Briefly: MacBook Pro, Mac OS X 10.4.5, WINE
Apple updates MacBook Pro lead times
It appears that Apple will soon begin shipping its first batch of MacBook Pro professional laptops, which, according to estimates provided to customers, should start arriving in the US within the next two weeks.
Overnight, the Mac maker quietly updated lead times on its online store for the MacBook Pro from shipping in "February" to "3-4 weeks." This suggests that Apple is unlikely to meet overall world-wide demand for the laptops within its current quarter, as stated by company executives last month. However, it also implies that that Apple has aligned demand and is currently confident that it can begin shipping new MacBook Pro orders placed today by this time next month.
It was reported last month that Apple is witnessing stellar sales of the MacBook Pro through pre-orders placed through its direct sales business and authorized resellers.
New builds of Mac OS X 10.4.5
According to tipsters and reports already present on the Internet, Apple this week seeded the fourth external build of Mac OS X 10.4.5 for PowerPC Macs. The build, reportedly labeled Mac OS X 10.4.5 8H14, is said to address issues with multi-application audio support. In the distribution of the operating system update offered to Apple Developer Connection members, Apple did not list any known issues.
Apple's precise release plans for Mac OS X 10.4.5 are currently unknown. It's also unclear if the Intel-native version of the update will be the first to package support for the company's forthcoming 13-inch widescreen iBook laptops and updated Mac mini desktops. Both are reportedly slated for a release this spring.
WINE for Intel Macs
MacRumors notes that the X86Project is claiming to have the first version of WINE for Intel Macs complied and running.
The Darwine Project has reportedly been working to port WINE -- a compatibility layer that has allowed x86-based PCs to run Windows applications under Unix/Linux operating systems -- to run on Mac OS X for Intel.
Though compatibility remains limited in these early stages, the software could offer Mac users an alternative to running Windows applications on Intel Macs sometime in the future.
This could be of interest to some users, as sources have told AppleInsider that Apple and Microsoft are in a disagreement about the way Virtual PC should be supported on Intel Macs. Progress on the next version of the Windows emulation environment is said to be moving slowly, with an official release unlikely "for some time."
It appears that Apple will soon begin shipping its first batch of MacBook Pro professional laptops, which, according to estimates provided to customers, should start arriving in the US within the next two weeks.
Overnight, the Mac maker quietly updated lead times on its online store for the MacBook Pro from shipping in "February" to "3-4 weeks." This suggests that Apple is unlikely to meet overall world-wide demand for the laptops within its current quarter, as stated by company executives last month. However, it also implies that that Apple has aligned demand and is currently confident that it can begin shipping new MacBook Pro orders placed today by this time next month.
It was reported last month that Apple is witnessing stellar sales of the MacBook Pro through pre-orders placed through its direct sales business and authorized resellers.
New builds of Mac OS X 10.4.5
According to tipsters and reports already present on the Internet, Apple this week seeded the fourth external build of Mac OS X 10.4.5 for PowerPC Macs. The build, reportedly labeled Mac OS X 10.4.5 8H14, is said to address issues with multi-application audio support. In the distribution of the operating system update offered to Apple Developer Connection members, Apple did not list any known issues.
Apple's precise release plans for Mac OS X 10.4.5 are currently unknown. It's also unclear if the Intel-native version of the update will be the first to package support for the company's forthcoming 13-inch widescreen iBook laptops and updated Mac mini desktops. Both are reportedly slated for a release this spring.
WINE for Intel Macs
MacRumors notes that the X86Project is claiming to have the first version of WINE for Intel Macs complied and running.
The Darwine Project has reportedly been working to port WINE -- a compatibility layer that has allowed x86-based PCs to run Windows applications under Unix/Linux operating systems -- to run on Mac OS X for Intel.
Though compatibility remains limited in these early stages, the software could offer Mac users an alternative to running Windows applications on Intel Macs sometime in the future.
This could be of interest to some users, as sources have told AppleInsider that Apple and Microsoft are in a disagreement about the way Virtual PC should be supported on Intel Macs. Progress on the next version of the Windows emulation environment is said to be moving slowly, with an official release unlikely "for some time."
Comments
What a day we live in and what choices we have to make!!
I am torn between a MacBookPro (obviously will be a great machine in 2007 when software comes around) and 15" G4 Powerbook (may have 1 year left of life in it, maybe 2) purchase that needs InDesign to put together a catalog that has to be out by September.
If I ever hear a company say 'well why not use WINE to run our software?', as an excsuse for not doiing the work. I will feel like they deserve some sort of bodily damage.
I do hope VMWare know what a huge market there would be for their product on Mac OS X. If they were to enter the fray then that would be a rather hot poker up Microsoft's collective backsides where VPC is concerned.
We also remember it didn't take them much time and effort to port VPC to an intel-native (ie processor emulation-less) version.
Why then will it take so long for a quite similar effort (of which part of the work is already done), namely porting VPC to the intel architecture. They know already how to cut out the processor emulation, and VPC used to be designed to run "any" kind of OS (given the fact that it emulated a PC down to the register level -for I/O interfaces).
p.s. I am not claiming PC emulation is the way to go, because of
- the need to run a WinXP copy
- the extra resources needed for "virtualization"
Neither is dual booting, which still needs extra disk space but, in addition, is a real hassle. Not to mention security issues...
Therefore
- it may just be better to run a thin client (Ã* la Remote Desktop Connection or Citrix's) and to connect to a -yet to develop- PC server farm.
- but the most attractive option seems to be Wine
However, it's probably a sad fact that the engineers are being muzzled by corporate politics.
I wish Connectix still existed. They'd get it right.
What's there point to kill VPC?
Or is it company policy to introduce as many flaws as possible?
Originally posted by sunilraman
<princess leia>Help us VMWare, you're our only hope</princess leia>
Someone put a petition up about VMWare on OS X.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_pe...d.cgi?vmwarosx
Sign if you're interested.
cough... Somebody explain me why M$ would want VPC to be rubbish on a Intelly Mac? ... What's there point to kill VPC? Or is it company policy to introduce as many flaws as possible?
here are possible places to get the answers you seek:
Originally posted by OfficerDigby
cough... Somebody explain me why M$ would want VPC to be rubbish on a Intelly Mac? - If it's good more people end up buying Windows for it kerching $$$. What do they care about hardware?
What's there point to kill VPC?
Or is it company policy to introduce as many flaws as possible?
Imagine a computer that can run OSX and Windows side by side with top notch emulation. People are able to compare the two OS's and clearly see which is the better. Woops!
The only thing that keeps MS in it's postition is inertia. Alot of the software out there is PeeCee only.