@ottaross But I *love* that thieves are disincentivized, just like with iPhones.

If I understand, you need the original user to remove the lock before donating, but they don’t know? I wonder if Apple could build in a feature like “contact this locked machine’s registered account holder and ask if they’re really done with it”. Then I could approve if I really donated/sold it, or click “absolutely not, brick it forever w/o my password” if I didn’t. (Hmm, how could that be abused?)

@bigzaphod Doesn’t Apple have a program that will remove activation lock if you can prove provenance of the device?

TBH it’s also poor educating of the donors on Apple’s part that this step must be done prior to donating.

this shit needs to be *OUTLAWED by #RightToRepair as it created 100% avoidable #eWaste and demolishes #ConsumerRights!

• And I want @EUCommission & @BMWK to go after manufacturers like #Apple that do this #AntiRepair-bullshit!
  
  • Because it is #AntiRepairDesign and has no legitimate reason to be done this way!

  
  

youtube.com/watch?v=e3e-b-7jCY…

That does make it difficult for you.

I realize you didn’t ask for these two cents, but it was you photo that shocked me the most. You will suffer additionally from cracked displays with such a tall stack of devices. I’d suggest no more than five high when horizontally stacked.

Good luck working with Apple on clearing Activation Locks. You may need to be registered as a business / agency to get the support you will need.

I had someone give me a used iPad last year and they hadn't reset it and the absolute nightmare I had getting it to work.

They wound up having to trust me with their username and password to log into their account so I could physically deal with it on the device.

Absolute fucking bullshit.

it’s thoroughly disgusting. So much waste, yet they play it off like it’s a benefit. No, Apple, most of us don’t want to steal someone else’s property or data, we just want to use otherwise unaffordable yet perfectly functional personal computers.

At this point they need to be forced by law to loosen it up a bit.

@bigzaphod So your problem is that Apple is prioritizing the hardware and data integrity of THE OWNER and the owner did not properly unlock the device before it was recycled (or stolen). Sorry, but that doesn’t sound like an Apple problem. As an owner, that is what I want.

I understand that it sucks to be in your position, but Apple is doing the right thing here.

I do appreciate that T2 chips make my macBook basically not a good target for thieves though: They by know understand that stealing these devices is not worth it and don't even attempt.

But it will take time until donors understand that they need to do EACS, which is quite simple:

support.apple.com/en-us/102664

But this isn't widely known yet. There's been some people who had luck with going to Apple Stores and providing some kind of guarantee that these are donated pieces but it's a hassle. But for such a big stack, buying a T203 would potentially make sense, could perhaps even be part of a hacker space's tools.

Hmm, I’m about to donate a bunch of MacBooks. All personal devices that were collecting dust. I’ve reset them and reinstalled the latest macOS possible.

Any way to check if they’re still locked?

right there.

I am never (unless they change radically) going to purchase an Apple product.

I will not willingly support this sort of shit. They can have the fastest laptop CPUs with the best battery life, etc. And they can keep it for all i care. I'll not support that sort of practice.

really, the factory reset features in devices with anti-theft measures should ask if the user intends to give the device to a new owner

discoverability of these anti-theft measures doesn't seem especially prevalent

it would interfere with charity somewhat, but even a recommendation that old devices be returned to Apple/Google would at least mean folks are prompted to deactivate ownership thoroughly

it's a mess, honestly not sure how to reconcile this :S

Slightly different thing, but gawsh I recently had to look into Apple's repair system as I unfortunately dropped my MBP at our hackerspace and smashed the screen 🙃 I paid something like 600eur for the machine 2nd hand, Apple quoted 999eur for a replacement screen. Ha-ha...

Also ofc there's a chip preventing from simply switching a screen from another unit, so even with the 450eur screens from eBay it's just not worth it just in case I'd mess it up soldering.

It's now a desktop.

Ugh, I had no idea this was a thing. I'd recently picked up a MacBook Air, needing more than a Chromebook but minus the Microsoft invasion. Apparently there is no OTS option* anymore when you get sick of the overreach.

I'll be able to do the steps to make the device donation-ready now that I'm aware, but this design is wrong.

*Don't at me about Linux; it's an option but it's not a 'walk into a shop and let someone else handle it' option, yet.

when sometimes I say apple is shit, I need to re-evaluate and apologize to excrement; it has uses.

Apple is just a cult for the terminally vain and overmoneyed dumbasstronic idiots.

The pain i n my eyes, when they roll interdimensionally, every time some idiot apple user tells me that "apple protects your privacy betetr, hur hur hur"

I'll preface this by saying I know little about Apple or your donation process...

Is there any contact with the donor when the donation is made where you could walk the donor through removing the device from their account?