Ultimate Retina Pro Wow!!!

[evorc]

I've been an MBA user for 3 years now and I recently started a new job as a Software Engineer. The new work gave me an ultimate 15" retina macbook pro. Wow this thing is amazing! The screen is gorgeous! I am having a hard time switching back to my MBA now after using it. In the end, I decided that it's best to just sell my late 2013 MBA since I will be using the new Macbook Pro for work and home use. Just sharing my excitement .

 

[Wehrwolf]

Yeah the screen is something else. I almost don't want to connect mine to an external monitor when it's at home.

 

[evorc]

Right? I connect to a monitor at work but hardly use it lol.

 

[Zodiac.mj]

Good for you, I'm in the same spot

Have fun!

 

[Leisyu]

I've been an MBA user for 3 years now and I recently started a new job as a Software Engineer. The new work gave me an ultimate 15" retina macbook pro. Wow this thing is amazing! The screen is gorgeous! I am having a hard time switching back to my MBA now after using it. In the end, I decided that it's best to just sell my late 2013 MBA since I will be using the new Macbook Pro for work and home use. Just sharing my excitement .

hahaha good to know!

 

[verseafterverse]

Not only the screen I bought the early 2013 yesterday and the fans didn't even go on when I was playing a grand theft auto game.This thing is perfect the fans hardly go on while it doesn't even feel to warm to the touch how did I live with out this.

 

[amien]

I'm in the same boat. Had three Air generations, and wanted a bigger screen for a new job. The retina is really amazing. I planned to keep the air for some mobile work, but after working on the retina, i would rather buy a 13" macbook pro for that purpose (if still needed anyway) ..

Selling my Air next week

 

[sjinsjca]

...I will be using the new Macbook Pro for work and home use.

NOT recommended.

At a minimum, set up a separate user account. Ideally you'd have a separate computer entirely for your personal use. Besides the privacy issues involved in using a corporate-provisioned computer (that might at some point be equipped without your knowledge with a key logger, screen-snapper or even a webcam-snapshotting utility), there's the ethical issue of using company property for personal purposes.

If you do use the machine for personal purposes, even if it's openly allowed by your employer, keep in mind that surveillance is commonplace among companies today. It's not so much that they're monitoring your every move, but if ever it's desired to get dirt on you, your computer usage records will be the first place they'll look. Happens all the time.

I'd keep that old MBA if I were you. The world has just gotten too creepy to use company computers for non-company purposes.

 

[NewishMacGuy]

NOT recommended.

At a minimum, set up a separate user account. Ideally you'd have a separate computer entirely for your personal use. Besides the privacy issues involved in using a corporate-provisioned computer (that might at some point be equipped without your knowledge with a key logger, screen-snapper or even a webcam-snapshotting utility), there's the ethical issue of using company property for personal purposes.

If you do use the machine for personal purposes, even if it's openly allowed by your employer, keep in mind that surveillance is commonplace among companies today. It's not so much that they're monitoring your every move, but if ever it's desired to get dirt on you, your computer usage records will be the first place they'll look. Happens all the time.

I'd keep that old MBA if I were you. The world has just gotten too creepy to use company computers for non-company purposes.

You're assuming that he's a corporate slave on a largish corporate plantation, in which case I would agree with your comments. Many of us, however, work more freely and flexibly in smaller (and perhaps more collaborative) environments where we don't have the same issues with corporate IT. Totally different culture.

>

 

[that1guyy]

I disagree with this thread sadly.

1. I was not impressed with the display on rMBP because it was yellow and dirty looking.

2. I was more impressed with my HP desktop's 25inch monitor. Not only were the colors more accurate on the HP, it didn't completely CRUSH the blacks like the mac did and when watching videos I could see clear detail in certain areas of the video where on the laptop its just black, and I find that very disappointing. The HP is a 1080p monitor and to me looks superior in almost every way.

Of course, I returned my macbook and am going for my second replacement.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I dunno where this yellow thing is coming from. Never noticed it. Holding my Galaxy S4 up to my screen and the whites seem a little truer on the MBPr.

