Topic: Macbook/Macbook Pro thread

[Zlen]

You can also set that function to work by smacking your cursor in whichever screen corner you want. It's how I use it. Works a treat.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Search? Are you pressing f4? 🤣 the ctrl + down should work regardless of keyboard.

Nah doesn't

The way the Mac does normal keyboards is fairly bizarre

I use a Logitech keyboard and mouse

It's all over the place, but most things it does are very, very odd. It's 'open all windows on restart is hilarious'

My PCs whenever I have multiple screens opens every window on the screen it was on when it shutdown. This bloody thing is random every single time. It's actually quite funny. It's full screen/not full screen/hiding the bloody thing is just weird. Quite often I have to force shutdown apps to even ever see them again.

But it just works.

[Claire.]

'normal' keyboards? Maybe you need to map it better. I use apple keyboards to control windows, it's... interesting.

For the rearranging things on reboot, try looking in mission control, there's a setting about rearranging according to use.

[y2w902]

Eventually got the MacBook Pro 14 M2 for £1739 from Costco in Silver.

Beautiful machine.

[LiamG]

Anyone else have issues with Safari? Certain websites images will just not load up for me, especially the official LFC site, i've cleared history, cache and made sure that i haven't got disabled images checked on in the developer menu , any ideas what could be wrong?

Example below....

Still getting this problem, Chrome seems to work perfectly ok though! But then all my passwords are stored in safari so don't really want to use chrome!

[Claire.]

any console errors or anything? check if it's downloading them in the network panel.

[Riquende]

Still getting this problem, Chrome seems to work perfectly ok though! But then all my passwords are stored in safari so don't really want to use chrome!

Chrome can likely import all the passwords across anyway. Even if there isn't a handy obvious direct transfer, you'll likely be able to export a CSV out of Safari and then import that into Chrome.

[PaulF]

Chrome can likely import all the passwords across anyway. Even if there isn't a handy obvious direct transfer, you'll likely be able to export a CSV out of Safari and then import that into Chrome.

Export all your passworda to a CSV.... That sounds safe 😃

[thejbs]

Rumours of a 30inch iMac in the works. Could make an appearance in 2024/25.

[Zlen]

Fuckin’ finally.
Been waiting for it for years now.

[Riquende]

Export all your passworda to a CSV.... That sounds safe 😃

Well, it lives on the local machine for about 10 seconds whilst you import it into the other browser, then you delete it.

What are you expecting to happen in that time?

[Claire.]

Rumours of a 30inch iMac in the works. Could make an appearance in 2024/25.

Ha, the week I started looking at upgrades. Well old imac, you're not dead yet!

[thejbs]

I should be due an upgrade by then so I hope it’s a decent machine. Basically, a Mac studio in iMac form.

[PaulF]

Well, it lives on the local machine for about 10 seconds whilst you import it into the other browser, then you delete it.

What are you expecting to happen in that time?

Someone to go through your recycle bin.
Or for you  forget to delete passwords.csv 😃

In truth I'm sure it's fine , but it does seem insane

[Riquende]

In truth I'm sure it's fine , but it does seem insane

Given most users seem to just leave passwords (or bitlocker PINs) on post it notes attached to the monitors, it actually seems like a step up in security.

[stockdam]

Anyone used Parallels to run Windows apps?

I don't have Windows and so am looking for a cheap licence to try it out........anyone have any?

[Claire.]

I haven't used it for a long time, was alright when I did though, more recently I've used virtualBox but oddly that was running windows on windows (work things).

Can normally buy a windows license for a few quid on ebay.

[PaulF]

Cd keys often have good prices for windows licences .
If you only need it occasionally, I'd recommend maybe looking at kametera for a hosted windows machine you can remote onto.

[PaulF]

I suspect it's beyond economical repair, but I hate putting electronics into tip.
Does anyone want a Macbook pro? (all I can identify it with is a sticker on the back saying A517583).  The screen refuses to display anything. I've worked through the tips posted here, but nothing.
It does beep and stuff so I assume the processor etc are working.
I don't even mind paying postage to a UK address.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Trying to use these fucking things in a work environment is a fucking shitshow at times.

