Reply With QuoteI didn't say 'No PC' . :)Originally Posted by Griswold
I'm sure there are exceptions, but I run PCs at home for personal use and they are in regular need of upgrades to keep up with software, in my experience.
M
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I think that about sums it up. A good, used macbook, with a reasonable SSD/good battery - and slip a non-protruding MircoSD holder in the side of it. Coupled with the Magsafe charging connection - is probably the best solution for her.
I didn't say 'No PC' . :)
I'm sure there are exceptions, but I run PCs at home for personal use and they are in regular need of upgrades to keep up with software, in my experience.
M
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Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I’m offended at being sworn at for making a simple error. Take your blood pressure meds and calm down dear
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Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I got mine from a a Mac seller in the states. This kit was made by baseus. It’s not as sturdy as the apple one out the box but does the job.
A mate has a sicotool one from amazon and it has a sturdier connector/ mag strength than mine.
Last edited by Middo; 23rd November 2019 at 17:29.
Not sure if you're being coy of it's supposed to be obvious who that is? Best Buy perhaps?
Edit:Ah, OK, I guess I replied to a draft.
Thanks. Based on the mixed reviews for that one I think I'll continue to not trust these with 100 watts of power for the time being. I do sometimes wonder why Apple doesn't make a 1st party version of these already. I suspect it's because if they did, it would be an admission that the current line of Macbooks comes with a sub-par power connector out of the box. And it's not like they can say not having your laptop damaged when the kid/dog/wife trips over the power cable is a strictly professionals-only requirement.
Personally, given that I've had dozens of different laptops that all had ordinary power bricks, the lack of Magsafe isn't a deal-breaker for me, but it's definitely a regression. I would miss it if I didn't have it.
Last edited by robt; 23rd November 2019 at 17:48.
I'm also thinking of buying a MacBook of some sort but might need Windows for some applications.
Any comments on use of Apple Boot Camp?
I haven't used Boot Camp, but I have run Windows 10 VMs on a Macbook using Virtualbox and they worked well.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
I used it for a while when I first transitioned to OSX a few years ago but quickly found I didn't really care about anything on Windows as much as I thought I would. It works well, although it's a pain to reboot into Windows all the time, and it requires separate hard disk partitions. That wastes a fair amount of space, which may be limited to begin with. It can be a bit confusing trying to use the Mac keyboard in Windows but you get used to it after a while.
There are some things I need a Windows system for, mainly 3D software. Those wouldn't work with Bootcamp anyway because of the GPU requirements, not because of the software. Whatever you want to use, I'd check that it's 100% compatible with the hardware.
Another option if you don't need "bare metal" performance is to run Windows in a VM. I use VirtualBox (free) now and then for testing. There's also Parallels (Ł70) which was very popular a few years ago because it had the best OSX integration: you can run a Windows application in OSX as if it's a normal Mac application. I haven't touched it for years though, so I don't know if it's still as good as it was.
I have used Boot Camp with success - need to use disk utility to create a separate partition for windows at least 30GB just for OS. I use a PC keyboard when in windows
mode and mouse (using a USB dongle or plug and play USB. Takes a bit of effort to switch between the two OS - there is a little option in windows bottom right.
check if your apps have an equivalent that will run native on MacOS. Office does for example.
Martyn.
In my brief foray into MacBook Pro ownership, I installed Parallels and Win10 pro.
Didn’t use it much, as I was determined to persevere with iOS - but it worked pretty well. Same keyboard, compatible mouse generally.
You will use up a fair bit of memory for it, so perhaps not the best choice if you have a small SSD. With a good dollop of RAM - it worked well.
Some used to say: “The best Windows laptop - is a MacBook!” I fell for it.
It's actually kinda true, or at least it was in 2015. The caveat being that you really, really want to run Windows and not MacOS, in which case wipe the drive and only install Windows. No wasted space or RAM. But as you said, it's not so much that a Macbook isn't good for Windows, it's that MacOS is better. So after a while you don't want to run Windows anymore. Especially nowadays there isn't much software that doesn't exist on the Mac, or at least has a Mac alternative that's just as good or better.Some used to say: “The best Windows laptop - is a MacBook!” I fell for it.
