Compute Devices should not have “Pro” in their name

This is one of those little things that bugs me. It shouldn’t, but it does, and it is something that I have burned way too many calories on. Computers and Devices should not have Pro in their name!

I would normally look the other way on this. Figure it is marketing for a company, so who cares. While I waited two weeks to get a machine repaired by Apple I started thinking about how this isn’t Pro. To be fair, this product didn’t have “Pro” in the name, it was an iMac, but then Apple introduced the iMac Pro, I started to fume. What? No, it isn’t!

First, let’s look at what “Pro” or “Professional” means. Merriam-Webster refers to a professional as a human. Someone that is paid, or is in a profession. The internet describes a professional as: “a person engaged or qualified in a profession.” or “(of a person) engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.”

Maybe as an adjective there is an opening for translation: “relating to or connected with a profession.” If it is related or connected, then maybe we can give them some room, but no, I’m not going to do that, but not for the reasons you might think.

There is no such thing as a pro device, because professionals are humans. There are devices used and designed for professionals, and if that is what they mean, then the names should reflect that,  iPad for Professionals or Microsoft Surface for Professionals.

Since they are defining their device as pro, iPad Pro, Surface Pro, then they are implying that this machine is awesome for a professional and is better than the rest. These devices are the opposite of what you want in a “Pro” device.

I have defined what a “Pro” machine, computer or device, should be. I created an acronym for it just because I hate them, and why not have another one in the world.  A professional machine must be MUM.

Maintainable
Updateable
Modifiable

Maintainable:
For a device to be professional, you must be able to maintain it. You must be able to open it up, blow out the dust. Pull parts and replace them. Change the hard drive. Change the memory. You must be able to maintain this machine quickly and easily.

Updateable:
For a device to be professional, you must be able to update it. Update the software, update a graphics card, update the memory. The device needs to be able to stay current by the hand of the professional that owns it.

Modifiable:
For a device to be professional, you must be able to modify it. You bought a device with 8GB of RAM. Damn, you really need 16GB for this latest project. Just open it up and make the mod. Bought the Nvidia 1060 and wish you had a 1080Ti. Just do it. Want to change the motherboard, or power supply, this machine is a pro machine, just go ahead.

These are the three things that must happen for any device to have the “Pro” label attached to it.

As professionals, we need our devices. When they break we need to get them back into running order quickly and easily. We are professionals. Being down for two weeks is unacceptable.

I build my own machines. I like the control, and I like the fact that I can replace parts whenever I decide. The machines I build are professional. I had a machine go down the other day. It is a server that has been running non-stop for 6 years. The problem was a graphics card, and while I was in the machine I realized that a fan went bad. Replaced the fan, replaced the graphics card, the machine was back online. That is MUM. That is PRO.

I don’t expect everyone reading this to build or MUM their own machine, so I will make one exception for Apple and Microsoft. If you want to put PRO in the name of your device then you must adhere to a different standard. When it breaks you must put these customers at the front of the line. You must repair their device while they wait, or replace it. We are professionals after all, and time is money.

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