After Apple's Disappointing MacBook Pro Refresh, What's an Engineer to Do?(linkedin.com)
linkedin.com
After Apple's Disappointing MacBook Pro Refresh, What's an Engineer to Do?
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/after-apples-disappointing-macbook-pro-refresh-whats-engineer-greg?trk=hn
27 comments
I highly recommend you try out cmder. It's a bundle of the excellent conemu console emulator, clink for bash style completion in cmd.exe, and some unix tools.
http://cmder.net/
http://cmder.net/
Where do you get the idea that it is the only SSH client for Windows? Not only are there commercial ones, there is also Cygwin which basically gives you a full linux-like environment with bash, package installer, and ssh, both client and server. I have used Cygwin on all Windows versions since Windows 98.
If you prefer Windows 10 on your laptop, I can wholeheartedly recommend Ubuntu on Windows over PuTTY. Bring your good old ~/.ssh on over, and you're all set to continue where you left off.
> Microsoft's release of PowerShell as an attempt to improve upon cmd.exe was an enormous failure.
It's fine to be opposed to the object pipeline in powershell. Enormous failure? Not so much.
It's fine to be opposed to the object pipeline in powershell. Enormous failure? Not so much.
You can try enhanced version of putty too
Multi-Tabbed PuTTY (MTPutty)
http://ttyplus.com/
Multi-Tabbed PuTTY (MTPutty)
http://ttyplus.com/
Xshell is plenty usable on windows and free for home use
Honestly, just get a nice Linux laptop from one of several vendors. Laptops with Linux preinstalled don't suffer from the typical issues that users often complain about when switching from Windows. They also have the added benefit of running Linux...
Don't like the desktop environment? Change it.
Want more than four virtual desktops? Add more.
Want/don't want fancy 3D desktop effects? Turn them on/off.
You also don't have to reboot constantly to apply updates and there's literally thousands and thousands of self-updating packages you can install in seconds without having to "search the internet." And they're not just limited to "apps."
Even better: If you're developing software to run on Linux servers you can test your code locally without having to upload it anywhere and you don't have to worry about zillions of platform gotchas.
Lastly, with Linux you get access to all sorts of neat things natively that you just don't get to fool around with in other OSes like cool filesystems, virtualization tricks, networking features up the wazoo, low level access to hardware (many motherboards have GPIO pins you can fiddle with natively!), and lots of other "fun" stuff (well, I have fun playing around with the new toys that are regularly introduced :).
Don't like the desktop environment? Change it.
Want more than four virtual desktops? Add more.
Want/don't want fancy 3D desktop effects? Turn them on/off.
You also don't have to reboot constantly to apply updates and there's literally thousands and thousands of self-updating packages you can install in seconds without having to "search the internet." And they're not just limited to "apps."
Even better: If you're developing software to run on Linux servers you can test your code locally without having to upload it anywhere and you don't have to worry about zillions of platform gotchas.
Lastly, with Linux you get access to all sorts of neat things natively that you just don't get to fool around with in other OSes like cool filesystems, virtualization tricks, networking features up the wazoo, low level access to hardware (many motherboards have GPIO pins you can fiddle with natively!), and lots of other "fun" stuff (well, I have fun playing around with the new toys that are regularly introduced :).
I've tried Linux on the desktop in the past and it used to leave me wanting for a lot. It never just worked. How is it these days? Do you still have to constantly tinker with everything to have a UX remotely as nice as OS X or Windows?
I'm running Ubuntu 16.04 on a Dell Latitude, and it mostly "just works."
How's sleep work? Does the system reliably restore from sleep? How about battery life vs. Windows?
Sleep/wake is completely rock solid. Battery life is only okay - about 5 hours - on my model (latest 7-series with smallest battery), but from what I understand, it isn't that great on Windows, either.
Well, yes, the same if not better.
-Debian LXDE
-Debian LXDE
I used to be fond of trying out new desktop environments, playing with "fun" stuff etc. At this point in my life I no longer gain a lot of enjoyment from just fiddling around (at least not usually). These days a laptop is just a tool -- and ideally, one that works efficiently so I can do the work I need to do and get on with my life.
