@wk057 That picture is definitely dated, don't like Apple's prices? buy the basic model and go make your own RAM cheaper using tutorials from Jerri Ellsworth, or just buy it off amazon, no one said you HAD to buy EVERYTHING from apple, if they want to charge that much they can, look at Tesla charging 85kwh prices for a 77kwh battery, no different.
Second, when a company other than Apple can make a laptop that is 18mm thick out of solid aluminum, with a stable unix distro and the ability to watch a youtube video without recompiling the kernel, then I might consider buying one. Further on the topic of aluminum, do any of you software engineers know just how expensive it is to run a fleet of Haas or Mori Seiki CNC mills (which apple does)? Never mind buying carbide tooling or sheets of high quality aluminum by the ton, that stuff costs money which is why a MBP Retina costs more than some piece of garbage ABS-plastic-coated-with-1micron-thick-layer-of-cheap-chrome-shine Windows box (or look like the laptop pictured below). Apple products are expensive because they are made from expensive stuff, do they mark up the memory/HD/GFX cards? YES (but see point #1). When it comes to hardware, people gotta pay suppliers/engineers/factory techs/etc. It ain't cheap and it certainly isn't free, sorry Mr. Stallman.
As for who the product is, I don't think it's me, given that I pay for my apple products (HW and SW), unlike Ubuntu/Arch/CentOS which are all somehow magically free (like the wind or is it beer?) except for the hardware, wonder where that came from?
Back to the issue at hand, I don't abandon a product because I don't like the service I'm getting, I fight for my rights as a consumer. If you just switch to Android you are doing everyone a disservice, since several million people will take your place and buy an iPhone without regard for their right to repair, instead we must force companies (or governments) into doing what is right. If I paid for it I should own it, that is far more powerful then "everything should be free and open to all", which, while an idyllic vision is unlikely to occur at scale.
Having worked on thousands of apples myself and made a lot of money off of it in the process, I'm no real apple fan. Do I think they suit some people well? Absolutely. Do I think they're for everyone or "much better quality"? Not at all. Most people I've heard talk about how much better their Apple ____ was than their PC only ever owned $400 walmart laptops. Of course a $1500 computer is going to be better quality and last longer than a $400 walmart special.
Second of all, good luck upgrading most macs now.
For portables, unless you buy the cheapest non-retina macbook, all ram is soldered now (and only upgradeable to 16GB at time of purchase, isn't this 2016?). Bought the cheap one to be able to upgrade it easily? Better love living with a 3rd generation processor, 3 generations behind now. Want to replace the keyboard because a light liquid spill? Good luck, all the retinas are now
riveted into the case, an un-necessary design change to make it harder on consumers and non-apple shops to repair. Unfortunately this and many other "changes" have skyrocketed the cost of repair which only hurts the consumer.
Don't get me started on the iMac either, want to upgrade your ram or replace your failing hard drive? Better be prepared to cut the glass off and re-adhere it. The golden time for apple repairability and serviceability was three years ago and has gone majorly downhill since. I understand making things a little more difficult to make it more portable, but it doesn't require gluing/adhering the battery into the case to do it.
I also disagree that buying an android to "protest" this is not the right solution. Of course it is. If a car manufacturer decided to weld the hood down and sold it to consumers like that, consumers would quit buying their cars when they get their first major repair bill.
Personally, I like the aluminum look but think it dents way too easily. I prefer my thinkpad that is way harder to scratch, has a longer battery life, a better screen (even better than the retina), and is easily upgradeable to 64gb ram.
I'll agree that the software is nice and is great for people who don't understand not to click on ads or get viruses easily. Much easier to reload a mac than to reload a PC, nice to not have to download drivers. Very nice to get free upgrades, the only time windows has done that is with W10.
Also, don't take my word for it, I used to mail logic boards to
this guy when I couldn't fix them myself and he has plenty of choice words for apple.
/end apple rant
