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0 pointsAurornis14d ago0 comments

I have an older 8GB MacBook Air. This is false. I routinely have Slack, Chrome, iTerm, Visual Studio Code, and more open on it. It’s fine.

Those apps don’t need every single byte of memory you see in Activity Monitor to be active in RAM all of the time. The OS swaps out unused parts to the very fast SSD. If you push it so far that active pages are constantly being swapped out as apps compete then you start to notice, but the threshold for that is a lot higher than HN comments seem to think.

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tjoff14d ago

It really isn't. It is a capable machine but modern software has made it a lemon. And that is the only reason apple sells it. So that whoever buys it needs to buy another one prematurely, generating another sale.

Everything from apple to modern software is rotten to its core.

mikestew14d ago

It really isn't.

…in reply to someone who just said their experience is fine, and included details. If you just want to rant about Apple, have at it, but you’re going to have to do better than “nuh, uh” if you want to be convincing.

tjoff14d ago

Well I could say that it isn't enough for vscode alone. And I'd be right. It all depends on how and what you use vscode for.

8GB really shouldn't be an option in 2026, it is just shortsighted and an insanely uneven build.

I could rant about Dell too. Or most other manufacturers (surprise, greed isn't apple exclusive). But Apple at least tries to keep the appearance of a higher profile.

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0 pointsAurornis14d ago0 comments

I have an older 8GB MacBook Air. This is false. I routinely have Slack, Chrome, iTerm, Visual Studio Code, and more open on it. It’s fine.

0 comments

tjoff14d ago

Everything from apple to modern software is rotten to its core.

mikestew14d ago

It really isn't.

tjoff14d ago

Well I could say that it isn't enough for vscode alone. And I'd be right. It all depends on how and what you use vscode for.

8GB really shouldn't be an option in 2026, it is just shortsighted and an insanely uneven build.

I could rant about Dell too. Or most other manufacturers (surprise, greed isn't apple exclusive). But Apple at least tries to keep the appearance of a higher profile.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse