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MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

ryanbigg.com

391–400 of 586 posts

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#391
I got a mid-2015 MacBook Pro 15" because of the keyboard problems. The screen is beautiful and the processor is fast enough for Java development using IntelliJ.

Too bad I can't take this laptop with me when I'm flying because it's on the no-fly list.

My options for Apple laptops are pretty much zero right now.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#392
My wife recently bought a macbook pro and I hate the keyboard (her comment was "you get used to it"). My 2015 MBP is running real slow and I didn't want to wait for next year's refreshed keyboard so I just ordered an oryx pro with ridiculous specs for less than I would have spent on a MBP (although probably the screen is worse and definitely the battery too - we'll see about the rest of the hardware). Really curious to see how it will feel to back to linux.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#393

Recently my b key started to exhibit the same symptoms on my 2016 model. I avoided having to use the keyboard at all costs because it's a serious impedance to my productivity and it still happened to me. What's most infuriating is the realization that I bought a $3000 laptop with a keyboard that will break sooner or later and there's nothing you can do about it except sell it at a substantial loss. Even if I go throu…

I'm off the Apple train. I honestly don't trust them to make reliable hardware anymore. They've had three years to fix this mess but they have shown zero initiative or intention to do it. Apple has consistently shown that it cares more about form over function. No one needs their laptops to be any thinner than they already are. And no one needs the useless, expensive touchbar.

Apple has insulted users and embarrassed itself with this dogshit keyboard and the pathetic emoji bar... on a $4000 "pro" computer, no less.

Then there's the glued-together chassis, the soldered-in RAM and drives... when those go bad (and they will), you get to just throw the computer away instead of performing a routine replacement.

Apple's shoddily-made computers should be hanging from pegs in blister packs at Walgreen's.

It's too bad that Apple has given up on real computers. And Windows is a pathetic mess... so in the end, computers are returning whence they came: to the domain of scientists, hobbyists, and other serious users.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#394

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm off the Apple train. I honestly don't trust them to make reliable hardware anymore. They've had three years to fix this mess but they have shown zero initiative or intention to do it. Apple has consistently shown that it cares more about form over function. No one needs their laptops to be any thinner than they already are. And no one needs the useless, expensive touchbar.

> Apple has consistently shown that it cares more about form over function. No one needs their laptops to be any thinner than they already are Well, this depends. Here's how a user put it: "I have to admit being a bit baffled by how nobody else seems to have done what Apple did with the Macbook Air - even several years after the first release, the other notebook vendors continue to push those ugly and clunky things.…

For a 13 inch or smaller laptop it is understandable to strike a balance between size, battery and specifications.

A 15 inch laptop is never going to be portable or easy to carry. We don't care about thickness. Just make it a bit thicker to add a full-travel keyboard.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#395

For everyone that hasn't seen it, reports are they've already decided to change the keyboard on forthcoming models. Discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20353148 Edit: added "reports are"

But they're still keeping the annoying touchbar. I suppose I'm stuck with Dell laptops now.

At least with Dell's on-site service, I have had two keyboards fixed for me at my desk in about about 5 minutes.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#396
post #353

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I refused to upgrade due to touch bar/esc key absence and the keyboard fiasco is a big no for now. I did hope for a major redesign this fall, but it seems I will have to wait much longer. Macbook Pro has been my companion since 2005 and I feel like Apple is doing everything they can to make me switch to Linux. My current, fully loaded 15 inch MB Pro from late 2013 started having serious battery issues and I hope it w…

You can replace the battery on older macbooks fairly easily. Unfortunately now they glue them down so hard it's easier to just throw out the laptop.

It's $199 for a battery replacement. Not cheap but given that you pay for a 95wh battery, a new keyboard, a new trackpad, a new topcase and warranty that's a pretty good deal. Your MacBook Pro will be as good as new.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#397
post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, as someone who's primarily used Windows (and a bit of Linux with xfce) for my entire life I find Macs basically unusable (seriously how do I browse the file system). I think it's more of a question of familiarity than anything else.

Finder is probably the worst part of using a Mac. But explorer isn’t that much better either I am currently forced to use windows and it’s near impossible to get anything done with it without feeling frustrated. It simply doesn’t follow my speed and line of thought on anything. I am quite shocked after using Mac for 7 years how little progress or even regression windows 10 went through. Without making this into a win…

Interesting! Having used a Mac for 6 months after years of Windows, I had quite the opposite feelings:

> unzip hidden behind right click or freaking menu button

By default double click or Enter will cause Explorer to peak into .zip files, which is more natural to me as I might not want to unzip the whole file to see the contents.

> rename through right click or f2

The fact that in Finder the Enter button does not actually enter a directory or run/open a file but let me rename it was the biggest surprise. I personally rename filesystem objects rarely, while I 'execute' them all the time, it does not make sense!

> quicklook on Mac is the single greatest feature ever. Mainly because it works in file dialogs. (...) Windows afaik has no equivalent

Fully agree - it is a very useful feature. Explorer also has it under 'Preview pane' name, but it's disabled by default. I think that Mac version is better, because if I remember correctly it does preview PDF files, while Explorer does not. Other typical files work fine.

> somewhat related, maximum length of file paths.

Fully agree.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#398
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really wish this was the top comment. I feel like HN is turning a little too much into an echo chamber dunk fest sometimes.

Also, just to throw another opinion into this dumpster fire: I had to get a new laptop, knew I was getting a 2019 MBP, and was terrified the keyboard experience would be horrendous due to the coverage I see on the topic here. And it isn't at all. It feels different than my 2015 model, but... definitely not worse. I may even be just slightly better because it's noticeably quieter. Just one perspective, but yeah. The k…

The vast majority of impressions I've seen are about how the keyboard mistypes or breaks. It's not necessarily about it feeling worse - it is worse in aspects that don't directly related to how it feels to type on it. The keyboard rage is entirely justified if such an expensive device has keyboard problems that are unsolvable. It's really not helpful to dismiss the issues and people's opinions just because you happen to think typing on the keyboard is fine, no idea what anybody is complaining about, everybody is exaggerating and out of their minds.

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#399

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you can change your battery, of course. Also, it is sometimes possible to buy refurbished 2015 models directly from Apple, which is what I intend to do if September models aren't a serious improvement over current offerings. Because, even with all current Apple semi-hate, nothing beats usability of OS X. And 2015 MBPs were (are) great.

> nothing beats usability of OS X I used to share same opinion, but Windows 10 is surprisingly good nowadays, I didn't expect it to be so nice to use.

Ads in start menu? Apps installed without my consent? No, thank you

Re: MacBook Pro Keyboard Drives Me Crazy

#400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really wish this was the top comment. I feel like HN is turning a little too much into an echo chamber dunk fest sometimes.

Cut us some slack, we're all spending _all_ our time on shit keyboards.

Dunno. The keyboard on my T420 still works 9 years later. None of my desktop keyboards have broken in 5+ years of use, and they were incredibly cheap (10-20€). Keyboards are a solved problem. Apple just keeps inventing new ones.
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