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Touch Bar kills it. I am a touch typer. I use the escape key constantly. I use the function keys frequently. Like every other touch typer I know, none of us wa

Touch Bar kills it. I am a touch typer. I use the escape key constantly. I use the function keys frequently. Like every other touch typer I know, none of us want to look at our fingers to type anything, let alone to look down and navigate around a microscopic touch screen menu that requires you to not only look at your fingers but to move your hands away from the micro-screen to see what you're trying to tap on. I have no idea how they decided any of that was a good idea, let alone for a machine aimed at professionals. I'm thrilled to see 32gb RAM finally, but I'll pass. Wake me up when they remove the Touch Bar.

makecheck 8y ago
For me it’s not just that there’s no tactile feedback but that a lit/colored/app-switching display would force itself into your peripheral vision like some kind of banner ad. This means you are distracted into looking down at it both when you need it and when you don’t, meanwhile a real keyboard wouldn’t have required you to ever look at it.
pteredactyl 8y ago
Yea, that's what gets me. Maybe I need to evolve, but to me the 'Pro' in MacBook Pro means you do not look away from the screen while working.
- notadoc 8y ago
  Prepare to be down voted for sharing the most ubiquitous opinion of every pro user I know.
Nicksil 8y ago
Agreed. The touch bar is the only thing preventing me from purchasing my next Macbook. The keyboard, with all its issues currently, makes it a tough buy as well.
jen20 8y ago
This is simply "anecdata". I too touch type, and simply remapped escape to caps lock, the same as the last 15 years, and moved on. I have had a touch bar since late 2016, and have not missed function keys a single time, while I have several uses for the touch bar. I would be annoyed if the touch bar were removed, or the trackpad made smaller, or the keyboard made spongier, or any of the other things that people on here like to claim "professionals" want.
- notadoc 8y ago
  Your reply to "anecdata" is.... your personal anecdata? That's fascinating. Anyway I am glad you personally don't mind changing long standardized keyboarding habits by using software modifications to make up for befuddling product decisions. I think that's wonderful, and I am thrilled that works for you and a handful of other people that have a background with ADM-3A terminals, though you should really remap the 'tab' key to 'escape' if you want to be truly proper.
  - reaperducer 8y ago
    I am glad you personally don't mind changing long standardized keyboarding habits If you can't adapt to a new keyboard in a couple of weeks, you have other problems.
    - markmark 8y ago
      This isn't "oh they shifted where the arrow keys are" they removed an entire row from the keyboard. Sure you can adapt, but why bother when there are plenty of competitors.
  - jen20 8y ago
    Indeed. It shows how useless anecdata is for determining whether a product is useful to a broad section of people.
- wildrhythms 8y ago
  Can you describe what value the touchbar adds in your usual workflow?
  - mistersquid 8y ago
    I'm a developer and prosumer who types by touch. I have operational macros triggered by FN keys and somewhat miss the hard FN keys on my 2017 MacBook Pro. I've set the System Preferences so pressing the fn key causes the Touch Bar to show soft FN keys. I use the soft ESC key frequently and without problem; aiming for the left corner of the Touch Bar almost always works and very rarely transforms into something other than ESC (In fact, I can't remember under what conditions it turns into something other than ESC, though I'm sure it does.) So, one would think that as a touch typist who uses hard FN keys to trigger operational macros, the Touch Bar would be somewhat of an annoyance but for me it's really not. The Touch Bar changes and reveals and/or offers functionality that isn't offered by any other means. For example, I frequently Screen Share (VNC) to my home machine that has multiple displays. When doing so, the Touch Bar has buttons to allow me switch between display 1, display 2, or both displays. I've tried and could not figure a reliable way to trigger this functionality with macros or the keyboard, despite having extensive AppleScript knowledge and being very familiar with Keyboard Maestro. The Touch Bar made Screen Sharing much easier to use in a remote context. Another example, I use Apple's Mail app and for years have used Adam Tow's super useful MsgFiler. When Apple Mail is frontmost, the Touch Bar features a "Move to $Mailbox" button that seems to learn where I file similar messages, and in my observation it is almost always correct. I also prefer the Touch Bar sliders that reveal when adjusting my screen brightness and the volume controls. So the Touch Bar does offer a few features which I find useful despite my being a touch typist. I somewhat miss the hard FN keys, but for me losing them is not a deal breaker because I can coerce the Touch Bar to display function keys by pressing the fn key. So, I'm pretty neutral with regard to the Touch Bar but the keyboard is a different story. I LOVE the shallow-press keyboard. I generally type with the pads of my fingers rather than the tips, and the shallow key press feels more solid and graceful to me. I've not yet experienced the non-functioning key problem that many others have reported and am somewhat concerned about losing my laptop for a week due to keyboard failure. EDIT: Fixed three minor grammar problems.
sheeshkebab 8y ago
Touchbar can be mostly turned off in macOS settings - I left only Esc button on left, and moved sound and brightness all the way to the right, with nothing in between left and right areas. And function keys only show up when I press fn button. It’s really not too bad (although kind of stupid expensive gimmicky waste if you ask me).
chrisvalleybay 8y ago
Rebind escape to Caps Lock, you're fine.
- notadoc 8y ago
  Yes of course the user is the problem.

