The 'sealed-box' Mac: Cutting-edge design or planned obsolescence?

[gpat]

Moreover, i just don't understand the "most people won't ever upgrade their computer" argument.
Yeah, maybe they don't. So what? It's supposed to be a professional machine, and you can bet that everybody wanting to do heavy work with it knows what RAM is, and is interested in changing it someday.
This is so irritating from Apple's side. They are trying to force planned obsolescence on one of the most expensive laptops in the market.
Maybe they think they can get away with that, and maybe they will, but when I'll have to change my 2011 Pro, I will switch back to Windows if I can't buy an expandable Mac.

 

[ixodes]

You are right. So the question is: Should consumers accept or not the "sealed time-bomb expensive" macbook?

I hope the consumers will make a wise decision...

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

 

[sofianito]

Apple used to distinguish Pro users from Average consumers with the Macbook Pro and the MacBook. Now, the latter is only available to government and education... Apple is confusing the mass by not establishing a clear separation between both user profiles. I believe both MBA and Retina model should fall in non-professional category for being sealed (i.e. not upgradable). Hence, retina model should be renamed MBR (Macbook retina)... Both 13" and 15" cMBP would keep their "pro" category, and it is up to apple to offer them with the retina display option...

Let's be sincere; apple knows already that a classic mbp with a retina display would be a success product, much more than the current retina macbook. It is clear that the sealed time-bomb model will bring more benefit$ to the company than the upgradable model... Wake up and don't let them rip you off with a smile on their face and on yours...

 

[Abazigal]

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Yah, and the one person humming a different tune has to be that one enlightened soul who refuses to cave in in the face of oppression, right? Or maybe he is just deluded; an old fogey who just refuses to roll with the times.

Are your brains so rigid and unaccepting of change that your only response is to insult and vilify the people who have a different, yet equally valid opinion from yours?

Rather, why can't it be that these people have calculated the pros and cons of the rMBP, and decided that the advantages of having a thinner, lighter yet powerful workhorse laptop outweighs the potential drawbacks of never being able to upgrade it yourself or service it should something go wrong.

The point is, currently in the market, there is no parallel to the Rmbp, so you can't really claim outright that people can't or shouldn't choose it without first finding a viable alternative that people can go to.

 

[MadTester]

Yah, and the one person humming a different tune has to be that one enlightened soul who refuses to cave in in the face of oppression, right? Or maybe he is just deluded; an old fogey who just refuses to roll with the times.

Are your brains so rigid and unaccepting of change that your only response is to insult and vilify the people who have a different, yet equally valid opinion from yours?

Rather, why can't it be that these people have calculated the pros and cons of the rMBP, and decided that the advantages of having a thinner, lighter yet powerful workhorse laptop outweighs the potential drawbacks of never being able to upgrade it yourself or service it should something go wrong.

The point is, currently in the market, there is no parallel to the Rmbp, so you can't really claim outright that people can't or shouldn't choose it without first finding a viable alternative that people can go to.

Why?

The crucial m4 512gb costs actually $369. In few months it'll cost less and less. Installing the SDD and moving the HDD to optibay is not that hard... just follow the instructions on iFixit...

@sofianito - I couldn't agree more, I use my current (Early 2011 uMBP) as a work tool, I know I can upgrade i.e. ssd and memory when I want or need to. I still have my old titan 2007 17" santa rosa MBP. I won't be buying/spending a large amount of money anytime soon on a new machine unless Apple produce something which is going to basically be something I would need/want. So it's just a matter of personal choice in my book (no pun intended there...)

 

[leman]

The majority of Apple consumers are facebook users that need a trendy computer to feel cool as their friends.

No, you are describing is the majority of computer users (besides the office workers, of course). This is not exclusive to Apple consumers in any way.

Surely you're not thinking "how cool is my rMBP so thin" ....

Actually I do. It makes my life much easier. (I have to carry my computer around all the time, but I'd like more power than Air can provide)

I didn't buy the retina because of the fact that it cannot be upgraded.

This is a rather stupid reasoning (no offence intended). The rMBP can have both an SSD (which comes per default actually) and 16GB RAM. I fail to see how buying a techically inferior computer counts as 'better experience' only because you can swap a drive yourself. Its not like you do it every week.

