Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

motherboard.vice.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 455 posts

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#151

Post by dreamcompiler »

mokus wrote: post #139
blihp wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

... and anyone who likes to keep their system a good long time https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201624 Given the lackluster upgrade options in the last 5+ years, I can see a lot of people trying to hang on to their next/last PC as long as possible. Now they'll have no options once Apple decides their system is done.

I just spent a day eviscerating my 2012 unibody MacBook Pro to replace its keyboard and battery. It’s a little depressing to think that after over 2 decades of using Apple hardware and software it will probably be the last thing I ever buy from them.

I bought my first Mac (which was also the first Mac) in 1984, and between purchases for work, home, and family I've probably spent upwards of $300K on Apple products since then.

Now I'm done. And yeah, it's sad. But Apple left me; I didn't leave them.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#152

Post by toasterlovin »

JonathonW wrote: post #150
toasterlovin wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EDIT: I misread the comment I'm replying to. Parent makes a valid point. Ignore the following. You're actually complaining that a consumer computing appliance you bought received OS updates for 6 years? And your proposed better alternative is buying a device that will probably never receive an OS update?

The last OS update the first-generation iPad received was iOS 5.1.1, released just over two years after the first-generation iPad was released. The first-generation iPad was a bit of an odd case for software updates, though (due to insufficient RAM); every other iPad has gotten at least four or five major updates before losing support. And Apple has yet to drop support for any iPads from the iPad Air on (October 2013…

I totally misread the person I responded to. Thanks for setting me straight.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#153

Post by paavoova »

toasterlovin wrote: post #132
paavoova wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's absolutely baffling how so many seemingly educated, knowledgeable people such as those found in tech can support these anti-user practices via their support of Apple's products. It goes further than just Apple's hardware products: some people prefer to build "Hackintosh" systems (OSX running on non-Apple hardware) and a common problem is dealing with wifi-adapter whitelists. Why would you ever want to consider u…

Because, statistically speaking, 0% of the population wants to tinker with their computer. Neither you nor anybody else on this website is normal.

Yes, and this applies outside of computers, to cars, etc.

But the PC/PC gaming enthusiast market is probably some appreciable percentage of the population. And people building Hackintoshes are certainly tinkering with their computer and hardware in the process - yet they tolerate, or even accept, Apple's vendor lock-in enough to use their OS.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#154

Post by [deleted] »

tokyodude wrote: post #146

I'm actually a little disappointed in Apple's service considering the cost of their hardware and the cost of AppleCare. Back in the 80s and 90s many companies excellent service was you'd call customer support, they'd express ship you a replacement for free and you'd send back the broken item. They would take your credit card number just in case you didn't send the broken item back but otherwise it was on their dime.…

[deleted]

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#155

Post by dreamcompiler »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #131
beamatronic wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s true for Tesla. Especially for body work. Takes many weeks due to backlog. But anecdotally, after many many years of disappointing experiences with independent repair shops, when I could finally afford repairs at the dealer, I was no longer disappointed.

> It’s true for Tesla. Especially for body work. Takes many weeks due to backlog. That's growing pains though. Give it a few years and there should be greater parts availability and independent electric car repair shops. > But anecdotally, after many many years of disappointing experiences with independent repair shops, when I could finally afford repairs at the dealer, I was no longer disappointed. There are a lot o…

Car dealers love repairing cars because the repair shop is where most of their profit comes from. Not so with Apple, which makes most of their profit on hardware sales. I expect this is at least partly a ploy by Apple to discourage repairs altogether, so they can sell more new hardware. Virtually all of Apple's behavior for the last 10 years has supported that idea.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#156

Post by semi-extrinsic »

toasterlovin wrote: post #117
slr555 wrote: post #99

This is true for farmers in many places who buy or lease machinery from companies like John Deere. Using IOT, Deere can tell when a non-OEM part has been installed and they can remotely disable the machine until the "proper" part has been installed. Their customers are locked into their parts and service.

To be fair, there is a pretty big difference between something like a tractor, where most of the parts are simply large pieces of machined metal, and something like a computer where most of the parts are not repairable and, due to security concerns which benefit the customer , there are things like secure enclaves which may entail chain of custody concerns to be properly replaced.

If a secure enclave requires chain of custody for replacement, is it even secure? If it was possible to circumvent by replacing a hardware module, wouldn't law enforcement/(industrial or government) spies/thieves/etc. just do that?

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#158

Post by dreamcompiler »

threeseed wrote: post #57
msie wrote: post #2

Well, Apple lost its soul years ago.

That makes no sense. Go have a look at the original Mac 128k. They were borderline impossible to even open.

Only because Torx screwdrivers were rare in those days. I can open a 128k Mac now in about two minutes, and that includes the time it takes to buy the screwdriver at Home Depot.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#159

Post by syntheticcdo »

paavoova wrote: post #45
JohnTHaller wrote: post #9

The iMac Pro is similarly locked down. All while Apple fights against Right To Repair legislation.

It's absolutely baffling how so many seemingly educated, knowledgeable people such as those found in tech can support these anti-user practices via their support of Apple's products. It goes further than just Apple's hardware products: some people prefer to build "Hackintosh" systems (OSX running on non-Apple hardware) and a common problem is dealing with wifi-adapter whitelists. Why would you ever want to consider u…

The WiFi adapter whitelists are in the BIOS of the hardware, not OSX.

Re: Apple's Proprietary Software Locks Kill Independent Repair on New MacBook Pros

#160

Post by semi-extrinsic »

dreamcompiler wrote: post #151
mokus wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just spent a day eviscerating my 2012 unibody MacBook Pro to replace its keyboard and battery. It’s a little depressing to think that after over 2 decades of using Apple hardware and software it will probably be the last thing I ever buy from them.

I bought my first Mac (which was also the first Mac) in 1984, and between purchases for work, home, and family I've probably spent upwards of $300K on Apple products since then. Now I'm done. And yeah, it's sad. But Apple left me; I didn't leave them.

Just curious: have you really purchased an average of 6 $1500 Apple products per year? If so, why? Say devices last 5 years, do you own 30 laptops/etc. at any given time?
Post reply on HN