Obsolescence Is a State of Mind Sometime near the , every Apple computer in my home will be rendered obsolete and insecure. To be more accurate, Apple computer released will suffer the same fate, thanks to the impending death of macOS Catalina. end of this year every prior to 2013 Why do I have so many "old" Apple computers, you ask? Because Apple builds exceptionally durable machines, and I don't see the need to add perfectly good hardware to the gigantic pile of e-waste filling up our landfills. So, come November(ish), these computers will get no more updates, no more security patches, and no more support. Consumers get to make the choice between buying a new machine, or replacing the operating system (I bet you can guess what my choice was). Planned Obsolescence = ☹️ Look, I get it, indefinite backwards compatibility is impractical and expensive, but there is a serious problem when hardware outlasts its underlying software. But, macOS is not dead. There are two newer versions that are in active development, but are not available to a host of (arguably still performant) machines from just over a decade ago. How many pre-2012 Apple computers are incompatible with the most recent versions of macOS? Is it really necessary to obsolete (yes I used "obsolete" as a verb) potentially thousands of machines, or is it just a money grab? actually Considering you can at least attempt to run the most recent versions of Microsoft Windows on machines that are old (so long as the hardware can handle it), I have a hunch about the answer. decades Planned Endurance = 🙂 Here's the thing... I don't actually new computers. So long as the development and writing tools I need to do my job work, then I am a happy camper (and, let's be honest, most people don't even use their computers for even much heavy lifting). I don't know if I'm becoming more sensitive to the environmental (and financial) impact of unnecessary upgrades, or just my inner-dad coming out, but I have become a pretty firm believer in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. need that Now, let's be clear, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" does mean "if it ain't broke, don't it." I've spent in cybersecurity and IT. Security is no joke, so you have to patch your shit to stay safe on the modern web. But just because I have an aging MacBook Pro doesn't mean it has to actually run macOS. not maintain years Linux is our friend, and can give new life to machine. The key is to be willing to accept change. Sure, there are benefits to living within Apple's walled garden, but there is also a real freedom that comes from it. any leaving Make Everything Last To state the obvious, this philosophy applies to more than just computers. Cars, phones, televisions, game consoles... the world is filled with waste that doesn't need to exist. The only reason we buy the newest, shiniest things is because we think we to. have But, here's the secret: we don't. Most things are only as obsolete as we they are, not what the manufacturer they are. Even when "official" support ends, there are alternatives that can extend the lifespan of . Firmware, operating systems, hardware upgrades... there are aftermarket solutions for everything you have, all it takes is a little effort and the right mindset to squeeze every last ounce of value out of something. think tells us anything Also published at flower.codes
