Stephen Rees's blog

Not having been anywhere very much since the pandemic started, and my pensions continuing to arrive and there not being much to spend them on, when Apple announced the new MacBook Pro I was quite interested. Especially since the old Mac was not going to be upgraded to OS 12 Monterey as it was too old. It worked just fine, except for the touchpad which seemed reluctant to “click” on anything. I use a Logitech mouse because I think a scroll wheel and a right click button is essential, and I no longer have the capacity to remember a whole bunch of keypad “shortcuts”.

While I am adapting to the new machine, I am noting that the issue of external connections is more pressing than I thought it would be. I did buy a couple of USB – C cables but what I did not appreciate is that Thunderbolt 4 is not backwards compatible to earlier versions. So while I have gone out and got another USB to USB – C connector I now how two useless connections.

I am not sure if there is a market for such things, but then it occurred to me that there are deserving causes out there. For example, people like you who actually read this blog. And if you have read this far, and you have an old Macbook Pro that you are not about to trade in for a new one, you may find these connectors useful. On the About page of this blog is an email address that works. Do not add a comment below, because anyone can read that. Send me an email and be sure to include your snail mail shipping address, and I will send either or both to you. Do not offer me anything in return, but if you wish to pay it forward please feel free to make a donation to one of the many worthy organisations that have doubtless been asking you for a donation recently. I don’t need to know how much or who to, and you could always try thoughts and prayers, since many appear to think those work too.

I will also reply to every email I get but the first one that expresses an interest can have the one of their choice – or both. And actually what I have only now just noticed is the a USB C connector will fill nicely into the old Thunderbird socket. I no longer use a projector but that ethernet thing …. hmmm.