The collected works of WolvesOfTheNight - Page 2

So what do people think of the new macbook? I keep thinking I need to replace my current primary home computer (12" 1.5GHz Powerbook G4). But everytime seriously start thinking about buying a new Mac Apple manages to demotivate me. A windows machine is out of the question for my main home computer. And, for a primary computer, I don't want to fight with a linux install. So I just keep waiting...

On the new Macbook: I have been wanting a ultra high DPI display for years (really, SGI should have done that with a 1700SW 10 years ago). So that is a huge plus. But I am bummed out by the lack of an optical drive (I use it regularly) and by the lack of upgradeability (yea, I know, join the club).

If it was a new macbook air I would be a lot happier. The entire idea of the air is to satisfy the people that will sacrifice all the extras to save a few grams or cubic centimeters. I have no problem with selling a computer to satisfy those people - there seems to be quite a market if you also offer full featured machines. Personally, I would rather carry around an extra 313.27 grams to have an optical drive, 2.5" hard drive bay, user serviceability, and ethernet. Sadly, it sounds like Macs may stop offering this at all

So, any ides on if we will see a high DPI display combined with a full featured laptop? And if I move away from apple what is the best way to go for a home computer?

Price: Yep, that is a serious concern on the new macbook. And if I wait it should come down.

Battery: Yet another concern. It would be mitigated by Apple replacing the battery for a reasonable price. Not that I expect reasonable to be any part of that price. (The OWC battery replacement in my 12" is great and came with a non-apple price)

17" Humm, I will have to think about it. Reasonable specs. It won't fit in my Pelican 1080 case. Bummer! But I am sure I could find some other case. Oh, and I still think the 17" should offer a 2nd hard drive bay with optional RAID. But that is beside the point. The main issue is I am not sure that it will actually motivate me enough to spend the money. Somehow I think that if I spend over $1000 on a laptop I should get something I really like.

Upgrades: On the new macbook that is a real problem. Both the RAM and hard drive in my current powerbook were upgraded. It was a huge improvement. I would rather go with less RAM & hard drive today, only to upgrade later. 256GB would work for a 1-3 years, and after that I could buy 1TB for half the cost of an upgrade today.

R-ten-K: Yep, this is very true. Actually, I don't think they were ever Apple's target market. At least not since Woz left. They are simply targeting where they think the market will go. And I think Apple is (again) slightly ahead of the game. They realize that computers are quickly becoming disposable. As a friend pointed out years ago: They used to have stores that sold nothing but microwaves and technicians that made a good living fixing them. Computers will go the same way

My guess is it will take more like 3-5 years for these displays to become standard, but I don't know. Of course, for years I have been pessimistic on ever getting better displays. Xkcd sums up my opinion on this. For some strange reason almost nobody makes displays larger than 30in (no, if it is 1080p it does not count). And the few that do (like Eizo) have a price of "If you have to ask you can't afford it. In fact, we won't even discuss our high end displays with anyone that is not a hospital or air traffic controller" And we even had the average display (especially on laptops) backslide to so called high-def.

Anyway, I hope to see a mac laptop with a good display, built in ethernet, and user serviceability. Sadly, that may never happen. Leaving me back at the point of not buying a new laptop simply because I don't care enough about the new stuff.

Having an iphone 4 I figure the display will be simmilar and I mostly like it (but *please* make a not-glossy one). I would really enjoy using the better display but I don't actually need it. And once more software is updated for it I will be more interested. And, while I am dreaming, I want the entire concept of doing graphics in pixles done - it should all be done over in fractals!

As for seeming like an air: if they released this as an update to the top end macbook air then I would be pleased with it. Maybe a bit fat for an MBA - but well worth the extra size. And I would be happly waiting for them to release a pro version without the aformentioned issues. As is, I fear they are planing on making the entire pro line a slightly larger version of the air with better RAM / HD / processor / graphics specs. What they are missing is that I don't really care about the faster processor - after all, I am OK with my 1.5GHz powerbook G4. What I do care about is what the G4 has but their new machine is missing...

Sooner or later I will need to get a new laptop. At the moment my primary home computer is a 1.5GHz Powerbook G4. I like lots of things about it, but it is really getting under powered for newer stuff, and software security updates are a serious problem. I mostly use it for web, email, watching DVDs, and basic photo work. I want to start stitching together panoramas of 16 megapixle photos, which it is too slow for. And I want to see about installing some GIS software for printing out topographic maps, which I fear to do on this old of a computer. However, I suspect any newish system will work.

For my primary home computer, I want something that Just Works - and that should include software updates. And, since this is a personal purchase, windows is out of the question. From what I can tell, Linux is still nowhere near apple when it comes to just working.

But I keep getting less happy with apple as time goes on. Setting aside philosophical issues with apple and how they are doing stuff, here are my piratical problems with their new stuff:

Macbook with retna display:
* Cost
* Non standard hard drive that may never be upgradable
* No ethernet. Yes, I can get a dongle. And I remember the days when you would loose the dongle for the Global Village, thus causing you to have to buy a new one. Which is one reason I hate dongles.
* I hate glossy displays (though I like high DPI displays)
* The battery can not be replaced (Ack! Nooooo!!!)
* Generally impossible to repair.
* Can not upgrade RAM
* I would have to have an external optical drive living on the desk at home.

Older 13in unibody Macbook:
* Have to custom order non-glossy display
* Lower DPI display
* If I buy new I would rather get the faster processor & graphics, etc
* Replacing the battery takes some work
* No HDMI port. How well does that normally work if I get a thunderbolt/displayport/HDMI adapter?
* Battery is not easily swapped. But at least I can do it!

Oh, and OS9 support will be a tad of an issue on either one. Or I might have to use an older machine when that is needed.

