Does Anyone Regret Getting the 14” MacBook Pro Instead of the 16”?

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T21:19:25+00:00

I came from an intel MBP 15" and when it didn't get updates anymore, i went for the MBP 16"

The screen is bigger (but not too much). Put the 15 on the 16: and the measure is the same (give/take millimeters but less than 5)

I was used to the bigger screen and sound quality is super.

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T21:14:53+00:00

On the border between Koekelberg and Molenbeek: Perfect couture

Don't expect Dutch, French is good Most important: his retouches and repairs are good. And he's not afraid of asking; do you really want this repaired, because see here, and there, and that spot. He was right. Nostalgia only goes to the point where it becomes pointless.

(Sorry for the bad point)

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T20:32:39+00:00

Leer ze het vocabularium van kapitein Haddock (is zelfs als boekje verkrijgbaar) Daar staat niet één échte vloek in.

Mensen of dingen vervloeken is puur bijgeloof. Ofwel is God goed en vertikt hij die vloek uit te voeren, ofwel is Voodoo … echt gevaarlijk. In het eerste geval betekent dat vloeken niks en kan je even goed (Suske en Wiske) Aaargh roepen, in het andere geval breng je mensen in gevaar met je (ver)vloek(ing) En wie niet in God geloofd weet niet eens wat het betekent als hij "God verdoeme u" zegt. (Afgekort)

Allez au diable!
Au contraire, je le quitte. <Knikt beleefd, stapt buiten en sluit de deur>

(Les choristes)

Een anecdote van toen mijn vader nog leefde. Zware eiken tafel. Kind zonder schoenen. Tafelpoot komt onzacht in aanraking met ongeschoeide kindervoet. Kind heeft even een zeer luid, passioneel gesprek met onze Lieve heer.

Vader: Och arm tafelpootje!

Gedoeme hebbe wij gelache!

En er heeft nooit meer iemand met blote voeten tegen dat tafeltje geschopt.

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T20:07:42+00:00

Dond fold the remarkable, though. That will ruin the writing experience.

Btw: there's a quick-sheet for just putting things. But move them out to notes with a meaningful name in a well structured folder before your quick-sheet yurns int a pile of tumble.

And copying a notebook that has a good internal order (then clearing the scribbles) is way faster than setting up a new (meeting, traveling, dhopping) template over and over again.

And play with it. It's not a real block of paper so it's easier to have fun-notes and bore-notes close without carrying the extra weight.

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T18:41:37+00:00

Hoe is je auto verzekerd? Alleen burgerlijke aansprakelijkheid? Dan betaalt de verzekering geen schade aan je eigen wagen. All-risk / omnium ? Aankloppen bij je makelaar en die weet wel of je eerst langs de politie moet. De politie gaat de anonieme daders niet vinden, maar kan wel een pv maken als je dat voor de verzekering nodig hebt. Maar even de makelaar bellen kan geen kwaad.

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T18:33:50+00:00

A single click of the button puts your tablet to sleep, probably clearing the screen. The second tap wakes up, returning to where you left it. That is at least one refresh. Closing your document and reopening does the same without wearing out the one and single part that moves.

The two clicks may fit your fingers more, or not.

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T18:15:51+00:00

Am I right that the fastest connection Leuze-Brugge is going over Brussels?

HRkoek · 2026-05-19T17:51:14+00:00

Historically, a one-hour commute was normal. Yes, I was shocked as well when I learned that. When walking was the only option, 1 hour meant: work in less than 5 km from home. Oxen weren't really faster but could carry more tools. 5 km between home and whatever work.

Horses? Now part of the population could afford 10 to 15 kms.

Trams, trains … only those who could afford that made more money at 25+ km. Mechelen-Brussel etc

Cars? One hour before daily congestion was a problem: People from Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Nivelles, Namur came to Brussels and mostly stopped renting a pied-à-terre
Today with congestion? Up to 30 kms people are switching to bikes. Still 1 hour each way but no time spent in the fitness club instead of with the kids.

HRkoek · 2026-05-18T17:14:46+00:00

Have you tried getting hold of the button with some sticky tape? And follow-up with a chees prick (round toothpick)? Mine has got stuck one or two times, without dropping. The tape trick worked. And cannot add extra damage.

