Can you tell me why the Powermac and laptop crowd should wait?
Powermac were just upgraded. Steve did not give any hope of a PB G5 to ever happen. IBM looks stuck on their current G5 models (just look at the minor Powermac upgrade). So I don't see any significant upgrade coming until probably middle or end of next year.
I can't see why to wait for Power Mac updates (although I wouldn't be surprised if we still see the 970MP by January) but the laptop crowd (I'm in there) might want for a minor bump or maybe price drop.
I don't see that there's much pressure on prices the way some are predicting. Yeah, I'd buy a used G4 Powerbook if the prices bottomed, but why should they until Mactel units start shipping? G4 laptops are still, for better or worse, Apple's cream of the crop. If you sell yours, you have no option but to go buy a PC laptop. And why would you do that?
I have been reading these forums and am pretty confused. I was hemming and hawing between buying a 14" iBook or a 15" Powerbook both with Superdrive. I was waiting until the WWDC to see if there would be updates on either line up.
Now is it worth it to buy either one of these? Is there a PC laptop that compares to either of these? It seems like a lot of people are saying that this makes the Mac the same as a PC -- is this true?
I am a Mac fan -- I love the way OS works, but I don't want something I buy to be obsolete with no tech support within the next few years.
Reading these forums is like Jekyll and Hyde. Some people think it's great while others are predicting doom much worse than Y2K. While I love my G4 tower, I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Well, I'm still on track for buying a Powermac in the next month. They are fast machines, and all the software is optimized for it. Apple sells 1 million macs a quarter - it is going to take YEARS for the number of Mactels to surpass the PPCs. and that after the transition is complete. The PPC will be very well supported for the next 5 years easy.
I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Thanks!
I'm no techie either, but I can make a thing or two clear for you:
Buy a PC today and you will be stuck with Windows (or Linux) on that particular machine probably forever, unless you get some hacked version a few months after the Macs with Intel chips ship next year and some kid hacks it. Even then it's not guaranteed to work on any and every PC system. So you may be stuck with Windows forever. If that's okay with you, I recommend buying a PC because you can most certainly get a PC laptop that is as good as or far better than the G4 17". That statement is slightly contingent upon what you kind of work you do on your laptop.
Buy a Mac and you will have OS X on it right away and you will be able to get updates for it without a performance hit for some three years. Okay, I just made that number up. No one knows for sure, but I would bet three years.
I say if you like/love Macs, buy one. You might wait until there is an update or price drop. I too want an iBook 14" or a PB 17". I just don't want to buy at the end of a product cycle as I have in the past. I want to buy at the beginning. Hope that helps.
I do not think that Intel based Macs will be much cheaper if any than the current Macs. I would go ahead and buy now. I bought mine a month ago and I am OK with the decision to go Intel. It does not mean that Apple is going to the Wintel platform. It means they are using an Intel chip inside.
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Well, I'm still on track for buying a Powermac in the next month. They are fast machines, and all the software is optimized for it.
Good deal. You should definitely do that. If we all truly support Apple, then we should not let them down now. I do think that we will still be getting OS updates including Leopard when it is released and new software in the future due to some of the things that were said today during the keynote speech.
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Are you talking about just the physical processors or the entire machine?
A 3.6 GHz P4 based PC is not a 3.6 GHz P4 based Mac. I would definitely spend an extra bit of money to open up the machine and see the beauty that inside the Mac. No cables to be seen. Yes, they are there, but hey... it is a thing of beauty.
I just wish some of the system options were coming out sooner. If a new Intel based PowerBook was coming out soon, I might think about buying a new laptop pretty soon.
I have been reading these forums and am pretty confused. I was hemming and hawing between buying a 14" iBook or a 15" Powerbook both with Superdrive. I was waiting until the WWDC to see if there would be updates on either line up.
Now is it worth it to buy either one of these? Is there a PC laptop that compares to either of these? It seems like a lot of people are saying that this makes the Mac the same as a PC -- is this true?
I am a Mac fan -- I love the way OS works, but I don't want something I buy to be obsolete with no tech support within the next few years.
Reading these forums is like Jekyll and Hyde. Some people think it's great while others are predicting doom much worse than Y2K. While I love my G4 tower, I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Thanks!
No tech support? What in the blue hell are you talking about?
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
Are you talking about just the physical processors or the entire machine?
I have no idea if the development system is a Power Mac with an Intel inside or some ugly black Dell-like box. The only known facts about these development systems are the price and the CPU. I guess we'll have pictures in a couple of weeks when
What happened to the value of 68K Macs when the PPC macs came out? It didn't drop overnight, sure. But in a couple of years, when all the new software required a PPC, 68K Macs were selling for less than a penny on a dollar.
And this transition will happen much more quickly than that one did. PC users are used to their machines being valueless in three years, but it'll be a new experience to most of today's Mac users.
Look at the bright side: In a few years you'll be able to get a G5 at a thrift store for $10. It'll run old software just fine.
