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Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

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Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#511

Post by adamlett »

greedo wrote: post #499
adamlett wrote: post #445

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you believe pro users have that kind of clout, you are delusional. The iPod most certainly didn't succeed because it was endorsed by pro users, nor did the iPhone. In fact the reaction from the pro market to those products when they were introduced, was one of dismissal ('No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame'). These products succeeded on their own merits by being fantastic products and -- to a lesser extend…

I hardly believe that CmdrTaco's reaction on Slashdot to the iPod is indicative in any way of how the "pro market" responded to the iPod or iPhone.

Oh, but it was! As far back as I have followed this stuff, every new hardware category Apple has introduced, has been met with ridicule and dismissal from the experts. Every time the same: It does nothing new. It's underpowered. It's overpriced. It's just a [whatever] in a fancy box. It doesn't even [insert specialised use case].

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#512

Post by collyw »

bsg75 wrote: post #155
lobster_johnson wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also considering a switch, but Windows drives me up the wall whenever I touch it. macOS has been getting uglier and more awkward to use the last few years, but Windows is still the king of ugly. So I've been considering Linux as my first option. I fired up a few VMs and dipped my toes in various Linux desktop environments: Elementary, Fedora 25, and Ubuntu (Unity) so far. These are all GNOME 3 variants. And... oh…

This is why I always return to XFCE. It may not be rapidly evolving, but if I'm running a Linux desktop, I want simple.

And it works. No flashy in your face features trying to impress you with bouncing balls or animations, it's just like an improved version of Windows 2000 interface.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#513

Post by nommm-nommm »

m_mueller wrote: post #168
bsg75 wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I always return to XFCE. It may not be rapidly evolving, but if I'm running a Linux desktop, I want simple.

On what Distro though? What should I try if I want something that pretty much works out of the box i.e. has acceptable battery life + WiFi + Sound + Suspend mode on a Macbook / Latitude / Thinkpad without me having to set up config files according to all kinds of internet sources for a day... or even a week?

Xubuntu.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#514

Post by agentgt »

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #257
scandox wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. To my mind the greatest obstacle to Linux Desktop adoption is the traditional Desktop concept.

To me, NeXTStep was the best feature rich desktop. I wish there was a modern version that isn't macOS.

Well it depends on what you consider modern but Openbox is still alive and kicking (albeit it is only a window manager).

On a rant tangental note a slight annoyance I have lately is that all the window managers are getting pushed out / ignored because of Wayland.

With Wayland you basically have to write an entire desktop instead of just a window manager. I used to love that about Linux.. the pick and choose what works best model but now the choices are becoming fewer.

Oh well back to my macbook with zero choice.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#515

Post by nommm-nommm »

somecallitblues wrote: post #290
josteink wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I tried Ubuntu and couldn't get over the ugly font and not being able copy paste from anything to anything else Please elaborate. I mean... Universal copy paste has just been working the last 20 years... Unless I'm missing something basic?

I remember that ctrl+c and ctrl+v didn't work across applications. I think Terminal was one of them. Couldn't copy and paste into it. Out of the box anyway.

That's a limitation (or rather idiosyncratic behavior) of Terminal not Ubuntu. Copy/paste works everywhere else.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#516

Post by hguant »

charlesism wrote: post #449
hguant wrote: post #439

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My point is that I would be quite happy to buy a $3000 machine if it were stelar quality, and I could rely on it for the next five years. Well if that's what you're into... http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro One downside is that the battery life is crap (5 hours or so)...and the base price is $3600.

If it's as durable and upgradable as its price, I might go for it. The other issue for me is OS, but if I address that I'm veering off topic.

Yeah I don't think you could get macOS running on this, but Linux has good drivers out there for most of the bits (maybe minus the chroma keyboard).

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#517

Post by missmymac »

enjo wrote: post #17

The latest rev pushed me to a PC for the first time in like 15 years. It's partly because I didn't love the new Macbook Pro, but also cause hey..change is fun sometimes. I'm very happy with my new Surface Book. I never thought I'd like the touchscreen as much as I do. I LOVE being able to go to tablet mode for calls and stuff where I sort of want to just wander around. The pen has completely changed how I do flow-cha…

I tried windows. I stopped because I didn't like all the telemetry they collect on users, including your keystroke and stylus movements.

