Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm confused what the point of this question is. Would you have found it more satisfying if the parent had said "I had a couple of [male] contacts from the good ol' days" ?
Quite the opposite, I would think. Removing the gender references doesn't detract from the argument, so why have them at all?
Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
151–160 of 927 posts
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#152Realistically, I just can't really see Apple fixing this by introducing a new keyboard design that's any thicker. As much as I would love to hear "We've heard your feedback on the keyboards and we've made some drastic changes to address them in our new Macbook Pro", it just doesn't seem like their style. What do others think they're going to do for their next release of laptops?
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#153Earlier quoted context omitted.
No. Absolutely wrong assessment. This is a design team running amok after their own goals
I have no idea about the inner workings of apple, but is it possible the design team is being driven by the marketing team's requirements? Once again, I have 0 knowledge of the inner workings of apple, rather I am asking if this is a possibility.
My semi-informed understanding of how things work at Apple wrt hardware is:
- Industrial design makes cool concepts, showing whats possible in hardware
- Eng & UX makes cool features, showing whats possible in software
- Product marketing determines mix of features that make for a compelling release
- Marcom figures out how to pitch it
Obviously lots of back and forth as a particular concept of what makes a compelling release is refined and roadmapped, and many other teams involved. That said, typically product marketing is driving what gets released.
As to the importance of product marketing itself, its one of Apple's greatest strengths because the vast majority of electronics/computer companies have a hard time figuring out a) what different segments of the market might want, and b) what is the intersection of possible AND useful with technology.
An easy way to determine if someone knows what they're talking about wrt Apple is if they complain about a monolithic 'marketing' bogeyman, because it shows they don't understand the nature of how products are built at Apple, nor how products succeed in the market.
That said, they occasionally miss. The keyboard has been generally well-received (tho a bit polarizing) EXCEPT for the obvious quality disaster. Not sure where the breakdown was there. And the touchbar has been very polarizing among the pro segment - the choice to bundle it with the high-end machines for the developer market segment was a miss likely entirely on product marketing.
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#154Having interfaced with Apple in a different way (apart from owning a new MBP and an iPhone X) I'd say the issue is, and continues to be, growing pains. They're certainly losing the lead in software engineer talent (giving it away to whom, I'm not sure). But the single most horrible experience I've had with Apple in the last year was trying to get software published on the App Store. That's a department that's so larg…
I'd say the issue is, and continues to be, growing pains. They're certainly losing the lead in software engineer talent (giving it away to whom, I'm not sure). I keep on interviewing recent Comp Sci graduates who have a 3.75 or a 4.0 and who can't tell me how to implement cycle detection -- to the extent that they could write a pseudocode function signature or some kind of concretely implementable design. Many of the…
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#155I picked up my repaired late-2016 15” mbp this morning from warranty repair (replacement). The keyboard feels 100% better. Apple replaced my top case, logic board, and display system for free, out of warranty. I was very concerned about this computer’s longevity, I’ve even ordered a Razer mx cherry keyboard to use when at my desk to take some workload off apple’s questionable design decision, but the replacement keyb…
Have you researched Stockholm syndrome?
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm confused what the point of this question is. Would you have found it more satisfying if the parent had said "I had a couple of [male] contacts from the good ol' days" ?
The subtext, whether it's intentional or not, seems to be that the gender of manager that he (yes, assuming OP's gender) spoke to is relevant to the negativity of the experience. The message can be condensed down to "female + new Apple = bad, male + old Apple = good"
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#157> In the meantime, let’s give some other companies a shot. Dell and HP have gorgeous, reliable, repairable flagship laptops that are getting rave reviews. Right now, I think they’ve done more to earn your business than Apple has. The laptop mentioned in the "rave review" link is an elitebook 840 g5. I have been using the 840 g1 as my primary laptop for the last 4 years and it really is a sturdy device. The hardware i…
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd say the issue is, and continues to be, growing pains. They're certainly losing the lead in software engineer talent (giving it away to whom, I'm not sure). I keep on interviewing recent Comp Sci graduates who have a 3.75 or a 4.0 and who can't tell me how to implement cycle detection -- to the extent that they could write a pseudocode function signature or some kind of concretely implementable design. Many of the…
Those things aren't taught in CS programs as the majority of companies don't need those skills. Most want application development such-as a web or iOS app developer. However Computer Engineering programs teach those concepts as the focus is on low power micro controllers.
This sort of thing is very relevant for someone writing an application or a server process. Programmers who can write their own compiler are much better C and C++ programmers, because they have relevant background. Programmers who understand the low level stuff can write faster code when it's important, and they know better where to look when optimizing. Since when has our "field" become so flubby that we're now eschewing the notion of background knowledge?
Are you telling me that we are churning out Comp Sci grads who couldn't write their own low level libraries or compilers? Tech people should have at least a working knowledge of how their own tools work, to the extent that if civilization fell, they could have a good chance of recreating primitive versions of those things.
However Computer Engineering programs teach those concepts as the focus is on low power micro controllers.
Also relevant to high performance code. Also relevant to game engines. Also relevant to interfacing servers with legacy code. Also relevant to technology like WASM. Whoever decided to relegate stuff like that to Computer Engineering seems guilty of the same ignorance I see in these recent students.
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
People do it when subconsciously or consciously trying to paint a picture with stereotypes. So if someone wanted to illustrate they were talking about a testosterone filled ego driven 20 something, they might include the term young male manager in their descriptor. Is it right or wrong? Probably not great. I don't do it. But I get how it happens. Probably not nefarious, just a little tonedeaf.
True -- though when I think about it, I imagine them using a more specific male adjective like "bro" or "dude." "Young male manager" would have triggered a "why are they mentioning male?" and yet "female" slipped under my radar until another comment called it out.
Re: Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall with the Macbook Pro Keyboard
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
Only thing I'm considering is a thinkpad x1 carbon. But the last time I tried putting linux on a laptop I had a few issues submitted to the linux kernel and still didn't have the laptop working perfectly (Asus zenbook) within a week I returned it and bought a MacBook pro. Might be time for another go.
I believe Thinkpads are famously easy to make work with Linux. I had one in college (a decade ago) and an x1 carbon when I was at Google (several years ago) and both of them were excellent (though the latter obviously would've had any kinks ironed out by the Goobuntu team). My last couple laptops had better hardware (for my needs) than ThinkPads or Macbooks, but the occasional compatibility issue is enough that I'm t…