makecheck 8y ago

For me it’s not just that there’s no tactile feedback but that a lit/colored/app-switching display would force itself into your peripheral vision like some kind of banner ad. This means you are distracted into looking down at it both when you need it and when you don’t, meanwhile a real keyboard wouldn’t have required you to ever look at it.

pteredactyl 8y ago

Yea, that's what gets me. Maybe I need to evolve, but to me the 'Pro' in MacBook Pro means you do not look away from the screen while working.

notadoc 8y ago
Prepare to be down voted for sharing the most ubiquitous opinion of every pro user I know.

Nicksil 8y ago

Agreed. The touch bar is the only thing preventing me from purchasing my next Macbook. The keyboard, with all its issues currently, makes it a tough buy as well.

jen20 8y ago

This is simply "anecdata". I too touch type, and simply remapped escape to caps lock, the same as the last 15 years, and moved on. I have had a touch bar since late 2016, and have not missed function keys a single time, while I have several uses for the touch bar. I would be annoyed if the touch bar were removed, or the trackpad made smaller, or the keyboard made spongier, or any of the other things that people on here like to claim "professionals" want.

notadoc 8y ago
Your reply to "anecdata" is.... your personal anecdata? That's fascinating. Anyway I am glad you personally don't mind changing long standardized keyboarding habits by using software modifications to make up for befuddling product decisions. I think that's wonderful, and I am thrilled that works for you and a handful of other people that have a background with ADM-3A terminals, though you should really remap the 'tab' key to 'escape' if you want to be truly proper.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  I am glad you personally don't mind changing long standardized keyboarding habits If you can't adapt to a new keyboard in a couple of weeks, you have other problems.
  - markmark 8y ago
    This isn't "oh they shifted where the arrow keys are" they removed an entire row from the keyboard. Sure you can adapt, but why bother when there are plenty of competitors.
- jen20 8y ago
  Indeed. It shows how useless anecdata is for determining whether a product is useful to a broad section of people.
wildrhythms 8y ago
Can you describe what value the touchbar adds in your usual workflow?
- mistersquid 8y ago
  I'm a developer and prosumer who types by touch. I have operational macros triggered by FN keys and somewhat miss the hard FN keys on my 2017 MacBook Pro. I've set the System Preferences so pressing the fn key causes the Touch Bar to show soft FN keys. I use the soft ESC key frequently and without problem; aiming for the left corner of the Touch Bar almost always works and very rarely transforms into something other than ESC (In fact, I can't remember under what conditions it turns into something other than ESC, though I'm sure it does.) So, one would think that as a touch typist who uses hard FN keys to trigger operational macros, the Touch Bar would be somewhat of an annoyance but for me it's really not. The Touch Bar changes and reveals and/or offers functionality that isn't offered by any other means. For example, I frequently Screen Share (VNC) to my home machine that has multiple displays. When doing so, the Touch Bar has buttons to allow me switch between display 1, display 2, or both displays. I've tried and could not figure a reliable way to trigger this functionality with macros or the keyboard, despite having extensive AppleScript knowledge and being very familiar with Keyboard Maestro. The Touch Bar made Screen Sharing much easier to use in a remote context. Another example, I use Apple's Mail app and for years have used Adam Tow's super useful MsgFiler. When Apple Mail is frontmost, the Touch Bar features a "Move to $Mailbox" button that seems to learn where I file similar messages, and in my observation it is almost always correct. I also prefer the Touch Bar sliders that reveal when adjusting my screen brightness and the volume controls. So the Touch Bar does offer a few features which I find useful despite my being a touch typist. I somewhat miss the hard FN keys, but for me losing them is not a deal breaker because I can coerce the Touch Bar to display function keys by pressing the fn key. So, I'm pretty neutral with regard to the Touch Bar but the keyboard is a different story. I LOVE the shallow-press keyboard. I generally type with the pads of my fingers rather than the tips, and the shallow key press feels more solid and graceful to me. I've not yet experienced the non-functioning key problem that many others have reported and am somewhat concerned about losing my laptop for a week due to keyboard failure. EDIT: Fixed three minor grammar problems.

sheeshkebab 8y ago

Touchbar can be mostly turned off in macOS settings - I left only Esc button on left, and moved sound and brightness all the way to the right, with nothing in between left and right areas. And function keys only show up when I press fn button. It’s really not too bad (although kind of stupid expensive gimmicky waste if you ask me).

chrisvalleybay 8y ago

Rebind escape to Caps Lock, you're fine.

notadoc 8y ago
Yes of course the user is the problem.