Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

[dualstow]

IMHO Vinny is right about the Mac keyboards. They're pretty much useless. I make very heavy use of insert, home, end, page up, page down, and delete. (Note that "delete" on a real keyboard is quite different from what's labeled "delete" on an Apple keyboard, which is really "backspace".)

To be fair, though, most laptops place these keys terribly and are also largely useless to me, but Apple is by far the worst since they're completely missing.

I have an extended keyboard for my Mac, so maybe I’ve dodged this issue without realizing it. I did bemoan the lack of certain keys in the virtual keyboards, so I hated my iPad mini until I got a physical kbd. Now, I rarely spend an hour of wake time without it.
(btw, Ctrl D to forward-delete on an ipad)

Also, Apple can be frustratingly locked down, from the new policy of soldering RAM into Mac minis so that you cannot buy RAM a la carte and install it; to the horrible navigation controls on Apple TV; to a fanboy online asking “why would you want to?” (have a resize arrow on any of the four corners of a window besides thte top right).

It’s the “poor value” charge that sticks in my craw. My relatives and friends have enough problems with Windows to remind me that Apple is not a 3 trillion $ company by accident or luck.

[Mountaineer]

FWIW, probably not much, I tried to remember my various computers.

My employer purchased computers included an HP laptop circa 1986 that had a Windows operating system of some kind (as an aside I remember that a 1 MB, yes MB, memory expansion board cost $1,000 for the HP), and an Apple laptop circa 1991 that plugged into a dock with a pivoting monitor (my memory is a bit fuzzy on models and exact timing).

My computer history (my purchases, not my employer purchases):

Gateway??? Desktop, Windows 95 and later Windows 98. Purchased about 1998.

Dell Dimension 8400 Desktop, Windows XP and later Windows 7. Purchased when Gateway died, somewhere around 2004.

Both Windows desktops finally died. I had done various memory and hard drives upgrades. I took them to the local electronics hardware recycling center.

MacBook Pro 15” laptop 2009. I upgraded memory and hard drive a couple times, ultimately with a SSD. Currently MacOS El Capitan.

MacBook Pro 15” laptop 2018. No upgrades to date - not user friendly to upgrade. Purchased with 32 GB memory and 2 TB SSD, overkill in retrospect for my needs, I was trying to future proof. Currently MacOS Ventura.

Both MacBooks still completely functional and meet all my needs. I’m slightly thinking about buying a MacBook Air but so far have avoided the temptation.

[yankees60]

(Getting sucked in here) Ok, ok. So you hate Apple, especially their desktops. I’ve had cloud and transfer problems with Google and Nordlocker, too. But I ran my first Mac for 10 years with very few restarts and I’m on the 9th year of my second one. (with overlap)“Poor value” my ass. And I know how to PgDn.

I have repeatedly stated that I own 20-25 Apple devices of all kinds. Those devices are all wonderful. It's their computers that have never grabbed me. All my experiences with them when I've been forced to use them because that is what the person owns that I am helping --- have been negative ones. I am still waiting for my first hand experience with one wherein I say, "You can do THAT on your computer??!! We certainly cannot do that on a Windows computer."

Bright people cannot even tell me how to do the simplest tasks on those computers which are quite easy to do in Windows computers.

I can think now one positive to say about Apple computers.

One time I had a person from Verizon in this room trying to troubleshoot my internet connection problem. He said that in his experience Apple computers excelled at getting the maximum possible from the most minimum internet connection. He attributed this to them controlling every part of the computer as opposed to our Windows computers which are created by parts from a myriad of manufacturers.

[dualstow]

Right, regarding that last paragraph, it’s like a dictatorship but in a good way. Everything cooperates, because the hardware and software is all from the same firm. My first experience with Linux was on a PC that I later found out just wasn’t made Linux-friendly. I didn’t want to spend my life hunting down drivers.
I do like the “public park” philosophy of Android (vs “walled garden”) but there are many benefits to being within that garden.

[dualstow]

…My computer history (my purchases, not my employer purchases):

Gateway??? Desktop,

I miss the black and white cow logo

[yankees60]

IMHO Vinny is right about the Mac keyboards. They're pretty much useless. I make very heavy use of insert, home, end, page up, page down, and delete. (Note that "delete" on a real keyboard is quite different from what's labeled "delete" on an Apple keyboard, which is really "backspace".)

To be fair, though, most laptops place these keys terribly and are also largely useless to me, but Apple is by far the worst since they're completely missing.

I have an extended keyboard for my Mac, so maybe I’ve dodged this issue without realizing it. I did bemoan the lack of certain keys in the virtual keyboards, so I hated my iPad mini until I got a physical kbd. Now, I rarely spend an hour of wake time without it.
(btw, Ctrl D to forward-delete on an ipad)

Also, Apple can be frustratingly locked down, from the new policy of soldering RAM into Mac minis so that you cannot buy RAM a la carte and install it; to the horrible navigation controls on Apple TV; to a fanboy online asking “why would you want to?” (have a resize arrow on any of the four corners of a window besides thte top right).

