The other week my MacBook Pro’s hard disk died. Even though it was one day past warranty, the Apple Store technician was kind enough to fix it free of charge. I learned the following things through this experience:
- If you pay for your own Apple hardware (as in, not under the protection of an IT department), you have no choice but to purchase AppleCare. “Ah but I do have a choice,” you say, “or why would they let me decline coverage?” True. You also have the choice to cover yourself in Worcestershire sauce and swim in a tank of piranhas.
- The cost to you to replace a 512 GB hard disk for a 2017 MacBook Pro is $740 + 1 week of No Laptop. The cost to your spouse is arguably much higher, if you are the complainy type.
- Apple Stores’ pandemic protocol is very good: plexiglass, limited customers allowed inside, constant surface wiping.
- Being inside a nearly empty Apple Store is eerie and sad. The music doesn’t help.
- Having all of your code in source control and your files in the cloud is not the same thing as having your computer properly backed up.
- An iPad is no substitute for a laptop. Not even close.
- Hardware problems can really sour one’s mood.
- Even if you tell the technician that you want macOS Catalina not Big Sur, you should double-check that they didn’t helpfully install Big Sur anyway.
- To downgrade macOS, you’ll need a blank USB flash drive, these instructionsopen in new window, and an abundance of calm serenity.
- Modern software and hardware is simultaneously an astonishing miracle and also the worst thing ever.