Since when is a notebook a workstation? Isn't a workstation a desktop computer?
It depends on which definition you use.
A "workstation" as in a CAD/CAM machine can also be a laptop, but usually not. A "workstation" as in "a space where you do your work" can also imply a any kind of desktop/laptop/tablet where all the tools (apps) are immediately available "at that station"
It's a bit of an anachronism, but people still "take their laptop home" because they need to be able to work at home or on the road.
A dumb terminal can be considered a workstation in some enviroments ... For some use cases, a workstation computer is used (functions) as a dumb terminal.
All of development at my company uses Macs. We have for years. We develop for Mac OS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, WinPhone, and HTML platforms. We use C 11, Objective-C, Java, C#, and JavaScript. Source control is all through git. All of this can be done on a Mac. It is really nice never having to switch machines and its really nice having a native command line interface to the machine.
Neither the article's author nor the commenters have asked this critical question: will these laptops be configured with OS X, Windows, or both, and if both, through Apple's Bootcamp or some other mechanism?
I suspect that it will be both!
OS X allows:
seamless integraten with iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches used internally by IBM
seamless integraten with iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches deployed by IBM to enterprise
The above is especially significant for those involved with the IBM/Apple Mobile First partnership, as most of the software is purportedly developed with Swift.
SOT, I expected a new Xcode release for developers this week -- particularly for Swift enhancements ...
Sigh ... Looks like the next Xcode release will be at WWDC -- possibly with a Swift 1.3 beta and some new Swift APIs tailored for native Watch apps, New Apple TV, HomeKit, HealthKit, iCloud, FoundationDB, IBM Cloud Services.
As a "re-switcher" I installed Win 7 in my MBA in a Boot Camp partition and to my mind it's been a distinctly sub-par Windows experience compared to even my old HP Vista tower. The trackpad (and the external mouse) are super fidgety... ...there are things I can't adjust etc.
I also don't want to complexify the stability of my Mac environment with Parallels (and Windows) - the most consumer-oriented version of "converging" the two.... ...so for those tasks I still need Win-specific software for (legacy stuff in my case), I'm planning to buy a separate < $500 Win 10 laptop this fall (after a few months for that to shake out), and "ne'er the twain shall meet" - save via DropBox, SugarSync and online Office....
Jus' sayin'......
I can't comment on using Parallels. I use VMware Fusion since it's the gold standard for virtualization. Been using it dependably for seven years. As long as it is not used as a "gaming PC", I find the performance on-par with dedicated Wintel PC's. I use it to run/test all platforms from Windows XP to Windows 10, and also Windows Server 2012, and all the enterprise software packages for those systems. At times I run up to four VM's on my iMac when testing and configuring systems for clients. VMware has been a solid vendor for VM hypervisor on OSX. On my Macbook Pro, I currently run Windows 7 and Windows 8 when using my Windows-only software development tools for our IBM Midrange systems.
I'm not certain I know what you mean by adding complexity to your OSX system with a VM setup. It certainly doesn't do that with VMware. It stays out of the way when not in use and I can (and do) configure my Windows VM's with the necessary system resources when running. When my Windows environment takes a dump (as Windows usually does) I can click a button, and immediately restore my entire Windows system back to a prior state in seconds.
I use external handheld devices (via USB) to my Windows systems with zero issues. Everything works. Many years ago I had an issue with a specific handheld device, and VMware invited me to their engineering building in Silicon Valley to work with their engineers to make it work. That is customer service! Since then, have never had any problems with plugging devices, or getting any kind of Windows-only software to work.
If you're spending $500 for a separate machine to run your Windows-only stuff, that sounds more complicated than having it all on one machine. I'd never go back to that kind of setup again.
It'll be a wonderful market test. But the proportion of Macs may not be as high as folks think, because the one thing that a lot of businesses use, especially companies like IBM, is statistical simulation software and there are none for OS X. (Yes, you can use virtual versions of Windows, but it's a pain).
It'll be a wonderful market test. But the proportion of Macs may not be as high as folks think, because the one thing that a lot of businesses use, especially companies like IBM, is statistical simulation software and there are none for OS X. (Yes, you can use virtual versions of Windows, but it's a pain).
I'm not a business user, and I don't use Windows, but can't somebody boot directly into windows from their Macbook, and no virtualization is needed?
I'm not a business user, and I don't use Windows, but can't somebody boot directly into windows from their Macbook, and no virtualization is needed?
Yes, you can, with BootCamp. It may work with Windows 10, I don't know. But having BC on one of my computers, it has been my experience that's also a pain to switch back and forth, and to be able to transfer or keep straight my files between OS and Windows.
Add: You can also work off of a corporate server. The larger point is, It is a little puzzling as to why there is no statistical simulation software for the Mac. You'd think it was a business opportunity (including for IBM, which now owns SPSS, a company that makes statistical -- including g simulation -- software.)
Neither the article's author nor the commenters have asked this critical question: will these laptops be configured with OS X, Windows, or both, and if both, through Apple's Bootcamp or some other mechanism?
