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c0ppo

macrumors 68000
Feb 11, 2013
1,890
3,268
I use Breeze on mac. On linux I use default gnome snapping. By far the best window management on any OS. And by default, with no 3rd party software, Mac OS is the worst, I agree. By far.

eventually I plan on trying i3wm on linux.
 

Pangalactic

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2016
514
1,443
I found Windows to be far more reliable than Mac. Both OS are very stable, but if something goes wrong, Windows has a HUGE advantage over MacOS because when the system gets corrupt I know for sure I can repair my windows laptop or PC on my own. With Macs and particularly the new T2 chips you can run into cases when you can do absolutely nothing to fix it and the only solution is to carry your iMac to the store.
 

hajime

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
7,906
1,306
I found Windows to be far more reliable than Mac. Both OS are very stable, but if something goes wrong, Windows has a HUGE advantage over MacOS because when the system gets corrupt I know for sure I can repair my windows laptop or PC on my own. With Macs and particularly the new T2 chips you can run into cases when you can do absolutely nothing to fix it and the only solution is to carry your iMac to the store.

could you pleasegive us examples on how T2 prevents you from repairing? I am too new as a T2 owner.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
With Macs and particularly the new T2 chips you can run into cases when you can do absolutely nothing to fix it and the only solution is to carry your iMac to the store.
I don't know if the T2 chips are specifically responsible for any repair issues, but rather the issue of apple soldering on every component.

The removal of the data recovery port means that apple cannot retrieve a person's data from a malfunctioning MBP.

In the end, if something minor occurs on the logic board, apple can only replace the entire board. There's no repair possible and with the SSDs soldered onto the logic board and no way to retrieve the data - you're data is gone.
 
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Queen6

macrumors G4
I don't know if the T2 chips are specifically responsible for any repair issues, but rather the issue of apple soldering on every component.

The removal of the data recovery port means that apple cannot retrieve a person's data from a malfunctioning MBP.

In the end, if something minor occurs on the logic board, apple can only replace the entire board. There's no repair possible and with the SSDs soldered onto the logic board and no way to retrieve the data - you're data is gone.

It's all about cost reduction to the manufacturer, and very much too the cost of the customer in the event of any hardware issue. This paradigm forces ever higher repair costs, that will sway many to opt for a new system over an expensive repair, sound familiar...

It's clearly consumer hostile, driven by solely by greed and has little to do with reliability. Simply a form of manipulation. If Apple was truly socially and environmentally responsible it wouldn't design and manufacture hardware that is near impossible to repair or repurpose. The piecemeal effort of recycling is just that with the vast majority of it's dead & defunct hardware ending up in the local landfill.

Older hardware can be repurposed and retasked, modern Mac's not so, as they are fast becoming time limited showpieces...

Q-6
 
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sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,403
13,285
where hip is spoken
It's all about cost reduction to the manufacturer, and very much too the cost of the customer in the event of any hardware issue. This paradigm forces ever higher repair costs, that will sway many to opt for a new system over an expensive repair, sound familiar...

It's clearly consumer hostile, driven by solely by greed and has little to do with reliability. Simply a form of manipulation. If Apple was truly socially and environmentally responsible it wouldn't design and manufacture hardware that is near impossible to repair or repurpose. The piecemeal effort of recycling is just that with the vast majority of it's dead & defunct hardware ending up in the local landfill.

Older hardware can be repurposed and retasked, modern Mac's not so, as they are fast becoming time limited showpieces...

Q-6
You are being generous about "cost reduction to the manufacturer" being the reason. I'm more cynical and believe it is simply to drive up purchases of AppleCare+. The more costly for repairs, the easier it is to justify AC+. 😄
 

kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,103
8,658
Any place but here or there....
Wow, so glad I returned that MBP <T2 chip, soldering etc. - all of which I know, but when reading the comments here, eye-opening. >

Circling Razer Blades again. Using in a clamshell or desktop mode with external keyboard, mouse, and that new Raptor display.

I haven't stopped thinking about the Razer since I returned that 15" advanced model to MS. And with the external keyboard, all my issues in using the hardware are moot. So I just need to ease into opening my mind about working with Windows.

Anyway, I will wait on the 2020 Razers.
 
