5 ms·

I realize this is a joke, but if it's a reference to Apple laptops, it's worth noting that an ethernet plug literally will not fit on recent models of the Macbo

I realize this is a joke, but if it's a reference to Apple laptops, it's worth noting that an ethernet plug literally will not fit on recent models of the Macbook Pro or Air; they're simply too narrow. I'd much prefer a narrower portable to an ethernet port; when I need one I'm happy to use a dongle.

nitrogen 12y ago
This problem was solved well over a decade ago by PCMCIA Ethernet adapters, but the pop-out slim RJ-45 connector is probably too fragile to be put into an Apple laptop.
jimmaswell 12y ago
>I'd much prefer a narrower portable to an ethernet port Why? How in the world is a standard laptop with an ethernet too "thick" for you? Do you routinely try to slide your laptops under doors or through mail slots? Making laptops ridiculously thin doesn't solve anything except making them look thinner.
- zevyoura 12y ago
  Thickness generally has a very strong correlation with weight. Weight is probably the single most important factor in a laptop for me. I didn't realize how much of a difference it made until I switched to an Air.
  - jimmaswell 12y ago
    I'm dangerously out of shape and carrying around my laptop bag with >10lbs of stuff in it doesn't bother me. Functionality is worth the weight unless you're averse to carrying a few extra pounds I guess.
    - paulfurtado 12y ago
      What do you have against external ethernet adapters? I don't see how requiring an external ethernet adapter is a worse trade off than adding extra pounds and size.
      - jimmaswell 12y ago
        An external ethernet dongle is more likely to break or get lost. Wasn't there a push against dongles a while ago? Are they becoming normal again? There's no VGA port either which is a necessity for me. No CD drive either. Is this thing a laptop or a big smartphone with no touch screen? No numpad either, wow.
        konspence 12y ago
        > An external ethernet dongle is more likely to break or get lost. Sure, but it's replaceable for the cheap cost of ~$10 - 20. > There's no VGA port either which is a necessity for me. 2007 called, they want their already-deprecated video standards back. > No CD drive either. 2000 called, they want their already-deprecated media storage standards back. >Is this thing a laptop or a big smartphone with no touch screen? Clearly a laptop. >No numpad either, wow. Now I'm convinced you're trolling.
        Larrikin 12y ago
        Personally I think its absolutely ridiculous I paid $3000 for my Mac Book pro and I don't have a numpad with crucial keys like home, end, page up and down because they wanted the the track pad in the center. My old vaio laptop that was the same size fit the numpad just fine. I ended up buying having to buy one just because I was much slower at programming without it.
        callum85 12y ago
        Yes it's ridiculous you paid that much if those features are crucial to you. You're very wrong if you think those features are crucial to everyone. I definitely want the track pad in the middle more than having page up/down etc.
    - driverdan 12y ago
      You'd be surprised how noticeable a few pounds are, especially when you travel frequently. I work out and can lift a lot of weight but would (and did) pay extra for a thinner, lighter laptop all other things equal. Thickness can also make a big difference when trying to work in tight spaces (eg an airplane) or packing a carry on bag.
  - marincounty 12y ago
    I've never understood the weight thing. Size--yes, but weight? Weight is suppose to be a huge factor in photography too, but my 74 year old mom totes around a canon 5d coupled to a 100-400mm L lens. She never complains about the weight? At this point, I want a laptop that can take a little abuse, and I can fix.
serf 12y ago
it's not that it's too thick, it's that it minimizes the opportunity for Company X to sell me a whiz-bang conversion adapter at top dollar for increased revenue and brand lock-in (Oh, well I already have the Brand X conversion adapters, I guess i'll continue buying Brand X as a cost saving measure.)
- callum85 12y ago
  I'm pretty sure people prefer thin laptops because they're lighter and less clunky and easier to slip into a bag etc. Not everything is a corporate conspiracy for lock-in and adapter sales.
izacus 12y ago
Note that e.g. ASUS Zenbooks come with USB3 gigabit ethernet adapters (in a rather neat branded bag) included to combat that. Apple will charge something absurd for their adapter.

nitrogen 12y ago

This problem was solved well over a decade ago by PCMCIA Ethernet adapters, but the pop-out slim RJ-45 connector is probably too fragile to be put into an Apple laptop.

jimmaswell 12y ago

>I'd much prefer a narrower portable to an ethernet port Why? How in the world is a standard laptop with an ethernet too "thick" for you? Do you routinely try to slide your laptops under doors or through mail slots? Making laptops ridiculously thin doesn't solve anything except making them look thinner.

zevyoura 12y ago
Thickness generally has a very strong correlation with weight. Weight is probably the single most important factor in a laptop for me. I didn't realize how much of a difference it made until I switched to an Air.
- jimmaswell 12y ago
  I'm dangerously out of shape and carrying around my laptop bag with >10lbs of stuff in it doesn't bother me. Functionality is worth the weight unless you're averse to carrying a few extra pounds I guess.
  - paulfurtado 12y ago
    What do you have against external ethernet adapters? I don't see how requiring an external ethernet adapter is a worse trade off than adding extra pounds and size.
    - jimmaswell 12y ago
      An external ethernet dongle is more likely to break or get lost. Wasn't there a push against dongles a while ago? Are they becoming normal again? There's no VGA port either which is a necessity for me. No CD drive either. Is this thing a laptop or a big smartphone with no touch screen? No numpad either, wow.
      - konspence 12y ago
        > An external ethernet dongle is more likely to break or get lost. Sure, but it's replaceable for the cheap cost of ~$10 - 20. > There's no VGA port either which is a necessity for me. 2007 called, they want their already-deprecated video standards back. > No CD drive either. 2000 called, they want their already-deprecated media storage standards back. >Is this thing a laptop or a big smartphone with no touch screen? Clearly a laptop. >No numpad either, wow. Now I'm convinced you're trolling.
        Larrikin 12y ago
        Personally I think its absolutely ridiculous I paid $3000 for my Mac Book pro and I don't have a numpad with crucial keys like home, end, page up and down because they wanted the the track pad in the center. My old vaio laptop that was the same size fit the numpad just fine. I ended up buying having to buy one just because I was much slower at programming without it.
        callum85 12y ago
        Yes it's ridiculous you paid that much if those features are crucial to you. You're very wrong if you think those features are crucial to everyone. I definitely want the track pad in the middle more than having page up/down etc.
  - driverdan 12y ago
    You'd be surprised how noticeable a few pounds are, especially when you travel frequently. I work out and can lift a lot of weight but would (and did) pay extra for a thinner, lighter laptop all other things equal. Thickness can also make a big difference when trying to work in tight spaces (eg an airplane) or packing a carry on bag.
- marincounty 12y ago
  I've never understood the weight thing. Size--yes, but weight? Weight is suppose to be a huge factor in photography too, but my 74 year old mom totes around a canon 5d coupled to a 100-400mm L lens. She never complains about the weight? At this point, I want a laptop that can take a little abuse, and I can fix.

serf 12y ago

it's not that it's too thick, it's that it minimizes the opportunity for Company X to sell me a whiz-bang conversion adapter at top dollar for increased revenue and brand lock-in (Oh, well I already have the Brand X conversion adapters, I guess i'll continue buying Brand X as a cost saving measure.)

callum85 12y ago
I'm pretty sure people prefer thin laptops because they're lighter and less clunky and easier to slip into a bag etc. Not everything is a corporate conspiracy for lock-in and adapter sales.

izacus 12y ago

Note that e.g. ASUS Zenbooks come with USB3 gigabit ethernet adapters (in a rather neat branded bag) included to combat that. Apple will charge something absurd for their adapter.