As others have said, IBM is no longer in the desktop/laptop front-end business, they are totally in the backend server business. Since they provide server products that run under Windows, they will need to have some Windows computers for testing but after their collaboration with Apple was announced, there really aren't many reasons to push Windows PCs onto most programmers and support personnel. I bet IBM's major database, cloud and commerce software are usually hosted on linux servers so OSX can handle all the terminal sessions necessary to write and compile the software. Now I have to wonder whether Apple will again release an SMB server based on a combination of open source and IBM server software. Of course, Apple would need to find someone to build the server hardware since IBM got rid of that as well (except for the supercomputer stuff).
How's the thunderbolt when in VM? Are there Windows drivers for that?
Can you be specific? I connect my rMBP to my Thunderbolt display every day at the office with zero problems in Windows. USB devices work just fine.
If you're querying about a TB-NAS server, I can't say since I don't have one. What I do know is that any disk storage system that is viewable/accessable in OSX can also be set up to be "seen" by VMware. I simply "share" the device via a panel in VMware and it appears as a network folder in Windows. I do that all the time with my ethernet-NAS server.
How's the thunderbolt when in VM? Are there Windows drivers for that?
Can you be specific? I connect my rMBP to my Thunderbolt display every day at the office with zero problems in Windows. USB devices work just fine.
If you're querying about a TB-NAS server, I can't say since I don't have one. What I do know is that any disk storage system that is viewable/accessable in OSX can also be set up to be "seen" by VMware. I simply "share" the device via a panel in VMware and it appears as a network folder in Windows. I do that all the time with my ethernet-NAS server.
So, I infer that the VM software is handling the Thunderbolt interface ...
I can't comment on using Parallels. I use VMware Fusion since it's the gold standard for virtualization. Been using it dependably for seven years. As long as it is not used as a "gaming PC", I find the performance on-par with dedicated Wintel PC's. I use it to run/test all platforms from Windows XP to Windows 10, and also Windows Server 2012, and all the enterprise software packages for those systems. At times I run up to four VM's on my iMac when testing and configuring systems for clients. VMware has been a solid vendor for VM hypervisor on OSX. On my Macbook Pro, I currently run Windows 7 and Windows 8 when using my Windows-only software development tools for our IBM Midrange systems.
I'm not certain I know what you mean by adding complexity to your OSX system with a VM setup. It certainly doesn't do that with VMware. It stays out of the way when not in use and I can (and do) configure my Windows VM's with the necessary system resources when running. When my Windows environment takes a dump (as Windows usually does) I can click a button, and immediately restore my entire Windows system back to a prior state in seconds.
I use external handheld devices (via USB) to my Windows systems with zero issues. Everything works. Many years ago I had an issue with a specific handheld device, and VMware invited me to their engineering building in Silicon Valley to work with their engineers to make it work. That is customer service! Since then, have never had any problems with plugging devices, or getting any kind of Windows-only software to work.
If you're spending $500 for a separate machine to run your Windows-only stuff, that sounds more complicated than having it all on one machine. I'd never go back to that kind of setup again.
likewise -- i use my macs plus VMWare Fusion for most all of my dev duties, which is usually VS.NET, SQL Server, etc.. It works pretty well. as a plus i can use the VMs my clients already have without anything more than a conversion the first time.
MS even has a number of VMs out there for testing web apps in various versions of IE:
It'll be a wonderful market test. But the proportion of Macs may not be as high as folks think, because the one thing that a lot of businesses use, especially companies like IBM, is statistical simulation software and there are none for OS X. (Yes, you can use virtual versions of Windows, but it's a pain).
My hope is this gets them to port more of it over. They're pushing a bunch to iPad anyway.
Comments
Nobody ever got fired for buying Apple.
Brilliant for those old enough to catch the ref....!
At work: company issue- PC laptop, dock, keyboard, mouse & 2 monitors - can go anywhere on our campus
From home - same company issue PC laptop - with my own monitor, keyboard, mouse & 1 monitor.
Personal property - world at home - MBP 15", monitor, magic mouse (optional since track pad is so responsive) & keyboard & numerous other devices.
If I had the option I'd ditch the PC & go Mac all the way - with Parallels if projects required using MS software - while still using a Mac.
A dumb terminal can be considered a workstation in some enviroments ... For some use cases, a workstation computer is used (functions) as a dumb terminal.
I suspect that it will be both!
OS X allows:
The above is especially significant for those involved with the IBM/Apple Mobile First partnership, as most of the software is purportedly developed with Swift.
SOT, I expected a new Xcode release for developers this week -- particularly for Swift enhancements ...
Sigh ... Looks like the next Xcode release will be at WWDC -- possibly with a Swift 1.3 beta and some new Swift APIs tailored for native Watch apps, New Apple TV, HomeKit, HealthKit, iCloud, FoundationDB, IBM Cloud Services.
LOL
Best quote of the decade!
IBM should release the results after all of their workers have chosen!