The other caveat is that you don't care about AAA games or anything else that needs a high-end GPU.
Another vote for VirtualBox running under MacOS.
Chris, monogroover tells this story regularly. I did my degrees at Imperial and Oxford and most lecturers used Macs. Colleagues from Bath and Leeds reported their lecturers/supervisors did the same. I think the monotonous one’s tale is either BS or says more about him as an admin.
The short answer - no, the difference between Apple / Mac OS and others is most definitely not just ‘fashion’. They’re about good design, ease and pleasure of use and it’s not skin deep. It affects productivity, how you feel about working every day and how much time you spend trying to get your tools to actually work. Also if you’re a more visual person it really matters to your state of mind - perhaps less so for people who don’t care how their desktop looks, perhaps windows is more verbal.
It may sound corny, but Steve Jobs genuinely had a vision of a world where technology was intuitive, attractive, and pleasant to use. I worry about them becoming makers of expensive ‘luxury’ computers, but for the moment that vision is still there, and those expensive computers and phones turn out to be very good. Yes Apple are expensive, and they aren’t perfect, but they try. And in terms of your daughter, having worked professionally with macs most of my life, if she intuitively finds macs more appealing, I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. She may just want a pretty laptop, but she may turn out to be a Mac person. But when she grows up, she’s paying for them!
I confess that I know nothing about computers and I find the topic one almighty bore.
However I have to make a decision about an upgrade in January and this thread, which I am trying to use for some sort of guidance, seems to just be a Mac v PC thingy. Unless I have missed something, it seems all down to personal choice.
My missus runs an IPhone which is about 4 years old and she intends to give me that and then buy the latest model. We use a Macbook pro for taking around on our travels, but it is nearly 10 years old and is sometimes a bit slow.
I also have a 7 year old desktop Windows 10 PC in the UK house, so that is now probably up for renewal.
My son who is in IT hates Apple with a vengence because of the way that they play their customers but he admits that they are good.
Therefore my plan is to buy another Macbook pro and ditch the Windows PC and then be 100% Apple where everything talks to each other.
So simple question - is there any downside to my idea ?
Biggest downside for me is paying through the nose for HomeKit enabled smart home products, if you use stuff like that - smart plugs etc. seem much cheaper in the Alexa world.
But otherwise, no.
Macbook is the best laptop you can get for work. I've been using my Air 13 for 3 years without any issues. Top lid gets scratchy pretty easily if you take a laptop with you. I just put a marble Macbook skin on and my laptop still looks like new.
Two grand and it's thick as a brick. I'd rather the stone-age looking Macbook any day of the week.
Look at Homebridge.
https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge
Got my Dyson fan working using homebridge :)
Last edited by Nogbad The Bad; 11th December 2019 at 17:27.
I've had a couple of macbooks now, those two have lasted me almost ten years, in that time I'd have had probably 4 windows laptops, that to me means they're worth the slightly higher purchase cost.
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Not seen that, currently getting stuff automated with Smartthings, which is OK, but not exactly what I need, I'll check it out.
No downsides, one of Apples key strengths is the way units integrate with each other, I love the way I can now get and send texts on my phone, tablet, macbook and desktop, it seems a small thing, but makes life a lot easier.
Been using Mac for 20 years now and would never go back, loathed to use windows as I find the prices counter intuitive. Everything just works, got another pole watch as I am sat at home looking after daughter and simple things like being able to take a call on the watch and transition to another device are great. As well as unlocking my mc having my watch on. My notes all syncing and working across all devices copy and paste between devices. I have just got a new 16” on order and I am looking forward to it.
Cliche but it just works for me, I have a vm ware that I use I can do coding on both Mac and windows as the applications are available on both platforms.
If your daughter is lying for it I would say go for it!
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