13" retina MBP is the best machine Apple ever made. But I am tempted by the new MB, I must confess
Just sayin’: 
Many thanks for the explanation. Added another whimsical layer to the romantic image of the committed artist.
Now I have to find out who Mole and Ratty are. 
[size=80]I do know, but I hate willows and the endless droning wind.[/size]
In the hope that your answer might help me to make a future purchasing decision, do you mind if I ask if you considered the 15" rMBP, and if you did, why you chose the 13” over the 15”?
I consider them kith-n-kin, since I was lumbered with painting a 21ftx11ft mural of the beggars, a few years back. That’s my Donegal tweed jacket that Badger has on.
An artist and a writer. Gulp. Great skill. Dapper jacket. For a play? 8)
Nothing to do with Toad Hall, but there’s a new review of the updated 13-inch MB Pro in Macworld (that was): macworld.com/article/2925608 … tk.rss_all
The verdict: Very nice, great value, but not quite Oh Bliss, Oh Poop Poop, Oh My, Oh My. Which the Macbook has in spades.
I went and played with a MB Pro again this morning at the local shoppe, and it’s definitely a lesser burden than my elderly 15-inch MacBook Pro; measurably more of a load than the Air but with a remarkably better screen; by comparison, the 12-inch Macbook feels rather like an iPad with a fold-out keyboard. It also feels wildly overpriced compared with the similarly configured (8gb ram, 256gb SSD) MB Pro.
For me, it’ll probably come down to what kinds of docking stations crop up to alleviate the new USB-C straightjacket. At least half of most days, I need my external monitor.
You 're very gracious and kind Thank you?
No, not a play … more of a long story 
Quick everyone! Come gather round the And Now For That Latte campfire. Uncle VIC is going to tell us a story!
Although… based on previous stories, you’d best make sure the children are in bed, out of ear shot and, preferably, sedated.
To at least make an appearance of attempting to be on topic… I love the look of MacBook, and am intrigued by these sign decisions, but I’d go a MAcBookPro. Admittedly, I tend to use my machines well past their intended use by date, so I’m looking at maximising the long term usability when I buy. Also influencing my decision is that I’m a 1-Mac man and my laptop is my primary machine. If I had a dedicated desktop machine, then I’d seriously consider the MacBook.
Ner’do’ells, no-hopers, fellow miscreants and Revered Scrivenerati. Please 
don’t hold your breath.
Actually, dear colleagues and comrades, earlier to day, I did put fingers(2) to the keyboard, in a vain attempt to get back on topic arrrgghhh!!! oooo! ouch!! that hurt! 
(oops! got to go out … but … I shall return.
Ciao bambinos (f’now)
Vic
Whilst the above jokingly refers to the Brits investment in the Colony, ca late 1700s, from where I’m sat, there ain’t nowt jokey about the plight of the loyal Apple customer base, whom Apple expect to invest even more money, in their Apple hardware , whilst stripping out, or reducing functionality from said hardware. You can almost hear them saying, “If they want it they can and will buy peripheral kit from us.” Like the laughing guy said, " More money for our shareholders." And! There’s no dearth of so called latest innovations’ proselytisers, littering the path to Apple acquisition with potential plausibility hypotheses traps.
As Ahab said:
[size=150]An expensive harlot Sir!![/size]
But… but… it’s GOLD!!
FOOL’S GOLD!! Y’ wassack! Wot y’ like? tch! tch!
Eye candy … init? C’mon … desirable harlot. 8) Y’re sat in t’coffee shop with her, she’s flaunting her charms, you can’t engage in any meaningful literary endeavour, because you’re egotistically spending to much time checking out the other writers-in-residence for covetous glances.
Anyway, I’m gerrin’ one of these next week
While that will definitely get glances from the other writers-in-residence at the coffee shop, I doubt they would classify as “covetous glances”.
Personally, I think it’s taking steam punk writing too far…
Snot steam It’s hand-cranked!
Well o’course they won’t be, we all know that, we ain’t daft. They’ll be phoney derisive stares, masking a heart rending/gut-wrentching longing. They’re only human, ain’t they? Mind you … you’d wonder about some of these wannabe Hemingwayers. Something indefinably weird about some of 'em. Then again, if I’m not mistaken, a bit of graffiti, sprayed somewhere on my cranial cavity wall, says the same about Hemingway, too.
Any of the current MacBook series would be more than sufficient for writing. The only models I’d shy away from are the non-retina Pro, which is simply outdated and an absolute no go. I’d also avoid the new 12" retina because it’s first generation.
I write on a MBA 11 and to me it’s the ultimate. Long life, super portable. Scriv takes up the entire window so I’m not distracted or even tempted to be distracted.
Whatever you do, there hasn’t been a whole lot of updating in the last couple of years and you can get fantastic deals on the refurb store. I paid $679 for my MBA and the 13" is like 775? That’s a 2014 model, but the 2013, 2014, and 2015 models are almost identical. (The 2012 has half the battery life.) You can set an alert on refurb.me if the model you want isn’t in stock.
See? I said it’s too far: If you go past the steam, then all you’re left with is punk!
Besides, the OP specifically asked about a MacBook and I’m not sure your pre-steam punk-a-delic contraption will run Scrivener… (how’s that for a late recovery and return to topic?)
Topic 
? … topi… oh yeah, topic Wot was it agen? 've forgotten. Sorry.
Palpable tosh and balderdash!
Scrivener for Babbage (Beta)
Good point, well made.
And the Macbook?