Lots of assumptions in the other statements, yet not how the annual cycles may have some mac users not buying new hardware because of the need for legacy access, despite wishing for faster performance?
I don't think I suggested anywhere that Apple should change their model, but merely that it may never attract an 'if it ain't broke' mentality and 'market share dominance'...?
I have a number of friends on Windows, and many are happy campers, still using W7. The sentiment I hear is 'if it ain't broke' when I ask about upgrading from a 9 year old OS...
I have to ask if that camp would ever put up with the churn of annual MacOS 'upgrades' and the associated hassles when buying new hardware and peripherals, as such may force upgrades (at expense) for other apps and limit access to legacy ones...?
I expect Apple will keep developing their OS, and ask if that may by design always limit the Mac to a niche percentage: "Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast, twice as easy to drive – but would only run on 5 percent of the roads."
It is hard to believe how people can use such an anti-intuitive, awkward and malware-filled operating system as Windows is. Windows is basically maintained by inertia and ignorance. The day the Mac reaches 20% market share, Windows will be history in three years.
"[T]he churn of annual MacOS 'upgrades' ...."?
I've never experienced OS churn, nor have I ever had to hassle with new hardware, running as I do a 2011 MBP among others.
My experience with upgrades of the same named Windows OS is far more painful than installing a new MacOS.
I do have the real fear that at some point in the near future I will not be able to install a new MacOS on my 2011 MBP 17". It's irreplaceable at any cost, and the replacement cost for me is at least $4000 for the only current MBP that would deliver the same features and then only in a 15" screen.
Now retired, I could still afford it, but I couldn't justify it.
I've been using Apple computers since the ][e and Macs since the Mac Plus.
At the time, while using my cMP, MacBook retina 15 2012, iPhone and iPad I also use PCs hand in hand over the years for IT support and development.
April 2014 I decided I was going to fully, "embrace" the Microsoft experience to truly see how it compared and I also believe in eating my own chow for realistic results.
First I shelved my trusty iPhone 5s for a Nokia 1520 Second shelved my iPad for an SP2
December 2015 I shelved my SP2 for a shiny new SP4
I already have a custom built desktop I run alongside my cMP i used an Alienware 18 (2013) along with my mbp retina 15 2012
Results?
I found windows phone to actually be not that bad and used it from April 2014 till I replaced it with a 6s plus in October 2015. No it wasn't on par with iOS, but it was much better than expected, and I was pleasantly surprised; but the lack of apps killed it for me. For the record, I've been an iPhone user since the original iPhone launch with at&t (original to 3gs to 4s to 5s and now 6s plus to 7 plus).
The 1080p resolution of the SP2 and thickness was a major problem and I ended up replacing it with a SP4. The SP4 was an absolute nightmare. Firmware and launch issues in spades. I ended up wiping it and doing a clean install and that helped fix many issues. The finger touch interface wasn't nearly as accurate as the iPad which really forced pen use more often than not. Ergonomically it was terrible to use as a tablet with those square, sharp corners and angled design. I don't know what microsoft was thinking. And in a quiet room, that fan was readily audible. It would spin up even just surfing. As a windows ultra book it was ok, but tablet mode was cludgy to say the least and the apps continued to feel non intuitive and awkward. I always felt like it was a decent ultra book masquerading as a poor tablet. I ended up lasting ~3 months before I shelved it and went back to an iPad. I tried every way to make it paletteble but I just couldn't. I'm typing this now from my much loved iPad Pro 12.9.
I recently had had a choice to upgrade my older laptops (2013 Alienware 18 and 2012 MacBook Pro 15 retina) and had to settle on one between a MacBook or top end PC laptop and I ended up going with a shiny new 2017 MacBook Pro 15 retina (3.1, 560, 512gb). I tend to use VMfusion mixed with numerous external OSes for work. I wish Apple had continued to offer a 17" form factor, but I understand market factors said otherwise and it is what it is.
As as for my desktops, I find myself gaming on the PC and doing everything else on ye ole faithful aka cMP. I'm at a point now where I'll either hackintosh my desktop or sell it and use the cMP while I wait to see what Apple's next Pro looks like. I recently replaced its ancient gt 120 with an rx 560 and it runs WoW decently (my main game).
It is hard to believe how people can use such an anti-intuitive, awkward and malware-filled operating system as Windows is. Windows is basically maintained by inertia and ignorance. The day the Mac reaches 20% market share, Windows will be history in three years.
The problem is enterprise-related. Microsoft and it's software products are so entrenched that any alternative is almost impossible.
For example, the combination of Visual Studio and SQL Server is a favourite for web development. It's hard to see this replaced by Mac software. MS have released Visual Studio for the Mac, but that is not as useful without SQL Server for the Mac.
At the end of the day, even if they do release SQL Server for the Mac, these companies are still developing using Microsoft Software - just on a different OS.
Tried a Surface for about 10-15 minutes and experienced a high confusion and annoyance level. First and last time.
I went on a diving trip with a friend of mine that brought a Surface to process diving photos. It was hilarious watching a USB mouse being buggy on it. Poor guy had a momentary rage on it smakching it so hard it almost went across the room.
I decided I was happy with my iPad.
I'd be surprised if the Surface actually survived the smacking.
My Surface Pro 3 accidently slipped from my hand and hit the ground which was less than 2 feet below. Even with the TouchType cover on, the screen cracked, screwing up the touch UI and rendering it as just another portable laptop that is useless without an external monitor, keyboard and mouse.
I've never experienced OS churn, nor have I ever had to hassle with new hardware, running as I do a 2011 MBP among others.
My experience with upgrades of the same named Windows OS is far more painful than installing a new MacOS.