It’s the “poor value” charge that sticks in my craw. My relatives and friends have enough problems with Windows to remind me that Apple is not a 3 trillion $ company by accident or luck.

Microsoft has also done quite well.

And, with me being an example, Apple's vast revenues come from more than just computer sales.

[dualstow]

I’ll never forget the Don’t Worry Be Crappy speech (Microsoft). Around the same time, my father gave me a similar speech that began “You don’t understand business.” It was about how Microsoft didn’t have to put out a good product to not only be successful, but to stay dominant. Fair enough, but Apple continued to take market share away, day after day.
It used to be that Macs were for graphics designers and magazine publishers, while IBM clones were “serious”, and “business computers.”
In the early 2000s, I learned that engineeers were making use of a lot of them, especially Mac minis, to get all kinds of things done.
If I’m not mistaken, even Smithers buys them.

I do occasionally buy an old laptop as a second computer to try GalliumOS or some new (to me) Linux distro, and the wife’s Windows laptop is good for making a USB linux drive at least, but if I want everything to work out of the box I wake up the trusty Mac.

[yankees60]

I’ll never forget the Don’t Worry Be Crappy speech (Microsoft). Around the same time, my father gave me a similar speech that began “You don’t understand business.” It was about how Microsoft didn’t have to put out a good product to not only be successful, but to stay dominant. Fair enough, but Apple continued to take market share away, day after day.
It used to be that Macs were for graphics designers and magazine publishers, while IBM clones were “serious”, and “business computers.”
In the early 2000s, I learned that engineeers were making use of a lot of them, especially Mac minis, to get all kinds of things done.
If I’m not mistaken, even Smithers buys them.

I do occasionally buy an old laptop as a second computer to try GalliumOS or some new (to me) Linux distro, and the wife’s Windows laptop is good for making a USB linux drive at least, but if I want everything to work out of the box I wake up the trusty Mac.

I have been involved in a lot of businesses / organizations. There Windows computers are still the defacto standard for a computer. Have seen few Apple computers.

I believe that cost is a major factor in why this is so.

For equivalent performance or specs seems like the Apple computers cost far more.

Also just found this on a quick "Bing" search:

"As of April 2022, 74% of computers worldwide run on Windows, according to StatCounter. This dwarfs macOS, which accounts for 15%; with Linux, ChromeOS and “unknown” filling out the other 10%. That makes Windows one of the most ubiquitous operating systems on the planet."

If you are a software developer and have limited resources ...... for which operating system are you going to first going to develop your product?

The average person wants to have the widest range of software work on their computers. Is this the case with Apple computers? Is there yet a QuickBooks product that can successfully run on an Apple computer?

Finally, finally ... though many (you?) may tire of me saying this ... Apple is the predominant corporation in perfecting planned obsolescence. You buy a device from them that is in excellent condition but once they update their operating system to a certain point you are no longer able to run perfectly fine apps on those devices and are prevented from upgrading to the latest version of the app which is now required by that updated operating system, an operating system which you are not allowed to update to on that device.

All totally contrary to the Windows way of doing things where you get to choose, for example, the XP version of the software, or the Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 versions.

If I'm running an XP computer and it has software on it that has been successfully running ..... as long as I don't have to update it I can continue to use that software forever. Not so with Apple computers / devices and their planned obsolescence.

As I finish writing this I realize that Windows if for the masses while Apple is for the elite. I bought my first Apple iPad refurbished so that is the only time they got money direct from me. All the other Apple devices I have acquired have been used from mainly Craigslist.

Here is a more objective viewpoint:

https://www.tomsguide.com/features/wind ... er-for-you

Windows vs macOS: Which is better for you?
Apple computers are great for professional video and audio editors because programs like Final Cut Pro have greater adoption in creative fields. Macs packing the powerful Apple M1 and Apple M2 chips are on par with dedicated workstations. The interoperability between Apple devices and services is the envy of many tech brands and the platform’s security is practically unrivaled. It’s also the easiest operating system for first-time PC users because of its intuitive interface.

If you value high-end PC gaming, then Windows is the only real choice given the vast support the platform receives from game developers and publishers. Windows’ larger adoption rate and affordable hardware options also make it ideal for most people, even if the operating system is sometimes unintuitive or subject to the majority of malware attacks. Though perhaps not as user-friendly as macOS, Windows delivers a good balance between simplicity and complexity.

At the risk of disappointing you, our dear reader, we’ll abstain from declaring a definitive winner. Windows and macOS each have their strengths and weaknesses. Microsoft’s operating system offers a greater degree of freedom in terms of software and hardware customization and it’s available for more devices. And while Apple’s hardware offerings aren’t as robust or affordable as Windows PCs, you’ll get a more finely-tuned experience that’s designed with ease of use at the forefront. It all comes down to what you need your computer for.

[Mountaineer]

Use a virtual app such as Parallels or VirtualBox on a Mac if you need or want to run PC programs. I tried it many years back on my 2009 MacBook Pro but stopped using it in favor of equivalent Mac based apps, e.g.Numbers for Excel, Pages for Word, etc.