They say they do this to train Cortana, but it has the side effect of giving the NSA a front row seat to everything I do.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#518

Post by lmm »

BoorishBears wrote: post #357
Fnoord wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Problem is that each software upgrade from Apple contains important security and reliability fixes. You get those even on old Mac hardware (my MBP is 6 years old now). On a Hackintosh, you don't know whether those software upgrades are going to work, or if they will break or brick your system. On top of that, when I looked around, I couldn't find some kind of good guide advising me which ultrabook to buy as Hackintos…

I didn't get the Zenbook ever dreaming I'd Hackintosh it, it was more a move of desperation than anything. And I definitely wouldn't recommend buying a laptop just to Hackintosh it, its more of a fun hack than anything with a few specific exceptions where there's strong overlap between an Apple product and an existing PCs hardware (and at that point you might as well just buy the official product if you're only going…

> I find it strange that people are complaining about the 2016, but then comparing it to laptops that were out for months, and in some cases years, when the 2015 was out, but weren't being chosen over the 2015 by the same users.

Well given that the 2016 is more expensive, has shorter battery life, and is missing a bunch of ports, one could argue that it's worse (at least for some use cases) than the 2015.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#519

Post by charlesism »

adamlett wrote: post #445
d3ckard wrote: post #414

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I said that pro users made them rich, I didn't say that they had done it by buying stuff. Apple has been reaping rewards from the pro market for years. It's been those pro users who have been advocating the platform among friends and family. It's been those pro users who have been the perfect subject for those marketing campaigns showing how awesome new products are. It's been those pro users who write tech blogs and…

If you believe pro users have that kind of clout, you are delusional. The iPod most certainly didn't succeed because it was endorsed by pro users, nor did the iPhone. In fact the reaction from the pro market to those products when they were introduced, was one of dismissal ('No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame'). These products succeeded on their own merits by being fantastic products and -- to a lesser extend…

    > If you believe pro users have that kind 
    > of clout, you are delusional.
Is it so strange? I have friends and relatives who ask me to recommend a computer. I'll bet you do, too.

    > The iPod most certainly didn't succeed because 
    > it was endorsed by pro users, nor did the iPhone.
Actually the iPod, when it was first released, was not a mass-market product. It was Mac-only, and Mac-only at a time when the only people still using Macs were enthusiasts and pros.

    > In fact the reaction from the pro market to 
    > those products when they were introduced, was one of 
    > dismissal
That seemed to me to be more of Microsoft vs Apple thing. The culture has changed these days, and people aren't as dogmatic about it. Back then Mac vs Windows was like a holy war.

Back to present day, the effect of pro users isn't hard to see. Major publications have started writing articles asking if Apple has gone down-hill, and it's not the occasional think-piece, I see a new one every day (just read one on Bloomberg an hour ago). Heck, I read that Rush Limbaugh was trashing Apple last week. Not exactly a typical pro user. These views make it normal people, and don't make buying Apple products seem attractive.

Re: Tim Cook assures employees that Apple is committed to the Mac

#520

Post by bitwize »

novembermike wrote: post #113
gurneyHaleck wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But don't actually LIKE the mac mini. It's not something I particularly want. I do kind of want the huge cinema displays. But they're expensive. I do kind of want the cylindrical mac pro. But it's expensive. Apple's laptops are the sweet spot. I want them. The price is right. And they have performed. Tablets and touchscreens suck compared to a solid laptop. Mac minis are borderline indistinguishable from any other ma…

I don't think anyone really wants the mac mini. What I want is a stackable, modular mac desktop. On top goes the core unit, with the CPU, Ram and integrated graphics. Below that, you can attach a graphics module if you want graphics, Storage modules, expansions etc. It's very possible with today's connectors and it feels like a very Apple thing to do. They don't seem to have an interest in really pushing desktops tho…

The Apple Switch.
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