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Mac (potentially) for Engineers/Developers who use Windows.. Recommended or not? What issues did you encounter?

shabaz

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has made the transition from Windows to Mac and what difficulties were encountered. (I don't wish to move to a Linux desktop; as much as I love Linux for development, I would not like it for a desktop).

I need to start considering replacing my laptop, and it's tempting, from looking at the hardware specifications alone, to buy a Macbook Pro. 

However, I will have some legacy software that uses Windows. ARM64 Windows can run in a VM, and ARM64 Windows will perform x86 emulation, but I can't tell if x64 emulation is supported. I also have no idea, with typical engineering software, what problems may occur with connecting USB devices like debuggers. I don't know which hypervisor is most suitable for that.

For sure I'd need to move over to native Mac software to minimise the need to bring up a VM, but for a year or two at least, I'm sure I'd need a Windows VM to make as much of a transition as possible.

Depending on the above, I'd also need to think about whether it is worth it - because there would be a productivity hit since I've never used a Mac (apart from for a week or two about 15 years ago, when I decided to give it a go, and I didn't get on with it. Maybe I didn't make enough effort).

Any thoughts/opinions are gratefully appreciated!

Parents

  • Hello my job is repairing electronics But i do need to keep 2 old laptops running with XP.

    i use them for programing Anilog mobile RT radios in trucks etc and also the security pedestal in shop door ways and mobility scooters

    and industrial PLC VSD used in engineering workshops 

    all using the DP9 serial port. yes you can get a USB Adaptor and i have tried several adaptor and W7 and W10 with out being reliable

    and at one stage updating firmware on TV and stereo 

    None of this software is on apple or lynx.

    the Digital mobile radios can just connect to adaptor to ethernet port. with windows but they have other draw backs      

    possibly off topic for you. but please think out side the box. 

  • in reply to acdc90

    You are right. Also most chip programmers only work reliably on Windows some can work in a VM but you're on your own. Look at Xeltek, GQ-4X, Dataman etc. 

  • in reply to anniel747

    This is a worry I have. Are all the various USB programmers that I have going to continue working or not. Maybe I need to be ruthless and just decide that some are used so infrequently that I can use a separate Windows machine for those on the rare occasions I need them.

    I don't like that idea though. But currently open to it, will need to think more and also check out some of the machines, and also do that visit to see the Macs. Each time I look at the capabilities of the Macs, I'm super-tempted, but I also like a few of the Intel machines.

  • in reply to shabaz

    Never been tempted by overhyped crapple stuff and never felt underpowered. Engineering software and hardware where always principally designed for Window$. HP Xeon servers, Asus gaming i9 self built desktops and Aorus gaming i7 laptops. Also a few old machines for historical compatibility. 

  • in reply to anniel747

    I've never been interested before, either.

    I can see more GPU use in my future, and the processing capability and "Unified Memory" is getting interesting, i.e. being able to allocate more memory when needed to cover that for a few years at least, I hope. On the other hand, the Intel machines (probably i7 + decent GPU; the i9's are quite steeply priced) are highly attractive, too, as any decent PC is.

    Whatever I do will be a compromise. If I make a mistake and accidentally end up with not the best choice for me, it's unlikely to become a complete disaster although it could become a minor or a major irritant!, so I reserve the right to whinge about it regularly! : )

  • in reply to shabaz

    Keep in mind decent GPU on laptops require two fans and you will definitively hear them speed up when crunching graphics.

  • in reply to shabaz

    i9 is lots of power, normal usage only use 3-5% of the CPU. Then when power is unleashed with heavy usage fans on the desktop go wild. Normally only the CPU fans turn mildly, even the PSU fan is off. 

  • in reply to shabaz

    Apple has a shockingly generous return policy.

    I bought a custom-configured iMac Pro from the website. Within the 14-day return policy, I found there was a very significant issue with the security co-processor and one application I needed. I took the iMac Pro to a retail store and returned it. No questions asked. (Actually, I was annoyed no one asked why because I had a few comments.)

    So. If you decide to go the Mac route, then test it with anything you are worried about.

    Worst case, return it.

  • in reply to baldengineer

    This is a great point that I’d actually forgotten about.

  • in reply to shabaz

    Shame you don’t live closer because you could have come around to try this stuff on my MacBook.

    edit: I really dislike that this Verint software doesn’t properly thread responses hierarchically.  This was in response to your post above about trying various programmers.

  • in reply to Andrew J

    Hi Andrew, 

    Thanks for that! 

    I think I'm 90% ready to go with Mac. I'm coming around to the thinking that even if I have to keep a Windows machine running for the occasional USB device, so be it (I have dedicated Linux machines too, so it's not too different I guess!). 

  • in reply to baldengineer

    That is good. Drat, I was kind of hoping to do this at at the Apple store but with my USB dongles:

Reply
  • in reply to baldengineer

    That is good. Drat, I was kind of hoping to do this at at the Apple store but with my USB dongles:

Children
  • in reply to shabaz

    I was expecting the Boot the Apple sketch