See link for more detail. https://www.howtogeek.com/187359/5-ways ... -on-a-mac/

[dualstow]

I agree with your two pastes above, Vinny. If I were on a tight budget, I’d have a Dell PC and/or would be trying harder with Linux.
If I were a boss, I’d probably get my employees PCs for cost reasons.

Since XP is mentioned, note that it is no longer supported. It doesn’t even get security updates.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... c79ee6ef5e

The only reason I’m getting a new Mac desktop this year is because I want security updates.

Besides the fact that new emojis don’t display, I don’t really feel I’m missing out on anything by having an ancient computer. However, security updates are important, and I’ve been missing out on them for a long time.

Also, one by one, browsers like Edge and Brave are telling me that they won’t update on my OS (10.13).

[dualstow]

P.S. the Dell monitor that kicked off this discussion does work. I had plugged into a USB-C port that was a specialized one, apparently a no-go. Plugging into the display’s leftmost USB-C port worked.

[yankees60]

P.S. the Dell monitor that kicked off this discussion does work. I had plugged into a USB-C port that was a specialized one, apparently a no-go. Plugging into the display’s leftmost USB-C port worked.

Congratulations!

Glad to hear that it finally worked and I'm sure that it is a great relief to you.

Dualstow persisted and won!

[dualstow]

You're right. A huge relief

[yankees60]

You're right. A huge relief

Seems to be another one of those eternal questions discussed everywhere?

This one was just started 2 days ago and already has 22 posts:

Buy PC laptop, or run Windows on Mac?
https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=408652

[Smith1776]

I’ve decided to write my own book on investing. More details to come soon!

Cool! Make sure to put in a sprinkling of jokes. (I know you will).

I have decided to call it The All-Terrain Portfolio. (Calling it now as a name grab haha.)

I haven't decided on a tagline yet. Maybe something like "The ultimate investment strategy for Canadians" or somewhere along those lines.

[Smith1776]

Chiming in on the computer discussion: I just picked up the 14" MacBook Pro base model. I got the student discount in addition to a $200 gift card that they have as a promotional offer. I picked up a HomePod mini and a case for the laptop.

What a great machine this is. This along with my new gaming PC and I'm set for computer purchases for a while now I think.

[dualstow]

All Terrain, nice! With a lynx logo?
Tell us about the gaming PC. What’s under the hood?

[Smith1776]

All Terrain, nice! With a lynx logo?
Tell us about the gaming PC. What’s under the hood?

The new Mac + PC power couple! (Can't the two camps just get along?)

IMG_2389.jpg (588.96 KiB) Viewed 9212 times

The PC has:
- Core i7 12650H
- 16GB RAM
- RTX 3050 Ti
- 512GB SSD
- 15" display at 144Hz

Bought for $1050 CAD and I'm just past my return period now. The PC is indeed faster overall than the MacBook Pro, but when it comes to that processing power relative to portability and battery life the Mac is the clear winner. The Mac can easily last a full day on a charge but the PC will gas out after just a few hours typically. The build quality of the Mac is also definitely superior. Either way I'm very happy with my new "toys".

[Mountaineer]

All Terrain, nice! With a lynx logo?
Tell us about the gaming PC. What’s under the hood?

The new Mac + PC power couple! (Can't the two camps just get along?)

May I suggest we could call the duo Mac and Cheesy?

[dualstow]

and thanks, Smithers.

Reminder to self: “IIISI” is actually MSI or Micro Star
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-Star_International

[yankees60]

All Terrain, nice! With a lynx logo?
Tell us about the gaming PC. What’s under the hood?

The new Mac + PC power couple! (Can't the two camps just get along?)


IMG_2389.jpg


The PC has:
- Core i7 12650H
- 16GB RAM
- RTX 3050 Ti
- 512GB SSD
- 15" display at 144Hz

Bought for $1050 CAD and I'm just past my return period now. The PC is indeed faster overall than the MacBook Pro, but when it comes to that processing power relative to portability and battery life the Mac is the clear winner. The Mac can easily last a full day on a charge but the PC will gas out after just a few hours typically. The build quality of the Mac is also definitely superior. Either way I'm very happy with my new "toys".

I DID notice how you made your post "Permanent Portfolio" relevant with a certain prop in the picture!

[dualstow]

I noticed that the avatars on the laptop screens display on the left.
I guess I’m using a different forum skin.

[yankees60]

I noticed that the avatars on the laptop screens display on the left.
I guess I’m using a different forum skin.

That is identical to how they display on the monitor for this desktop computer.

[Smith1776]

All Terrain, nice! With a lynx logo?
Tell us about the gaming PC. What’s under the hood?

I was thinking of a Shiba Inu in the mountains as the background image to get across the “all-terrain” aspect.

6BB799DA-2532-4A83-8783-72C4C2C8EE2A.png (1.52 MiB) Viewed 9144 times

[dualstow]

Haha, awesome!