Ask the Bear & Badger - The Bear and Badger

Nina

SpaceGazelle wrote:

Buy a proper computer.

If you mean a windows one, I have one. If I walk away for a bit to grab a drink or something it randomly shows me a blue screen. Sometimes just when I press the power button to turn it on.
At least the Mac crashes just the software I'm using. (it's probably a Metal problem, Apple's reply to OpenGL. Unity only crashes when it's in the background so there probably goes something wrong there.

(There were 2 others who have the exact same laptop, I'm the only one with Windows 10 on it and the only one with problems. Probably need to buy a new Windows at some point and clean up everything)

If by proper you mean getting a tower, that's not very useful in case we'll move to the EU. I tried asking for a VR machine but no luck.

I'll have a look at those links @Yoss, tbh I'm also not sure what I'm looking for or asking. When reinstalling Discord yesterday I had to look up how to remove software, but it's all so simple in the end.

I'm still impressed by the quality of the screen, that's just lovely.

SpaceGazelle

Yeah I mean a PC tower, although you're right, I wouldn't like to ship one if you're possibly moving.

GurtTractor

Nina wrote:

Buy a proper computer.

If you mean a windows one, I have one. If I walk away for a bit to grab a drink or something it randomly shows me a blue screen. Sometimes just when I press the power button to turn it on.

Obviously something is very borked there then.

davyK

Yeah - blue screening became a rarity with Windows 7 - usually some sort of fatal hardware issue. Given that Windows has to boot up and figure out where it exists it does well compared to Apple OS which doesn't have to worry about a smorgasbord of hardware.

If I was getting a laptop I'd go Apple, Windows for a tower/desktop.

Hodge360

Is this the right time/place to be asking about macs vs. windows? Windows has always been around me and I've assumed macs were for designer and graphic types but don't really know much about the differences.

davyK

I have a macbook on "loan" from work. I tend to just web browse and mess about with iTunes on it etc, The screen is gorgeous and despite its age (nearly 10years) still works flawlessly and seemingly resistant to system updates which seem to hit performance on ageing windows machines.

I guess the software range on PC is wider. Design/graphic does seem to favour Apple but some say the PC has caught up - can't be sure of that though as I know feck all about that application area.

Nina

davyK wrote:

Yeah - blue screening became a rarity with Windows 7 - usually some sort of fatal hardware issue.

It's been doing it for quite a while now. Sometimes it doesn't do it for a couple weeks, then 3 times a day. Completely random. There's also a fan issue (it would go from 0 to 100% all the time, B fixed that with something) and some 3D software doesn't work well with the Windows 10 / graphics card combo I have.

I know I need to buy a proper version of Windows (this one has a watermark since a couple of months bottom right of the screen, that I need to register it for updates) and do a clean install.

I'm just lucky that B got the newest MacBook this year, he still helps out his friend with who he started a business a couple years ago. He can't officially work with him (visa related of course) but he still advises on how to tackle things etc. He came over around New Years and bought the Mac. Also to test the software they're writing.

What would you want to do with your Mac Hodge? I haven't seen many extreme differences so far tbh, apart from the amazing screen.
I can run Unity, Chrome (with my Google account so all my bookmarks are there), Houdini and play Slay the Spire. The touch pad is also miles better than I have in my windows (the click is just where you're finger is, so convenient).
Blender should also be available for Mac.

The only thing I need to figure out is the open source software situation. On Windows I use Inkscape and Krita, I don't know if Mac has anything similar. (maybe @poprock will know about this?)

B has used the Mac to code but he finds it hard to adjust to the keyboard, I just think he's old (he had a similar problem when switching between consoles, can never remember where the buttons are).

Hodge360

I don't have a Mac nor an intention to get one. Just wondered was there a big standout feature I hadn't noticed all these years or is it just another OS!
Have you checked into getting Win10 for free? They were openly trying to get it everywhere for some time. I was still able to get a free copy a long time after the official closing date. Worth a Google.

poprock

nina wrote:

The only thing I need to figure out is the open source software situation. On Windows I use Inkscape and Krita, I don't know if Mac has anything similar. (maybe @poprock will know about this?)

I don’t really know anything about open source software, sorry. I’ve always been employed, so the company buys my pro software. Adobe CC nowadays.

Just checked on Google though and both the apps you mention are available on Mac.

cockbeard

Hodge360 wrote:

I don't have a Mac nor an intention to get one. Just wondered was there a big standout feature I hadn't noticed all these years or is it just another OS! Have you checked into getting Win10 for free? They were openly trying to get it everywhere for some time. I was still able to get a free copy a long time after the official closing date. Worth a Google.

Depending on what hardware you're currently running, becuase Mac used Intel chips the last five or six (probably 20 or something stupid) years then you might be able to dual boot into a Mac OS to find out for yourself. If you google hackintosh there are various methods available, strongly depends on hardware though some stuff simply isn't at all compatible

Nina

@pop, thanks, I haven't needed them yet, so didn't bother to look into it. Good to know they're around.

pantyfire

@nina
B can just plug a pc keyboard into his Mac can't he?
Or do the keys behave the OS wants them to?
Fuck it I dunno.

Yossarian

Nina wrote:

The touch pad is also miles better than I have in my windows (the click is just where you're finger is, so convenient).

Fun fact, on current Macs, the click is entirely fake. The trackpad is a solid piece of glass, when you press down on it, a small motor provides some haptic feedback to make you think it’s clicked, while the click sound itself comes from the speakers. Try clicking it when it’s off to see.

