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The Windows Incident – Day 0

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Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#101

Post by krick »

userbinator wrote: post #45
wvenable wrote: post #13

I had a similar experience with my Asus Zenbook Prime ultrabook. I noticed that the very loud fan was running a lot faster and more frequently than it should. I checked the power settings and minimum processor state was 100%. I changed it to a more reasonable number and all was good. But 10-15 minutes later the fan would come back on full blast because that setting has been reverted back to 100%! Every time I reset i…

trackpad driver Quick Google brought me here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/761664-asus-support-why... It seems like the root of the problem is that their software stack is so inefficient that they have to set the CPU speed all the way to max in order to scroll without any lag ... yet another point of evidence that the faster the hardware gets, the more inefficient the majority of software becomes.

Discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8546702

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#102

Post by motoboi »

nikanj wrote: post #21
wvenable wrote: post #13

I had a similar experience with my Asus Zenbook Prime ultrabook. I noticed that the very loud fan was running a lot faster and more frequently than it should. I checked the power settings and minimum processor state was 100%. I changed it to a more reasonable number and all was good. But 10-15 minutes later the fan would come back on full blast because that setting has been reverted back to 100%! Every time I reset i…

I should start an online collection of stories like this, so I could refer people to it when they complain about Apple hardware being overpriced and/or only bought by idiots.

This thread was going fine until someone talked about how apple is superior to all other manufacturers together.

This, obviously, needed a proper position from those who believe that Apple is not superior.

This whole "Apple is perfect" versus "Apple is for idiots" is pointless, as the majority here already knows. But some people insist in degrading a perfectly fine thread just to reproduce it here.

Grow up, guys.

BTW, I'm curious why people are allowed to talk about Google with the same adoration others talk of Apple but receive no counter arguments. Is Hacker News audience biased towards Google or Google is just consensus?

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#103

Post by throwawaykf05 »

nikanj wrote: post #21
wvenable wrote: post #13

I had a similar experience with my Asus Zenbook Prime ultrabook. I noticed that the very loud fan was running a lot faster and more frequently than it should. I checked the power settings and minimum processor state was 100%. I changed it to a more reasonable number and all was good. But 10-15 minutes later the fan would come back on full blast because that setting has been reverted back to 100%! Every time I reset i…

I should start an online collection of stories like this, so I could refer people to it when they complain about Apple hardware being overpriced and/or only bought by idiots.

Sure, while you go collect those, here are a couple of the many collections that already exist for various Mac products:

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pr...

http://www.mac-help.com/forums/mac-notebooks.3/

I find myself trawling through these posts for help pretty regularly.

And of course, forums like are from comprehensive. The most recent issue with my MBP in fact doesn't show up on any of these forums: it involved the keyboard and trackpad being totally irresponsive when my MBP woke from sleep. After many wild goose chases such as “reset the SMC”, I stumbled onto the fix by luck. Turns out it kept looking for a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse on waking up, totally ignoring the peripherals integrated into the notebook itself. The solution? Turning off Bluetooth. Sure, simple enough to fix, but “turn off Bluetooth” is not far from “you're holding it wrong”.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#104

Post by stith »

elsamuko wrote: post #100
nmjohn wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious what needs can't be met by using a mac. My desktop machine runs linux - currently it's ubuntu, but it over the last ~6 years it's also been centos, debian, and arch. I love linux. Two weeks ago a started a new job and got a macbook pro. I love it - and am completely surprised by it. I have not run into a single thing that I could do on linux I can't do on osx.

Run in a VM on a linux host with OpenGL enabled.

That's not exactly "using a mac", though. That's running OS X in a VM.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#105

Post by vetinari »

nmjohn wrote: post #93
mfisher87 wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention putting together a collection of stories like this would give Apple fans a fallacious reference for why everyone should "just get a mac". Sorry, if a Mac doesn't fit my needs, I'm going to use a normal personal computer, not a walled garden. Doesn't matter how many obstacles I need to get through if I need a real personal computer, not someone else's ecosystem.

I'm curious what needs can't be met by using a mac. My desktop machine runs linux - currently it's ubuntu, but it over the last ~6 years it's also been centos, debian, and arch. I love linux. Two weeks ago a started a new job and got a macbook pro. I love it - and am completely surprised by it. I have not run into a single thing that I could do on linux I can't do on osx.

