Should I Mac? (for work)

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The REAL Real Man
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Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by The REAL Real Man »

Disclaimer: I don't love Macs. I don't hate Macs. I was an IT guy in my past life and had to work on Macs, which a) dispelled the common early-century fear harbored by most PC-centric IT guys that they really were better than Windows machines and b) gave me legit reason to hate them.

I owned a couple -- bought matching MacBooks (13", so maybe MacBooklets, or MacBrochures) for me and Mrs. TRRM last decade. (She lasted a few months before shoving it away in disgust one night and saying "I can't use this. I need a computer." Is she sexy, or what?). Had another MacBook given to me by a friend -- when economic planners at Apple said it couldn't be updated to an OS that supported Dropbox, I put Linux on it and solved its myriad crashing problems (and delighted in annoying my Apple-fan friends). Stopped using it when the touchpad shit the bed; might still repair it.

So, now -- my work gives us a choice of Mac or PC. I'm currently PC (StinkPad) and perfectly happy with it, but thinking about Mac. Why? a) something different and b) public relations. I do a fair amount of press junkets, people know my brand, wonder if/when/how it is going to fail, and I think breaking out a Mac is kind of impressive, makes us look arty and successful.

Me, I OS-hop because I get bored. Currently running Kubuntu on my personal laptop (easiest way to get KDE; I'm a sucker for wobbly exploding windows), Win10 on the desktop (won't go to 11, and I just need Windows). Been Mac-free for a while.

The other Mac guys in the office seem to do OK. We were a Microsoft shop, switched to GMail/Google Docs but didn't really switch (we still have Office because GD doesn't work well for the road warriors). I hear we're going back to MS at some point.

I just think it'd be cool and fun. But would it be hateful? My Win10 work laptop is great, always works, and I know my way around.

I'm leaning towards a change. Opinions?

TRM

The REAL Real Man
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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by The REAL Real Man »

Clarify: I'd love to try Win11, but Windows says my system doesn't have what it takes for the upgrade. This really annoys me -- I bought it used, a friend built it as a gaming system. It's like the Millennium Falcon, old but will do the Kessel run in well under 12 parsecs. So Microsoft, no doubt taking a cue from Apple, won't allow me to takes my chances. Pidgeonfuckers.

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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by pinback »

I can't stand Macs, and running Ubuntu with Windows Subsystem for Linux on my Win10 box is the best work (and play) environment I've ever experienced.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

The REAL Real Man wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:47 am I just think it'd be cool and fun. But would it be hateful? My Win10 work laptop is great, always works, and I know my way around.

I'm leaning towards a change. Opinions?
Pinback hates his work Mac!

I will say that there is one thing I can't stand about Macs, and that is the File Explorer. "Finder." They really go out of their way to not let you get to your home directory, where all of your stuff is.

They also made a change in how full screen windows, which I hate.

There is also a thing that has always been there when it comes to tabbing between applications where - I know it is intentional, but I would write it up as a bug if I worked there. If you have the same application loaded twice, like say VS Code because you are working on two repos, you cannot alt-tab between them.

(I say all this, and I expect that realNC is going to suggest solutions. I could get a replacement for Finder, I just haven't yet.)

The good part is the UNIX terminal, which I can't work without. So I don't know. I've been on Macs for work for so long now they are second nature. You will never get used to the window buttons (full screen, minimized, etc) being on the left, rather than the right for Windows.

But if I remember right, I think you were the young urban car review professional that bought a Toyota Corolla as your daily driver for a couple years in order to have the experience. Or a Honda Accord, I can't remember. We need to discuss that because it was a life changing thing for me.

I feel that trying out the Mac for some period of time would accomplish similar goals. I am sort of glad that I know my way around Windows, macOS and Ubuntu.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by pinback »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 11:38 amThe good part is the UNIX terminal
Yeah, you know what else comes with a "UNIX" terminal? Mufuckin' WINDOWS, bro.

That being said, I still use my work Mac for work. It's nice to sit back a few times a day just sitting there wondering how you're supposed to get to your home directory.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

There is another thing I don't like. These Macbooks "look" nice, but then you see that they are missing a bunch of ports that they need.

I have this dongle emerging from the side that lets me connect my keyboard, trackball, HDMI monitor, and power line. Every single one is necessary to get any work done on the thing. It has two ports. Two! And they are not compatible with any device I have, except for the power supply, which the Mac came with. I don't know what the port is called and because I hate it, I won't ever know what it is called.

The dongle is constantly getting jostled and then I have to plug everything back in.

I'll tell you where this all leads. Within 5 years, Apple will make a Macbook with no keyboard keys. "What if.... we got rid of the KEYS? Let people wireless connect their keyboards! SEMEN!"

And then they are going to get rid of the display within 6.

The 2029 Macbooks are going to be this polished gray rectangle that looks good to people dying of preventable cancer and the only feature it will have without needing a dongle plugged into it, is that it will gain energy if you dump fruit juice on it. (That's a "Steve Jobs died of preventable cancer because he thought fruit juice would cure it" reference.)
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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

pinback wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:01 pm
Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 11:38 amThe good part is the UNIX terminal
Yeah, you know what else comes with a "UNIX" terminal? Mufuckin' WINDOWS, bro.
I thought it gave you DOS in the terminal?
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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by AArdvark »

Instead of a keyboard there should be a wireless headband ( think Mark Knopfler in that MTV video) that reads the words in your head and puts them on screen. I would switch to Apple for a faster, less Carpal Tunnel experience.

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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by pinback »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 2:43 pm
pinback wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:01 pm
Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 11:38 amThe good part is the UNIX terminal
Yeah, you know what else comes with a "UNIX" terminal? Mufuckin' WINDOWS, bro.
I thought it gave you DOS in the terminal?
Yeah but don't do that.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Jizaboz
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Re: Should I Mac? (for work)

Post by Jizaboz »

If someone buys you a Mac for work.. COOL. Roll with it.

DO NOT:
1. Accept said Mac and proceed to over-write MacOS with Windows.
2. Do not buy a Mac with your own money unless you have money to piss and some weird reason for having to do so.

However, I will say I really do like getting work done on my 2018 or so Macbook pro (previous employer bought) connected to a Thunderbolt large display. And watching videos. Not much else (Windows/Linux machine is my gaming machine) but hey "work" entails a lot here. I created my first mobile app within Unity to Xcode using nothing but the MacBook; including the Blender 3d model work.

P.S. If I want to play a game on the Mac setup I just load a emulator I have for Apple II :razz:
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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