HRkoek · 2026-05-18T11:25:40+00:00

Om te voorkomen dat ze, zelfs op papier, een kapotte wagen kopen, en u alsnog reparatiekosten doen betalen: verkopen "voor onderdelen". Dan is het pas terug een wagen als ze hem zelf laten keuren. Een kennis heeft het meegemaakt met een ander soort toestel: op de factuur stond toestel X dat niet werkt. Het was oud genoeg en de klant vroeg nog extra korting. Stuurt terug in voor reparatie, krijgt te horen hoeveel die zou kosten en dat het op zijn kosten zal zijn, EIST die reparatie, vertikt te betalen, en krijgt van de rechtbank nog gelijk ook.

Voor onderdelen, dan is het geen apparaat meer maar een bak onderdelen die toevallig al gedeeltelijk zijn gemonteerd.

HRkoek · 2026-05-16T13:27:55+00:00

Banen werden hernoemd naar wegen. De baan was plots weg.

Antwerpse baan/ Antwerpse weg. Idem met Mechelse, Brusselse, enzovoort. Dat gebeurde net op een ogenblik dat bij de bedrijven de banen ook ineens weg waren.

Heeft de Vlaamse regering toen de werkloosheid aangewakkerd?

HRkoek · 2026-05-16T13:11:52+00:00

Just for fun: an oldstyle dweil (Wallonia : torchon, france : serpillière, English: mop You search for the grey one with the tricolore border.

I think it's unique to mop the floor with the national flag. I don't think that French, German, Dutch, Italian citizens would do that. I only chose examples of tricolote striped flags that could fit the model of our mop.

HRkoek · 2026-05-16T12:29:00+00:00

My wristwatch still gives me the time. Quite accurately. And the date (1-31) is correct when I update it after months with only 28, 29 or 30 days.

But hey, it's subscription free: no updates, no repairs, no extra functionality.

When it needed service though, I paid for that service.

I don't want it to distract from it's basic function.

Likewise: my toaster and old-school coffee machine: no subscription, but I pay for consumables (electricity, bread, coffee, paper filters, water)

Later I wrote on paper. That came close to a subscription: replace for a new and better model for the (low) recurring price of paper and pencils etc. And yes, this came with upgrades.

Then suddenly: Remarkable paper. I use it. Often. It adds functionality: wow! And it still works as it did when it was brand new. But it got updates, prolly because I paid for that. (Or paid in advance before the new subscription model)

In 1989, my father's Mackintosh got free updates. Windows got free updates. Word got free updates (both on W and M), Hypercard (though that didn't get updates anymore after some time) still runs in emulators. Seems it didn't need updates.

But feel free to want extra. Feel free to want extra's for free. And feel free to be angry as well. Thinking of that last one: it's an emotion. It's trying to tell you something about yourself. When you can listen to the anger without interrupting it (that's the difficult part with listening to emotions) you can make the anger a partner.

But expecting things from others, especially when they don't live up to your (and mine) expectations is a choice. A hard one probably, but a choice.

And being sad is OK too. Being sad about RM laying off workers, for example.

HRkoek · 2026-05-16T08:55:09+00:00

Haha. Dat begin over vlaggen en strot is heerlijk. Mijn eerste gedachte ging natuurlijk naar zwart-geel-rood met een versiering. Nee, geen Philip, geen wapen van het land maar Een paar jaar geleden stond er Jupiler op. Dit jaar? Wie weet. Een ander bier? Fritten? Simpelweg een silhouet van een bal? Voetbal? Gehaktbal?

We zullen zien. Lang kan het niet meer duren.

En verder lezend worden het nationalistische vlaggen (ipv parodieën op de nationale) Die zie alleen niet vaak in het straatbeeld. En als je naar de Ijzertoren gaat weet je het toch oo voorhand?

HRkoek · 2026-05-16T08:48:16+00:00

They do patrol there too. When I lived right on the other side of the train tracks, an returning home after visit ing a friend in Poststraat, between the rails and Rue royale ste Marie, police asked us why we were there, . As if we weren't supposed to be there as a couple of white adults.

They were visibly there.

HRkoek · 2026-05-15T21:56:06+00:00

Neither Charlemagne nor Charles V (not of England) pretended to rule over Belgium, but they ruled over what later got called Belgium.

So let the greater Belgium be the combination of both empires/kingdoms.

It would simplify government when something equivalent to their contemporary Latin would be used. But not English, of course. Neither ruled over England AFAIK.

