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Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

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Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#31

Post by msbarnett »

kenjackson wrote: post #26
Bud wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Destroying your files is a single step, well-implemented in Mac OS, and you don't even have to do this if you simply install a fresh OS and use the right settings. Selling your old laptop is easy via Craigslist. Copying files takes a few minutes with FireWire disk mode. There is no separate step for "personal settings"; those are copied over when you copy your home directory over. There is also almost never a new key…

Destroying your files is a single step, well-implemented in Mac OS, and you don't even have to do this if you simply install a fresh OS and use the right settings I don't think installing a fresh OS will remove personal data sufficiently. But maybe there is a setting to do a secure clean?

There's a secure wipe option. You can crank it up to some absurdly paranoid set of passes, although it takes a day or two to complete at that level given a reasonably large drive.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#32

Post by kenjackson »

msbarnett wrote: post #31
kenjackson wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Destroying your files is a single step, well-implemented in Mac OS, and you don't even have to do this if you simply install a fresh OS and use the right settings I don't think installing a fresh OS will remove personal data sufficiently. But maybe there is a setting to do a secure clean?

There's a secure wipe option. You can crank it up to some absurdly paranoid set of passes, although it takes a day or two to complete at that level given a reasonably large drive.

A day or two is fine. I had a friend who would go through old donated computers to get data off of them. I think the odds are pretty high that people will try on a given machine you give away.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#33

Post by __david__ »

devmach wrote: post #9

Why should i buy every year a new laptop ? even it's free ? every time i buy a laptop , i have to; - backup my files / projects - destroy my personal files - sell my old laptop to someone and hopefully get my money - copy files to the new laptop - set personal settings ( wallpaper, mouse speed etc ) - and optionally : get used to new keyboard layout - hope for a fix if there is a some hardware/design error. for progr…

So my last 2 laptop upgrades I never even booted the new laptop as it was (though I did turn it on to make sure it worked). I took it and my old laptop apart and swapped the disks. Took about 5 minutes each time and I'm rewarded with a computer in exactly the same state as it was before the hardware upgrade. It also leaves the old laptop in a state that's perfect for selling.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#35

Post by m0nastic »

Historically, I've updated my Mac every time a new release comes out (mostly of Macbook Pros). I've been doing this for about the past eight years.

About a month ago I broke from that pattern and bought an 11" Air (right after the new Macbook Pros came out, and pretty far into the current cycle for the Air's). It was the first time that the new machine was way less powerful than the old one (also, so far, the best machine I've ever had).

Usually I'd sell my old laptop for about 66% of the price of the new one. Originally, I sold them on Ebay, but it got to be a pain in the ass dealing with people there (I had one guy complain after buying a Macbook Pro from me that the screen had smudges on it. Not marks mind you, but "easilly wiped off with a rag smudges".)

After that I started selling them either to friends or on craigslist.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#36

Post by microtonal »

brosephius wrote: post #20

according to ebay, my 2-year-old macbook is worth half the original purchase price. not quite free for me :(

Indeed, my experience is the same. Years ago I tried to sell my 1.5 year old MacBook white (back when it was still the regular consumer model). I could only get a bit more than half of the purchase price. The trick in the article may work sell before the end of the cycle), but I don't want to align to Apple's cycle. What if the cycle is probably going to end, and you have some deadlines?

I concluded that the resale price is too low for such good-quality and durable hardware that I decided I'd rather give my older hardware to family or friends for free or a small compensation. Making someone happy with a good MacBook or Mac Mini is worth more.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#37

Post by microtonal »

nicw wrote: post #5

Whether or not this experience works for everyone, I have found that Apple laptops/desktops hold their value much longer than their PC counterparts. I'm not sure if its because Apple tends to spec their machines more on the mid to high-end of capabilities that allow them to be used longer in a changing market.

Don't underestimate how many people want a Mac or want to try a Mac, but cannot or do not want to spend the 'entrance fee'.

From this perspective it's a shame that lowest-spec Mac Mini is more expensive than the previous generation. The 'white' Mac Mini sold for 499 Euro in The Netherlands, while the aluminum Mini is 699 Euro. This excludes many families with a lower income.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#38

Post by r0s »

I've always considered laptops to be disposable computers.

Are the people buying used, at a student discount price, really getting a machine of that value? If it's out of warranty, any small hardware problem means disposal.

Apple certainly has a strong brand with high perceived reliability. That's not value. Here's the rub: Warranty extends to the expected life of the machine, set by the producer of said product.

Everything else is brand loyalty.

Re: Apple economics: a free laptop every year.

#39

Post by DanI-S »

cscotta wrote: post #17

I'd like to offer a counterpoint to the author's suggestion that "you'd be an idiot not to buy [and dispose of] a new laptop every year." I'm a software engineer and put a lot on my computer's shoulders, running an entire cluster's worth of software as part of my development environment. I value longevity and durability in products I buy. It's nice to pick a machine and stick with it. It's a long-term companion. It's…

As much as I agree with you about 'disposable computing', he's not really advocating disposing of the computer - he's selling it to somebody else. In the process, he's allowing somebody who couldn't otherwise afford it to buy a long-lasting machine like yours.

It may even be true that he's helping the environment by allowing more people to buy longer lasting machines.

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