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Queen6

macrumors G4
You are being generous about "cost reduction to the manufacturer" being the reason. I'm more cynical and believe it is simply to drive up purchases of AppleCare+. The more costly for repairs, the easier it is to justify AC+. 😄

Apple now only considers one aspect $$$$, producing the very best you can is long gone. AppleCare is near mandatory thx to poor design philosophy, IMHO deliberate and intentional obsolescence.

Message is very clear, once 100% Apple today zero, there's a reason for that.

Your loss...

Q-6
 

Queen6

macrumors G4
Wow, so glad I returned that MBP <T2 chip, soldering etc. - all of which I know, but when reading the comments here, eye-opening. >

Circling Razer Blades again. Using in a clamshell or desktop mode with external keyboard, mouse, and that new Raptor display.

I haven't stopped thinking about the Razer since I returned that 15" advanced model to MS. And with the external keyboard, all my issues in using the hardware are moot. So I just need to ease into opening my mind about working with Windows.

Anyway, debating if I should jump on that Best Buy's sale for the Mercury White 15" or just wait for the early 2020 model?

Once you get W10 the world opens exponentially, macOS your locked in and locked out. Safe secure and boring with very limited hardware. All show and no go simply doesn't cut it IRL.

Enter the Farcebook...

Q-6
 
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kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,103
8,658
Any place but here or there....
Once you get W10 the world opens exponentially, macOS your locked in and locked out. Safe secure and boring with very limited hardware. All show and no go simply doesn't cut it IRL.

Enter the Facebook...

Q-6
Very true.

The thing that keeps pushing me away from Apple is how much they've become that walled garden. I am tired of the hoops I have to jump through to use their products.

The fact that they aren't hiding the lockdown business now, is unsettling.
 

Pangalactic

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2016
514
1,443
could you pleasegive us examples on how T2 prevents you from repairing? I am too new as a T2 owner.

Had this happen on the iMac Pro - I was working with the recovery partition on my Mac, and long story short the OS got corrupt. Now normally you would either use internet recovery or load a fresh MacOS from a USB stick. Except that thanks to T2 and its ridiculous “safety” settings the external boot was not allowed, and internet recovery didn’t work. Here is a thread where something very similar to my case happened:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8484694

with Windows, I know for sure that if something goes wrong I can get an external USB with a new windows installation and boot from BIOS no matter what.

with Mac, if you get to this stage with T2 you’re screwed, the only way to repair is taking it to the Apple Store. Thank god I was in San Francisco at that time and had one guy at the store who was trained to handle T2 repairs on the iMac Pro. If you live further away or have no Apple stores around - well, good luck with that, it’s a dead machine for at least a week.
[automerge]1575668349[/automerge]
Wow, so glad I returned that MBP <T2 chip, soldering etc. - all of which I know, but when reading the comments here, eye-opening. >

Circling Razer Blades again. Using in a clamshell or desktop mode with external keyboard, mouse, and that new Raptor display.

I actually moved to a Razer Blade 15” with an RTX 2080 Max-Q, absolutely a lovely machine! it’s almost a Windows equivalent of a MBP 15”
 
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retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
Apple now only considers one aspect $$$$, producing the very best you can is long gone. AppleCare is near mandatory thx to poor design philosophy, IMHO deliberate and intentional obsolescence.

Message is very clear, once 100% Apple today zero, there's a reason for that.

Your loss...

Q-6
This. I still have my 2005 PowerBook G4 in service, the only issue I've had with it is the battery life went down to nothing. But that's not really on Apple, it's just the battery tech. Besides that the only issue I've had the loss of a key due to a drop.

They don't make them in the same way they used to. On that machine, the battery and RAM were extremely simple to replace. The rest was a bit harder but it could be done with patience. Now, it's a lost cause for most people.
 

Queen6

macrumors G4
Very true.

The thing that keeps pushing me away from Apple is how much they've become that walled garden. I am tired of the hoops I have to jump through to use their products.

The fact that they aren't hiding the lockdown business now, is unsettling.

I solved that one, I don't use any of Apple's products these days as they simply don't produce anything remotely compelling and I don't need their BS...

Q-6
[automerge]1575691509[/automerge]
This. I still have my 2005 PowerBook G4 in service, the only issue I've had with it is the battery life went down to nothing. But that's not really on Apple, it's just the battery tech. Besides that the only issue I've had the loss of a key due to a drop.