I do have the real fear that at some point in the near future I will not be able to install a new MacOS on my 2011 MBP 17". It's irreplaceable at any cost, and the replacement cost for me is at least $4000 for the only current MBP that would deliver the same features and then only in a 15" screen.
Now retired, I could still afford it, but I couldn't justify it.
I too am sticking with older hardware, because if I buy a new faster mac today, only supporting Sierra, I would only be able to access 1+1 of the 21 versions of annually upgraded vertical market software in (my) use since 1992. As it is I have retained access to 10.4/Classic, Snow, Mt Lion & Sierra.
W7 on the other hand, should theoretically run 14 of the 21 versions, still...
So as a result to me, it feels like churn, with the exceptions of 7.x, 10.4 and 10.6 all of which had multi-year runs seemingly developed on an OS feature efficacy basis.
And I too still like my 17" mbp screen, and the ability to upgrade such most basic things as the (now) SSD...
Tried a Surface for about 10-15 minutes and experienced a high confusion and annoyance level. First and last time.
I went on a diving trip with a friend of mine that brought a Surface to process diving photos. It was hilarious watching a USB mouse being buggy on it. Poor guy had a momentary rage on it smakching it so hard it almost went across the room.
Comments
www.support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet
Lots of assumptions in the other statements, yet not how the annual cycles may have some mac users not buying new hardware because of the need for legacy access, despite wishing for faster performance?
I don't think I suggested anywhere that Apple should change their model, but merely that it may never attract an 'if it ain't broke' mentality and 'market share dominance'...?
I've never experienced OS churn, nor have I ever had to hassle with new hardware, running as I do a 2011 MBP among others.
My experience with upgrades of the same named Windows OS is far more painful than installing a new MacOS.
I do have the real fear that at some point in the near future I will not be able to install a new MacOS on my 2011 MBP 17". It's irreplaceable at any cost, and the replacement cost for me is at least $4000 for the only current MBP that would deliver the same features and then only in a 15" screen.
Now retired, I could still afford it, but I couldn't justify it.
At the time, while using my cMP, MacBook retina 15 2012, iPhone and iPad I also use PCs hand in hand
over the years for IT support and development.
April 2014 I decided I was going to fully, "embrace" the Microsoft experience to truly see how it compared and I also believe in eating my own chow for realistic results.
First I shelved my trusty iPhone 5s for a Nokia 1520
Second shelved my iPad for an SP2
December 2015 I shelved my SP2 for a shiny new SP4
I already have a custom built desktop I run alongside my cMP
i used an Alienware 18 (2013) along with my mbp retina 15 2012
Results?
I found windows phone to actually be not that bad and used it from April 2014 till I replaced it with a 6s plus in October 2015. No it wasn't on par with iOS, but it was much better than expected, and I was pleasantly surprised; but the lack of apps killed it for me. For the record, I've been an iPhone user since the original iPhone launch with at&t (original to 3gs to 4s to 5s and now 6s plus to 7 plus).
The 1080p resolution of the SP2 and thickness was a major problem and I ended up replacing it with a SP4. The SP4 was an absolute nightmare. Firmware and launch issues in spades. I ended up wiping it and doing a clean install and that helped fix many issues. The finger touch interface wasn't nearly as accurate as the iPad which really forced pen use more often than not. Ergonomically it was terrible to use as a tablet with those square, sharp corners and angled design. I don't know what microsoft was thinking. And in a quiet room, that fan was readily audible. It would spin up even just surfing. As a windows ultra book it was ok, but tablet mode was cludgy to say the least and the apps continued to feel non intuitive and awkward. I always felt like it was a decent ultra book masquerading as a poor tablet. I ended up lasting ~3 months before I shelved it and went back to an iPad. I tried every way to make it paletteble but I just couldn't. I'm typing this now from my much loved iPad Pro 12.9.
I recently had had a choice to upgrade my older laptops (2013 Alienware 18 and 2012 MacBook Pro 15 retina) and had to settle on one between a MacBook or top end PC laptop and I ended up going with a shiny new 2017 MacBook Pro 15 retina (3.1, 560, 512gb). I tend to use VMfusion mixed with numerous external OSes for work. I wish Apple had continued to offer a 17" form factor, but I understand market factors said otherwise and it is what it is.
As as for my desktops, I find myself gaming on the PC and doing everything else on ye ole faithful aka cMP. I'm at a point now where I'll either hackintosh my desktop or sell it and use the cMP while I wait to see what Apple's next Pro looks like. I recently replaced its ancient gt 120 with an rx 560 and it runs WoW decently (my main game).
The problem is enterprise-related. Microsoft and it's software products are so entrenched that any alternative is almost impossible.
For example, the combination of Visual Studio and SQL Server is a favourite for web development. It's hard to see this replaced by Mac software. MS have released Visual Studio for the Mac, but that is not as useful without SQL Server for the Mac.
At the end of the day, even if they do release SQL Server for the Mac, these companies are still developing using Microsoft Software - just on a different OS.
I'd be surprised if the Surface actually survived the smacking.
My Surface Pro 3 accidently slipped from my hand and hit the ground which was less than 2 feet below. Even with the TouchType cover on, the screen cracked, screwing up the touch UI and rendering it as just another portable laptop that is useless without an external monitor, keyboard and mouse.
W7 on the other hand, should theoretically run 14 of the 21 versions, still...
So as a result to me, it feels like churn, with the exceptions of 7.x, 10.4 and 10.6 all of which had multi-year runs seemingly developed on an OS feature efficacy basis.
And I too still like my 17" mbp screen, and the ability to upgrade such most basic things as the (now) SSD...