# Updates to the Apple Mac line



## Lee (May 17, 2017)

So, I am looking to buy a new Mac, but waiting to see the new line-up this year. What I really want is a far better Mac Mini device that I can use with two monitors. Whilst I do love the retina 5k screens I want more than one which is why the Mac or the Pro is better.

Hopeful but cautious that Apple will wake up and pull something out the bag this year.

Any view on what might be coming?


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## Jonathan (May 17, 2017)

Why Mac?

Have you considered say, Arch Linux with a "pretty" WM like Cinnamon?


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## ChrisM (May 17, 2017)

Jonathan said:


> Why Mac?



Because Mac & Apple products in general are superior to everything in everyway possible.


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## rmcdougal01 (May 17, 2017)

Being an Apple fan I'll say it is going to be difficult for Apple to improve the current line of MacBook Pro and McBook Air other than better performance because in my opinion, they are very focused on the new iPhone 8.

As to the Mac Mini they might improve the current one but with Apple, you never know what they are going to "improve".

@Jonathan Among other things Linux compatibility with certain programs out there is still poor so that might be a factor.


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## Lee (May 17, 2017)

Jonathan said:


> Why Mac?
> 
> Have you considered say, Arch Linux with a "pretty" WM like Cinnamon?



Because I want things to work without tinkering. I used to run Linux but buy a new keyboard, oh right I need to spend two hours trying to get Linux to understand the layout, the backlight button and so on. New mouse, what 3rd button, no idea m8, you need to change this file and that file to make it work. Crashed, re-install, did you remember all the manual changes you made so your hardware all works? No, got that old keyboard that does work so you can actually type to make the other hardware work?

Don't get me wrong, I love Linux, for servers, not for a desktop OS, I want that part of my system to just work and be compatible with everything. 

With Mac, I love the magic mouse, love the keyboard, so I have no need to change them. Not so in love with their hardware offering right now though, unless there is a big turnaround this year I will be going back to Windows on a perma basis.

For everything I do the Apple Mac give me the perfect environment coupled with hardware (not so much lately) to do it effortlessly, yes Windows can do it too but in my view not as well or the way I want. If I am forced back to Windows I will make do.

I am not a fanboy like Miller up there, I just love their Mac offerings. But as I say the hardware is just so dated now, having to BTO to get an SSD is just fucking nonsense in this day and age.


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## Jonathan (May 17, 2017)

Lee said:


> Because I want things to work without tinkering. I used to run Linux but buy a new keyboard, oh right I need to spend two hours trying to get Linux to understand the layout, the backlight button and so on. New mouse, what 3rd button, no idea m8, you need to change this file and that file to make it work. Crashed, re-install, did you remember all the manual changes you made so your hardware all works? No, got that old keyboard that does work so you can actually type to make the other hardware work?



Can't say I run into any of those issues. I use a Logitech MX Revolution mouse, a CM Storm mechanical keyboard, 3 monitors on an Nvidia card + a TV output. HDMI audio, network, graphics, all works great! In fact, our entire office uses Linux as a desktop OS and it's pretty smooth sailing  All Arch on the desktops.


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## Lee (May 17, 2017)

It's not just that, as @rmcdougal01 says, software also, I know there are things I want to run that require Wine, so Linux->Wine->Application. It's just not got the foundations for me.


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## Coastercraze (May 17, 2017)

Had a Macbook Pro. I actually think they're nice. just takes time to get used to different things. Not a fan of the 3D clicking. 
The biggest thing that I would like Apple to do is stick a real graphics card into the base models. Probably won't ever happen, though...


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## raindog308 (May 18, 2017)

Jonathan said:


> Can't say I run into any of those issues. I use a Logitech MX Revolution mouse, a CM Storm mechanical keyboard, 3 monitors on an Nvidia card + a TV output. HDMI audio, network, graphics, all works great! In fact, our entire office uses Linux as a desktop OS and it's pretty smooth sailing  All Arch on the desktops.



And you're a team of Linux sysadmins, right? Go figure


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## WasNotWSS (May 18, 2017)

Admins eventually cool down and decide to get "what works", just like mechanics tend to have the worst vehicles. I've done the Mac thing, but I didn't like just how intentionally devoid of expansion Apple has made their line. Remember when we used to have PCMCIA expansion and you could easily yank the CD-RW and stick two batteries in your Pismo? Ok- _maybe that was before your time_..

Plenty of people have been buying similar-spec'd HP hardware and Hackintoshing them, since a handful of them are so directly related that you don't need to edit any kexts or otherwise. If you don't need super speed, NewerTech/StarTech have plenty of USB->DVI adapters that can't be completely worthless under OS X.


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## raindog308 (May 18, 2017)

Intentionally devoid? How about unrelentingly hostile.

I think the only thing you can modify on desktop iMacs is to add/swap out RAM. That's it. Everything else is sealed.

On laptops, you can't even do that. The freakin' RAM is soldered in. I think they solder it on the Mac Mini as well.


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## WasNotWSS (May 18, 2017)

Yep. They started doing that a couple years back to keep people from not drinking enough of their marked-up Kool-Aid.

My last Mac was a G4, and it's evidently going to stay that way. They were slightly different then- if you needed service, they said "Put the stock RAM and HD back in before you return the machine for repair." Those were certainly different days.


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## Lee (May 18, 2017)

Laptops are getting smaller and thinner though, I get that everything is soldered in, makes no real sense to make it bigger for convenience, if you need that then buy one that offers it. My Air is awesome and the very reason I like it so much is the size, it's an effortless carry about.

I can also get that with the iMac design it's not so easy to make everything so easily upgradeable, not impossible but not very practical.

I use the Mac Mini, it means I can keep my two monitors on the wall, I really don't want a single monitor despite how well MacOS is designed to work with one (if you use the magic mouse). But there was no reason other than cost to solder the ram on the board. I could even understand if the 2014 update made the case slimmer but it is was the same one. that said I am not much of a gamer, so my i7 with 8GB ram and a 256GB SSD covers all my needs at present.

What I really want to see is drop the Mini and a redesign of the Mac Pro which starts at a sensible (for Apple) entry point, say $1-1.2k and you can update CPU, Ram and disk to suit. Covers the entry level and the power users can load it up as they need to. Not going to happen but you know, I can dream.


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## WasNotWSS (May 18, 2017)

@Lee - http://www.sonnettech.com/product/xmacminiserver.html


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## Lee (May 18, 2017)

WasNotWSS said:


> @Lee - http://www.sonnettech.com/product/xmacminiserver.html



I am sure I have seen that before, still, a bit extreme


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## raindog308 (May 26, 2017)

WasNotWSS said:


> @Lee - http://www.sonnettech.com/product/xmacminiserver.html



"Transform a Mac mini with Thunderbolt Technology into a Full-Fledged Expandable Rackmount Server!"

I imagine the two or three people who use Thunderbolt will be very excited about this.


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## igobyterry (May 26, 2017)

I totally get the "it just works." I am pretty much an all Mac guy as well.

You should look into the Intel Nuc hackintoshes though - https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...g-clover-uefi-nuc6i5syk-nuc6i7kyk-etc.207848/

The moment I get more than a few minutes of spare time per day, I would like to 'build' one.


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## Jonathan (May 26, 2017)

I tried hackintosh years ago but never quite got it working...but that was in the project's infancy.


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## maounique (May 26, 2017)

raindog308 said:


> I imagine the two or three people who use Thunderbolt will be very excited about this.



This reminds me a scene from a comedy where a guy starts with a small lady gun and ends up with a bazooka or something after it puts a lot of add-ons on it, I couldn't remember the movie name, the gun fans here surely remember it.


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