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Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

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Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#241

Post by NoPicklez »

uniqueuid wrote: post #24

I may be an outlier, but for me, the problem with non-mac machines is that they seem just careless. Steve jobs famously said "The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste.", and this seems true to me for almost all hardware manufacturers, and to a larger degree still for software. Why does nobody care about creaking plastic? About sticky-feeling texture? About uneven weight distribution? About the sound…

For me the only Windows based laptops which do care about detail are the Lenovo ThinkPads.

These machines are simple, built well and in my 5+ year experience with all day use they're rock solid.

However for my personal use I use a Macbook.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#242

Post by pram »

bostonsre wrote: post #162
johnklos wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you have that backwards: it's Linux that has diverged from the Unix way of doing things. All the various gotchas and different ways are Linux-isms. After all, which came first, and which came later, then changed? macOS is more consistent with the BSDs than Linux is with older Linux or one distro is with another.

Ok sure, macOS has stood still and most main stream linux oses diverged from it. I don't think that makes it being unix any more preferable when stated that way.

You can install GNU coreutils if that’s what you think “Linux” is

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#243

Post by plaguepilled »

smeej wrote: post #63
oldandboring wrote: post #16

Definitely look very seriously at Framework. Bought one last year and it's easily been the best computer purchase I've ever made. Solved every problem I experienced with Dell and Lenovo. I run Manjaro Linux on it. https://frame.work

Mine still won't even wake from sleep, and will freeze all inputs if it sits even slightly unevenly. The Framework is a beta product, at best. If you know that and are up for the challenge, go for it, but if you want something you're not going to have to fiddle with every time you want to do anything on it, pick something else.

Framework still aren't shipping to a lot of countries, which is extremely frustrating.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#245

Post by triceratops »

gumby wrote: post #206
jonny_eh wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In fact, it impressed Jobs so much he literally just offered them an OSX license (which they didn't bite on). I just googled this and it's based on an unsubstantiated boast by Sony's president in 2014, I'd be skeptical: https://www.appleworld.today/2021/01/06/from-the-vault-did-s... Although this article seems to think it holds water: https://9to5mac.com/2014/02/05/sony-turned-down-offer-from-s...

I have no idea if the story is true but FWIW in the 80s and 90s Steve Jobs used to speak admiringly about Sony quite a bit. Not sure if that survived his return to Apple.

80s and 90s Sony was unquestionably the world-leading company in cutting-edge and fashionable consumer electronics. Apple usurped their crown starting with the first iPod.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#246

Post by triceratops »

everyone wrote: post #97
uniqueuid wrote: post #24

I may be an outlier, but for me, the problem with non-mac machines is that they seem just careless. Steve jobs famously said "The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste.", and this seems true to me for almost all hardware manufacturers, and to a larger degree still for software. Why does nobody care about creaking plastic? About sticky-feeling texture? About uneven weight distribution? About the sound…

Jewellery is a great analogy imo. Apple is a jewellery company imo. They sell expensive, shiny, conspicuous consumption items without practical use. I was shocked when I found out that macs are popular among people who actually work with computers and even make software. It will never cease to shock me. The only explanation I can think of is that this is a USA social class thing. In the USA the upper classes have App…

MBPs are amazing machines for people who work in technology. The advantages:

1. Unix-based OS

2. Outstanding battery life

3. Sturdy and long-lasting; a well-maintained Macbook will outlive any Windows laptop of equal price

4. No pre-loaded crapware

5. Best trackpad in existence

6. Secure, with patches and updates for years

This more than outweighs all the other minuses, such as the overly-obsessive focus on thinness, or the outrageous cost of dongles, adapters, memory/storage upgrades, and battery replacements.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#247

Post by smeej »

heavyset_go wrote: post #238
smeej wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ubuntu 21.04 (21.10 was reportedly full of even more bugs, so I'm anxiously awaiting 22.04 this week), 5.11 kernel.

Ubuntu is a bad choice for newer and esoteric hardware, a rolling release distro will have up-to-date kernels and userlands in comparison. As an example, Ubuntu had issues with my newer Zen hardware despite the hardware being on the market for quite some time. Switching to the newest kernel fixed my issues with stand-by and sleep, along with weird issues like random freezing.

I think in this thread it's worth pointing out that it doesn't work well with even a very common Linux distro.

For someone who's considering a MacBook the primary viable alternative, I'm just trying to point out that it's a long way from a smooth experience on a refined product.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#248

Post by GraphenePants »

uniqueuid wrote: post #24

I may be an outlier, but for me, the problem with non-mac machines is that they seem just careless. Steve jobs famously said "The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste.", and this seems true to me for almost all hardware manufacturers, and to a larger degree still for software. Why does nobody care about creaking plastic? About sticky-feeling texture? About uneven weight distribution? About the sound…

Given Windows' market dominance it stands to reason that most people believe them to have taste. It also remains unclear how these issues would impact your ability to do work.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#249

Post by tastysandwich »

> 1. Dell XPS: I spent over 20+ hours with their support going back and forth. I also had a tech come to my house to replace my motherboard before I gave up and demanded a return

Yeah, I've had a few of these and all of them have had issues. On one, the speaker blew. On another the battery died. On another the wi-fi died.

I was thinking recently about tech reviews, because they're usually all glowing for the Dell XPS series. But these reviewers probably get brand-new units, play with them for a week, and then send them back. I wish they'd focus on things like build quality (not just the materials), longevity, customer support, defect rate etc.

My wife has some cheap Acer laptop, it's all plastic, the thing gets thrown in her work bag like lunch, but it never dies. It's like a Toyota, and my laptop is like a Mercedes needing special care with cotton gloves.

My work laptop is a Macbook, and it feels way "sturdier" than my XPS. It certainly sees rougher treatment, and never misses a beat.

Re: Ask HN: MacBooks seems to be the only viable option these days

#250

Post by sangnoir »

gumby wrote: post #206
jonny_eh wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In fact, it impressed Jobs so much he literally just offered them an OSX license (which they didn't bite on). I just googled this and it's based on an unsubstantiated boast by Sony's president in 2014, I'd be skeptical: https://www.appleworld.today/2021/01/06/from-the-vault-did-s... Although this article seems to think it holds water: https://9to5mac.com/2014/02/05/sony-turned-down-offer-from-s...

I have no idea if the story is true but FWIW in the 80s and 90s Steve Jobs used to speak admiringly about Sony quite a bit. Not sure if that survived his return to Apple.

I suspect it did: one of the funniest things to come out of the Samsung/Apple trial were the "Jony"-branded (early) iPhone designs[1] with unmistakable Sony aesthetics.

https://www.theverge.com/2012/7/26/3189309/apple-sony-iphone...

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