----------

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Then switch to a different manufacturer. What's the big deal? I, for once, am very far of idolizing Apple. And yet, as a power user I love their workstations and couldn't care less for all the upgradeability nonsense. Laptops are tools, they are supposed to be used, not obsessed about. Anything which makes them more useable (less weight, bigger battery) is a good thing. Upgradeability is a bonus, as I already mentioned, and yet, if the upgradeability comes at the cost of having a heavier machine, then I will happily forego it.

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I refuse to become a dumb consumer...

Provocative, unnecessary paroles. I don't see how wanting to have more convenient, easier to work with tools makes anyone dumb.

 

[leman]

Moreover, i just don't understand the "most people won't ever upgrade their computer" argument.
Yeah, maybe they don't. So what? It's supposed to be a professional machine, and you can bet that everybody wanting to do heavy work with it knows what RAM is, and is interested in changing it someday.

And yet its your argument which doesn't work. Apple already gives you the option to get 16Gb RAM, which is sufficient for professional work for a long time, unless you do lots of work with virtual machines (but then you are probably not using a laptop anyway). By the time the software requires more then 16Gb RAM, your other laptop hardware has long become obsolete anyway.

The only area where I can understand need for upgrades is the storage. With SSD prices falling and capacities increasing, it is tempting to get an affordable SSD at some point. And guess what? It is upgradeable in the rMBP, with a twist.

The problem here are the current standards. Commercially available SSDs are still using the form factor of older HDDs, which is frankly a waste of space. An SSD can be much smaller. A 2.5" SSD won't fit into an RMBP because of the increased battery space requirements. So what does Apple do? They create a new SSD form factor and connector. It is possible that this form factor or something similar will become a standard in the future. Don't forget the number of new interfaces Apple developed which then were adopted by the industry: Firewire, Mini Display Port, Thunderbolt (Intel/Apple).

This is so irritating from Apple's side. They are trying to force planned obsolescence on one of the most expensive laptops in the market.

No, in fact, they are pushing technology forward. And BTW, all laptops are programmed to be obsolete. They become so in less then two years after the purchase, simply because the technology moves forward very quickly. My 2.5 years old high-end MBP which was almost $3000 is slower then a current $400 plastic craptop. And a current MacBook Air completely destroys it. Sure, you can apply band aids there by slapping in an SSD to make things faster (useless in case of rMBO because it already has a fast SSD) or more RAM (again, not so useful, because it already offers 16GB RAM). And a battery change is cheaper then to service a car. I don't see any obsolescence here in comparison to any other machine.

 

[MaxPower72]

@ Leman

my stupid reasoning behind what I wrote stands for itself: why do we have to be limited by Apple to a couple of overpriced choices that you can only choose when buying your machine, I think that is more stupid.
I also like the idea of having an optical drive with me, I still use it and not to watch dvds. and I'm going soon to replace it with an internal BR burner.

 

[ixodes]

Are your brains so rigid and unaccepting of change that your only response is to insult and vilify the people who have a different, yet equally valid opinion from yours?

I didn't insult anyone, it is what it is. The truth is the truth.
Yet that said it's obviously upset you, perhaps being so emotionally attached is not working.

 

[calderone]

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Thanks for the fun read.

 

[sweetbrat]

People here consistently amaze me. For all of you spouting off about how we've flocked mindlessly to the retina MBP or that Apple has everyone brainwashed...do you realize how silly you sound? Just because people's opinions differ from yours, it doesn't mean that they're brainwashed. People have given you perfectly valid reasons why they like the retina MBP, just as you've given valid reasons why you don't. And yet you keep going on about people being mindless sheep. Isn't it possible to have a discussion with differing viewpoints without talking down to everyone else? Having the same viewpoint as millions of other people doesn't make you a sheep, as long as you've come to that viewpoint for reasons of your own. And for the record, I don't own a retina MBP, because it doesn't currently suit my needs...and I'm fine with that.

There's no reason that threads like this can't actually be useful; in fact, this one was, for quite a while. Then it went downhill unnecessarily. Have some respect for people whose views differ from yours. You may not be making direct insults to people, but the condescension here serves the same purpose. Give it a rest.