Of course, I also use flux to prevent my eyes from screaming in agony when i use the computer at night.

 

[evorc]

NOT recommended.

At a minimum, set up a separate user account. Ideally you'd have a separate computer entirely for your personal use. Besides the privacy issues involved in using a corporate-provisioned computer (that might at some point be equipped without your knowledge with a key logger, screen-snapper or even a webcam-snapshotting utility), there's the ethical issue of using company property for personal purposes.

If you do use the machine for personal purposes, even if it's openly allowed by your employer, keep in mind that surveillance is commonplace among companies today. It's not so much that they're monitoring your every move, but if ever it's desired to get dirt on you, your computer usage records will be the first place they'll look. Happens all the time.

I'd keep that old MBA if I were you. The world has just gotten too creepy to use company computers for non-company purposes.

Thanks for the heads up but I do not work for a corporate company. Besides I'm more knowledgeable than that .

----------

I disagree with this thread sadly.

1. I was not impressed with the display on rMBP because it was yellow and dirty looking.

2. I was more impressed with my HP desktop's 25inch monitor. Not only were the colors more accurate on the HP, it didn't completely CRUSH the blacks like the mac did and when watching videos I could see clear detail in certain areas of the video where on the laptop its just black, and I find that very disappointing. The HP is a 1080p monitor and to me looks superior in almost every way.

Of course, I returned my macbook and am going for my second replacement.

My MacBook Pro is more vibrant and bluer than any macbook I have ever seen. Perhaps you have a defective screen? And I do have an LG screen.

 

[sjinsjca]

You're assuming that he's a corporate slave on a largish corporate plantation, in which case I would agree with your comments. Many of us, however, work more freely and flexibly in smaller (and perhaps more collaborative) environments where we don't have the same issues with corporate IT. Totally different culture.

The culture can turn on a dime, as soon as management decides the place has become big enough and needs to Get Serious about managing its IT resources. This might be triggered by the theft of a laptop, or an online break-in, or a virus outbreak or something of the sort, or adoption of some productivity-sucking acronym-fest like ITAR or ISO-9000, or the sale of the company, a merger, or a joint venture.

I've witnessed that sad process unfold at two companies-- first management has its epiphany, then it brings in some consultants or sets up an IT department, and then the die is cast, with the parasitic "pros" finding ever more ways to feather their own beds.

Just, be vigilant, be prepared, be smart... and enjoy the small-company culture while it lasts.

----------

I disagree with this thread sadly.

1. I was not impressed with the display on rMBP because it was yellow and dirty looking.

A yellow tinge has been noted in various generations of iDevices; maybe something similar can happen with laptops. It fades with time and IIRC has something to do with an adhesive curing, which takes a few weeks.

Dunno if that's at the root of your experience, but it's a maybe.

For me the only issue with the rMBP display was the dreaded image retention, which developed after 9 months or so. Apple replaced the (LG) display with a Samsung display, and it's great... though I'm annoyed to have to say anything nice about that scummy company. Their component manufacturing arm does a good job, gotta admit.

 

[PDFierro]

The culture can turn on a dime, as soon as management decides the place has become big enough and needs to Get Serious about managing its IT resources. This might be triggered by the theft of a laptop, or an online break-in, or a virus outbreak or something of the sort, or adoption of some productivity-sucking acronym-fest like ITAR or ISO-9000, or the sale of the company, a merger, or a joint venture.

I've witnessed that sad process unfold at two companies-- first management has its epiphany, then it brings in some consultants or sets up an IT department, and then the die is cast, with the parasitic "pros" finding ever more ways to feather their own beds.

Just, be vigilant, be prepared, be smart... and enjoy the small-company culture while it lasts.

Wow.

 

[iChrist]

It is great computer. I just didn't like the yellowness of the screen. Also uneven backlighting was bothersome.

 

[MacModMachine]

The culture can turn on a dime, as soon as management decides the place has become big enough and needs to Get Serious about managing its IT resources. This might be triggered by the theft of a laptop, or an online break-in, or a virus outbreak or something of the sort, or adoption of some productivity-sucking acronym-fest like ITAR or ISO-9000, or the sale of the company, a merger, or a joint venture.

