My wife still uses my 2011 17" MBP. The graphics has been replaced once for free. If it were not for the failing graphics chips, it's definitely 'good enough'.
my employer still have "late 2012" MBP with the nvidia-of-death cards as I call them, and apple haven't replaced any of them. Even in 2013.
This whole article is a disservice. You do not need a second machine to write. And even if I needed, i'd use a machine that runs the latest linux with all the security considerations of a modern system, and then I would just install my text editor and nothing else.
This is nothing but a gateway drug for people to join the mac cult. Meh. Not even an expensive mac is any good. let alone a free one. As mac fans always reminds us: you get what you pay for. And free+mac tax = lousy machine.
And I hate Apple.