I don't suppose it's possible to get back to an actually interesting discussion on the subject...

 

[thekev]

This is a rather stupid reasoning (no offence intended). The rMBP can have both an SSD (which comes per default actually) and 16GB RAM. I fail to see how buying a techically inferior computer counts as 'better experience' only because you can swap a drive yourself. Its not like you do it every week.

I wouldn't call it technically inferior. Apple's design priorities were a bad match for his prerequisite requirements for purchasing a computer. Personally if I ever considered one, I would first find out the amount of time needed for service issues. If it needs a new battery or drive, what is the turnaround? On the older design I wouldn't take it in for warranty servicing on a hard drive. I'd drive to best buy, grab another, and have it done the same day if I needed the machine to be up and running. Prior experiences with Apple's batteries make me a little nervous there. That is one of the more viable areas of concern. It is important to note that the battery places a very definite sticker of expiration on the machine. A lot of people hand down or resell their used Apple products, so these things often see very long service lives prior to disposal. Batteries in general are required for the system to run without throttling as the charger isn't designed to handle all of that. Beyond that if battery swelling occurs, it can make the machine unusable.

If someone is using this at the point that it turns to vintage status, whether it's the original or a subsequent owner, a problematic battery at that point can basically be the end of the machine. I'm not going off anecdotes where people were taken care of here. I'm just going off their stated policies. This could be a valid issue once the machine gets to a secondhand point, especially if there is any rounding when a number of machines are shuffled to the vintage list. I just dislike this kind of design. While I had a desktop for heavier work, I used my old G4 powerbook for a number of years.


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1752

Vintage products are those that were discontinued more than five and less than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued hardware service for vintage products with the following exception:

Products purchased in the state of California, United States, as required by statute.
Owners of vintage Macintosh products may obtain service and parts from Apple service providers within the state of California, United States.
Owners of vintage iPod products in the state of California may obtain service from Apple Retail Stores or by contacting AppleCare at 1-800-APL-CARE.

 

[Queen6]

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Straight to the point, you are simply embarrassing yourself irrespective of what other people buy.

 

[leman]

my stupid reasoning behind what I wrote stands for itself: why do we have to be limited by Apple to a couple of overpriced choices that you can only choose when buying your machine, I think that is more stupid.
I also like the idea of having an optical drive with me, I still use it and not to watch dvds. and I'm going soon to replace it with an internal BR burner.

I fully agree with you on point 1 (overpriced) and 3 (optical drive). If you need the optical, you should really get a machine which has this feature. My gripe with your argument is the point 2. Apple is not "limiting you", they actually give you all the reasonable options. As I already said, I don't really buy into the "need to upgrade RAM" story. Sure, if you get something with an upgradeable drive and put in a 512GB, you will save some cash. Is this amount worth the fact that your computer will be significantly heavier? Its up to you to decide.

Ultimately, the "buy or not buy" is determined by the needs of the user. But if we return to the original question (whether the rMBP is cutting edge design or planned obsolescence), IMHO, there is no doubt about the correct answer. The benefits of having a truly mobile powerhouse far outweigh the dubious advantages of upgradeability. In time, upgradeability will come to ultra thin laptops as rMBP as well - in form of smaller-factor RAM and SSDs (industry is already starting to move towards blade SSDs). Right now, the standard modules are simply too big for no other reason but historic once. The SSDs can be much compacter than the 2.5 and someone has to make the first step and introduce new types of modules. We live within such a transaction period.

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I wouldn't call it technically inferior.

Please excuse my poor wording. With technically inferior I mostly meant being bulkier and having less expandability/lack of the IPS screen. Both are wonderful machines.

Personally if I ever considered one, I would first find out the amount of time needed for service issues. If it needs a new battery or drive, what is the turnaround?

This is a very good point and I agree with it completely. This is indeed an increasing problem.

 

[gpat]

And yet its your argument which doesn't work. Apple already gives you the option to get 16Gb RAM, which is sufficient for professional work for a long time, unless you do lots of work with virtual machines (but then you are probably not using a laptop anyway).

Baseless assumption.

By the time the software requires more then 16Gb RAM, your other laptop hardware has long become obsolete anyway.