I've witnessed that sad process unfold at two companies-- first management has its epiphany, then it brings in some consultants or sets up an IT department, and then the die is cast, with the parasitic "pros" finding ever more ways to feather their own beds.

Just, be vigilant, be prepared, be smart... and enjoy the small-company culture while it lasts.

----------



A yellow tinge has been noted in various generations of iDevices; maybe something similar can happen with laptops. It fades with time and IIRC has something to do with an adhesive curing, which takes a few weeks.

Dunno if that's at the root of your experience, but it's a maybe.

For me the only issue with the rMBP display was the dreaded image retention, which developed after 9 months or so. Apple replaced the (LG) display with a Samsung display, and it's great... though I'm annoyed to have to say anything nice about that scummy company. Their component manufacturing arm does a good job, gotta admit.

lol...have you ever worked for a larger company?

you sound like the person IT is always at there computer because you pretend to know how to "fix" it yourself.

 

[jondunford]

if my job gave me a max spec macbook pro it would double my salary

 

[sjinsjca]

lol...have you ever worked for a larger company?

Better than that, I've worked for or with four companies that rapidly became large, hence have seen the script I outlined unfold similarly, in two places in particular. Two others involved acquisition by a large company, and as I said: the culture can change overnight.

Back in my independent software development days, after the successful conclusion of a project I was solicited by the IT manager for a large company (one of my clients) to build a home-grown key logger so management could measure productivity of workers from clerks through middle management. I declined, horrified, but sadly it was a leading edge of a trend. Nowadays keyloggers are common, as are covert screen-snappers and webcam-snapshot utilities that quietly take a picture of what's on a worker's screen or the worker themselves, again in supposed furtherance of productivity. Don't think these are used by large companies only, by the way.

Beyond the creepiness and the security concerns of having folks install unvetted software or enjoy dodgy sites and services on company equipment (or even covertly ship their work off to low-cost consultants overseas without management's knowledge), there's the ethical issue of using company resources and tools for personal purposes. Some companies allow it, even regard it as a perk... some don't. Just be careful, is all I'm saying, and mind the cultural zeitgeist. Today's enjoyable perk could be tomorrow's firing offense.

you sound like the person IT is always at there computer because you pretend to know how to "fix" it yourself.

Nice bit of ad hominem. Quite the opposite, but how about addressing my points rather than sneering and pointing?

I understand if pros in the audience take offense at my characterization of too many of their brethren as empire-builders, power-trippers and creepy surveillers. Deal with it.

But my other message--don't use company equipment and resources for personal use--is one the pros can and do embrace.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

The culture can turn on a dime, as soon as management decides the place has become big enough and needs to Get Serious about managing its IT resources. This might be triggered by the theft of a laptop, or an online break-in, or a virus outbreak or something of the sort, or adoption of some productivity-sucking acronym-fest like ITAR or ISO-9000, or the sale of the company, a merger, or a joint venture.

I've witnessed that sad process unfold at two companies-- first management has its epiphany, then it brings in some consultants or sets up an IT department, and then the die is cast, with the parasitic "pros" finding ever more ways to feather their own beds.

Just, be vigilant, be prepared, be smart... and enjoy the small-company culture while it lasts.

Dude. What the **** are you talking about.

 

[cheesyappleuser]

Ultimate Retina Pro Wow!!!

Apple replaced the (LG) display with a Samsung display, and it's great... though I'm annoyed to have to say anything nice about that scummy company. Their component manufacturing arm does a good job, gotta admit.

I have to agree with you. Their mainstream products aren't something I can recommend to buy at all (from smartphones to TVs), the guys just want it to fail and get you to buy another cheapo again, but other products (SSDs and OEM components) are just good.

 

[sjinsjca]

Dude. What the **** are you talking about.

...Cautionary comments on using company laptops for personal purposes, is all. The OP stated that was his plan, and I'm pointing out that it can be risky.