They don't make them in the same way they used to. On that machine, the battery and RAM were extremely simple to replace. The rest was a bit harder but it could be done with patience. Now, it's a lost cause for most people.

Apple used to produce the very best hardware it could, today Apple produces what delivers the most revenue, deliberately designed to milk the customer to the max. Frankly the magic has long gone and there's little to like outside of the aesthetic, even that's getting old...

Q-6
 
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hajime

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
7,906
1,306
I solved that one, I don't use any of Apple's products these days as they simply don't produce anything remotely compelling and I don't need their BS...

Q-6
[automerge]1575691509[/automerge]


Apple used to produce the very best hardware it could, today Apple produces what delivers the most revenue, deliberately designed to milk the customer to the max. Frankly the magic has long gone and there's little to like outside of the aesthetic, even that's getting old...

Q-6

I am getting sick of Apple. Things were working fine before. I don’t want the T2 chip. I have to keep force turning off as the screen is blank a lot of times upon wake up. Popping sound. The only thing worth buying from Apple is the physical store in case repairing or complaining is needed. Returning the MBP 16” sooner or later.
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
You are being generous about "cost reduction to the manufacturer" being the reason. I'm more cynical and believe it is simply to drive up purchases of AppleCare+. The more costly for repairs, the easier it is to justify AC+. 😄
I think its more about making the MBP a commodity, an appliance. You replace it when it fails, not repair it. AC+ is just icing on the cake.

don't use any of Apple's products these days as they simply don't produce anything remotely compelling
I still think the 16" MBP is a compelling product along with the apple ecosystem, there are things that I miss out of both the hardware and software. Conversely, with PCs/Windows, I have a different set of advantages, its all a trade off.


Returning the MBP 16” sooner or later.
I'm absolutely sure that will surprise nobody here
 
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Pangalactic

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2016
514
1,443
Is it a noisy machine while doing regular tasks?

It is quite noisy by default, but if you tweak the settings a bit it will be dead silent. A little bit of undetvolting with throttlestop, limiting the CPU usage in power setting at around 70% and changing cooling from active to passive did the trick, now on "balanced" power settings I never hear it at all.
 
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Queen6

macrumors G4
I think its more about making the MBP a commodity, an appliance. You replace it when it fails, not repair it. AC+ is just icing on the cake.

I still think the 16" MBP is a compelling product along with the apple ecosystem, there are things that I miss out of both the hardware and software. Conversely, with PCs/Windows, I have a different set of advantages, its all a trade off.

The MPB should offer more for the price point, nor should there be issues, that are starting to rise once again. Agreed Apple wants to sell appliances, equally I'm not sold on computers going down that path and for the excitement of the 16" it's only a fix for the 2016 design at best.

AC+ should be inclusive in the cost IMO as Apple is creating the problem, not the customers as ultimately they are the ones who have to pay...

Q-6
 

millerj123

macrumors 68030
Mar 6, 2008
2,601
2,703
I think its more about making the MBP a commodity, an appliance. You replace it when it fails, not repair it. AC+ is just icing on the cake.

I still think the 16" MBP is a compelling product along with the apple ecosystem, there are things that I miss out of both the hardware and software. Conversely, with PCs/Windows, I have a different set of advantages, its all a trade off.

I'm absolutely sure that will surprise nobody here
My work provides Windows laptops to remotely access server VMs. When I get home, I don't want to keep fighting my hardware, so I have a trusty MacBook pro. With the previous generations being so locked down, I haven't felt compelled to upgrade, and their price/performance choices don't match mine.

I wish the grass was greener somewhere.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
My work provides Windows laptops to remotely access server VMs.

That's what I do, as well, and to be honest, I find windows to handle that task better. I use GotomyPC to access my work computer and RDP for servers. GotoMyPC, is a fuller featured product on windows then macos.
 

hajime

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
7,906
1,306
I think its more about making the MBP a commodity, an appliance. You replace it when it fails, not repair it. AC+ is just icing on the cake.


I still think the 16" MBP is a compelling product along with the apple ecosystem, there are things that I miss out of both the hardware and software. Conversely, with PCs/Windows, I have a different set of advantages, its all a trade off.



I'm absolutely sure that will surprise nobody here

It is an expensive machine. Why do I have to keep a machine that has issues?
 

Roxy.music

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2019
861
90
uk
Windows is more complicated to backup than MacOS.