You are generalizing, there are infinite cases in which applications are more intensive on the RAM than on CPU/GPU. And a quad i7 is much more high-end than 16GB of RAM, so the argument does not stand.

The only area where I can understand need for upgrades is the storage. With SSD prices falling and capacities increasing, it is tempting to get an affordable SSD at some point. And guess what? It is upgradeable in the rMBP, with a twist.

The problem here are the current standards. Commercially available SSDs are still using the form factor of older HDDs, which is frankly a waste of space. An SSD can be much smaller. A 2.5" SSD won't fit into an RMBP because of the increased battery space requirements. So what does Apple do? They create a new SSD form factor and connector. It is possible that this form factor or something similar will become a standard in the future. Don't forget the number of new interfaces Apple developed which then were adopted by the industry: Firewire, Mini Display Port, Thunderbolt (Intel/Apple).

Who said 2.5"? There is a standard. It's called mSATA. And, surprise, it would've been fully viable in the rMBP. Only problem, Apple wants to cripple your upgradability with a proprietary connector, which offers zero benefits to the user than an mSATA one. Same exact issue as the RAM.

No, in fact, they are pushing technology forward.

Yep, no doubt about it. They are offering cutting-edge hardware and engineering, but not without unnecessary drawbacks.

And BTW, all laptops are programmed to be obsolete. They become so in less then two years after the purchase, simply because the technology moves forward very quickly.
My 2.5 years old high-end MBP which was almost $3000 is slower then a current $400 plastic craptop. And a current MacBook Air completely destroys it. Sure, you can apply band aids there by slapping in an SSD to make things faster (useless in case of rMBO because it already has a fast SSD) or more RAM (again, not so useful, because it already offers 16GB RAM).

It sure does. But in the case of the rMBP, obsolescence runs at boosted speed. You can upgrade your 2009 MBP at 2012 average storage (SSD) and RAM in an easy and cost-effective manner. Try doing it with a rMBP in 2015.

And a battery change is cheaper then to service a car. I don't see any obsolescence here in comparison to any other machine.

Are you seriously comparing the maintenance costs of a notebook with the ones of a car?

Bottom line, the rMBP is a wonderful piece of hardware/software/engineering/art/whatever you want, and it's one of the most advanced consumer computers you can buy right now, but there is no way around the upgrading argument. It would've been fully possible to produce it with mSATA SSDs, unsoldered RAM and user-serviceable battery, and it would've been at least as good as the current one in every single aspect. But Apple doesn't want it to happen. For greed. Deal with it.

 

[MaxPower72]

Bottom line, the rMBP is a wonderful piece of hardware/software/engineering/art/whatever you want, and it's one of the most advanced consumer computers you can buy right now, but there is no way around the upgrading argument. It would've been fully possible to produce it with mSATA SSDs, unsoldered RAM and user-serviceable battery, and it would've been at least as good as the current one in every single aspect. But Apple doesn't want it to happen. For greed. Deal with it.

Very well said!

 

[thermodynamic]

https://www.computerworld.com/s/art...ned_obsolescence_?taxonomyId=163&pageNumber=1

Let's jump forward to June 2012, when Apple unveiled the new top-of-the-line 15-in. MacBook Pro, with its ground-breaking Retina display, a truly drool-worthy laptop if ever there was one. It's fast, powerful and stylish, setting the standard for what a full-featured yet highly portable laptop can be. But that gorgeous package comes with a cost. iFixit, in its teardown analysis, gave the Retina MacBook Pro the lowest possible score, 1 out of 10, for its almost complete lack of upgradeability. There are no user-replaceable parts whatsoever, including the battery or even RAM, which, in a trend begun with the MacBook Air in 2008, is directly soldered to the logic board. What's wrong with this picture?

I'm stuck in the middle.

What drives me toward "planned" is that these things get very hot when the CPU is needed for semi-demanding tasks. Even the 2012 model, which does a better job with cooling, still has people complaining about heat. Something is therefore amiss and is either not being designed right, or built right. And for a $2000+ device...

What does bug me is that the battery is glued in, rather than screwed in. The battery, along with any mechanical component, is more likely to malfunction before any electronic circuit.

