> I built multiple iOS apps and went through two start up acquisitions with my M1 MBA as my primary computer, as a developer. And the neo is better than the M1 MBA. I edited my 30-45 min long 4k race videos in FCP on that air just fine.

Before I was a professional software developer, I used a scrawny second-hand laptop with a Norwegian keyboard (I'm not Norwegian) because that was what I could afford: https://i.imgur.com/1NRIZrg.jpeg

This was the computer I was developing PHP backends on + jQuery frontends, and where I published a bunch of projects that eventually led to me getting my first software development job, in a startup, and discovering HN pretty much my first day on the job :)

The actual hardware you use seems to me like it matters the least, when it comes to actually being able to do things.

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throwawaytea 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I still manage and develop my php/jquery saas product on a 2011 27" iMac running Linux Mint, with an SSD being the only upgrade. Runs better than most new windows machines. No complaints.

	▲	sam_lowry_ 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I switch between Thinkpad T420s and PineBook Pro for all the hobby work. T420s has loose USB ports and the power socket is almost falling off, so I plan to replace it by a 5 years old T14 G2 in the coming months. I can afford the latest MacBook, but I'd rather not generate more e-waste that there is, and more importantly I feel closer to my users, and my code is efficient and straight to the point. My non-hobby laptop is an old cheap Dell from 5-6 years ago. The best laptop I ever had was a maxed-out Thinkpad P7x, and it came with the most meaningless job ever. I can only compare that job to the one at a unicorn that gave me the latest and greatest MacBook. Not only the job was meaningless, the whole industry made no sense to me.

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bluedino an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I wrote 99% of a large PHP app on an six year old laptop with a single 17" LCD. Meanwhile, at my desk, I had a Dell workstation with 3 monitors at the time, but it was easier to squirrel away in a corner somewhere, undisturbed.

After all, the actual server ran the code, I just needed text editors, terminal windows, and web browsers.

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madaxe_again 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I started my business back in 2006 with an ancient 306 laptop - it was practically free, it ran VIM just fine, and that was all I needed it to do to crank out PHP until the cows came home.