There is no way to install macOS 12.x Monterey (released yesterday) without an internet connection. If you have an offline M1 mac and you hook up a USB with the full 13GB installer .app on it (created with the ./createinstallmedia tool from it), even when you specify --downloadassets, it cannot be used to upgrade an airgapped machine.
There's now no way for me to know precisely what OS is running on my computer. And I just gave these pigfuckers $6.6k for a new one. :(
@cnx that would be an incorrect assessment. what i hate is apple's product design decisions, and their hypocritical marketing and privacy bullshit. they make the best computers and phones, by a wide margin, and have for a very long time.
@cnx also none of my macs have cost a colossal amount of money. my 28 core xeon imac pro has cost me <$500/mo amortized over the time i have had it ($14k total), and the mbp m1 max i just ordered was only $6k.
i know non-wealthy people who spend more on car insurance than i spend on top-of-the-line computers.
@cnx my smallest clients produce >10x that in revenue. i have several clients. these are work tools and in the grand scheme of things the fraction of gross revenues that they consume for top of the line gear is a very small percentage compared to other industries.
a $20k computer that lasts three years (<$600/mo) is actually super cheap if you can earn $20k+ per month using it.