Macbook Pro Questions.

[FilledVoid]

Its been a long time since Ive posted here so forgive me if I managed to post this in the wrong place. A family member of mine has graciously sent me a Macbook Pro 2018 to me. Unfortunately my knowledge about Macs is close to nada. Its always been a long dream to be able to purchase a Mac and be able to use one however I never managed to get around to it. Mainly I guess that's cause real life tends to throw a wrench in ones dreams. but now that Ive gotten one I'm thinking of slowly giving it a whirl and see where it takes me . So I was hoping if there were some must buy accessories or things I should do when I get it to help a new user through. Also is there a recommended book or something folks recommend to understanding the functionality better or is it just a trial and error process. I can list the configuration if it helps .

Macbook Pro with 15.4 retina Display and Touch Bar,
8th Gen i7 2.2 GHz processor,
16 GB DDR4 ,
256 GB SSD,
AMD Radeon graphics

Thanks in advance

Filledvoid

 

[Nerevarine]

if u want to connect an external hard drive you will need a usb c to 3.0 adapter.
But thats all the accessories you need, if you ever need to connect to a 4K TV, get a good quality thunderbolt 3 to HDMI 2.0 cable. (aliexpress 15 USD)

mac os is easy to use, just give it time.

 

[whitestar_999]

Don't worry,you are about to know why Apple's market cap crossed $1 Trillion recently.

 

[FilledVoid]

Thanks all. My main fear is interoperability with Ms-Office applications . I use Excel and Visio alot. Also we have a basic peer -to-peer network setup and I'm concerned about whether Ill be able to access files easily.

 

[Nerevarine]

If you have Office365 subscription, just download their whole suite and you have everything in it. Not sure about Visio though.

Networking should not be too much of an issue, most protocols are supported excepting those exclusive to windows. For best compatibility, think of mac os as a linux box.

 

[whitestar_999]

MS office has a Mac edition too.As for networking,as long as it is using standard protocols(& not some proprietary software) there should be no issues.

 

[FilledVoid]

Update : Just got the MacBook. Definitely much different than what I'm used to but I can see myself getting used to it. Going to have to find some Microsoft Visio alternative . Whats the general opinion of the durability of these keyboards. It feels so delicate Im terrified if my fingers will end up breaking the buttons . Should I be looking for a secondary keyboard. Ive got a hub bundled in with the Mac so I guess I could use a mouse. Touch Bar is definitely a nifty little contraption . Also do you guys get some kind of protective covering or is a laptop bag sufficient. Thanks in advance

Customary screenshot uploaded . My first official Mac OS Shortcut Shift + Command + 4 !
*i.ibb.co/mbXgj1c/Screenshot-2019-02-06-at-1-08-16-PM.png

 

[Nerevarine]

2017-2016 macbook models have keyboard issues, make sure you keep dust out of it otherwise its going to go kaput. Apple has official 4 year warranty extension for these devices afaik. check their website..2018+ models have the problem fixed.
i'd 100% recommend a protective covering over the keyboard. Rough usage can scratch the screen, which my macbook has, plenty of. Keep dust out, always before closing the screen.

PS Thanks for putting me in your first official screenshot lol, Command Shift 4 is very awesome, its like system wide windows snipping tool..

 

[FilledVoid]

2017-2016 macbook models have keyboard issues, make sure you keep dust out of it otherwise its going to go kaput. Apple has official 4 year warranty extension for these devices afaik. check their website..2018+ models have the problem fixed.
i'd 100% recommend a protective covering over the keyboard. Rough usage can scratch the screen, which my macbook has, plenty of. Keep dust out, always before closing the screen.

PS Thanks for putting me in your first official screenshot lol, Command Shift 4 is very awesome, its like system wide windows snipping tool..

Thanks for the recommendation . Ill see if I can get a keyboard covering thingie for this model off of Amazon. I have a sleeve for now that I got along with the laptop.

I do have another problem though. I can't seem to update from the App Store in Mojave. Each time I do the little circles which spin showing some form of progress just rotate indefinitely. Im not even sure if its downloading anything at all and Ive tried this on two to three wifi connections. Ive sent in an email for support. Are there any known issues Im missing. I even went as far as recreating a new Apple ID to see if it was something wrong with my old Apple ID . However that doesn't seem to fix it either.

 

[whitestar_999]

^^Open task manager equivalent while trying the update & check processor/network/disk usage(these should jump from usual idle values).

 

[Nerevarine]

Thanks for the recommendation . Ill see if I can get a keyboard covering thingie for this model off of Amazon. I have a sleeve for now that I got along with the laptop.

I do have another problem though. I can't seem to update from the App Store in Mojave. Each time I do the little circles which spin showing some form of progress just rotate indefinitely. Im not even sure if its downloading anything at all and Ive tried this on two to three wifi connections. Ive sent in an email for support. Are there any known issues Im missing. I even went as far as recreating a new Apple ID to see if it was something wrong with my old Apple ID . However that doesn't seem to fix it either.

Try doing the same thing with a different internet connection.

How to Download a Full Size MacOS Mojave Installer

Do this if it doesnt work.

 

[FilledVoid]

Just an update. Having a blast with my MacBook Pro. Ive totally stoped using my other Windows PC and laptop. I only have a single issue at the moment and that's with Microsoft Visio . Im personally exploring alternatives at the moment so I should reach a solution for the at the moment. Ive been using this system for all work related chores. Had an issue with iTunes Store being able to purchase an application ( Civilisation Series Addict ) . Called Apple Support and go it rectified in 5 minutes .

Definitely the experience is much better than I had anticipated. I can see why there's a premium attached to Apple products.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[pkkumarcool]

Just an update. Having a blast with my MacBook Pro. Ive totally stoped using my other Windows PC and laptop. I only have a single issue at the moment and that's with Microsoft Visio . Im personally exploring alternatives at the moment so I should reach a solution for the at the moment. Ive been using this system for all work related chores. Had an issue with iTunes Store being able to purchase an application ( Civilisation Series Addict ) . Called Apple Support and go it rectified in 5 minutes .

Definitely the experience is much better than I had anticipated. I can see why there's a premium attached to Apple products.

Thanks again for all the help.

good to hear that sure there is some premium attached to apple products people realise it when they use it.