I have five monitors on my work Macbook Pro (Shared variously with my home Macbook Pro, my main Windows Box and my portable Windows box - I access my other machines via RDP or Terminal using Royal TSX) - I can switch between all four computers to get the custom display setup I want at any time via Hardware USB cable switch boxes and switch HDMI devices on each screen - allowing the 3 (+1) from the back (3) and the plugables (2)

When it's working, it's fine - but the number of times I have to switch screens from my other machines to the Mac to 'find' a window that's been randomly moved to another screen does my fucking head in. Windows displays the programs at the last presented screen - the Mac seems to randomly fucking choose which one in order to be the most annoying.

It's also a bit odd that on both my home and work Macbook Pro, even though I only have five screens attached, it's created a fantasy non-real extra screen that it sometimes chooses to display shit on - obviously no way I can display that, so lots of fucking around trying to get it to appear - usually have to fucking unplug every screen then reboot so it knows there is only one. Get the program on the Macbook Pro screen then add the monitors one by one and then move it to the screen I want.

It's like the Apple designers think that you're only going to use one screen and maybe one extra display. Hope they fucking fix it one day. Does my head in.


If you're wondering how I get so many screens, I have a USB C -> HDMI for my end screen and I use two Plugable Dual-displaylink/HDMI devices for 2 + 2 = 5.

Plus the Macbook screen = 6


(Although actually with my Centos, Ubuntu, File Server, Mint, other Macbook Pro, Secondary Windows Box and Portable Windows box = 12 - that'll do pig

[Zlen]

You always have such '0.001% of users' issues Andy. 😁
I mean, I believe you it's acting up and frustrating - but it's not exactly a 'normal work environment' scenario - is it.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

You always have such '0.001% of users' issues Andy. 😁
I mean, I believe you it's acting up and frustrating - but it's not exactly a 'normal work environment' scenario - is it.

Yeah, to be fair, I reckon if you just used one screen then it's probably awesome - but I've not done that since the early 90s

I have quite a few things to keep an eye on in my work day and when I'm doing my own stuff from home then log/debug/stack and development windows are always useful and required without a lot of fucking about.

[Zlen]

You probably answered this before, but is there some specific piece of software that foces you to use tha Mac or did you just want to give it a go? I mean, if its causing productivity issues - why persist? I work as a designer and very often use Final Cut in my work for this company - and once you've made your library of assets and videos, it's very hard to uproot and move to another app. But as a gen-x, I'm pretty 'whatever works' about my computers, no real brand loyalty. If it was 'all things equal' - I'd probably work on a PC as I could at least game on it when not working.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

You probably answered this before, but is there some specific piece of software that foces you to use tha Mac or did you just want to give it a go? I mean, if its causing productivity issues - why persist? I work as a designer and very often use Final Cut in my work for this company - and once you've made your library of assets and videos, it's very hard to uproot and move to another app. But as a gen-x, I'm pretty 'whatever works' about my computers, no real brand loyalty. If it was 'all things equal' - I'd probably work on a PC as I could at least game on it when not working.

The company I work for uses them and I hate not knowing about tech, so bought my own MiniMac and as that wasn't good enough for what I do, I got a Macbook Pro.

I'm now pretty comfortable using Macs along with my Windows, Centos, Ubuntu, Mint and other development/infra needs (A lot of stuff I do nowdays is cloud-based, but I really want to one day get back to my roots as a games programmer)-  and I always think having another string to your bow is a useful asset

I think Macs are pretty great at what they do, just some braindead stupid things they also do. They only really annoy me because of the Apple Fan Boys response of 'THEY JUST WORK' and 'WINDOZE IS CRAP' stuff.

Windows has issues, certainly, my Linux boxes have issues, My cloud stuff has issues, My Mac has issues.

If Mac users admitted that sometimes in some scenarious Macs - like Windows Boxes, Like Linux - are pretty fucking annoying and shite then that's fine - sometimes they are, but mostly they are great.

