Old Macs are still valuable machines.(This is not a question)

Speaking as someone with a MBP9,1 - among many other Macs - in my ecosystem, I agree with you. BUT, there are caveats to that. The nature of those caveats depends on the individual user's workflows, ecosystem and risk tolerances. For example:

1. The highest OS compatible with a 10,1 system will not support Advanced Data Protection - if you want to use ADP across your ecosystem, then that computer must be removed from iCloud. Obviously if you aren't using iCloud on that computer, or that is your only computer, it's not an issue.
2. Similarly, that computer won't support user key verification for Messages and FaceTime. Again, if not activating them on that computer, or that is the only computer, not an issue.
3. The version of Safari on that computer is increasingly incompatible with modern web standards and an alternative browser like Firefox is needed.
4. Very little software on the App Store is compatible, including productivity software like MS Office. If you already had the software you need and "the last compatible version" is available to you, great. But those versions will also become increasingly outdated - and you can't give the computer to someone else and expect they will be able to download any software they might need.
5. There are unlikely to be any security patches for even major bugs. I was honestly surprised when macOS 10.15.8 got pushed a few weeks ago to update the certificate chains.
6. The Xcode build system is out of date - stuck on AppleClang 12 (I think the last macOS version for a 10,1 still uses AppleClang 12), so eventually even Python and PIP will not be updateable (unless you know what you are doing and can replace the build system entirely with a modern LLVM installation).

So, yes, you are correct that older Apple machines can be valuable. But they are most valuable when used as a standalone machine by the original owners, who already had all the software they needed, and who don't need (or don't want) to integrate that machine into a larger ecosystem of modern machines with advanced data security/privacy features that machine can't support.

Valuable is always a relative and contextualized term.

Lance.scs wrote:

Messages and FaceTime, MS Office 365 are running fine.

They may still be running from their original installations but they are not getting any updates.

MacBookPro 10,1 models top out at macOS Catalina (10.15.8). Your byline indicates you are running 11.7 (Big Sur) . If so, then you are running a hacked system. I'm not going to mention the name of the probable hack because it is verboten here but if that's the case you should have noted that in your post.

That said, I agree with you that a 2012 MacBook Pro is still eminently usable provided you accept the fact that it's 14 years old and growing more obsolete every day. I agree with g_wolfman that it's best "used as as a standalone machine by the original owners, who already had all the software they needed, and who don't need (or don't want) to integrate that machine into a larger ecosystem of modern machines with advanced data security/privacy features that machine can't support."

g_wolfman wrote:

Pretty sure a 10,1 is the 2015 Retina and tops out at Big Sur legitimately.

According to the Mactracker app (avail in the App Store) the MacBookPro10,1 is the Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012 model. Great machine.

You should also bear in mind that this thread will stay up a long time and be read by a whole bunch of people from power users who understand the risks of running such an old machine to virtual newbies who might have inherited one and think they can use it as their main machine. IMO a balanced view of the risks and benefits of running an old Mac is better than a rose-tinted one. I use an old Mac to manage backups between NAS's. It's still a powerful beast with great build quality and perfect for what it does but it never goes online because of its age.

If you want to see what that hardware is really capable of, try Linux.

That's not to say anything is wrong with whatever macOS version you're using, but Linux's resource efficiency is astounding.

I have a Mac even older than that. It is set up to boot El Cap, Linux Mint, or Snow Leopard. Works as well as it did when it was new — yes, even with its original hard disk drive (500 GB, I think). All three systems reside on that disk — choose which when you boot.

Apple makes the most cost-efficient computers on the planet, by far.

Yes, that era MBP is a workhorse. 👍🏽

Though obviously obsolete in the Mac ecosystem, if used as an isolated unit it does still have potential.

Some veteran users here in the Community will recommend that one install a flavor of Linux to extend the Mac's life.

All should be well until the hardware begins to fail.

Not negative in the least - one just needs to have an accurate appreciation of a system's strengths and limitations. It's a very good machine, within the limitations caused by its age and lack of updates.

In fact, it probably integrates into an enterprise environment based on Windows AD (and so on) better than it does into an all-Apple home environment with a mix of new and older HW...

Pretty sure a 10,1 is the 2015 Retina and tops out at Big Sur legitimately.

Whoops, typo on my end - you are correct - I truncated 2012 15" to 2015. My bad.