With MacOS, you can generally get away with just doing essentially a full file and folder copy to a new blank drive.

With windows, there are partitions that are generally “hidden” and essential to operation. Likewise, there are hidden system files, and beyond that, even files that must reside physically at a very specific physical location on the drive. Therefore a simple backup of data or all files will not yield the results you want. It won’t be bootable.

You need to use a utility program to duplicate the drive exactly. Clone the drive, not the contents of the drive, but the exact drive as it exists. Google for clone windows hard drive bootable. That should find the tools and instructions you need.

Additionally, the fact that Windows resides as a separate partition on your Mac does complicate it slightly more than if it were on its own drive. Search google for backup windows boot camp. I think a utility I once used for that was called winclone.

Here, I found the link:
http://twocanoes.com/products/mac/winclone/

Otherwise, I find windows to be comparable these days in operational reliability.
Yes win
just tried to back up the Windows 7 partition of my Macbook Pro 2-10. First plugged in a Samsung T5 and Windows could jot recognize the ssd. Then, plugged in a LaCie 2TB external HD. After spending four hours to backup, unplugged it and plugged it back to Windows. It stated disk directory corrupted. What is wrong? I Is this Windows problem, my mbp usb port hardwre problem or what? Never have such problems under MacOS. Is this Windows 7 problem? Willsuch thing happen under Windows 10? Now I hesitate to choose Windows machine also.

clone is the best one to back up Windows but it is not cheap. :(
just tried to back up the Windows 7 partition of my Macbook Pro 2-10. First plugged in a Samsung T5 and Windows could jot recognize the ssd. Then, plugged in a LaCie 2TB external HD. After spending four hours to backup, unplugged it and plugged it back to Windows. It stated disk directory corrupted. What is wrong? I Is this Windows problem, my mbp usb port hardwre problem or what? Never have such problems under MacOS. Is this Windows 7 problem? Willsuch thing happen under Windows 10? Now I hesitate to choose Windows machine also.
just tried to back up the Windows 7 partition of my Macbook Pro 2-10. First plugged in a Samsung T5 and Windows could jot recognize the ssd. Then, plugged in a LaCie 2TB external HD. After spending four hours to backup, unplugged it and plugged it back to Windows. It stated disk directory corrupted. What is wrong? I Is this Windows problem, my mbp usb port hardwre problem or what? Never have such problems under MacOS. Is this Windows 7 problem? Willsuch thing happen under Windows 10? Now I hesitate to choose Windows machine also.
Why don,t you put Windows on the T5 SSD ?I have got Windows 10 on it.It is agood ssd.:)
 

kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,103
8,658
Any place but here or there....
It is an expensive machine. Why do I have to keep a machine that has issues?
I know what you’re saying but you don’t, just return it within the return window.

When I went back to Apple to return the 16”, I tested several of them again, and one display model had stuck keys. Thankfully, I returned the problematic iPP as well.
 
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hajime

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 23, 2007
7,906
1,306
I know what you’re saying but you don’t, just return it within the return window.

When I went back to Apple to return the 16”, I tested several of them again, and one display model had stuck keys. Thankfully, I returned the problematic iPP as well.

Due to the holiday season, the deadline for returning is around first week of January. Originally I considered to return it after I have received whatever I buy next. Then, the constant blank screen and requirement for hard reboot drives me nuts. Is it better to return it ASAP or return until I have returned whatever new machine I get? In the latter case, I have no laptop to use. I guess whether to return it now or a month later is the same to Apple? If ordering from Lenovo, I may have to wait for another 3-5 weeks.

I also cannot drag and drop a window under Bootcamp Windows. Could be a driver issue.
 
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kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,103
8,658
Any place but here or there....
Due to the holiday season, the deadline for returning is around first week of January. Originally I considered to return it after I have received whatever I buy next. Then, the constant blank screen and requirement for hard reboot drives me nuts. Is it better to return it ASAP or return until I have returned whatever new machine I get? In the latter case, I have no laptop to use. I guess whether to return it now or a month later is the same to Apple? If ordering from Lenovo, I may have to wait for another 3-5 weeks.

I also cannot drag and drop a window under Bootcamp Windows. Could be a driver issue.
Don’t you have an older laptop you can use (a Lenovo?)

I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to return to Apple, especially if you’re having issues with it. I think there are Bootcamp issues in Catalina, but you would have to confirm with Apple.
 
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