And, in general, I am concerned that apple will push Macs toward their walled garden of apple store software.

Any ideas? I am debating buying a 13in unibody now because they will probably go away soon - marking the end of wondrous built in Ethernet and the death of user serviceability. Though if they fix my problems in the next rev laptop I would be happy to wait.

That is my #1 reason for looking at buying soon, instead of squeaking by on what I have for another year or two.


ClassicHasClass - Thanks for the note. On the off chance I feel like playing an older game I will just use an older computer. My other concern is a giant pile of older documents in appleworks 5.0 format that I don't want to loose the ability to easily read. How is read support for those on newer macs?

Yea, an ARM crombook could be an option. But I would have to really research it. Whatever I get I want to be as non-cloud as possible. And I really don't want google, or anyone else, having access to all my personal documents.

guardian452 -

A used 2010ish mac laptop is an option. Though I would do the pro instead of the air; I don't care much about the size difference between the two. The big question would be what a used one gains me over ordering one of the last unabody, which have similar hardware repairability. It helps that the older Mac OS has less cloudishness. But my impression is that the new mac OS versions do not force the cloud upon you; Is this correct?

"N-spec wifi that is really fast for most needs"
Network speed is actually a non-issue. And the bottleneck is normally something slower than 801.11b anyway. However, I work at a radio telescope. Wi-fi is banned on site because it is an RF interference source. It is rare that I want to connect a personal laptop to the work network but there are times that I do. And when traveling there are places where their ethernet is far more reliable than their wi-fi. Also, my home setup is currently ethernet. Yes, I could buy a cheap-O wireless point. But the ethernet meets 100% of my needs, so I would rather not goof with it.

" AR coatings I've ever seen on a laptop..."
The newish AR coatings are far better. However, my personal preference is for non-glossy; as long as I can get them without too much trouble I will. But it is not that big of a deal; were this my only problem with the new retina macbook I would have already bought one.

"only 2gb of ram..."
This is less of an issue than it used to be. 4 or 8BG will probably be good enough for whatever I will be doing in a few years. However, I prefer being able to add some if I need it.

"who uses those things anymore"
I do; that should be obvious. I do not use them very often, which is why I don't mind leaving it on the desk at home (unlike ethernet which I want to take with me).

"Displayport to HDMI is a cheap and cheesy gender-bender that should just work"
That is good to hear. Being able to use a non-apple external monitor at home is important.


ClassicHasClass -

Yea, others I talked to said AW6 won't run on the newer machines. I do not actually need to run appleworks - but I would rather not have to mess with converting old appleworks documents into some other format.

ARM crombooks: It is no surprise to hear that tweaking them away from google substantially improves the performance. However, this is where I want one fully working computer that Just Works.

OK, I will have to take a much closer look at the latest mac OS to decide. I don't mind simple warnings for programs from unknown publishers and the like, if you can acknowledge them and then do what you want. That is a (very small) help in keeping out unwanted crud. And I can manage saying "No, I don't want a #@!$#@! apple cloud thing" if it then turns it off and leaves me alone. But if it is too pushy, forget it.

Anyway, I know exactly how you feel about the 2009-2011 macs. I feel the same way about the powerbook G4, except it is getting too old.

Off hand, it looks to be rather sad for a top end computer. It does a lot better as a cool looking and somewhat powerful computer with neat-O cooling. Personally, I think top end/pro desktops should offer a minimum of 4 processor chips, each with as many cores as the manufacture offers. 8 would be better. And RAM slots to go with it. Basically, the large pro desktop market targets people what want (and very occasionally actually need) oodles of computing power on their desk. If you don't want/need that you save your money and buy something like the mac mini, imac, or a laptop.

I am also unsure if the thunderbolt will really sell for expansion. I tend to think of pro computers as having room for a few hard drives at a minimum, preferably a small RAID. I can see how it could be a better solution - but I am unsure if it will sell. Also, a lot will depend on getting cost effective expansion units.

Of course, very few computer users actually need that sort of power. and expansion. The computer on my desk at work is a 4 year old desktop, and it runs fine. It is quite possible I will tell them to put off replacing it simply because there is no need to waste the money. Likewise, for personal use I want a laptop. I just don't need a zillion processors to check my email.

In the long run, I think desktop computers will again become like the old workstations: almost nobody needs the power. Almost nobody wants to spend the money. So they are rare and expensive. Or maybe they will be consumed by the cloud and vanish altogether. Apple will probably exit the market altogether since they are more interested in consumer stuff.

PymbleSoftware -

Thanks for the notes! That gives some idea. For some purposes the cloud is a good idea. However, I agree with the others in not trusting any of the mega-corps with their stuff. Actually, I also don't trust the pico-corps with it either, but they are far less likely to cause problems.


guardian452 -

Ok, that is worth reading. Thought I suspect I would have to go used to get 10.6 on a macbook pro. I wonder if the new 13in non-retina pros come with the latest version, and if I could upgrade to an older version? Probably not...


duck -

I suspect the SSD failures will depend vastly on the intelligence of the controller and how well it manages the internal RAID of the individual flash chips it is composed of. If, like any 15 year old HDD, it will say "Oh, that spot is bad, recover from parity, and I guess I won't use it anymore" then it should do well. But if it spazzes out at the first failure then it is far worse.

I don't know on HDD replacement flash drives (which I hope are better) but I have had flash RAM fail in the worst possible moment. I start hiking up the abandoned transandine railroad grade and -BAM!- the flash card in my camera dies. And that was the day I forgot the spare card. Grrrrr....

I am looking for a reasonably priced good condition HP48GX graphing calculator with the case. I thought I would check here before going to amazon or ebay...