Soldered RAM might add a reliability boost (or less likely for it to become loose in its socket and cause problems), but the heat problems and almost OCD-worthy desire for a smaller size chassis... it's a great design, if it wasn't for the heat... replace the powerful Intel CPU with a cutesie ARM-based equivalent that has nowhere near the power won't help customers who create and compile some types of content either...

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They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Nitpicks aside, Apple does make some decent products.

The only issue is cost, and given more than the uber-wealthy and (according to stereotype, the "Starbucks coffee-guzzling Liberals") buy these things (for things like graphic design, other forms of practical work to make a living off of, etc), the point is that people spend all this money for devices that compete with everybody else, and somehow believe they are getting something worth twice the price. The appearance is there, but iFixit and other sources have shown they're not built to the level of care that a $2000+ laptop sorta deserves... People plonk down the money, thinking those who sell the device know more than what everyone else is doing, when that might not be the case. That might be one reason why the perception is created that Apple is seen as a deity...

 

[Abazigal]

I didn't insult anyone, it is what it is. The truth is the truth.
Yet that said it's obviously upset you, perhaps being so emotionally attached is not working.

No it isn't. It's just your own biased, one sided opinion that you are attempting to pass off as gospel and I am calling shenanigans on that.

 

[leman]

@gpat: you make some good points. I wasn't aware of mSATA as a standard either, shame on me.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

It wouldn't have required any effort from Apple to use unsoldered RAM on the rMBP, or even on the Air. No excuses.

Right, because you are an engineer and intimately familiar with the design constraints of the RMBP. Are you having dinner with Johnny Ive tonight?

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I believe both MBA and Retina model should fall in non-professional category for being sealed (i.e. not upgradable).

You still refuse to acknowledge that there are plenty of professional users who love the RMBP and couldn't care less whether or not it's sealed. The definition of "professional" does not = not being sealed. That is simply one aspect of a computer, arguably the most important feature to a "pro" user is speed - in this case an unbeatable combination of speed and portability.

I love how you make such pronouncements all over these forums, acting like you are the definer of what is considered a professional user. You are one user with a specific set of needs that requires an expandable, unsealed laptop. Okay great. That's you. Move on.

 

[jbolden1517]

They won't. Having already flocked mindlessly to the rMBP, they've turned over their power & their minds to Apple.

One quick read in the thread reveals the majority actually fall into Apples clutches. Believing Apple knows better than they do & shamelessly recite the company line. Whatever Apple dictates, they fall in line & buy.

Apple has so much control over their customers it's nearly unbelievable. The idolize Apple as God like. Why think for oneself? It's like being a child. Mommy & Daddy know best. Apples power & control over their user base is like no other. Everyone humming the same tune.

Oh please this is just stupid. I was 2 weeks ago at a meeting with people getting the specs on the IBM Netezza (1400-2400 lbs, and generally around 7 feet thick) a sizeable laptop. Everyone at my table thought the Retina was breathtaking and none of them were even Apple customers. They might now be willing to buy a $2600 laptop, but they certainly appreciate the difference between what Apple provides and what the competition does.

Heck, if I didn't buy an Apple my #2 choice is Fujitsu and their laptops aren't designed to be upgraded either. I've been OK with non upgradeable long before Apple even introduced the air, much less the rMBP.

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The appearance is there, but iFixit and other sources have shown they're not built to the level of care that a $2000+ laptop sorta deserves... People plonk down the money, thinking those who sell the device know more than what everyone else is doing, when that might not be the case. That might be one reason why the perception is created that Apple is seen as a deity...

iFixit showed nothing of the kind. They were awestruck at how tightly and well engineered the retina was. They were the ones who explained how truly custom the screen was and why it would be hard for any PC to match what Apple was doing. They left no question where the money was going, and the spec reviews show that as well.

iFixit also commented at this laptop is impossible for anyone to home repair. That what they specialize in, selling parts to people fixing their own laptops, wouldn't happen with this one because it was just far too complex. That even expert repair people without training couldn't take it apart safely to the machine. And that is far different than what you are claiming they said.

 

[InuNacho]

Upgradability used the be the best part of being a Mac owner and I'm a little sad to see it go. While I love my 17 inch I sometimes wish it had a the super upgradability of the Pismo with it's two battery option and upgradable CPU.