Oh, it will come.

The first weeks are fine. But in time, you will find little things, that will annoy you. You will find things, that are fine in Linux or Windows, but not in OSX. (Like X apps not working, apps that assume some Linux-specific capability or API not available, differently behaving linker - if you are developer, etc.)

And I hope you don't live in Eastern Europe. The Apple service there is attrocious, even little things like exchanging your power supply can take 3 or 4 weeks. Try using your computer without one...

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#106

Post by Gracana »

mertd wrote: post #95
Gracana wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even Microsoft's mice and keyboards don't work when you first plug them in, Windows has to spin its wheels and "install a driver" (which it notifies you about) before they will work. If you're online with Windows Update, your computer will then offer to download some sort of control center for your mouse and keyboard. It's absolutely ridiculous.

Those are for application specific mapping of the special keys. They might appear mandatory, but aren't. Keyboards and mice run fine without any extra drivers. I own four different models.

I know it's not mandatory, but if I click the "update" button, it gets installed.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#107

Post by zaroth »

xtrumanx wrote: post #29
nikanj wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should start an online collection of stories like this, so I could refer people to it when they complain about Apple hardware being overpriced and/or only bought by idiots.

As one of those people who believe Apple's hardware is overpriced, this story doesn't change my opinion on Apple's hardware. I recognize the quality in Apple's devices but I believe the price point is way higher than the extra quality found in their products. I've even recommended a MacBook to someone recently. Mainly for 2 reasons; their needs aligned with what the MacBook Pro would provide them with and they weren'…

I guess it comes down to how much you enjoy tearing your hair out fixing other peoples bugs or dealing with their crappy hardware.

I've used a 2010 MBA running OS X and Win 7 for the last 4 years. I max'ed out its specs back then and paid about $2k, including an Apple Care warranty which has since expired unused. I've had at least half a dozen Thinkpads before this, and none of them ever came close to surviving this long. My first Thinkpad was a 600, followed by a T20, etc. My last Thinkpad, a T410s, lasted less than 13 months before the LCD failed, same as a dozen others just like it around the office purchased around the same time. That's when I bought the MBA on my own dime.

Part of it is this MBA hit a sweet spot in the upgrade cycle where SSD/CPU/RAM has proven good enough to keep for 4 years, and really shows little signs of slowing for most workloads, and could keep going strong for several years longer.

But the physical hardware has held up astonishingly well. It's the most stable PC running Windows I've ever had. Thinking back on it... I don't think it has EVER blue screened, and I never reboot it except for critical updates.

The only gripe I have with the hardware is the Windows BootCamp driver for the combined mic/headphone jack doesn't switch the mic on when you plug in a proper headset, so it's stuck using the internal mic. But the built-in mic is so good, I've never bothered buying the $20 USB mic to workaround the issue.

It would be hard to tally the number of hours saved on NOT having to upgrade hardware, NOT having to replaced failed components, and NOT struggling with general driver instability and blue screens the last 4 years. This laptop has paid for itself many, many times over. Given the success I've had with the MBA, personally, when I do finally break down and buy another machine, it would be another MBA without a moments hesitation over Apple's 40% gross margin.

Re: The Windows Incident – Day 0

#108

Post by ams6110 »

mahouse wrote: post #63
gbl08ma wrote: post #52

The funny thing is, a week ago I bought a 7.5"" 1200x800 tablet with just 2GB of RAM and 32 GB flash (see the similarity?), the difference is that mine is a even cheaper device (~$150) from an unknown Chinese brand, has an apparently slightly weaker Bay Trail CPU, and comes with Windows 8.1 - properly licensed as now Microsoft does it for free for small tablets, but it's by no means a "signature" device. The out-of-t…

By my experience on cheap chinese Android smartphones, I don't think it is surprising at all to see a lack of OEM bloatware.

The bloatware tends to be installed by wireless carriers and mainline re-branders (e.g. HP), not back-alley Chinese OEMs. If you're buying a no-name tablet and you're not in a Verizon store, it might very well be fairly clean.
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