GurtTractor

Nina wrote:

There's also a fan issue (it would go from 0 to 100% all the time, B fixed that with something)

If that was just 'fixed' with a bit of software to control the fan speeds rather than replacing the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink, then there may still be an underlying hardware problem that could be causing the blue screening, if the CPU is overheating it will shut down to protect itself.

At least with most Windows laptops they are reasonably easy to take apart for cleaning and maintenance, unlike with most Apple creations where everything is deliberately complicated and obfuscated. Fuck that shit.

Yossarian

Hodge360 wrote:

I don't have a Mac nor an intention to get one. Just wondered was there a big standout feature I hadn't noticed all these years or is it just another OS!

Same as it’s ever been, an ecosystem which all works together pretty much seamlessly. If you’re willing to invest in a Mac + iPhone + Apple TV + AirPods + iPad (mayber), you’ve got a set of devices that make life very easy indeed.

Nina

pantyfire wrote:

@nina
B can just plug a pc keyboard into his Mac can't he?
Or do the keys behave the OS wants them to?
Fuck it I dunno.

It's all USB C but we have an adapter so technically you could. It takes away a bit of the portability of the laptop though (and you really don't want to shop keyboards with B, nothing is good enough)

GurtTractor wrote:

Nina wrote:

There's also a fan issue (it would go from 0 to 100% all the time, B fixed that with something)

If that was just 'fixed' with a bit of software to control the fan speeds rather than replacing the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink, then there may still be an underlying hardware problem that could be causing the blue screening, if the CPU is overheating it will shut down to protect itself.

Yeah "something" was supposed to say "software". Guess you just convinced me to move over all the things I'd like to save to a external harddrive, open it up sometime to have a look and then install a new windows. It's not too hard to service apparently.
Our friend that had the same actually had his overheat, but he used it in clubs with a lot of smoke machines while vj-ing. Might be better to try and prevent it, there are still more games available for pc in the end.

Hodge360

Yossarian wrote:

Hodge360 wrote:

I don't have a Mac nor an intention to get one. Just wondered was there a big standout feature I hadn't noticed all these years or is it just another OS!

Same as it’s ever been, an ecosystem which all works together pretty much seamlessly. If you’re willing to invest in a Mac + iPhone + Apple TV + AirPods + iPad (mayber), you’ve got a set of devices that make life very easy indeed.

That it? I've used iTunes and that don't make life easy. I guess ignorance is bliss after all!

GurtTractor

Worth having some decent thermal paste around for this kind of thing. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is basically the best paste around, little bit expensive, but should last you a while. You can actually see big improvements in temps (and therefore noise..) just by swapping the cheap stock paste for something better in most devices, if I get a new laptop/GPU one of the first things I might to is re-paste.

Yossarian

Hodge360 wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

Hodge360 wrote:

I don't have a Mac nor an intention to get one. Just wondered was there a big standout feature I hadn't noticed all these years or is it just another OS!

Same as it’s ever been, an ecosystem which all works together pretty much seamlessly. If you’re willing to invest in a Mac + iPhone + Apple TV + AirPods + iPad (mayber), you’ve got a set of devices that make life very easy indeed.

That it? I've used iTunes and that don't make life easy. I guess ignorance is bliss after all!

iTunes plus the rest of the things on that list makes life a breeze. Everything syncs automatically so everything’s just available on everything else without ever having to think about it.

MattyJ

Can't you achieve the same thing on a Windows machine with iTunes installed? Coupled with the rest

SpaceGazelle

Is there any justification to yarr a game that you have on another platform, but is in all other respects the same game? PC gaming on Steam is always like this.

Yossarian

MattyJ wrote:

Can't you achieve the same thing on a Windows machine with iTunes installed? Coupled with the rest

That’s just one example of how it all works together. You get built in software with Apple devices, everything from word processing to film and audio editing. It all works across all your devices, any changes on one are reflected on everything else, even Safari tabs on one device are automatically available on all your other ones. It all just works together pretty much seamlessly.

acemuzzy

SpaceGazelle wrote:

Is there any justification to yarr a game that you have on another platform, but is in all other respects the same game? PC gaming on Steam is always like this.

Legally, no. Morally, kinda - depends if it's feature parity and just for your convenience, vs a "better" version, I guess?

SpaceGazelle

Yeah, I mean exactly the same game, not a remastered version or extra included dlc.

davyK

The macbook touch pad was a revelation to me. Far superior to anything I've tried on a Windows device.

MattyJ

Yossarian wrote:

MattyJ wrote:

Can't you achieve the same thing on a Windows machine with iTunes installed? Coupled with the rest

That’s just one example of how it all works together. You get built in software with Apple devices, everything from word processing to film and audio editing. It all works across all your devices, any changes on one are reflected on everything else, even Safari tabs on one device are automatically available on all your other ones. It all just works together pretty much seamlessly.

Ahh okay. I've achieved the same by installing outlook and Edge on my iPhone. And can install other office apps and then when I use my Surface Pro it all links across

Yossarian

Yeah, I’m sure various things can be set up across other devices to get most if not all of the same functionality, but the nice thing about Apple gear is you don’t even have to think about it, it all just gets done automatically.

regmcfly

Can someone give me a better fast food blog to vicariously live aside from burgerlad?

b0r1s

Looking to get a new monitor and laptops direct look cheapest. Anyone used them? Are they reliable?

SpaceGazelle

regmcfly wrote:

Can someone give me a better fast food blog to vicariously live aside from burgerlad?

Not sure about blogs but this Youtube channel is great, and about as far away from burgerlad as could be.

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