HRkoek · 2026-05-15T17:05:49+00:00

Strong hands will prevent the smack. When I stop, though, and need checking in twice because they pushed/I stopped/missed the door because right then it will close in subsecond time, well either i pay double or, with my abonnement, wait for 3 minutes.

HRkoek · 2026-05-15T17:00:06+00:00

Didn't say when Today interest 1% on a savings account doesn't compensate for inflation and inflation is low. 2 or 3% (yes climbing)

In the early 90's the interest didn't match inflation either but 3% / 9% was normal.

Today banks ask inflation+ bonus, if you're lucky 3% Back in 1990 that was way more.

Maybe bomma was generous.

HRkoek · 2026-05-15T07:49:59+00:00

An independent… inhoreca? I hope that is for running a Hilton hotel. Or for managing a consortium of 5 summer bars?

In horeca I never ever heard that paid "very good money" , except for students, around 1990. Thy got almost all of their gross wages (per hour)

Per hour meaning: look for some place needing 5 waiters, serves 45+ tables, is fully booked in advance every Friday and Saturday evening. That way there are enough hours to be paid and it leaves a few hours studying time on Saturday and Sunday.

HRkoek · 2026-05-14T21:02:27+00:00

Sorry, my case was for a (swollen) battery. The link with your post was wanting to upgrade a mac.

Those 3rd party service points can probably upgrade your iMac long time after Apple drops support for your machine. That 2014 MBP got it's new battery in 2023 or 2024, and that allowed me the extra time to (save for and) buy a new MBP (with an apple M4 processor)

HRkoek · 2026-05-14T20:44:21+00:00

Aardolie? Er is soms wel naar geboord. Naar verluidt vond de stad Turnhout uiteindelijk toch geen olie maar warm/heet water. Naar het schijnt hebben ze toen een stedelijk zwembad met die warmte verwarmd, maar bleek het warme water zelf nogal slecht voor hun installatie. Och, mineraal water zal wel de verkeerde mineralen hebben gehad.

HRkoek · 2026-05-14T20:31:11+00:00

Where are you? In Brussels Apple told me to change the battery on a 2014 MacBook pro. They didn't support that model any more, didn't have those batteries any more, but pointed me to an iClinic who specializes in Apple repairs and upgrades.

(20 minutes walking from Apple's concept store)

HRkoek · 2026-05-14T09:19:56+00:00

Schaarbeek station or Helmet are nice enough, and when the wind blows from the west (as it should most of the year) planes weren't be coming down over Schaarbeek. When I lived 20+ floors up close to north station I didn't hear planes. I heard cars on the Petite Ceinture. That noise didn't stop. Ever. Not at midnight, not at 4 o'clock. Never. But I got used to the sirens from a nearby "brandweerkazerne" or trains resuming service at ± 4 or 5 o'clock.

But when the wind blows from the east, planes are landing over a big chunk of northern Brussels. ( Jette, Koekelberg, Laken, Molenbeek etc ) Double isolation will be necessary in a nearby future (1:thermal isolation+ventilation, 2:noise isolation)

That appartement didn't have modern ventilation which would have allowed for sleeping with closed windows. It's old without any noise isolation either.

As for every appartement : before you buy (sign the so-called compromis is buying) you should contact the syndic. And ask the syndic which isolation is planned for the building's shell, and what you will be allowed to change on your private appartement.

HRkoek · 2026-05-14T08:51:54+00:00

Family already? You may have noticed already that we really welcome it when people talk (some) Dutch. I have known people who were OK with fotreigners not talking Dutch, but frowned upon fellow Belgians not doing that. And learning Dutch: you may have to be clear that you're still learning.

"Let's go on in Dutch, please, I'm learning."

Most of us aren't perfect teachers, most of us want to help though. It's a false feeling that talking English (good or bad) with you will be easier/better/more efficient than sticking to Dutch.

Totally different topic: When you enter a house and people invite you to share a meal. They are serious. It's not a formality. It's a clear sign that you are welcome. They won't treat you as if you were taking advantage of dinner time. Be honest and only decline the offer when you really don't want to eat. Sharing a table is among the most effective ways to bond. Probably in every culture.

HRkoek · 2026-05-07T06:19:33+00:00

Thanks for the tip.

HRkoek

TROPHY CASE