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Comment by danso | Hacker News Reader

This is a rebuttal comment to Pogue: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/one-of-apples-best...

> The ''L'' shaped conductor covers the Ethernet and the Firewire port completely on the Macbook Pro if any type of protective cover-clamshell is installed on the 15 or 17'' designs. Reason being, the ''L'' shaped conductor hugs the body so closely it cannot establish a connection if 3/64" clearance is not provided...Anecdotal evidence supports the view that the 90º magsafe connector design that Apple has reverted to using is the safer of the two designs in terms of accidents as it reduces the chances of a 'shear pull' which made the ''L'' clip vulnerable to pull downs when the Macbook is left on slick or glass like surfaces.

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How is it a rebuttal? Pogue's primary complaint was the weakness of the new magnet versus the old 90º magnet. In fact, he specifically says that the last incarnation (which was a T-shaped- just with a stronger magnet) was the ideal balance, which they've now lost. The L-clip was mentioned to illustrate the continuum toward weaker and weaker connections.

What?

Can't you just make the wire run to the back? (like in the 13In I'm currently using)

Or am I missing something? (Oh, ok, It's the "cover clamshell" that's the issue)

Exactly - the beauty of the L is the flexibility it gives in running the wire.

"If you see a cover clamshell on someone's macbook, he/she blew it"

Serious question -- is it really that common for people to knock a laptop off a table with the power cord? I don't think I've ever had that issue, although I did knock a PDA off my desk once because the cord was draped over the front, and with it being a very light object (no damage, it landed on carpet). Or would this be an issue with the Macbook Air due to it's small size? (I'm used to lugging around much large laptops with high friction rubber feet, back when I carried one regularly).

And, instead of a magnetic connector, would a USB type connection function similar? I know that this type of plug stays in good enough so that it doesn't fall out, but can be pulled out without holding the laptop down.

> Serious question -- is it really that common for people to knock a laptop off a table with the power cord?

If you're prone to tripping on cords, or have pets or small children, yes, absolutely.

ack. Working at living room table + children = disaster waiting to happen (and happened to me a few months ago).

I tend to keep my laptop on the table in front of my couch. It seems like I manage to catch the cord every 6 to 9 months. I'm happy I don't pull my laptop down, but most of the time I'm happier that I don't end up face-planting because my foot got caught.

It may not happen often, but all it takes is once for you to really appreciate it.

Yes, yes, yes. My friend regularly pulls his Macbook Air off of the coach, table, desk via the L-magsafe.

I've owned two MBPs and a MBA (long stories) in the last two years. T-magsafe -> L-magsafe -> back to the new thin T-magsafe. The T-magsafe annoys me in that it's harder to use in my lap, but it's vastly superior in the reasons I like it: it keeps me from ruining my laptop and/or the female power adapter slot.

I recently acquired a Samsung Series 9 by fortune and am horrified at how the AC bit goes in the side and is already incredibly flimsy. On non-Magsafe laptops, you have the same issue, it's just that instead of disconnecting, it's ruining the internal AC adapter bit. It's annoying as all-get-out when it breaks, especially if it's out of warranty and you don't know how to use a soldering iron.

The Samsung Series 9 is a good example of bad design not just for the AC port but for many of the ports. We have a couple of the 15" models in the office and the ethernet adapter and mini-hdmi adapter are too big to effectively use at the same time with how close together the ports are. When both are plugged in, the ethernet adapter will typically be at a slight angle and not always completely connected. I realize they are meant for portability and so wi-fi is going to be used most of the time but if you've got big files to transfer it's a huge pain in the ass.

Haha. The left-side USB port and AC power adapter can't even be used at the same time. Pair that with wonky USB3 drivers for the right hand ports and you have a laughable situation.

Don't get me started on touchpad drivers.

PC laptop touchpad drivers and hardware are so pathetic, they alone make we want to get Apple laptops. You'd think that at least one of the PC makers would realize this and distinguish themselves by making a quality touchpad and driver. This baffles me. Why some company would make crap and wonder why Apple is beating them.

This is a case where Windows is more of the problem than any individual touchpad manufacturer. If you Hackintosh most reasonably recent laptops, the touchpad acts predictably in OS X. The biggest thing Apple does right in hardware is that they make the touchpad comfortably huge.

That's something that continually surprises me. I've been on the Macs for almost a decade at this point. The touchpad on my 15" 2010 MacBook Pro is quite large and comfortable, it's basically 5" diagonally.

Now my sister's 11" MacBook Air has a much smaller touchpad for obvious reasons. But I see recent 15" or 17" PC laptops with touchpads that are just as small, maybe 3" diagonally. Having the large surface is so nice, I don't think I could go back.

Maybe that's a driver thing too. If large touchpads were always producing false input from being brushed by the palms, using the smaller touchpads may actually be beneficial for users.

I know people have had issues, but mine works perfectly. I own a MBA and I like the Series 9 touchpad better in many aspects. I agree on the ports though, poor design choices.

That's true. The T shaped connectors detached faster when you tripped. With the L shaped connector, sometimes my laptop will rotate up to 90 degrees before the magsafe detaches.

You didn't by chance acquire this laptop as an intern at a software company did you?

Yes.

I have a first-gen Samsung Series 9, and I've had the internal power socket get ruined by the cable being yanked. After opening it up, and a bit of super glue, it is all good.

I like the L connector, but it does interfere with the other ports and tends to develop a sharp bend.

So in some situations it's wonderful, in others its horrible.

But it's vastly better than any PC laptop connector I've ever used.

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