• At the present time we are recommending that all administrative users absolutely avoid any new Apple computer that uses the Apple Silicon M1 chip. In addition to incompatibilities with Big Sur some programs may not yet work correctly or in a stable fashion with the new Apple Silicon chipset. Please check with the makers of all software you use for confirmation whether they will work in Big Sur and the Apple Silicon M1. For now, all SHASS users who require new Macs should limit their new machine purchases to those with the Intel processor chips. We recommend configuring machines with the Intel i5 processor or higher depending on your computing needs.
   
• Also, we have found that the new Apple OS 11 Big Sur almost uses 8GB on its own. This means users should be configuring the minimum RAM configuration on all new Mac purchases at 16GB. Several articles have been written about increased SSD (Solid State Drive) hard drive wear on the new Macs and we suspect that part of that may be due to underpowered 8GB configurations which then force the new Macs to use Virtual Memory. Virtual memory is a computer's way of using the data storage HD, in this case the SSD Hard Drive on new Macs, as memory resource necessary to run programs when all the physical RAM memory has been used up.
   
• Make sure the AppleCare 3 year warranty is purchased for all new Mac Computers.
   
• A new Time Machine backup drive should be purchased with all new Macs. The specific HD we recommend is this one:
    
  WD 4TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive - Blue, USB-C/USB-A - WDBA2F0040BBL-WESN
     
  Do not use the WD software that is included on the HD. You do not need to install anything new on your Mac with this drive. Use Apple's Time Machine program to use the new drive and erase the drive if your Mac asks you to in order to prepare it for use with Time Machine.
   
• Unless the user already has these, 2 USB-C accessories should be included with each new Mac:
       
  1. USB to USB-C Adapter
      
  2. Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

      
Please let us know if anyone has any questions or concerns!