Well, it's update time. . .
I received a call back from my Apple contact today, and 2 things 1) The engineering team is still troubleshooting, and 2) they say that they are having some issues going through the capture data because of something that Creative Cloud is has going on.
So, they have asked me to format my machine yet again. This will be the 6th or 7th time that they have asked me to restore the machine. Apple originally asked me to change the size of the partition of my SSD, so we booted to Internet Recovery Mode, and went into the partition stuff there. . . No dice. When I clicked on the + sign, nothing happens. I don't get the little radio button to grab and resize. So that's off the table for some reason.
Anyway, with Apple asking me to wipe my machine again, we've hit a wall. I simply cannot backup my machine wipe it clean and then wait for it to crash. When I first started troubleshooting all of this with the senior advisor, I wiped the machine that day, and made a fresh capture. Then I was told to use the machine as normal. I asked if I should go ahead and install Creative Cloud, etc, and I was told yes.
I use this machine every day for work, and simply cannot stop what I am doing and format every time they change course, nor do I feel I should have to. I feel that if Apple wants to capture fresh data from my machine (because they seem to think it's an issue with the machine itself now), then it's time for them to replace it, and the engineers can have it.
I spoke with the gentleman from the executive liaison office a day before hearing back from the senior advisor and voiced my request for a replacement machine. He told me "the options that we have right now are to troubleshoot the machine." I then asked him what the other option was and was told "there are none." I then stated to him "If you are saying there are "options", that implies choice, and you aren't giving me one." It's troubleshoot or deal with a machine that doesn't work." After that, I got nothing but silence. He didn't have anything to say.
I don't think I'm out of line wanting my nearly $3000.00 worth of gear here to work. If they can't make it work, that's on Apple, not me, right? I have sent another email to Tim Cook expressing what I want to happen. At this point I want to return the 4k UltraFine and the 13" MacBook Pro, and get the base 15" instead. At least then I won't be tied to an external display, and I'll be able to run Illustrator and Photoshop without having to squint all day. I explained to Apple that the reason for buying the 13" was such that I could have a portable system when I needed it, and I could plug in an external display when at home. Two external displays later, I don't have a working setup. I've had the 13" for I don't know, 30 days maybe? Is what I'm asking for really off the cliff here?
I'd love to know your thoughts. Flame all you want if you'd like. But just remember that Phil Schiller got up on that stage and told all of us that this MacBook Pro was the best they have ever made, and that the 4k display was the best display for it. Unfortunately in my case, it has been the worst purchase in the 20 years I have been using Apple products.
