1997-2008
Posted by mackdieselx27 on 2 March 2008
Everything that has a beginning has an end.
You walked into my life nearly 11 years ago, selling yourself as being better than the others. While I wasn’t entirely convinced, others prodded me to give you a chance. So I did.
Over the years, you flaked out on me, lost some of my stuff, and more often than not made me spend more on you than I normally would, yet I was still convinced to stick by you.
But you aren’t what you used to be anymore. You have made me spend more than what you are worth. You no longer have me convinced that you are a necessity in my life. You have changed, yet you somehow manage to dupe others into thinking that you’re still cool when you’re nothing more than a shell of your former self.
And for that, I have no choice but to part ways with you.
Goodbye and good riddance.
* * *
As of early this morning, my nearly 11-year love affair with Apple has come to an end.
Earlier this evening I noticed another problem that is now the straw that finally broke the camel’s back. My case is warping again and it won’t be long before I’m back to the same situation from before. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice?
Funny how earlier in the day I blogged about the inevitable hardware purchase. I didn’t realize that it would be so soon…
Seeing that Lenovo has slashed the prices of the Thinkpad line even further, picking up a R61i with some extra goodies for a mere $750 was a no-brainer (~$610 base price). I did enough research throughout the day and was more than convinced enough by the time I began the ordering process.
I need a machine that will last me for years to come, has a proven reputation for reliability, is meant for business, and won’t pick my pocket for every little thing. I won’t be burned again by mediocre hardware with a mediocre system that has deprecated into another wobbly fanboy OS.
Lenovo’s fire sale is good timing. If I didn’t make the move now, I would have seriously regretted it down the road. (Thinkpads don’t normally come cheap.)
So here is what $750 got me:
~ Intel Pentium Dual Core T2370 (Merom-2M)
~ Windows XP Professional (I plan on dual-booting with the Ubuntu 8.04 LTS anyway)
~ Intel integrated graphics (which means no fighting with Xorg)
~ 160 GB HDD (5400 RPM)
~ 2 GB RAM
~ CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo (yes, it’s a downgrade, but I have an external DVD burner anyway)
~ PCIe, FireWire, S-video, etc.
Apple has nothing in their hardware lineup to match with a convincing price. Not to mention build quality which has somehow slipped over the year…actually more like freefalled. (Sorry, my PowerBook G4 has been anything but rugged.)
Since I have migrated to FOSS apps anyway, the transition should be mostly painless.
I’m looking forward to setting up my new work environment soon. 
15 March 2008 at 13.57
He’s still working on his PhD in macro biology and supports himself as not only a lab assistant but also a network administrator.
Comedy.
15 March 2008 at 21.58
How about some details on how your pocket was picked. What exactly is a business OS.
Please supply some details. They seem to be lacking.
16 March 2008 at 1.04
So, how many years in the Ph.D. program? I’ve been in mine since 1997
though, to my “credit” I did leave for a few years and returned later…
16 March 2008 at 12.58
@ JS
How about some details on how your pocket was picked.
Oh, let’s see. Where do I begin…want me to span all 11 years or just during the ownership of my PowerBook G4?
Let’s just focus on the latter for now:
- Apple’s initial refusal to acknowledge the white spots on my display (yes, it was a Rev. A) despite plucking down the $360-something for AppleCare. Since then I’ve had my display replaced 4 times due to various defects and a bad backlight for icing on the cake.
- My case warped to the point where my optical drive became useless. I was out $600 to replace the case as it was not covered.
- My power adapter almost caused an electrical fire due to overheating. No warranty, obviously.
- My trackpad is currently dead.
And that’s just with the hardware. Do I even dare go there with the software? Since you obviously trolled here from Rixstep you should already consult his articles since I pretty much have similar gripes.
Also consider this: This laptop is barely 4 years old…still young in the world of Apple hardware. I have two older Macs that have been thrashed the shit out of and they still run like Timex watches. Too bad Apple don’t make them like they used to until Steve came along with his ‘fuck ‘em’ policy. For crying out loud, there is a 7 year old Dell in the household that runs better than the PowerBook…it just needs a new hard drive. You know, the same ‘crappy’ Dell Maccies just love to make fun of?
Since I migrated all of my data to FOSS applications anyway, what is the point of sticking around on a platform that gives a cold shoulder to FOSS and provides a shitty environment to use them in? Do the names Rob Braun and Mark Pilgrim ring a bell? The latter moved away from OS X for similar reasons.
What exactly is a business OS.
Straw man. Nowhere did I mention a ‘business OS’ but you’re grasping for straws in trying to justify OS X for business. Come back when you can name one - JUST ONE - enterprise software title widely deployed on OS X systems. Sorry, Microsoft Office is not exactly the answer I’m looking for.
Please supply some details. They seem to be lacking.
I was looking forward to a rebuttal, but you had to spill some of your Kool-Aid in here.
16 March 2008 at 13.23
Not trying to be picky, and yes I came here from Rixstep, and I hold nothing against your switch…
But you are comparing your hardware to something Apple never shipped. The slowest machine Apple shipped was a 1.83 Core Duo, which if Apple sold at this point would be the same price or less. I agree with your complaint that they do not carry slower machines and you cannot find what you are looking for, and that is a pity.
As for my experiences with AppleCare - I had one of those G4s, with the spots. Apple took care of it no questions asked. I have had very good luck with AppleCare, and I am sorry to hear of your misfortune. My laptop was stolen and replaced with a 1st gen MacBook Pro (2.16 core duo). I just got a Mac Pro and decided to have little things fixed - the a and s keys had the ink wear off, my left armrest separated, and slight white spots appeared. I spent <5 minutes on the phone with AppleCare, dropped it off, had it the next day. My battery, that had 128 cycles, was only holding a charge for 1 hour - they swapped it no questions asked.
