Making the change! What tool though? I want a Macbook!

[agnes]

Afternoon all, I've finally decided I'd like to change career into programming. It's been on my mind for a while and now my girlfriend has given me the last nudge to make the plunge. She's a software dev so is able to give me damn good guidance on what to do and where to go to kick start my studies.

But, this post isn't about that, yet...

I've been after a mac laptop for years but never had justification for it! My gf has a Macbook Air 2012, she loves it. Uses it for all her home programming projects and also uses it at work. He work have supplied her with a lovely mac at her work as well. And now she wants to get the new Macbook 2015 12" one.

I've been doing a little research and it's damn impressive, but, a little underpowered...

What's my best option for a Mac? I mainly need it for use on the sofa or trains as I commute into London and I don't want to be sat at my desk studying every evening. I'd much rather relax with some wine and study on the sofa.

Is the Macbook Pro OTT for what I want? I imagine I'll be doing mostly Python to start with.

I thought about the Macbook Air but it's not much better in performance than the new Macbook...

So yea, thoughts?

 

[agnes]

I've had a Macbook Pro 13" and a wide range of Thinkpads. There's no doubting the Macbook Pro is a nice bit of kit, but it's not actually very good at being a laptop. The metal chassis is used to radiate heat away and they quickly become very uncomfortable to have actually sat on your lap if you're pushing the CPU/GPU.

I've just bought a new laptop because I wanted something for getting work done on the sofa when I don't want to be sat in the study, and ended up getting another Thinkpad. Thermal vents are on the side instead of being hidden in the hinge so even when I'm cranking out stuff in UE4/Unity thrashing the CPU and GPU it stays nice and comfortable and cool on my lap.

The missus has a 2014 Macbook Air that I use occasionally and it never gets uncomfortably warm. So....my advice if it's for using on your lap, get the lower powered Air over the MBP. It's a lovely bit of hardware too.

You know all the other pros/cons of Macs....but thought I'd leave this practical nugget of advice, save you boiling your knackers

Good little note, I'll be mostly using a pillow to rest it on or a little coffee table. Or yea, my thighs... I'm heading to the apple store in reading this weekend to throw my money at them, so I'll try them out, including the new macbook.

 

[agnes]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Typically I got too excited and picked up a rMBP 15". As for desktop, I've got a lovely Corsair K70 mechanical kb but I want a lippy as a viable alternative for when I attend classes which I fully intend to.

So, tool bought. Now time to research around in order to sign up for some late night classes starting in September! As I'll also be doing open uni, if not for the training, for the vital degree at the end of it. Long road ahead. But the goal posts have been set. Now I need to get there. Might take a few years to even get into a junior role and I doubt I'll have a degree within 6 years. But, life goes on and no point sitting around waiting for it to pass.

 

[agnes]

No need for years of study and a degree if you just want to break in to a web programming job. Lots of companies will take you on in a junior position if you have learnt the basics, maybe have some demos and just have the right aptitude.

We've taken on very junior people before in to web dev roles and trained them on the job. They have gone on to be good devs.

What's the average age though? I'm 27, with 10 years behind me working in IT support, 1st, 2nd and 3rd line, front and back end lol. Jack of all trades basically.

 

[agnes]

Wowww, plethora of information, I'm mobbed at work but thanks guys! I'll dive in later, I quickly skimmed over and both of you have made me feel even more driven haha.

So, this week I've ordered the rMBP 15" (base spec, I've got a gaming PC so don't need the dedicated GPU...).

I've also buried my nose in a couple of books, my brains starting to hurt but I had sort of a 'lightbulb' moment last night. Hard to explain, but yea, I had been looking through a straw at what I was learning but when I suddenly had a click, I was able to see how things fit together. I've not really put much into practice yet as I'm just absorbing books like no other.

I'm going to get stuck in this weekend with a stupid, real stupid project I thought about this morning, sort of my first project to put what basics I'm learning into practice rather than rely on "do this, then that" steps from books.

In short, I will start with being able to enter what fruit I have, and how many of that particular fruit. Then run a little 'report' which prints out the fruit and how many I have of those. If this works well, I'll then add on a random generator (my gf who's a dev said it's a choice selector thing, I don't know, I'll come to it when I get there), basically, I want to say "Suggestion?" and then it will say, "Have a banana". But also amend the amount of bananas I have, so when I run a report, I will be less 1 banana.

It's entirely stupid and ott, but I think it will get me understanding the basics pretty quickly.

I am damn excited! I'm loving this, feel like I'm a kid learning how to ride a bike haha. Really hard to explain. It's just fun!

Wooooooooooo

 

[agnes]

I suspect the productivity advantages of multiple monitors desktop systems is going be limited when sat on a train....maybe a fancy mount setup for sofa working?

Not really what the OP was asking though was it

No, I've got a fancy desk and PC already, I needed something mobile to take to work, use at work, take to class, use in class, on the train, on the sofa etc. I guess what people were pushing on is a budget which I don't have thankfully. So a 'splash out' on a rMBP 15" was a gift to me. I've wanted one for ages but never really had a reason, now I have, so I got one. I'm like a child when it comes to gadgets and stuff. I'll ask around, but ultimately know what I want anyway.

The rMBP can be plugged into my setup and even be used as a secondary workstation when at my desk. I've even ordered a little kvm switch lol.

 

[agnes]

If it's not too late, cancel the rMBP and just buy the 2012 MacBook Air off your GF. Spend some money on an adapter/cable for connecting to a big screen, a decent laptop stand, and a proper keyboard & mouse for when you're back at a desk.

Too late buddy, currently sat on the train using it. Not a single regret. Other than taking this contract in London. The moment I finish this job, I'll be much happier haha. Packed trains.

 

[agnes]

Agree with the other comments about screens. I use a desktop with a mechanical keyboard at work connected to 3 screens. A central 27" 1440p with a 24" 1080p either side and I could still use another at times!

Used to have three 24" monitors at home but now use a 34" LG Ultrawide and I find that works really well. Great for 3 column layout in Sublime Text.

Laptop-wise, I recently made the move from a 14" ThinkPad to a 15" MBPr and wouldn't change back now. Once you get the hang of all the touch gestures for the virtual desktops and keyboard shortcuts you'll quickly find that you can cope with only 1 physical screen.

Jim

My girlfriend sent me an email with a whole bunch of stuff to install. Just the names, going through them now, the first one is homebrew... So many things!

 

[agnes]

Question guys, is it best to learn on terminal or IDE?