dustytrailhead
Active member
Here I am at Starbucks trying to update the MacBook software from Big Sur to Monterey. The estimated time is “1day”. LOL! I don’t update that often (when did Monterey release? Oh, last year!? ), so I forget how long it takes even with a fast internet connection. Starbucks’ WiFi is middling at best. Here’s another downside to having a laptop; full sized operating systems are big and require significant time to update. Do I really need a laptop?
Of course, there are things that require a “computer”, but I don’t think I need one. I use my laptop once a year to do my taxes. And, that’s not because I need computing power to calculate all my income. If I made that much, I’d hire someone to figure out my taxes!
So, I don’t think I need a computer anymore. But, old habits die hard. I worked in IT since 1985. I worked on mainframes, minis, servers, workstations, laptops and then, starting in 2008, smartphones and tablets. But, always there was a workstation or laptop to get “real work” done. That mindset didn’t end at work.
When I quit working the first thing on the list was to buy a good laptop—you know one that’ll last—so I bought a MacBook Pro. I was used to Windows, so I had to learn macOS. No big deal, I’ve been learning to do stuff like that throughout my career. It’s a nice machine, with a nice user interface, gets software updates for years and its intrinsically more secure than a Windows device. Nevertheless, what did I use it for?
I do my taxes on it, through Safari, on a website. I settled an estate over a period of 3 months, creating letters, emailing, and documenting transactions, using the MacBook, all things I think I could have done on a tablet. I even installed a Windows VM using Bootcamp for fun, but I don’t use it. And, as far as I can tell I don’t really use the MacBook, either. I don’t do spreadsheets. I don’t edit video. I don’t create documents. There is no need for Remote Desktop (thank god!).
The only thing that could be a problem without the computer is managing the files I have accumulated over the past 30 or so years. But, I think there are ways around that, with some effort.
But, that’s just me. I want to know why you think you need a computer or why you think a tablet is insufficient. Because I haven’t made up my mind.
(The software update informs me that there are 9 hours remaining. Liar!)
Of course, there are things that require a “computer”, but I don’t think I need one. I use my laptop once a year to do my taxes. And, that’s not because I need computing power to calculate all my income. If I made that much, I’d hire someone to figure out my taxes!
So, I don’t think I need a computer anymore. But, old habits die hard. I worked in IT since 1985. I worked on mainframes, minis, servers, workstations, laptops and then, starting in 2008, smartphones and tablets. But, always there was a workstation or laptop to get “real work” done. That mindset didn’t end at work.
When I quit working the first thing on the list was to buy a good laptop—you know one that’ll last—so I bought a MacBook Pro. I was used to Windows, so I had to learn macOS. No big deal, I’ve been learning to do stuff like that throughout my career. It’s a nice machine, with a nice user interface, gets software updates for years and its intrinsically more secure than a Windows device. Nevertheless, what did I use it for?
I do my taxes on it, through Safari, on a website. I settled an estate over a period of 3 months, creating letters, emailing, and documenting transactions, using the MacBook, all things I think I could have done on a tablet. I even installed a Windows VM using Bootcamp for fun, but I don’t use it. And, as far as I can tell I don’t really use the MacBook, either. I don’t do spreadsheets. I don’t edit video. I don’t create documents. There is no need for Remote Desktop (thank god!).
The only thing that could be a problem without the computer is managing the files I have accumulated over the past 30 or so years. But, I think there are ways around that, with some effort.
But, that’s just me. I want to know why you think you need a computer or why you think a tablet is insufficient. Because I haven’t made up my mind.
(The software update informs me that there are 9 hours remaining. Liar!)