Obsolete Hardware

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Over on this MacRumours Forum;



http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...hreadid=112302



I am told that if I have a Mac with a USB 1.1 interface, that my computer is obsolete and I shouldn't complain about the lack of Firewire cables with most new iPods.



Well - I also have Firewire800 on my dual processor 1.42GHz G4 Mac, that is running 7 user accounts quite happily under 10.3.8. Is that further evidence that my computer is obsolete? I have used Apple computers since before the Mac existed and know when my gear is obsolete, which it isn't!



Point is, I have suffered professionally by sticking with the Mac, being at one stage the last staff member allowed (or tolerated) to use one in our workplace. My message to Apple is YOU SUCK!



The Mac is the best personal computing platform. I use XP because I cannot avoid it and have built computers running Linux but the Mac is best. Apple as a company however is just full of it!



On the Apple store at least, a Firewire cable should be a zero cost option. That way, if you know enough to request one, it is quite likely that you also know why you want (need) it. Apple - are you listening - I doubt it.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally posted by IQatEdo

    Point is, I have suffered professionally by sticking with the Mac



    My message to Apple is YOU SUCK!



    The Mac is the best personal computing platform.



    So how do you suffer professionally by new iPods not coming equipped with firewire? Surely if you have been w/ Apple all these years then you should have a couple firewire w/ connectors around. I have 3 myself and don't consider myself a "PRO"
  • Reply 2 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by trailmaster308

    So how do you suffer professionally by new iPods not coming equipped with firewire? Surely if you have been w/ Apple all these years then you should have a couple firewire w/ connectors around. I have 3 myself and don't consider myself a "PRO"



    Sure! All my Firewire cables are attached to devices, why should another vendor or separate purchase provide what Mac users want with their Apple product. And the argument has nothing to do with profession but with Apple users as clients!



    Epson made me purchase a cable to connect a new printer but that's USB and Epson isn't Apple (last time I looked). If Apple were follow Epson's (Mac) consumer model then we are in trouble, Epson don't give a stuff about the Mac, which is ALWAYS and afterthought to them.



    My take on things.
  • Reply 3 of 46
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,392member
    Macdailynews is that you??
  • Reply 4 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    Macdailynews is that you??



    Who!? Me?
  • Reply 5 of 46
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Who gives a rat?s ass about some friggen cable; the thing is 20 bucks for goodness sakes. Apple has less then 5% of computer market; there is a lot more windows users, so guess what their the majority of the iPod buyers. To keep costs low, Apple made a judgment call to, appease the millions or inconvenience the hundreds of Mac users with antiquated models. Yeah it sucks that both cables aren?t included, but almost everyone in these forums always complain about Apples prices. So what do you want? I know what I want, more Windows users buying iPod, see how easy the interface is, try a Mac computer, and increase this small market share. Besides, it?s just a MP3 player, geeesh!
  • Reply 6 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    Who gives a rat?s ass about some friggen cable; the thing is 20 bucks for goodness sakes. Apple has less then 5% of computer market; there is a lot more windows users, so guess what their the majority of the iPod buyers. To keep costs low, Apple made a judgment call to, appease the millions or inconvenience the hundreds of Mac users with antiquated models. Yeah it sucks that both cables aren?t included, but almost everyone in these forums always complain about Apples prices. So what do you want? I know what I want, more Windows users buying iPod, see how easy the interface is, try a Mac computer, and increase this small market share. Besides, it?s just a MP3 player, geeesh!



    Hi



    So Apple drops prices by making the customer pay more to make the product usable - that's what you are supporting!



    Who uses Firewire? Mac users. Which cable isn't included - the one Mac users use. Get a life - it's not only the principle but the deceit and again, abandoning those who stick with them.



    Is that the best you can do?
  • Reply 7 of 46
    Hmm, you can get a Firewire cable for less than $10.
  • Reply 8 of 46
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by IQatEdo

    Hi



    So Apple drops prices by making the customer pay more to make the product usable - that's what you are supporting!



    Who uses Firewire? Mac users. Which cable isn't included - the one Mac users use. Get a life - it's not only the principle but the deceit and again, abandoning those who stick with them.



    Is that the best you can do?




    No, I can do better STUPID HEAD!



    Seriously though, when have you ever seen Apple stand up for its users or show dignity, I mean are we children hear. Isn?t Apple in this to make money, greeds the game? Why aren?t you complaining about why that thumb drive with an earphone plug doesn?t have Firewire? What if the iPod never came with a firewire and only USB? I know I would be scrambling to update my obsolete USB 1.1 to an $9.99 PCI USB CARD 2.0. Again it?s just a MP3 player.
  • Reply 9 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    No, I can do better STUPID HEAD!



    Seriously though, when have you ever seen Apple stand up for its users or show dignity, I mean are we children hear. Isn?t Apple in this to make money, greeds the game? Why aren?t you complaining about why that thumb drive with an earphone plug doesn?t have Firewire? What if the iPod never came with a firewire and only USB? I know I would be scrambling to update my obsolete USB 1.1 to an $9.99 PCI USB CARD 2.0. Again it?s just a MP3 player.




    Now, now - don't be so touchy.



    I'm right though. I stick by those I believe in whether they stick by me or not anyway - just me I guess.
  • Reply 10 of 46
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by IQatEdo

    Now, now - don't be so touchy.



    I'm right though. I stick by those I believe in whether they stick by me or not anyway - just me I guess.




