So the solution here is to disable secure boot on your iMac Pro if you buy one, and if you're not in a position to demand such security and not in a position to be able to recover from an update accident easily.
To be fair, Apple has required Mac's to ping back to Apple since Lion when restoring through recovery methods. Its clear Apple is aligning macOS and iOS software and hardware functionality. Apple File System, for example.
Now if you boot a modern Mac, i.e.; 2015 Retina MBP, iMac, or any that is capable of installing High Sierra; into Recovery Mode, you will see 10.13.x High Sierra as an option, you can't go back to Sierra. The same way with iOS, when you restore your iOS device, it will go to the latest available version.
That sucks because software isn't necessarily updated to work properly on newer Mac OS versions. Sometimes ever. If you need that software and a system restore takes away your ability to run it by forcing you to a newer version, that's not a restore. It's a punishment for suffering an already unfortunate situation.
I had my machine hacked by someone who vnc’d in and guessed my complex password which was a variation of a password I used on yahoo 10 years ago and forgot about. **** happens no matter how careful you are.
Wow. What made you such a target of this person? Are you a business or a blogger or something who pissed off a psycho stalker? Former employee of yours? Damn.
Or take it to the Apple store as usual, for free.
Unless you're not under warranty. Or don't have an Apple Store nearby, as repeatedly mentioned in this thread.
The insensitive arrogance of the privileged...
Or they can really innovate and make room for a small battery inside the Mac that handles power dropouts and similar phenomena.
I wonder why this hasn't been implemented by any desktop maker yet.
Agreed!! I've been wondering why no computers come built this way. Then again, if Apple does it, the battery would silently die from disuse and you'd have to spend a lot to replace it at an authorized service shop...
UPS units require maintenance. I have two units. One self-destructed its last battery (or the battery was defective, likely damaging the unit) and the other is possibly not power-matched to the gear put on it. It surely didn't cover my PC for long enough to gracefully **** down (I'm no longer using that monstrous hatebox). My iMac might be ok on it, if the battery is still good.
But I'm poor. I can't keep buying replacement batteries when the underused batteries fail from disuse or just their regular lifespan ends. I've run out of the ability to cover power loss scenarios. Poor people have a hard time maintaining whatever setup they built when they weren't poor, with all the necessary "just in case" equipment... and can't build such a setup in the first place if they weren't ever not poor.
But, then they won't be buying this iMac Pro either...
I have a nest egg for the next Mac Pro. I hope it is enough and that the cost of ownership isn't beyond my means. It'll probably be the last new computer I ever buy.