The joys of being cross-platform

"Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing." (granfury)
01/11/2020 at 19:06 • Filed to: None

Ever since Tymmnn posted that LAX 8K video the other day I’ve been trying to download it to my computer. Over the years I’ve found that if I like a video it usually disappears before I have a chance to share it with anyone. On a daily basis I usually use a Windows 10 i7 machine, and the app I was using would crap out about 4% of the way through the project. Today I remembered that I had some other downloading apps on the Mac side, and fired up the trusty ol’ Hackintosh to check it out.

Even though that computer has a lesser processor (i5 instead of i7) and half as much memory (16GB as opposed to 32GB), I was able to get the video in glorious 4K (no need for the 8K version since I have nothing that will play it at that res). I’m not saying one type of system is better than any other, but it’s nice to be able to try different systems to see if one can handle a project that the other can’t.

Now I need to spend the next few days resuscitating a pile of Windows 7 systems and getting them the free upgrade to Windows 10 before that offer expires, which I think is happening on the 14th or 15th. I suspect that the value of un-upgraded systems will plummet after MS cuts off the free upgrades, and I don’t want to be left with a bunch of stuff that has little value.

DISCUSSION (7)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/11/2020 at 19:29

I do computer work on the side and a lot of my work lately has been the free upgrade from Win 7 to Win10 for folks. :)

Also, agreed about the cross-platformness. I don’t mind Apple, but I am far more a Windows guy. I am also a Linux guy though, so I have Windows 10 on my high-power gaming/etc desktop PC and run Linux Mint 19.3 MATE 64-bit on my laptop and my old Core 2 Duo Media Center PC. :)

facw > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/11/2020 at 19:41

I may be getting a Mac work laptop (whole laptop thing has been a mess). I don’t have much of a problem with Apple, I’m mostly worried that IT won’t be willing to set up (or let me set up) boot camp for Windows apps that I have to use. I suspect they are more likely to want to send a crappy Windows laptop than to agree to support anything remotely custom. Mainly I’m pissed that they won’t buy me an ultraportable (again because it would be “custom”).

HammerheadFistpunch > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/11/2020 at 23:11

The free upgrade has come and gone. Th e 14th is the cutoff for security updates

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > HammerheadFistpunch
01/11/2020 at 23:53

You’re right about the security updates. But I’ve been able to upgrade machines to 10 as recently as two weeks ago, so I think that the 7->10 path is still open.

HammerheadFistpunch > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/12/2020 at 00:07

I need to look into it

Captain of the Enterprise > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/12/2020 at 11:09

I use both, MacBook Pro as my personal and college laptop and windows at work. I like being in both. So far I prefer Mac for personal as it seems more stable and I haven’t had major problems. That said after I graduate I’ll probably be building a windows pc like I did with my friend.

tpw_rules > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
01/13/2020 at 13:58

If you’re comfortable with the command line, which it sounds like you are as owner of a Hackintosh, check out youtube-dl. It can download videos from Youtube (and many hundreds of other sites too) and is cross-platform. It’s never failed me.