 

[gpat]

Right, because you are an engineer and intimately familiar with the design constraints of the RMBP. Are you having dinner with Johnny Ive tonight?

Please. An ounce of common sense is more than enough to see that soldering the RAM does not benefit in any significant way the space in the chassis, and does not solve any design constraint whatsoever.

You still refuse to acknowledge that there are plenty of professional users who love the RMBP and couldn't care less whether or not it's sealed. The definition of "professional" does not = not being sealed. That is simply one aspect of a computer, arguably the most important feature to a "pro" user is speed - in this case an unbeatable combination of speed and portability.

I love how you make such pronouncements all over these forums, acting like you are the definer of what is considered a professional user. You are one user with a specific set of needs that requires an expandable, unsealed laptop. Okay great. That's you. Move on.

By the same exact reasoning, you cannot define a professional user as somebody without the need of upgrading or servicing their own computer, even if there are users with that need.
So, the only justification for the lack of upgrading would be a major degree of power or portability, which is simply not true. Soldering the battery or RAM does not save any relevant amount of space in the chassis, and using a proprietary connector for the SSD is even more pointless for that purpose.
Just go ahead and realize that this is a policy adopted by Apple to maximize its profit by forcing you to BTO (at inflated prices) the things you could need right away, or go to them for battery replacement, or buying a new $2000+ computer because you can't upgrade it because of a deliberate and non-beneficial choice.
To me, this is greed.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Please. An ounce of common sense is more than enough to see that soldering the RAM does not benefit in any significant way the space in the chassis, and does not solve any design constraint whatsoever.

The last time I checked, it took more than "an ounce of common sense" to design the internals of a computer.

By the same exact reasoning, you cannot define a professional user as somebody without the need of upgrading or servicing their own computer, even if there are users with that need.

I find that spending less time trying to define and label people leads to a happier, more stress free life. Why are you trying to define "professional user" when that means different things to different people?

To me, this is greed.

So this is the real issue. You have an objection to Apple's philosophy based on how much money it is going to generate for Apple. This has nothing to do with what a "professional" may or may not want. It would appear that you have a serious disagreement with Apple's philosophy, which is fine, but you should be honest in your posts about what your beef truly is.

Telling pros here who use the rMBP that it's not a "pro" machine because it's going to generate a lot of money for Apple is truly bizarre on your part.

 

[gpat]

The last time I checked, it took more than "an ounce of common sense" to design the internals of a computer.

We are not talking about designing a computer, but only about choices such as soldering components that work just fine otherwise, and are not more beneficial to the end user in any possible way if soldered.

I find that spending less time trying to define and label people leads to a happier, more stress free life. Why are you trying to define "professional user" when that means different things to different people?

I am not trying to define a category. I am saying that some (professional) users will be interested in having an user-serviceable computer, while I can't think of any users specifically interested in owning a non-user-serviceable computer. (Why would anybody want that? If you don't upgrade your computer, you're fine with either)
So, what choice would appease the most people? And why wouldn't Apple follow that choice?
My answer: because Apple thinks that their product will sell even if it's costlier and has planned obsolescence. Translated in human behaviors, I would say that there is a certain amount of greed and prepotence involved with this choice.

So this is the real issue. You have an objection to Apple's philosophy based on how much money it is going to generate for Apple. This has nothing to do with what a "professional" may or may not want. It would appear that you have a serious disagreement with Apple's philosophy, which is fine, but you should be honest in your posts about what your beef truly is.

Telling pros here who use the rMBP that it's not a "pro" machine because it's going to generate a lot of money for Apple is truly bizarre on your part.

I think I am being clear enough on my disagreement with Apple's choice on this matter, but you are oversimplifying the revenue issue.
Of course it all boils down to revenue, since it is the primary aim of Apple (and every other company), but it is the way of making a customer fork over money that irritates me, because it forces it to overbuy upgrades it might not ever need at all, or, on the other hand, replace a perfectly functioning machine because it isn't up to scratch for an arbitrary choice of Apple, whereas any other computer would have been easily upgradeable by the user, or any competent person.
If there is something good for the end user in all this, I fail to see it.