Leopard for PowerPC?
I'm wondering if Apple is going to offer Leopard for PowerPC Macs. Before you succumb to your knee jerk reaction and blurt out "well, DUH, no!", think about it.
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
Granted, Jobs could choose to use this as a carrot to get those users to take the plunge and migrate to Intel, and it would be consistent with his M.O.
Still, this isn't clear-cut.
What do you think?
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
Granted, Jobs could choose to use this as a carrot to get those users to take the plunge and migrate to Intel, and it would be consistent with his M.O.
Still, this isn't clear-cut.
What do you think?
Comments
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
I'm wondering if Apple is going to offer Leopard for PowerPC Macs. Before you succumb to your knee jerk reaction and blurt out "well, DUH, no!", think about it.
I was going to say "Well DUH, yes!"
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
I'm wondering if Apple is going to offer Leopard for PowerPC Macs. Before you succumb to your knee jerk reaction and blurt out "well, DUH, no!", think about it.
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
Granted, Jobs could choose to use this as a carrot to get those users to take the plunge and migrate to Intel, and it would be consistent with his M.O.
Still, this isn't clear-cut.
What do you think?
Apple will support Power PC for a while to come.
Remember many shops still operate PPC boxes.
Adobe still hasn't gone universal.
Apple doesn't want to hurt it's installed base and its % in marketshare.
If I have a quad PPC Powermac I'm going to be using that computer for 5 or more years potentially. Apple still needs OS revenue and that entails supporting both platforms which isn't that hard when you've created Universal Binaries.
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
I'm wondering if Apple is going to offer Leopard for PowerPC Macs. Before you succumb to your knee jerk reaction and blurt out "well, DUH, no!", think about it. ... Still, this isn't clear-cut.
Must... resist.. must... resist... argh I'm slipping... I'm slipping...
"well, DUH, no!"
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
Think about it this way, Apple is still selling hundreds of thousands of PPC computers today. And will have sold millions by the end of 2006.
It will take years before Intel Macs are half of the Apple user base.
Will take at least 10 years before PPC Macs are a small percentage of the user base.
When people buy Intel Macs they can have two computers an Intel and a PPC. People will sell or give away their old PPC. A business who buys a new Intel will likely move the old PPC down to less critical work. One way or another todays PPC machines will be used by someone for years to come.
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
I'm wondering if Apple is going to offer Leopard for PowerPC Macs. Before you succumb to your knee jerk reaction and blurt out "well, DUH, no!", think about it.
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
You really convinced everyone.
Originally posted by kenaustus
Apple wants my money - and yours - every time they come out with a new cat so we will be well taken care of for many years.
OK. Let me play Devil's Advocate here.
Suppose Apple decides to be really evil and even quasi.... Microsoft-ian.
Now, I agree Apple would support PowerPC Tiger with patches and security fixes for years to come.
However, suppose they decide that their users aren't migrating fast enough. As a big giant carrot to migrating to Intel, they could withhold the latest and greatest features from the PowerPC crowd to get them to buy the new hardware.
Yeah, I know none of you will agree with me, and Apple probably won't do this since it's against their character.
There is a huge difference between supporting hardware and software that was purchased and making new software and hardware compatible with anything previously purchased. Already, Boot Camp, a new feature in the next OS was not made with the PPC in mind. If they add a virtualization layer, that probably won't work either. I predict a major bifurcation of the product lines. Intel will get most of the cool new goodies and PPC will be the ugly stepsister.
I predict there will be one retail box for the OS. For Intel users, all options will be available. For PPC users, certain key features will either be grayed out or not available.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...50&catid=23017
(Note: Price is in Canadian dollars, which means the 2.3 GHz PowerMac is priced at $2,286.35 USD, a $350 USD discount)
PowerPC Macs are going to probably get a lot cheaper.
Originally posted by Mac Voyer
I will be the first to come to your defense.
There is a huge difference between supporting hardware and software that was purchased and making new software and hardware compatible with anything previously purchased. Already, Boot Camp, a new feature in the next OS was not made with the PPC in mind. If they add a virtualization layer, that probably won't work either. I predict a major bifurcation of the product lines. Intel will get most of the cool new goodies and PPC will be the ugly stepsister.
I predict there will be one retail box for the OS. For Intel users, all options will be available. For PPC users, certain key features will either be grayed out or not available.
Apple has explicitly said Leopard will support both Intel and PowerPC processors.
Listening skills guys? I think not.
Originally posted by icfireball
OK...let me settle this once and for all.
Apple has explicitly said Leopard will support both Intel and PowerPC processors.
Listening skills guys? I think not.
Previous OS versions required a certain level of graphics card to enjoy some of the features. We are talking about a change much more profound than legacy graphics cards. No way will everything in Leopard work on a PPC machine as it will on the Intel Macs.
Leopard may run on PPC but that does not mean all the features will. If BC ran on PPC, Apple would have wanted to beta test the PPC version as well. Clearly, not all of Leopard will run on PPC. Listening skills are good. But in terms of sales speak, critical thinking with a heavy dose of skepticism is much more useful.
Originally posted by icfireball
OK...let me settle this once and for all.
Apple has explicitly said Leopard will support both Intel and PowerPC processors.
Listening skills guys? I think not.
Yes, I should listen to what everybody tells me and believe it at face value.
I should believe Bush when he tells me that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
I should believe my boss when he tells me he'll give me a raise at the end of the fiscal year.
I should the salesperson who tells me that paying an extra $100 for a two year warranty on a CD player is a good idea.
Wow. I'm glad you're so blindingly loyal. I choose to opt for skepticism and critical thinking instead.
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
By the middle to end of 2007, at least half of Mac users will still be running PowerPC hardware. Does Apple want to deny those users access to its new OS?
There aren't even 1 million Intel Mac users today, and even by the middle of 2007 there won't be more than 5-6 million Intel Mac users unless Apple suddenly quadruples their sales.
Leopard will be Universal! And why shouldn't it?
Boot camp is unique since it ease the installation of Windows on a x86 machine. Since windows doesn´t run on PPC hardware its a moot point discussing boot camp not running on non-Intel Macs. In other words Boot Camp is a so special piece of software you can´t deduct anything from it.
The only thing I can imagine will be different between the Intel and PPC version of Leopard is chipset features like power consumption options. But that is not different than different options between previous versions of PPC macs and have nothing to do with what Apple wants to support.
The premise of this thread is based on far out assumptions and it is going nowhere. The best argument presented so far is since Bush lied about WoMD Apple may have lied about PPC support in Leopard. Yes, and I may be John McCain. Lies occur. But you simply can base a discussion on nothing but that.
I have changed my mind. This thread IS too stupid. I´ll close it now and reopen if any evidence of non PPC support in Leopard ever surface.