Anyway, don’t know if you really care, or whether the story mattered, just letting you know that not all AppleCare experience is as bad as you had.
16 March 2008 at 21.26
Actually I was just asking. What Kool-aid did I spill? I asked for more details.
Your post lacked them.
I didn’t resort to name calling (you did) or spout out any fanboy nonsense.
Maybe you should relax. Turn the hostility down a notch.
“I need a machine that will last me for years to come, has a proven reputation for reliability, is meant for business”
17 March 2008 at 0.56
I asked for more details.
And I gave you some, even pointing you to other sources to read. Apparently, that’s not enough for you.
I didn’t resort to name calling (you did) or spout out any fanboy nonsense.
Are you actually going to try to refute me with something, or are you going to keep coming back to this backwater blog to whine about name-calling?
You’re obviously itching for something to feed on. Perhaps I should bite in an effort to get something more substantive out of you. But I doubt it.
Maybe you should relax. Turn the hostility down a notch.
You said “fanboy,” not me, but semantics aside, if you’re that easily upset over such a comment to suggest I should ‘relax…’
Since you saw this one post over at a Mac dev blog and felt compelled to come over here and dig for specifics to feed on, let me break down the quote you pulled for you:
“I need a machine that will last me for years to come…”
My PowerBook G4 has had numerous problems from day one. This was already covered in my previous reply that you seemingly glared over. I had an iBook G3 that was also full of problems.
“…has a proven reputation for reliability…”
Are you going to tell me that Thinkpads aren’t reliable? Because my previous two pieces of Apple hardware have been anything but. Even my fiancee had to replace her iBook G4 barely three years into ownership for a MacBook, which also is experiencing one of the many known issues that Apple continue to refuse to acknowledge.
I’ve been bitten by software bugs from Apple software that they should not have allowed to escape the gate. There are still some annoying bugs in Tiger that Apple refuse to fix and insist that you upgrade to Leopard, which is another kludge of crap in itself.
“…is meant for business…”
Go on, tell me that OS X is a ‘business OS’ as you eloquently misquoted. But then again, I was talking about hardware, wasn’t I?
I know that I shouldn’t have fed you, but I still await your rebuttal. For now, I have better things to do that don’t involve in hanging out at backwater blogs prodding their maintainers to justify their computer purchases.
17 March 2008 at 4.06
Actually, their inqueries are quite reasonable. You are the one who seem to be over-reacting.
>>I know that I shouldn’t have fed you, but I still await your rebuttal. For now, I have better things to do that don’t involve in hanging out at backwater blogs prodding their maintainers to justify their computer purchases.<<
In the first place it was you who posted your entry in this “backwater” blog. Perhaps you simply want a pat on the back and sympathy for all your woes then a meaningful discussion?
17 March 2008 at 6.43
Well, I can’t agree with you that Apple hardware quality has gone downhill. In the last few years I think it’s improved a lot. I’d happily buy a Rev A machine at the moment, whereas 5 years back I’d have been very hesitant.
I have one machine that would be a similar vintage to your powerbook. We own a 12″ Powerbook. Other than needing it’s hard disk replaced it’s been running perfectly since we bought it 4 years ago. Even though it’s used every day and goes everywhere with my partner it’s still works perfectly.
I’ve also had one machine that was troublesome. I bought a Rev A Macbook that had the random shutdown issue, followed by a dead battery. Both of these issues were fixed by Apple, no questions asked.
As for your comments about software - well that’s very subjective. I’m very happy sticking with OS X. It enables me to run my business with a minimum of fuss and downtime. I definitely can’t complain about that.
Anyway, good luck with your FOSS adventure.
17 March 2008 at 7.32
Yap, yap, yap…, all I hear is the noise of a little dog barking (the little ones usually are the ones making a lot of noise). LOL…
Nothing to see here… move on… move on…
17 March 2008 at 11.24
More statues for the Hall of Monkeys. Schadenfreude is exquisite.
2 April 2008 at 13.20
Jeez Alpha, I hope you didn’t take that #8 reply as me. I care about your opinions and wouldn’t spew that kind of crap at you.
SD
3 April 2008 at 9.22
Yeah, Rick and I were kinda like WTF? It just seemed out of character.
It’s nice to finally be in Linux 100% full time with all of my past gripes put to rest.
4 April 2008 at 9.40
Cool I’m glad you saw that. I saw it and wondered if that was like identity theft or obfuscation of their own identity so they could make a nasty post. Figured I ought to say something though so it didn’t hang out there. Welcome to the net-world [rolls eyes :)] Could be just a strange coincidence!11
I read your post on the install. Way to go. If Mom ever gives me the go-ahead to get her a lappy, an R or T61 will be it. She’s 86 so I’d love to see it. I know she’d have a ball with it. From her view it’s a frivolous toy though.
Is there a necessity to leaving XP on the system? I mean do you have to have it to install the Ubuntu? Or is that a -just in case I need it, like you said, in case a friend needs it for whatever.
SD
4 April 2008 at 13.21
XP? It’s mainly a just-in-case-scenario. And no, you don’t need it for Ubuntu.
It was difficult enough setting up XP to be almost bullet-proof and to run exclusively as a LUAser while hoping that nothing breaks…
As for Ubuntu itself, Gutsy is mostly stable save for a few GUI-freezing screensavers and the lack of Compiz-Fusion (not that I really care for it). I would call it a small thorn in the side considering that the OS X-style FUS applet is finally standard plus the latest GIMP, Pidgin, Rhythmbox, Firefox, and Thunderbird among other things. The keyboard light, volume keys, and brightness fn keys even work.
And like I said earlier, it’s bye-bye to PPC Linux.
Do it.