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Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

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Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#861

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Wasn't that kind of the point of the "Pro" line? I mean, if you just wanted a kinda cool laptop, you'd buy a MacBook or MacBook Air. It's now the MacBook Prosumer, and there is no pro option. Hacker News has been whinging about this Apple dilemma for years. I'm sorry to say that I just don't think there will ever be the golden age of MacBooks again. The "Pro" ideas coming from Cupertino are gimmicky at best for devel…

That's exactly it. That on top of the bling factor. Nobody buys MacBooks, all I see are MacBook Pros. Because of this Apple had to start catering the to consumers who care more about thinness and bling rather than utility. The pro device became a device for everyone.

I don't think MacBook has been updated in more three years, so that might be part of the reason people aren't buying them.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#862

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I've struggled with this idea - almost everything (outside Apple specific development) is ported to Windows. My work is in .NET and various Javascript frameworks. Never had a problem with Windows. Plus I feel if I really needed a Linux environment, the Linux subsystem would fill that need.

Sketch is probably the single biggest seller of Mac's.

I'd say it's probably Microsoft Office or Photoshop…

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#863

After 8 years of macbooks, after using the 2018 model, I switched to a Dell Precision 5530 running Ubuntu 18.04 and it is awesome. The hardware is great, and having Unix under it all was the only real reason I liked Macs (used to be hardware, too). Granted, I don't need Adobe stuff, or anything else that doesn't run or have an alternative on Ubuntu (although it is dual-booted with Win10, but I've never used it, just…

For running Adobe products, I use Virtualbox running Windows 10 on my Linux laptop. The speed of hypervisors has gotten so good recently I genuinely can't tell the difference over running Windows natively, even though this laptop is 8 years old now. Everything "just works" and so I don't see why which programs you need to run should determine what brand of computer you buy or what OS you run on it, any more. I guess…

I see a huge difference running WIndows in Virtualbox. Possibly because I'm doing everything wrong but it sucks for graphics stuff like Adobe products and I can't even get it to hit 60fps like my standard linux desktop.

We're still a way off passing through graphics cards etc in a 'just works' sort of way (yes there's hugely involved ways to get it done) so it's going to be a short while before I could agree with you that Windows VM's are fully ready to replace native installs for situations like mine.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#864

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Of course, electron is bringing this great fragmented ui experience to macOS

Electron is a browser. So a huge chunk of things are native: keyboard support, inputs, dropdowns, context menus, menus, preference panes, popups, window chrome etc. And all this is available to developers out of the box. Very few "cross-platform UI toolkits" can come even close. That said, a fully native app would be a better option, but Electron apps are ok (unless devs go out of their way to make them bad)

> So a huge chunk of things are native: keyboard support, inputs, dropdowns, context menus, menus, preference panes, popups, window chrome etc.

Note that Chromium (and hence Electron) reimplements many of these things.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#865

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> Loss of MagSafe (this one still hurts). I will NEVER forgive them for this. Jobs was RIGHT when he said this was a major innovation over everyone else. Now Apple is either saying he was wrong or THEY are wrong. They're not BOTH right. My 2015 is the last MBP I will ever buy and it's aging fast... I think it's hackingtosh from here on out. I primarily use Ubuntu but I have to have a Mac as our app runs cross platfor…

The green LED sucks. I would charge my 2012 MacBook Pro in my bedroom, but can’t because of the light. Also, I can’t charge it and use the laptop in my lap because the MagSafe falls off easily. The new charger solves both of these problems.

Can you put some tape over the LED?

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#866

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Well it has decent window manager with multiple desktops, does not require antivirus and supports Adobe. For graphicdesign/developer there really arent many other choices. Also if you work with sound its hands down best OS.

In what way is MacOS best for working with sound? The industry has long ago moved on to Windows.

Logic is superior in many ways to other DAWs. There are some hardcore Logic users out there.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#867

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I've struggled with this idea - almost everything (outside Apple specific development) is ported to Windows. My work is in .NET and various Javascript frameworks. Never had a problem with Windows. Plus I feel if I really needed a Linux environment, the Linux subsystem would fill that need.

> Plus I feel if I really needed a Linux environment, the Linux subsystem would fill that need. Have you actually used it? A bunch of devs I work with continually have issues relating to WSL so i'm not sure if its comparable to macOS.

Yeah, I really wanted to WSL to be ready for prime time, and bought a Dell XPS 13 on that expectation, but... nope. It's still mostly promise, you only pull off using it for day-to-day unix-based dev if you're willing to put in a lot of effort, jump through hoops, address unanticipated conditions, and otherwise engage in a lot of yak-shaving.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#868

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the touchpad performance on the mac is second to none. Can modern windows or linux come even close?

Absolutely not. The good thing is that any extended development session calls for an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse/trackpad. Also, you can use the external Apple trackpad they sell with any OS.

I do all my work on a vanilla 13" MBP, it works just fine. I also use 13" Linux and Windows laptops almost daily, and the "touchpad experience" there is indeed painful.

> Also, you can use the external Apple trackpad they sell with any OS.

I think the problem isn't the hardware, but the software (or more likely a combination of both). The MBP touchpad under Windows with Bootcamp is also quite terrible.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#869

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I recently was forced to upgrade by 2015 laptop at work because the battery life was finally short enough that I couldn't stand it. I hate dongles. The 2015 Macbook will stand as their last best laptop. Nothing about the 2018 laptop is better, it's only worse. I don't understand why they don't see this. There should really be a huge multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit for their keyboards and fixability to wake…

I got my 2015 mpb battery replaced. I'm back to smooth sailing. Always plugged in so it'll last as long as possible. It had bad battery bloat but when I got it back from apple care everything looked new.

What does Apple recommend wrt keeping a MBP always plugged in? That's what I do almost all the time, but I'm curious what they say about it.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#870
post #830

The latest Apple magic keyboard has butterfly-like keys and is an absolute joy to type on. No issues after a couple of years of daily use. Why can’t this mechanism find its way into a MBP?

> The latest Apple magic keyboard has butterfly-like keys

I don't think it does.

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