(If you just want the funniness, scroll down.)
I’ve decided to buy a new laptop. My MacBook Pro (which I’m typing on now) is eight years old and has been showing signs of wear. One of the fans has stopped working. The built-in WiFi has become unreliable. (It has a bad connection. I’ve seen it when I’ve opened the case to do repairs and upgrades. I likely caused it during one of those forays.) I’ve replaced the power cord and adapter three times, and the most recent replacement (this year) appears to have a short in the cord already.
All of those problems can be fixed. I can order a new fan. (You may recall that I already did that, but had to return it because the supplier sent the wrong part. I’ll probably reorder one soon.) I got a USB WiFi adapter for less than $20 that solved the connectivity problem. The power cord works as long as I keep it in a certain position, but it’ll die eventually. But as I mentioned, I’ve replaced power cords before and I can replace them again.
The deciding factor, though was Apple’s announcement that it was no longer supporting my model. That means replacement parts will be harder to come by, but more importantly (to me, anyway), no more macOS upgrades. Apple releases a new version of its Mac operating system every year, and the companies that create the applications I use the most typically release new versions of those apps that require the latest macOS version.
Yes, I could stay where I am. I could forgo the new macOS and app features, continue fixing my hardware, and get along fine. But at some point you have to move on. Eventually this laptop will have a hardware failure that will be too expensive to repair; probably sooner rather than later. As much as I love it, I need to replace it.
I can keep using it for other tasks. I do that with older computers quite a bit. I have a 2008 MacBook that I still use to transfer video from VCRs and camcorders. I can find a use for this one. But its time as my personal laptop is coming to a close, and I have mixed feelings about that. That’s a topic for another day, though.
Stay healthy and safe.
Web Site of the Day
A place on the internet where all we travel hungry fools share our ‘window views’ to help each other feel a little bit better till we can (responsibly) explore our beautiful planet again.
From the site.
Song of the Day
Speaking of Keith…
The entire Song of the Day playlist is available on YouTube.