    I wasn't being touchy I just added the "stupid" part as a funny because I thought you were getting touchy, just playing. Look I understand were your coming from, Firewire was the de facto cable for the iPod and Apple really needs to stop playing its users like a YoYo. But as we can see with the Mac Mini I think Apple is starting to play hardball with PC users and that means cutting cost where it can to accommodate those poor broke weenies.
  • Reply 11 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    I wasn't being touchy I just added the "stupid" part as a funny because I thought you were getting touchy, just playing. Look I understand were your coming from, Firewire was the de facto cable for the iPod and Apple really needs to stop playing its users like a YoYo. But as we can see with the Mac Mini I think Apple is starting to play hardball with PC users and that means cutting cost where it can to accommodate those weenies.



    So, make the Firewire cable a zero cost (replacement for USB) option. Mac users deserve much better than what Apple has done here, it's as simple as that.



    All the best to you too.
  • Reply 12 of 46
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Previous iPods came with both cables. Now that so many iPod users are on USB2 equiped windows machines, the firewire cable is actually used fairly infrequently. To give the bulk of consumers a price break, apple unbundled the cable. This hurts nobody.



    Excessive delusions of persecution anyone?
  • Reply 13 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Previous iPods came with both cables. Now that so many iPod users are on USB2 equiped windows machines, the firewire cable is actually used fairly infrequently. To give the bulk of consumers a price break, apple unbundled the cable. This hurts nobody.



    Excessive delusions of persecution anyone?




    You win - I give up.



    After saying this however, just to say it again - that Apple, at the risk of making Mac users pay more than others for the privilege of using an iPod, have in throwing away the Firewire cable improved their margin on sales to Windows users. To me that stinks, no other way to describe it.



    I'm not delusional either, I don't like cheating.
  • Reply 14 of 46
    Here's something I have never understood...I have always thought of Firewire as far superior to USB. So why isn't it more abundant in PC land?
  • Reply 15 of 46
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Even though firewire is theoretically better, USB is cheaper as well as 'good enough' for most PC users. Cheaper + good-enough sounds like the reasoning behind choosing a PC in the first place... usb fits this philosophy perfectly.



    IQatEdo, I really don't get your feelings of persecution. Larger markets benefit from economies of scale. Since it isn't economical for apple to market, package, and stock multiple bundles for every iPod, it only makes sense for their standard bundle to cater to the bulk of iPod purchasers, PC users.



    That's just the way mass production works. If you would like to pay the absolute minimum, start using the most widely used platform. Most of us are mature enough to recognize this and make decisions accordingly.



    Nobody is being cheated. We as mac users are simply paying more to support our relatively rare interconnect technology.
  • Reply 16 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    We as mac users are simply paying more to support our relatively rare interconnect technology.



    Well I don't see how it's cheaper or rare. Every Sony computer has Firewire (or as they call it "iLink"). Every consumer-based digital video camera has a Firewire input, whether it's Sony, Panasonic, JVC, etc. There are lots of devices with Firewire. ADC vs. DVI would be one thing, but USB vs. FireWire is another. Firewire is clearly superior and there should be no reason that any PC (or Mac for that matter) should be without a firewire connection standard.
  • Reply 17 of 46
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by DHagan4755

    Well I don't see how it's cheaper or rare. Every Sony computer has Firewire (or as they call it "iLink"). Every consumer-based digital video camera has a Firewire input, whether it's Sony, Panasonic, JVC, etc. There are lots of devices with Firewire. ADC vs. DVI would be one thing, but USB vs. FireWire is another. Firewire is clearly superior and there should be no reason that any PC (or Mac for that matter) should be without a firewire connection standard.



    Thankyou for adding something useful to the argument.



    As for a previous post stating that 'we Mac users are paying more to support a relatively rare interconnect technology' - this is a breathtaking comment. Who is making us pay more? The company that has pushed that 'relatively rare interconnect technology' and has more interest in it than just about anyone, Apple Computer!



    Is it all too hard to understand? And to those of you who are all grown up and mature enough to accept Apple's disdain, good luck to you.
  • Reply 18 of 46
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Apple simply un-bundled a relatively seldomly used cord... and then lowered the price accordingly. You can still buy the cord and not pay any more than you were before.



    You seem a bit too paranoid for the situation at hand. The world is not out to get you simply because a company unbundled a wire while simultaneously lowering the price of said bundle.



    "Apple's disdain"



    Such an extreme interpretation of the situation seems a bit unhealthy and indicative of something deeper. Perhaps deep breaths and more face-to-face socialization would help?
  • Reply 19 of 46
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Apple simply un-bundled a relatively seldomly used cord... and then lowered the price accordingly. You can still buy the cord and not pay any more than you were before.



    You seem a bit too paranoid for the situation at hand. The world is not out to get you simply because a company unbundled a wire while simultaneously lowering the price of said bundle.



    "Apple's disdain"



    Such an extreme interpretation of the situation seems a bit unhealthy and indicative of something deeper. Perhaps deep breaths and more face-to-face socialization would help?






    I have to totally agree with the original poster. If Apple needed to un-bundle a cord to lower costs they could have un-bundle the useless USB cord. Firewire is Apple technology and far superior to USB so if some PC users do not have a firewire port on their crappy machines is should be up to them to buy an USB cable.
  • Reply 20 of 46
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    While I disagree that firewire is better than usb for the iPod in particular, at least you're arguing the logic of apple's bundle contents... unlike the troll who started this thread.



    To me, since firewire and usb offer equal performance for iPod syncing on the PC, usb seems to be the logical choice of cable's in the standard bundle. While firewire is a better technology in general, in this particular instance it performs about equal to usb.



    Given that the firewire cord is unused by the vast majority of iPod owners it seems logical to drop it from the bundle. Given that the usb cable is used by nearly all PC equiped iPod owners, it is good to keep the usb cable in the bundle.



    At one time, us mac users represented the majority of iPod owners. This is no longer the case. We no longer drive the iPod market and Apple's choice of bundled cables simply reflects that trend.
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