173: ‘Fork the Universe’ With Jason Snell

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode is a wide-ranging, highly technical and reflective conversation centered on Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro, especially the Touch Bar, Touch ID, port changes, and whether Apple still serves pros. It also dives into automation, BBEdit, regular expressions, podcast numbering, the emotional aftermath of the U.S. election, and reactions to Apple’s new photo book and Johnny Ive’s role.

Main Topics: MacBook Pro review and Touch Bar impressions (Priority: 5/5): The hosts discuss the late-arriving review units, onboarding pain, and their overall assessment that the new MacBook Pro is a thoughtful, well-executed machine with a novel Touch Bar/Touch ID system. Apple’s investment in the Mac platform (Priority: 5/5): They argue that despite criticism, Apple clearly invested heavily in the Mac through new hardware, APIs, and updates across many built-in apps, signaling real commitment to the platform. Productivity, automation, and BBEdit/regular expressions (Priority: 4/5): A long meta-discussion covers scripting, Automator, Keyboard Maestro, TextExpander, BBEdit workflows, and how regular expressions and automation save huge amounts of time in recurring tasks. Mac ecosystem pain points: migration, syncing, and device limits (Priority: 4/5): They compare notes on the frustration of repeatedly setting up Macs, syncing preferences, managing iTunes/Apple Music device limits, and Apple Pay device caps across multiple test devices. Touch Bar design philosophy and interface experimentation (Priority: 5/5): The conversation analyzes which Touch Bar implementations feel native or useful, contrasting calculator, Maps, Final Cut Pro, and Safari, and predicting that Apple and developers will still be learning the right patterns. Election aftermath and writing paralysis (Priority: 3/5): The speakers briefly discuss how the 2016 U.S. election disrupted their ability to write, and how they used technical tasks and podcasting as a way to process the moment. Apple’s new design book and Johnny Ive’s future (Priority: 5/5): They debate whether Apple’s expensive coffee-table book is self-indulgent or reasonable, and use it as a proxy for speculation about Ive’s influence, possible retreat, and whether the book reflects a changing Apple culture.

Key Arguments: Apple’s 2016 MacBook Pro is not just a spec bump; it reflects substantial hardware, software, and API investment. The Touch Bar works best when treated as an extension of the keyboard, not as a replacement for touchscreen interaction. Apple’s built-in apps show that the company spent real effort making the Touch Bar feel native and useful. Migration Assistant and Mac setup are still too painful for power users who constantly move between machines. Automation and regex are essential time-saving skills for writers/editors and should be learned even if the learning curve is steep. The Mac and iPad serve different philosophies: Apple should keep the Mac a traditional, keyboard-and-trackpad computer rather than forcing it into a touch-first role. Apple’s new port strategy is painful now but likely accelerates the future toward USB-C/Thunderbolt 3. The expensive Apple design book may be self-congratulatory, but art books at that price point are normal and the move may be understandable. Johnny Ive may be shifting from hands-on product design toward architecture/store design, but the evidence is ambiguous.

Data Points: MacBook Pro review units received: 3 units - They discuss receiving the non-Touch Bar model, then 13-inch Touch Bar, then 15-inch Touch Bar units over several weeks. Apple Music device limit: 10 authorized devices - One speaker mentions juggling Apple Music/iTunes authorizations across multiple devices. iTunes computer limit: 5 authorized computers - They describe constantly reassigning computer slots to add review machines. Apple Pay device cap on Amex: maximum limit reached - Repeated device testing hit a bank/card limit on Apple Pay provisioning. Battery life claim: 10 hours - They note Apple’s typical light-use battery target for notebooks and iPads. Touch Bar video length: about 5 minutes - One reviewer says the explanatory Touch Bar video ran about five minutes and packed in many examples. MacBook Pro RAM ceiling discussed: 16 GB current ceiling; expectation of 32 GB in 2017 - They discuss memory constraints and predict a future update with at least 32 GB support. Apple design book prices: $200 small / $300 large - The new photo book is sold in two sizes at premium coffee-table-book pricing. Casper mattress prices: $500 twin / $750 full / $850 queen / $950 king - Read during the sponsor segment explaining Casper’s direct-to-consumer pricing. Casper trial period: 100 nights - Customers can try the mattress at home and return it for a refund if unsatisfied. Harry’s blade price: $2 per blade - Sponsor read highlights Harry’s lower blade cost compared with drugstore brands. Backblaze backup price: $5/month - They explain unlimited backup for Mac and PC at a flat monthly price per machine. Touch Bar support in Apple apps: 15+ apps - They list many Apple apps updated for the Touch Bar, including Calendar, Finder, Mail, Maps, Messages, Safari, and more. Podcast episode count example: Episode 323+ - They discuss numbering conventions in podcast metadata and cite The Incomparable having 300+ episodes.

Pivotal Quotes: "It is nonstop. It's just like one thing after another all fall." — John Gruber: Describing the exhausting pace of Apple events, travel, and review work in the fall. "I really think the touch bar is proof of it." — John Gruber: Arguing that Apple’s deep work on the MacBook Pro proves the company still cares about the Mac. "This is like the reverse of that, which is there's nobody, I think, more aware of the pain of basically upgrading to a new device than reviewers." — Jason Snell: Explaining how tech reviewers experience frequent migrations and device setup pain firsthand.

Implications: Listeners get a detailed early read on Apple’s direction: more experimentation on the Mac, more friction in the transition, and a clearer split between Mac and iPad philosophy. The episode also shows how automation and power-user tools remain essential as workflows become more complex.