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Not op, but no. However I'm not talking about the phones, not directly. I write code for a living, and has had a MBP as my work machine for more than s decade, but each version is a worse experience for me. Some hyperbole follows, but you know, I'm so, so, so fed up with this crap. More code signing, triple click and spin around the Christmas tree to install an application, notarization, more things that you have turn off to be able to get things done, all of which essentially leaves me with a less secure computer since more and more of the security is based on the same things that makes using this +2000$ tool worse each iteration. The amazing time machine they were so proud of, isn't available for sale. The revolutionary magsafe, which I love, and as a contractor has saved my computer more than once, isn't en vogue any more. Keyboards that doesn't work. One can't even just use the old version, as you are essentially forced to update the os/software, because things just stop working if you don't, and the nag screens never stop However, changing platforms is not easy, or cheap. This wasn't anything that was easy to predict +10 years ago. But then the iPhone, other mobile devices, and the app store started to pull in all the money. Since a few years, each release is a downgrade, but where to go? People lauded Windows 10 for being so slick, but you essentially can't get the thing to not show random popups, nag you about "wrong live password", and just randomly reboot because it's decided you're not allowed to work right now, because this update has to run. Administration tools spread over 10 different apps and screens of various kinds. Linux gives me heartache, most is not much different from when I ran Gentoo +10 years ago. Pseudo gui apps abounds, clipboard almost works, but there are 27 window managers, 97 different docks, oh, yes, seven different package managers that all really wants to be the only true package manager.
Getting fonts to render readably in the majority of apps on a 4k screen was probably not more then a few days work. So many terrible apps. The kernel is of course rock solid, but no, still no drivers for many graphics cards, ati is quite good I heard, but exactly which card to buy? Touchpad support is also wonky, but it's like three guys mostly in their spare time, so that's not strange. But no, I really didn't think the company that had been obsessed with user centricity and hci would stop caring about anything but the bank account, and which new fancy toy to try to entice people to buy. Making phones that are practically made to be easy to drop due to non-existent tactile feedback. This year was the first year you could buy a non Apple machine with a touchpad that actually works. Embarrassing is what it is. But no it's not a monopoly in one way, it's three different options that each are terrible in its own way. Clearly, the market is not working. As everyone only tries to build walls around their piece of the cake instead of actually competing. While not a monopoly in name, the platforms are monopolies in anything but, because the cost, in time, skill, and money of changing platform is so high. |