The reason I've used a MacBook Pro for so many years is because it really does "just work," or at least consistently has in the past. It's very, very rare (in my personal experience) to run into any system-related issues. I used to run Linux on a laptop and spent ages fiddling around with my Xorg, troubleshooting wireless issues, dealing with buggy desktop environments, etc...
I think a lot of other people are in a similar position, in that the "neat things" and "fiddling" are a negative. I just want a machine that works well with minimal configuration. Is desktop Linux at that stage right now? Popular opinion seems to say no, but I haven't actually tried running desktop Linux since for years.
(I do use Linux every single day, but it's always over ssh/tmux)
The reason I've used a MacBook Pro for so many years is because it really does "just work," or at least consistently has in the past. It's very, very rare (in my personal experience) to run into any system-related issues. I used to run Linux on a laptop and spent ages fiddling around with my Xorg, troubleshooting wireless issues, dealing with buggy desktop environments, etc...
I think a lot of other people are in a similar position, in that the "neat things" and "fiddling" are a negative. I just want a machine that works well with minimal configuration. Is desktop Linux at that stage right now? Popular opinion seems to say no, but I haven't actually tried running desktop Linux since for years.
(I do use Linux every single day, but it's always over ssh/tmux)
I'm with you, I just want to get work done, I don't customize anything, the last thing I want to do is waste time configuring every machine I use (i.e. work provided machine and personal dev machines). Since I usually work in big dumb corps I use Cygwin on Windows (it has been really good for a few years now). I've been using Ubuntu for personal use since 2008. Desktop Linux has been good enough for a long time in imo. With caveats that you should research your hardware before you buy.
Nowadays a lot stuff just works, like tonight I just connected a bluetooth key board to my dechromed acer c720 running xubuntu 14.04. It paired and everything worked first time. Even reconnected after restart. I even exclaimed to my wife how surprised I was. Dechroming and getting xubuntu on there was a bit of work, but the guides online were good enough. Ymmv of course.
Nowadays a lot stuff just works, like tonight I just connected a bluetooth key board to my dechromed acer c720 running xubuntu 14.04. It paired and everything worked first time. Even reconnected after restart. I even exclaimed to my wife how surprised I was. Dechroming and getting xubuntu on there was a bit of work, but the guides online were good enough. Ymmv of course.
It's so weird that you say that, because my DE is exactly why I use linux. I install debian, sync down my config settings from home, and (aside from wifi/sound) I'm done. I have a very minimal DE/WM setup that gets out of my way, and lets me work. I very rarely have to fiddle with anything
I want to use a HiDPI screen and a "LoDPI" screen together. Why can't I do that on Linux (X11), barring Wayland which seems to crash pretty constantly? How will a Linux laptop help here?
Can anyone comment on how effective WSL is for normal web developer tasks in Windows? I'm a longtime Mac user who is really disappointed in the latest Macbook Pro. At this point my decision is essentially a coin flip between a 2015 Macbook Pro and a Razor Blade.
You're a web developer, right? Why are you disappointed in the MBP? It's not like web development needs more than 16GB of RAM, or the absolute latest GPU.
Largely the large price increase for a small improvement in specs. I've been waiting for the new machines to upgrade, and want a 15". Prices starting at $2400 are hard to stomach. I also consider the touch bar to be a wash or a slight regression.
I'm a web developer / front-end engineer, and I work on a 2014 MBP with 16GB. It can slog. With multiple Chrome instances running, Atom with 12-15 documents open, sometimes IntelliJ looking at BE code, and our dev server(running on the JVM), Slack, and sometimes Sketch(and/or gimp). If you are just a "coder" that designs static sites or edit a WordPress theme, maybe that works for you.
But my company is right now looking for a upgrade path out of MBP.
No 32GB option, no Kaby Lake, substandard GPU, AND $500 more? No thanks. We have about 15 machines that were locked into auto purchase for Mac, but now we want to move not only the Eng/Data Science teams away from Mac, but our entire company(through Linux and ChromeOS most likely). Our ~60 person company's IT budget won't cause any pain for Apple, but I wonder how many other similar teams will consider a similar path forward.