Love tech me. Still mess with my Windows 98,OS2/Warp, Windows 95, Windows XP and other random boxes as well as my 8 Bit Ataris, Atom, Spectrum and 16bit Amiga and a few other bits of crap I have lying around - plus my self-built - from scratch computer that I've never got working.. yet. Having to write my own bootstrap, create my own memory and video card from scratch and put the processer and copper in - just not had the time, but one day I'll have a working 8 bit then 16 bit computer on my arduino setups (I've got three, one for dicking about, one for my 8-bit and one for my 16-bit)

Also got a Fortinet Firewall that one day I'll get working

[PaulF]

You always have such '0.001% of users' issues Andy. 😁
I mean, I believe you it's acting up and frustrating - but it's not exactly a 'normal work environment' scenario - is it.

It's normal for a day-trader or a nasa launch desk.

[Claire.]

Yeah, to be fair, I reckon if you just used one screen then it's probably awesome - but I've not done that since the early 90s

I have quite a few things to keep an eye on in my work day and when I'm doing my own stuff from home then log/debug/stack and development windows are always useful and required without a lot of fucking about.

Yeah, Andy, think you're on your own this one I only like one big screen than having two+, could never get on with it when I was office based and had multiple screens. I hate the bezels and drives me insane if they're not perfectly aligned or god forbid, have differing contrast/brightness levels.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Yeah, Andy, think you're on your own this one I only like one big screen than having two+, could never get on with it when I was office based and had multiple screens. I hate the bezels and drives me insane if they're not perfectly aligned or god forbid, have differing contrast/brightness levels.

Get what you're saying, but bezels I can live with - it's not often I set them to be one big monitor - they are all separate when I'm doing stuff - useful having terminals (Usually multi) when you're on 10+ computers without having to switch every 2 minutes.

I do sometimes nVidia surround my main PC if I'm playing Forza or something, but the bezels don't bother me..

[PaulF]

I think the Borg have assimilated Andy.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I'm within about 5 minutes of dragging this fucking Macbook outside and knocking fuck out of it with a lump hammer

Since this new bastard upgrade, the fucking copy/paste is all over the place.

Randomly switching from copying fuck all, to copying and then pasting in one app, but not another and now and then pasting something I haven't even fucking copied.

What the actual fuck

[PaulF]

I was considering looking at getting another Mac.  Think I'll save my pennies. Thanks Andy.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I was considering looking at getting another Mac.  Think I'll save my pennies. Thanks Andy.

I'd certainly hold off installing this dickhead of an 'upgrade' to Mac OSX

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Not sure where the stuff I haven't even copied has come from, but the other stuff copying from clipboard seems to be timing out and clearing itself after a random time.

Well fucking annoying. Nice new screensaver though for fucks sake.

Think I'd rather have a usable computer to be honest.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

A work around if you're getting this

1. Copy whatever shit you want
2. Paste it into textedit
3. If you wait too long, your clipboard is empty
4. Copy again (And possibly again) from Text Edit and then most of the time you get your text (Though you might have to copy it five or six times to get it to paste once)
5. So copy FROM an app -> Text Edit. Then Copy FROM Text edit and hopefully paste it - if it clears, you'll have to copy it - 2 or 3 times seems to do the trick, though it was being an arsehole before and took 14 attempts for a single paste.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Ok, so they've obvious borked the clipboard. The way I'm getting guaranteed text from (here) to (there)

1. Copy from source twice
2. Paste into TextEdit once
3. Copy the text in TextEdit three times
4. QUICKLY paste to where you want it to go

This works every time if you're getting this

[TepidT2O]

I was considering looking at getting another Mac.  Think I'll save my pennies. Thanks Andy.

I went Mac… and I love it.

I love the way it interacts with my iPhone and iPad (ok, yes I know).  And for your average user it’s just so simple to use.

Stuff is so simple, the UI is just so much better than windows. And possibly windows 11 is good if you’re doing more complex stuff, but fuck me I hate the interface so much.  I want something that I don’t have to piss around with to be nice to use.

