I’ve kept a stash of older Apple gear that I really like. Devices that I think changed our perception of what using a computer could be. One of the devices I still have is a 2011 11-inch MacBook Air – a pretty common device for writers, journalists and other people who needed a slim, light and powerful portable computer for getting work done. Until about a year or so ago, I was using that MacBook Air. Sure, it doesn’t do everything the latest models do but it passes the good enough test.
I bought this computer second hand from a student who’d finished their degree and was done with it. The model was already discontinued – Apple killed this particular MacBook Air variant which is a shame as it’s a great size for a second system to use while travelling.
I upgraded the storage and replaced the battery. These were both relatively easy upgrades and there are lots of tutorials on YouTube to guide the way if you’re thinking about doing the same thing to your portable Mac. I purchased the storage and battery from MacFixIt in Australia. OWC offers the same kits if you’re in the USA.
The software problem
The ageing MacBook Air was a reliable, albeit low-powered, workhorse. But I hit a snag. Apple has a policy of only supporting devices for a limited time with new operating system releases. The knock-on from that is that software vendors only support a limited number of macOS versions.
Typically, Apple supports hardware with current operating systems for about seven years or so and software vendors support the three most recent versions of macOS.
When Apple released Big Sur (aka macOS 11), I was outside Apple’s support window and my reliable workhorse found itself tossed onto Apple’s obsolete list. Frustratingly, it still worked.
The 11-inch MacBook Air is still ‘good enough’
Sure, the Core i5 processor is not particularly speedy. And 4GB is pretty skinny for modern apps. But for using a web browser, Microsoft Word, editing and displaying presentations from PowerPoint and handling emails and social media, it’s adequate.
Would I use the 11-inch MacBook Air as my daily driver? Nope! But for dashing out a few things while on a plane or working at a library or coffee shop it’s perfect. It’s light, has a couple of USB ports in case I need to copy files via USB and has good enough 802.11n Wi-Fi.
Solving the software challenge
I can accept that my old faithful MacBook Air won’t be able to do everything that a newer model can do. And I’m intimately acquainted with the impact of Moore’s Law on performance. But, in Apple’s view, I’m stuck with a serviceable laptop that can’t receive the latest security update much less a fresh coat of operating system paint.
Fortunately, a clever boffin, called DosDude, partially solved that problem.
DosDude created a series of ‘patcher’ tools that allow you to upgrade unsupported Macs with later versions of MacOS. But with the advent of Apple Silicon, getting Apple’s software to run on Intel-based Macs is harder than ever.
Running an up to date operating system is not (just) about wanting to stay in touch with what’s current. It’s about ensuring I’m running safe software and not consigning a perfectly adequate computer to the scrap heap.
The 11-inch MacBook Air might be older and slower than current hardware. But DosDude’s work proves there’s no technical reason Apple can’t make more recent versions of macOS work on older computers. The experience might not be “Apple perfect” but it’s not terrible.
I can understand software makers only supporting a limited number of operating system releases. But Apple’s approach to hardware seems to be a little tough.
I get that my computer is 14 years old. But it still works. And it doesn’t deserve to be scrapped. It’s been rendered obsolete but not because it can’t work. It’s obsolete because Apple doesn’t want it to work.
But I guess Apple got what it wanted as I was basically pushed into buying a more recent MacBook Air and sending a few more shekels into its burgeoning bank account.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.