TR Forums

Hi,
this is my first post.

I spilled coffee on my mbp and apple is charging me the same amount I would spend on new (version) mbp... fu apple
I really like to new Surface design but at the same time a bit afraid of windows. Viruses, malware, adware etc oh and I still can't forget Windows ME
Should I be worried? Last time I was using Windows was when Matrix was in cinemas and Google was cool startup.

While the OSes are different and Windows 10 has its own idiosyncracies, what truly matters are the applications that you use. So, what are the key apps that you used on your Mac? Are the exact apps available for Windows? What are the differences between the Mac and Windows versions? If you're heavily invested in the Apple software ecosystem, then a change to Windows will be painful, and/or imperfect.

parodon wrote:

Viruses, malware, adware etc oh and I still can't forget Windows ME

Windows is one of the most secure systems these days, better than your average android device and far better than any smart gadget. There's certainly nothing to worry about there.

Adware is still around of course, but there aren't many platforms where some application won't try to sell you something at some point. I'm sure Mac OS is no exception (I know Steam is on there for one). It's not particularly bad on Windows.

parodon wrote:

afraid of windows. Viruses, malware, adware etc

As far as I'm concerned, there's not much reason to be afraid of Windows these days or to think that Apple devices are impenetrable. It all comes down to safe internet practices. If you're constantly opening emails/attachments from unknown or suspicious senders, clicking every click-bait link on the internet, downloading software from the darkest corners of the web, etc, you're going to get viruses no matter what platform you're on.

"Back in the day" that you're referencing was when Apple was still not a household name and the security argument for Apple was that there were so few people using Apple devices that hackers weren't targeting those systems because their efforts were better spent reaching the much broader audience on Windows. Saying "people don't target us" is a poor excuse for being slow to roll out security updates though....

I'm not here to defend Windows, and especially not Windows 10, but you're greatly exaggerating its dangers.

Anyway, as arunphilip said, for most people, the OS itself doesn't matter as much as what you do with it. What matters is your usage and your applications.

I guess you are right. I think. I hope.
I mainly work in browser and don't mind switching OS because when I spilled coffee on my mbp I transfered the data (photos!) to Google cloud to be OS independent. I bought a chromebook as a temporary solution.

Do you think that Surface pro 3 spec is ok?
Would it be ok for like couple (4-6) years? I really like it's design and idea.
Should I go for something not from Microsoft?

Thanks!!

parodon wrote:

I mainly work in browser and don't mind switching OS because when I spilled coffee on my mbp I transfered the data (photos!) to Google cloud to be OS independent. I bought a chromebook as a temporary solution.

OK, so you're really flexible in terms of hardware if your usage is mostly the browser, and cloud-based storage. In fact, is there a reason you don't want to make the Chromebook your permanent option? You already have it, it works for you.

If you are determined to go in for a new one, and given that you are platform agnostic, a Surface Pro is a reasonable option, as are any of the ultrabooks/convertibles from the big guys (HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc.). Since your Chromebook is keeping you going for now, you can take the time to shop around to find the one that fits your needs/budget the best. If you go in for a Windows laptop from a non-Microsoft source, bear in mind that they will often have additional software installed out of the box, and you might want to do a clean install (+ required hardware drivers) to get a good vanilla experience. And yes, this is where the "it just works" philosophy of Macs in general diverges from the hardware variety offered by Windows.

How careful/careless are you? Is this coffee spill scenario a once in a lifetime (i.e. yours, not your laptops!) occurrence, or are you generally careless, and can we expect more such spills? If the latter, then a Chromebook is a good option, because you can hit the ground running easily with one.

I agree, why is the Chromebook being considered temporary?

Are you meaning to say Surface Pro THREE? As in, 3rd generation Surface Pro that was released in 2014?

parodon wrote:

Would it be ok for like couple (4-6) years?

I think the only thing against the surface pro stuff is that, like all ultrabooks, it's basically impossible to get it repaired. If you have another accident in the next 4-6 years you'll have exactly the same problem you have now albeit not a lot easier to put a new keyboard on the surface.