It depends what you’re looking for to be honest

[Claire.]

*parks Sonoma upgrade for a few weeks*

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I went Mac… and I love it.

I love the way it interacts with my iPhone and iPad (ok, yes I know).  And for your average user it’s just so simple to use.

Stuff is so simple, the UI is just so much better than windows. And possibly windows 11 is good if you’re doing more complex stuff, but fuck me I hate the interface so much.  I want something that I don’t have to piss around with to be nice to use.

It depends what you’re looking for to be honest

Not sure there is much of a difference with the UI. They are just a bit different.

i use Linux, Macs and Windows and they are all much of a muchness. Really just toys if you're using the UI.

99% of any of the good stuff happens through IDEs, tools and the Command Line.

Most of the tools you use are pretty much identical on the Mac and Windows. The command line is for doing actual work with. And since Mac is a ripoff of Linux and you can use WSL2 on Windows, they are pretty much identical (Though WSL is actually Linux - Debian or Ubuntu) - on top of that, most of the stuff is remote anyway, so the computer is just a portal to whatever real work is happening.

But yeah, I guess if you're doing simple stuff on a single desktop then your choice might mean more to you. I mean if you are going to do something that accessible from anywhere for anything then you'd use a remote machine so you're just doing it once. I have a centos box and ubuntu box on DO and that means I can set them up for whatever and the tooling doesn't have to be replicated - just hop onto those and access whatever you want once - databases, k8s, firewalls, dev stacks and the like.

[TepidT2O]

Not sure there is much of a difference with the UI. They are just a bit different.

i use Linux, Macs and Windows and they are all much of a muchness. Really just toys if you're using the UI.

99% of any of the good stuff happens through IDEs, tools and the Command Line.

Most of the tools you use are pretty much identical on the Mac and Windows. The command line is for doing actual work with. And since Mac is a ripoff of Linux and you can use WSL2 on Windows, they are pretty much identical (Though WSL is actually Linux - Debian or Ubuntu) - on top of that, most of the stuff is remote anyway, so the computer is just a portal to whatever real work is happening.

But yeah, I guess if you're doing simple stuff on a single desktop then your choice might mean more to you. I mean if you are going to do something that accessible from anywhere for anything then you'd use a remote machine so you're just doing it once. I have a centos box and ubuntu box on DO and that means I can set them up for whatever and the tooling doesn't have to be replicated - just hop onto those and access whatever you want once - databases, k8s, firewalls, dev stacks and the like.

With respect Andy, you aren’t a good person to answer this question

For me, as an average key board plodder who does office tasks some video and sound etc Then the UI is just loads easier on Mac.

Most of us luddites have absolutely no idea what you’re taking about with K8s and the like

[Andy @ Allerton!]

With respect Andy, you aren’t a good person to answer this question

For me, as an average key board plodder who does office tasks some video and sound etc Then the UI is just loads easier on Mac.

Most of us luddites have absolutely no idea what you’re taking about with K8s and the like

K8s is Kubernetes. It's a way of making a whole system and organising it as 'containers'. So you might have a web-page, an API, a service and databases.

You'd have something like istio (That controls access) and set up ingress (in) and egress (out). These would allow your containers to securely speak to each other (And avoid 'men in the middle' attacks). Your services handle the networking and they are used with deployments/replicasets to run pods (Individual programs) which do your work (You call APIs and they call services which do other stuff)

https://kubernetes.io/

The best thing is your Mac is an ideal environment to try it out. You can spin your own kubernetes stack up on your own machine using tools like Docker Desktop Kubernetes, Kind, Minikube and others.

https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/docs/

https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/


You can even replicate online cloud services such as AWS if you wanted to do it for free: https://localstack.cloud/



If you join something like aCloudGuru then they provide cloud services to try stuff out for free without your own account (AWS, GCP, Azure)

[red annie]

*parks Sonoma upgrade for a few weeks*

That would seem to be the plan.