I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like Apple 94.2% PC 5.8% !" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />
As a "re-switcher" I installed Win 7 in my MBA in a Boot Camp partition and to my mind it's been a distinctly sub-par Windows experience compared to even my old HP Vista tower. The trackpad (and the external mouse) are super fidgety... ...there are things I can't adjust etc.
I also don't want to complexify the stability of my Mac environment with Parallels (and Windows) - the most consumer-oriented version of "converging" the two.... ...so for those tasks I still need Win-specific software for (legacy stuff in my case), I'm planning to buy a separate < $500 Win 10 laptop this fall (after a few months for that to shake out), and "ne'er the twain shall meet" - save via DropBox, SugarSync and online Office....
Jus' sayin'......
I can't comment on using Parallels. I use VMware Fusion since it's the gold standard for virtualization. Been using it dependably for seven years. As long as it is not used as a "gaming PC", I find the performance on-par with dedicated Wintel PC's. I use it to run/test all platforms from Windows XP to Windows 10, and also Windows Server 2012, and all the enterprise software packages for those systems. At times I run up to four VM's on my iMac when testing and configuring systems for clients. VMware has been a solid vendor for VM hypervisor on OSX. On my Macbook Pro, I currently run Windows 7 and Windows 8 when using my Windows-only software development tools for our IBM Midrange systems.
I'm not certain I know what you mean by adding complexity to your OSX system with a VM setup. It certainly doesn't do that with VMware. It stays out of the way when not in use and I can (and do) configure my Windows VM's with the necessary system resources when running. When my Windows environment takes a dump (as Windows usually does) I can click a button, and immediately restore my entire Windows system back to a prior state in seconds.
I use external handheld devices (via USB) to my Windows systems with zero issues. Everything works. Many years ago I had an issue with a specific handheld device, and VMware invited me to their engineering building in Silicon Valley to work with their engineers to make it work. That is customer service! Since then, have never had any problems with plugging devices, or getting any kind of Windows-only software to work.
If you're spending $500 for a separate machine to run your Windows-only stuff, that sounds more complicated than having it all on one machine. I'd never go back to that kind of setup again.
It'll be a wonderful market test. But the proportion of Macs may not be as high as folks think, because the one thing that a lot of businesses use, especially companies like IBM, is statistical simulation software and there are none for OS X. (Yes, you can use virtual versions of Windows, but it's a pain).
I'm not a business user, and I don't use Windows, but can't somebody boot directly into windows from their Macbook, and no virtualization is needed?
Yes, you can, with BootCamp. It may work with Windows 10, I don't know. But having BC on one of my computers, it has been my experience that's also a pain to switch back and forth, and to be able to transfer or keep straight my files between OS and Windows.
Add: You can also work off of a corporate server. The larger point is, It is a little puzzling as to why there is no statistical simulation software for the Mac. You'd think it was a business opportunity (including for IBM, which now owns SPSS, a company that makes statistical -- including g simulation -- software.)
Neither the article's author nor the commenters have asked this critical question: will these laptops be configured with OS X, Windows, or both, and if both, through Apple's Bootcamp or some other mechanism?
As others have said, IBM is no longer in the desktop/laptop front-end business, they are totally in the backend server business. Since they provide server products that run under Windows, they will need to have some Windows computers for testing but after their collaboration with Apple was announced, there really aren't many reasons to push Windows PCs onto most programmers and support personnel. I bet IBM's major database, cloud and commerce software are usually hosted on linux servers so OSX can handle all the terminal sessions necessary to write and compile the software. Now I have to wonder whether Apple will again release an SMB server based on a combination of open source and IBM server software. Of course, Apple would need to find someone to build the server hardware since IBM got rid of that as well (except for the supercomputer stuff).
I can't comment on using Parallels. I use VMware Fusion since it's the gold standard for virtualization.
How's the thunderbolt when in VM? Are there Windows drivers for that?
That's a good question!
Does any of the Mac virtualization software support Thunderbolt on Windows? On Linux?
I only use Thunderbolt RAIDS for storage on my Mac.
How's the thunderbolt when in VM? Are there Windows drivers for that?
Can you be specific? I connect my rMBP to my Thunderbolt display every day at the office with zero problems in Windows. USB devices work just fine.
If you're querying about a TB-NAS server, I can't say since I don't have one. What I do know is that any disk storage system that is viewable/accessable in OSX can also be set up to be "seen" by VMware. I simply "share" the device via a panel in VMware and it appears as a network folder in Windows. I do that all the time with my ethernet-NAS server.
So, I infer that the VM software is handling the Thunderbolt interface ...
I wonder what happens with Bootcamp.
likewise -- i use my macs plus VMWare Fusion for most all of my dev duties, which is usually VS.NET, SQL Server, etc.. It works pretty well. as a plus i can use the VMs my clients already have without anything more than a conversion the first time.
MS even has a number of VMs out there for testing web apps in various versions of IE:
http://dev.modern.ie/tools/vms/
...it just doesnt get any easier.
My hope is this gets them to port more of it over. They're pushing a bunch to iPad anyway.
Thunderbolt isn't Mac-exclusive. It has full Windows support.