Personally I don't like kickstands either but that's probably because I don't see any value in the tablet side of convertible devices.

In your situation, I'd also consider Linux, which has the advantages of being free and (arguably) more secure than Windows and as secure as MacOS.

I think that Linux Mint is a good choice for beginners. I also like the MATE desktop, but that's a matter of taste.

Frankly, if you were using a MacBook Pro just for browsing, your laptop was much more powerful and costly than necessary.

I'd probably also just keep the Chromebook. Use it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If you don't notice yourself missing anything, then why would you need another machine?

parodon wrote:

Should I go for something not from Microsoft?

My T480 kicks ass.

Redocbew wrote:

I'd probably also just keep the Chromebook. Use it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If you don't notice yourself missing anything, then why would you need another machine?

I do miss one thing: choice.

For now I'm eyeing Dell XPS Ubuntu. Still a bit afraid of Windows

parodon wrote:

For now I'm eyeing Dell XPS Ubuntu.

Which one?

https://pilot.search.dell.com/xps%2013%20ubuntu

ouch. With extended warranty XPS 13 costs me the same as fixing my MBP 15inch so I think I'm going back to apple

parodon wrote:

ouch. With extended warranty XPS 13 costs me the same as fixing my MBP 15inch so I think I'm going back to apple

A wise choice. I love my 2018 13” MacBook Pro.

parodon wrote:

Hi,
this is my first post.

I spilled coffee on my mbp and apple is charging me the same amount I would spend on new (version) mbp... fu apple
I really like to new Surface design but at the same time a bit afraid of windows. Viruses, malware, adware etc oh and I still can't forget Windows ME
Should I be worried? Last time I was using Windows was when Matrix was in cinemas and Google was cool startup.

You realize Apple is not your only avenue for replacing your Macbook? There are third-party resellers like http://gazelle.com, for instance. Not cheap, but often better than Apple. There are also eBay and CraigsList. FWIW...

Buub wrote:

parodon wrote:

Hi,
this is my first post.

I spilled coffee on my mbp and apple is charging me the same amount I would spend on new (version) mbp... fu apple
I really like to new Surface design but at the same time a bit afraid of windows. Viruses, malware, adware etc oh and I still can't forget Windows ME
Should I be worried? Last time I was using Windows was when Matrix was in cinemas and Google was cool startup.

You realize Apple is not your only avenue for replacing your Macbook? There are third-party resellers like http://gazelle.com, for instance. Not cheap, but often better than Apple. There are also eBay and CraigsList. FWIW...

Just to add another, Swappa has been really good to me. I've only purchased phones there, but they offer laptops now too and they have a pretty good support system if anything goes wrong.

DancinJack wrote:

Buub wrote:

parodon wrote:

Hi,
this is my first post.

I spilled coffee on my mbp and apple is charging me the same amount I would spend on new (version) mbp... fu apple
I really like to new Surface design but at the same time a bit afraid of windows. Viruses, malware, adware etc oh and I still can't forget Windows ME
Should I be worried? Last time I was using Windows was when Matrix was in cinemas and Google was cool startup.

You realize Apple is not your only avenue for replacing your Macbook? There are third-party resellers like http://gazelle.com, for instance. Not cheap, but often better than Apple. There are also eBay and CraigsList. FWIW...

Just to add another, Swappa has been really good to me. I've only purchased phones there, but they offer laptops now too and they have a pretty good support system if anything goes wrong.

Plus, in bigger cities, there are usually some great used computer stores that carry Macs. I bought a used Mac Pro tower from a local shop. I paid a little more than eBay ($650 for a mid-2010 model), but the prices was still reasonable. I expanded the snot out of it*, and it runs beautifully.

*(48gb RAM, 6-core Xeon processor, 1tb SSD + mirrored 8tb hard drives, metal-compatible graphics card, if you're curious)