset and reconfigured for every Buildkite job. This setup not only provides cost benefits compared to cloud-based solutions like AWS, which are expensive due to Apple's licensing restrictions, but also ensures speed and ephemerality, with each job cycle taking only 5-7 minutes. By leveraging Buildkite's ability to delegate tasks efficiently, Determinate Systems can maintain a high level of determinacy in their systems, crucial for their mission to enhance the usability of Nix on macOS.