But my company is right now looking for a upgrade path out of MBP.
No 32GB option, no Kaby Lake, substandard GPU, AND $500 more? No thanks. We have about 15 machines that were locked into auto purchase for Mac, but now we want to move not only the Eng/Data Science teams away from Mac, but our entire company(through Linux and ChromeOS most likely). Our ~60 person company's IT budget won't cause any pain for Apple, but I wonder how many other similar teams will consider a similar path forward.
I'm a web/full-stack/whatever developer and I can make use of all the RAM you give me.
I use to do scientific computing, computational chemistry, and was just fine with only 3gb of RAM. No need for more even running on virtual machines.
Partly this is because of the tools and projects. The chemistry software was super lean and written in C++ or even Fortran. It had to squeeze every drop of performance out of a supercomputer but scaled down to my laptop for small problems with no trouble. What I wanted was a faster cpu not more ram.
The web tools are bloated by comparison. Multiple jvms that will take all the ram they can get. Software is written to add features fast. Who cares about performance when we can throw more ec2 instances at the problem. Also as micro services get more popular, you might be running several bloated services at once maybe in separate containers. Many of these services are mostly sitting idle, so CPU isn't a limitation but ram certainly is.
I use to do scientific computing, computational chemistry, and was just fine with only 3gb of RAM. No need for more even running on virtual machines.
Partly this is because of the tools and projects. The chemistry software was super lean and written in C++ or even Fortran. It had to squeeze every drop of performance out of a supercomputer but scaled down to my laptop for small problems with no trouble. What I wanted was a faster cpu not more ram.
The web tools are bloated by comparison. Multiple jvms that will take all the ram they can get. Software is written to add features fast. Who cares about performance when we can throw more ec2 instances at the problem. Also as micro services get more popular, you might be running several bloated services at once maybe in separate containers. Many of these services are mostly sitting idle, so CPU isn't a limitation but ram certainly is.
I moved from Apple a year ago; I moved to Thinkpad X220 running Ubuntu with i3wm. Secondhand laptops with excellent keyboards, very cheap, fast enough to do most things, extendable (inc swappable batteries), very long battery life (I routinely get 15+ hrs). Unless I get into AAA game dev I do not need anything else for many years to come...
The Wikipedia article for OLEDs mentions significant longevity problems, particularly at the blue end of the spectrum. Has Apple indicated anything about the lifetime of the touch component?
First impression is that this guy doesn't do serious development when the only three application he needs are Chrome, Terminal, and Sublime Text. The one major advantage that macOS has over Windows is the Unix environment. So that means all command-line development tools just work. And not to mention that there's a lot of pretty development tools with a GUI that's been built for macOS.
In Windows, you could replicate this with a virtual machine. Furthermore, you most likely don't want to be running your application code in Windows anyways. The best practice is to develop in as close to an environment as possible to what you will be using in production. However, with the proliferation of Docker, it's becoming less and less dependent on what your host OS is going to be. Still, it's just more convenient to have a Unix environment.
In Windows, you could replicate this with a virtual machine. Furthermore, you most likely don't want to be running your application code in Windows anyways. The best practice is to develop in as close to an environment as possible to what you will be using in production. However, with the proliferation of Docker, it's becoming less and less dependent on what your host OS is going to be. Still, it's just more convenient to have a Unix environment.
First impression is that this guy doesn't do serious development when the only three application he needs are Chrome, Terminal, and Sublime Text.
You know what they say... First impressions are dumb and wrong. Oh wait, they don't say that. But they should because in this case they'd be right.
Our forefathers and foremothers did everything from dumb terminals. They did serious things.
You know what they say... First impressions are dumb and wrong. Oh wait, they don't say that. But they should because in this case they'd be right.
Our forefathers and foremothers did everything from dumb terminals. They did serious things.
Answer: Move on to other things
I hear this a lot, and it's quite sad. PuTTY is not a great terminal application. It just happens to be the only usable SSH client on Windows, and so everyone uses it because they have little choice in the matter. Connection management and copy/paste is such a pain. Microsoft's release of PowerShell as an attempt to improve upon cmd.exe was an enormous failure.