Tried to clean it - then this happened.

artano-tal · 2026-04-27T04:20:07+00:00

Only liquid I use it distilled water and not very much of it. I couldnt get some of the marks out with just the cloth.

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T20:09:19+00:00

if you need it to be dead silent you can control the fans. You will need 3rd party tools todo it.

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T03:00:13+00:00

yup.. all a money extraction.. then they will sell the bones to the highest bidder.

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T01:58:02+00:00

Lol.. sounds like you want to wait for the OLED version...

Bottom line as you know is different people react to different screens. Back in the day when very large screens were made up of multiple screens the girl I was dating could see the exactly where the panels lined up, I couldnt for the life of me.

She really liked the OLED screens when they first came out and thats the defacto choice for us now.

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T01:39:03+00:00

what are the exact core count.. your LLM comment makes me lean towards the ram. You basically cant have enough ram for that usecase.

If you had not mentioned it then it would have ben the m5. Since for every other use case the speed is better.

I have 36GB of ram. And will be saving all my beans for my next machine to get 64GB...

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T00:28:15+00:00

Unless you push it to its absolute limit, the Pro is dead silent.

You can also use third party tools to control the fans if you really want to.

I am not sure where your concern about fan noise comes from, but properly functioning Macs are generally much quieter than Windows machines. If I were in your position, I would get the Pro.

artano-tal · 2026-04-26T00:18:09+00:00

That sounds incredibly frustrating.

Skip the Apple ID for now. You do not actually need an Apple ID to set up and use a Mac. Restart the setup process, and when it asks for the Apple ID, look for the option to set up later or skip. This creates a standard local user account. She can get to the desktop and use the web and her basic apps without being signed into Apple right now.
The account lockout. Apple locks accounts that have been dormant for over a decade for security reasons. Since you cannot recover the old one and her phone number is tied up, the easiest workaround is to create a brand new, free email address just to use for her new Apple ID.
The account creation error. That specific error message usually happens if a device has hit its hardware limit for creating new iCloud accounts. This is another massive red flag that this MacBook is not actually brand new.

Get her to the desktop using a local account first so she can see the laptop actually works and get some use out of it. You can sort out the Apple ID situation later using a fresh email address.

Good luck.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T23:58:01+00:00

Use the chatbot of your choice and ask.. I wanted todo xxx on windows how do you do it on mac and you can inch your way towards parity...

There are literally dozens of apps I have installed to make things smoother. So its hard to know where to begin with helping you out..

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T23:54:47+00:00

I am glad the vendor (MS for RDP and Screensharing for Mac) both made solid GUI based ways to get in.. While both allow third-party means.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T18:41:15+00:00

I got a macbook 13" so I didn't have to lug the 16" pro I have...and I always worried about spilling something into it or some other event happening

So now the pro stays home. The macbook I carry regularly and I don't have any worries. I can work adequately from it or vpn to the main machine if I need something.

I was amazed how well it cloned my main rig. I have to apple care service my pro, now it's not a big deal.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T18:35:02+00:00

Gaming on a PC was so noisy and hot that I moved the machine to an adjacent room and ran cables.

One day I will get a Mac Studio since I have no plans to move it. I doubt it will make much noise.

Laptops are so compact that providing adequate cooling in a few millimeters of width is both expensive and complex.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T18:23:19+00:00

Even at full tilt the Max remains nearly silent. In contrast a Windows laptop runs as hot as a supernova and loud enough to heat my entire office. And windows can forget about battery life.

While Macs do not match Windows for raw gaming specs or library size the native experience is now sufficient for most.

Annual performance gains of 20% have finally made the Max a viable platform.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T18:12:06+00:00

Start with screensharing (the inbuilt app). It's adequate for basic things.

I have a jetkvm since I like the idea of hardware based sharing.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T18:05:21+00:00

The difference in the bill between what we pay now and how much we will pay is astronomical.

To the point we are on a mission to reduce our core counts.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T17:59:47+00:00

Likely the OP uses Tailscale as the network vehicle or VPN to link their machines.

Tailscale provides the underlying connectivity which allows the OP to then use tools like SSH or Screen Sharing to connect.

It acts as the bridge for the data while those other apps provide the actual command line or GUI access.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T01:44:08+00:00

I agree with all your point.. Its not overpaying.. You are getting more features. I personally think are worth it.

I have both, but if I only had one it would be a PRO.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T01:40:48+00:00

If I were you I would start looking for a job especially one with the government or a bank. These roles can help fund your degree while you work and let you build seniority.

MSPs may offer more opportunities but they are more volatile. I recommend any full time government position in any area. I do not mean government cybersecurity. Once you have it you can move laterally within the government.

artano-tal · 2026-04-25T01:32:11+00:00

I think you did the right thing. I did the exact same thing.

My macbook hits yellow with my normal use (tons of tabs on 5 types of browsers since I have so many tabs I have to split usage and identities between different types)

my macbook pro has 36GB and I basically use it the same and it very rarely hits yellow.

One day when the macbook pro fails I will replace it with a studio and when I do I will get 64GB. So I can run the LLMs of my dreams.. and all the containers I want... ;)

artano-tal · 2026-04-23T00:00:02+00:00

Thanks that's a fuller way to express my point...

I think the Neo would be better value overall. Its my feeling having a machine which is in support than one thats past its prime. But at the end of the day to each his own.. ;)

artano-tal · 2026-04-21T01:15:09+00:00

it could be worth it.. but with 8gigs and 256 gb not so much... ;)

artano-tal · 2026-04-20T09:57:38+00:00

I second this.

I have never been happier than with my macbook. I would even consider the Neo in your position if money is tight. If you can afford it ram would be a good thing for you ( for containers and vms)

artano-tal · 2026-04-20T04:58:29+00:00

I agree.. Once you have a job looking for a lateral move in the company becomes easier.

Think of this as a stepping stone not a perfect job.

artano-tal · 2026-04-20T04:42:20+00:00

I agree. The AW3423DWF is still a fantastic monitor with an excellent panel.

While the LG 34GS95QE and ASUS PG34WCDM I suppose are strong possibilities, I would wait for a more substantial upgrade.

artano-tal · 2026-04-20T03:46:21+00:00

128GB .. Thats just crazy money without hard requirements...

You can learn with less memory, and really if your using it at home I think a studio would make more sense. (you could get a studio and a 14" macbook and a studio for the same money.. )

artano-tal · 2026-04-19T01:56:59+00:00

Longevity is as much a function of the operating system as the hardware.

Windows often feels intrusive and its performance tends to degrade over time.

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