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I want to stick with Apple but am struggling to...

CURRENT SITUATION:

I spend my day working as a software developer from one of two homes, one in Vegas, one in San Diego. Each home has an identical setup: Two daisy-chained Apple Thunderbolt displays, a Time Capsule router, an Apple keyboard (plugged into display USB port), and a Magic Mouse.

My only computer is a mid-2015 MacBook Pro. When I settle in for a few weeks at one of the locations, I'll plug one of the display's Thunderbolt cords into the MBP and begin work. Approximately 70% of my work time is spent using this configuration with the remaining 30% spent using the laptop in the traditional mobile/stand-alone fashion.

PROBLEM:

I may need to replace the MBP at some point, perhaps because the MBP is lost or stolen, or maybe it just gets old and dies. Same for the displays. The problem is: The current-generation MBP is markedly less useful to me than its predecessors due the TouchBar. Further, Apple no longer manufactures displays. With a solid upgrade path for neither the laptop nor the monitors, I see no viable way to maintain my current setup if a component needs to be replaced. As a result, I'm considering migrating away from Apple for business needs.... unless... unless I'm missing something, and I truly hope I am. More details follow. I'd appreciate any ideas you can share.

THE TOUCH BAR ISSUE:

The drawbacks of the latest MacBook Pro are pretty well documented on the various trade blogs but honestly, I consider most of the issues raised to be minor nuisances. The only show stopper for me is the Touch Bar. Removing the row containing the ESC keys and function keys is a real productivity killer for me as a programmer. It's too easy hit the wrong key, there's no force feedback like you'd get with a "real" key, it's harder to find the keys you want by feel, I'm constantly launching Siri by mistake, and there's that distracting Touch Bar glow to deal with. Yes, steps can be taken to make the TouchBar slightly less irritating but at the end of the day, I find the current generation MBP infuriating to use in laptop mode (that is, disconnected from the external displays and keyboard) due to the Touch Bar.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

These are proposed solutions I'm hearing from other business users who are also plagued by the Touch Bar:

(1) Downgrade to the 13" model. The 13" MBP isn't afflicted with the Touch Bar and I'd be open to getting one, despite the smaller screen. The problem with this solution is that the 13" model only has a single Thunderbolt controller instead of two, meaning it can't drive two external high resolution displays simultaneously the way the 15" can. That's an important use case for me.

(2) Cover the Touch Bar with black tape. This is becoming more common. It was actually mentioned on a recent Joe Rogan podcast as a potential solution. But it's not really a solution. Sure, it gets rid of the mis-types and distracting glow, but as mentioned, I really do need the ESC and function keys. I can't just cover them up.

(3) Map your CAPS LOCK key to mimic ESC. This is a solution that Apple actually endorses on its support site. I won't even bother articulating how ridiculous this workaround is. But for the sake of completeness, yes, there are people doing this. People do cover their Touch Bar with black tape and then construct strange key mappings to simulate the function keys and escape keys.

(4) Switch to a Windows-based laptop. This seems to be the option most embraced by my peers. Given that I originally switched to Mac to avoid the abomination of Windows 8, I'd hate to switch back to that world again. Yes, Windows 10 is a major improvement over Windows 8 but in my opinion Sierra beats them both and I'm loathe to switch away from Apple's OS.

(5) Switch to iMac. This won't work for me. I need a portable computer that can be shared between my two work locations.

(6) Do Nothing and Wait a Few Months: I've chatted with a number of Apple sales reps at the retails stores. They tell me my concerns aren't uncommon. Business and power users are returning the MBP because of the Touch Bar, or loudly complaining about it, while mainstream consumers seem ok with it. Still, they strongly hinted that I should wait. Apple may be delivering a 15" MBP without the Touch Bar. This article was referenced:

https://www.ubergizmo.com/2017/04/15-inch-macbook-pro-without-touch-bar/

But that was back in April. Is this idea even on the table any more?

AND WHAT ABOUT EXTERNAL DISPLAYS ?

I was disappointed in Apple's decision to exit the display market but figured the 4k LG model they recommended as a upgrade to Apple's own 27" Thunderbolt monitors would make for a suitable replacement. It wasn't. The reviews were horrible, with several articles stating the LG monitors were so poorly designed that they'd fail if placed in close proximity with a wireless router.

BOTTOM LINE:

Is Apple still a viable choice for power users and/or professional users? With no upgrade path for external displays, and having significantly degraded their MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar, is there any path forward to maintain the classic developer setup I've described above ?

Anecdotal evidence and feedback from Apple sales reps suggests I'm not the only one in this predicament but I see no evidence that Apple has any plans to respond, nor do they particularly care about the business computing market any longer. Frankly, I don't blame them. They make their money on phones and watches these days and new projects like self-driving cars are far sexier than building highly productive laptops and external displays. If that's the direction they're taking, that's fine. At least I can explore other options. But I'd hate to go to all that trouble just to find out that they'll be releasing a useable, Touch Bar-free MBP in the next few months and/or a compatible Thunderbolt 3 external display.

If you're a business user, how are you handling the situation? What's the roadmap here? Are we simply stuck with 2015-era hardware and scrounging e-bay for used component replacements?

最後更新：2017-09-18 08:02:01

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