Later in the thread it was contended that small companies are less problematic in terms of IT policies, employee-monitoring practices, etc. (I'm talking about tools like http://talygen.com/CaptureScreenShot and http://www.oleansoft.com --there are dozens.) True enough: smaller companies are less likely to implement such creepy practices, but such things are not unheard-of even in small firms, and small firms can become big firms, be acquired by or partner with big firms, or otherwise come to the point that personal usage of company hardware and bandwidth becomes risky. I've seen it happen, and it can happen rather quickly.

In such circumstances it's usually prudent to own your own laptop or tablet. I recommend it as every employee's default, in fact.

 

[jerrykur]

...Cautionary comments on using company laptops for personal purposes, is all. The OP stated that was his plan, and I'm pointing out that it can be risky.

Later in the thread it was contended that small companies are less problematic in terms of IT policies, employee-monitoring practices, etc. (I'm talking about tools like http://talygen.com/CaptureScreenShot and http://www.oleansoft.com --there are dozens.) True enough: smaller companies are less likely to implement such creepy practices, but such things are not unheard-of even in small firms, and small firms can become big firms, be acquired by or partner with big firms, or otherwise come to the point that personal usage of company hardware and bandwidth becomes risky. I've seen it happen, and it can happen rather quickly.

In such circumstances it's usually prudent to own your own laptop or tablet. I recommend it as every employee's default, in fact.

I think this is prudent advice. A company owned asset is just that, be it a computer, car, software, or a machine on a factory floor. Companies provide computers to do company related work, not for personal usage. For developers, the last thing they want is some client having issues because one of developers has some incompatible library. They also do not want employees loading up music, videos, etc and other non work related items on company machines. Finally, the company owns all data on the computers. If the employee is terminate the machine can be taken away with no warning. Anything on it is and always was company property.

jerry

 

[evorc]

Alright all made some valid points, thanks for that. What I meant when I said personal use, I simply meant basic web surfing. Of course I will not load my personal data in this laptop. I have a desktop for that. I will also not do any personal software development in this machine to compromise my existing work development environment set-up. This is a work laptop and I have been an IT before becoming a Software Engineer. Ethics in IT is one that I truly value. My usage of my current MBA has become solely web surfing for the past few months, so it makes no sense to keep it just for that. An iPad and iPhone can take care of that.

 

[sjinsjca]

Alright all made some valid points, thanks for that. What I meant when I said personal use, I simply meant basic web surfing. Of course I will not load my personal data in this laptop. I have a desktop for that. I will also not do any personal software development in this machine to compromise my existing work development environment set-up. This is a work laptop and I have been an IT before becoming a Software Engineer. Ethics in IT is one that I truly value. My usage of my current MBA has become solely web surfing for the past few months, so it makes no sense to keep it just for that. An iPad and iPhone can take care of that.

Thanks. Clearly you get it.

Enjoy your marvelous new machine, then... for work, mostly!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

...Cautionary comments on using company laptops for personal purposes, is all. The OP stated that was his plan, and I'm pointing out that it can be risky.

Later in the thread it was contended that small companies are less problematic in terms of IT policies, employee-monitoring practices, etc. (I'm talking about tools like http://talygen.com/CaptureScreenShot and http://www.oleansoft.com --there are dozens.) True enough: smaller companies are less likely to implement such creepy practices, but such things are not unheard-of even in small firms, and small firms can become big firms, be acquired by or partner with big firms, or otherwise come to the point that personal usage of company hardware and bandwidth becomes risky. I've seen it happen, and it can happen rather quickly.

In such circumstances it's usually prudent to own your own laptop or tablet. I recommend it as every employee's default, in fact.

Please tell me where the poster said it was a "company laptop". OP said "I will be using it for work and home use". Also said he was selling his MBA to get it. Which means (and call me crazy here) he probably sold the MBA to get the money to buy the MBPr on his own dime, meaning purchasing a computer to do work on.

I mean, maybe I'm outta my mind, but it sounds like you went off on a giant monologue for no effing reason.