Thirdly, they stated that their developer tools are designed so that applications will compile for both PPC and x86. That suggests that applications made three years from now are likely to run as well as ever on PPC architecture.
What about the software a person currently owns? Will current users of software get a free upgrade to the dual platform versions? This could be software developer's wet dream. Make people buy a version to upgrade to current hardware.
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
You have to return it to Apple? How crazy is that? And if you don't return it I guess they put a lien on your house and sue the hell out of you.
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't know, and was making a hell of alot of inferences in my head, lol.
I was thinking about buying a Powerbook in a few weeks, but not now. I'd like to think that there will be "fat binaries" for all my programs in the future, but frankly I doubt it. There seems little reason for developers to spend much time optimizing their code for the PPC platform when x86 is the future [for Apple].
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
I was thinking about buying a Powerbook in a few weeks, but not now. I'd like to think that there will be "fat binaries" for all my programs in the future, but frankly I doubt it. There seems little reason for developers to spend much time optimizing their code for the PPC platform when x86 is the future [for Apple].
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
It's definitely the end of an era.
I feel ya. I'd get read of it asap too. I think Jobs is a smart guy and all, but he came out of this looking like one thing, a liar.
I was thinking about buying a Powerbook in a few weeks, but not now. I'd like to think that there will be "fat binaries" for all my programs in the future, but frankly I doubt it. There seems little reason for developers to spend much time optimizing their code for the PPC platform when x86 is the future [for Apple].
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
It's definitely the end of an era.
remember, most os x programs are cocoa which just need to be compiled for both at the same time..it really doesnt seem like hard work to me
remember, most os x programs are cocoa which just need to be compiled for both at the same time..it really doesnt seem like hard work to me
What about software that uses Altivec? The MMX programming model is a little different than Altivec. The Mathmatica example kinda tells me that they had no Altivec optumization.
Comments
Originally posted by gugy
Can you tell me why the Powermac and laptop crowd should wait?
Powermac were just upgraded. Steve did not give any hope of a PB G5 to ever happen. IBM looks stuck on their current G5 models (just look at the minor Powermac upgrade). So I don't see any significant upgrade coming until probably middle or end of next year.
I can't see why to wait for Power Mac updates (although I wouldn't be surprised if we still see the 970MP by January) but the laptop crowd (I'm in there) might want for a minor bump or maybe price drop.
I don't see that there's much pressure on prices the way some are predicting. Yeah, I'd buy a used G4 Powerbook if the prices bottomed, but why should they until Mactel units start shipping? G4 laptops are still, for better or worse, Apple's cream of the crop. If you sell yours, you have no option but to go buy a PC laptop. And why would you do that?
Now is it worth it to buy either one of these? Is there a PC laptop that compares to either of these? It seems like a lot of people are saying that this makes the Mac the same as a PC -- is this true?
I am a Mac fan -- I love the way OS works, but I don't want something I buy to be obsolete with no tech support within the next few years.
Reading these forums is like Jekyll and Hyde. Some people think it's great while others are predicting doom much worse than Y2K. While I love my G4 tower, I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Thanks!
Originally posted by ChappySinclair
I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Thanks!
I'm no techie either, but I can make a thing or two clear for you:
Buy a PC today and you will be stuck with Windows (or Linux) on that particular machine probably forever, unless you get some hacked version a few months after the Macs with Intel chips ship next year and some kid hacks it. Even then it's not guaranteed to work on any and every PC system. So you may be stuck with Windows forever. If that's okay with you, I recommend buying a PC because you can most certainly get a PC laptop that is as good as or far better than the G4 17". That statement is slightly contingent upon what you kind of work you do on your laptop.
Buy a Mac and you will have OS X on it right away and you will be able to get updates for it without a performance hit for some three years. Okay, I just made that number up. No one knows for sure, but I would bet three years.
I say if you like/love Macs, buy one. You might wait until there is an update or price drop. I too want an iBook 14" or a PB 17". I just don't want to buy at the end of a product cycle as I have in the past. I want to buy at the beginning. Hope that helps.
Originally posted by kwsanders
I do not think that Intel based Macs will be much cheaper if any than the current Macs. I would go ahead and buy now. I bought mine a month ago and I am OK with the decision to go Intel. It does not mean that Apple is going to the Wintel platform. It means they are using an Intel chip inside.
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Originally posted by the cool gut
Well, I'm still on track for buying a Powermac in the next month. They are fast machines, and all the software is optimized for it.
Good deal. You should definitely do that. If we all truly support Apple, then we should not let them down now. I do think that we will still be getting OS updates including Leopard when it is released and new software in the future due to some of the things that were said today during the keynote speech.
Originally posted by markoh
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Are you talking about just the physical processors or the entire machine?
A 3.6 GHz P4 based PC is not a 3.6 GHz P4 based Mac. I would definitely spend an extra bit of money to open up the machine and see the beauty that inside the Mac. No cables to be seen. Yes, they are there, but hey... it is a thing of beauty.
I just wish some of the system options were coming out sooner. If a new Intel based PowerBook was coming out soon, I might think about buying a new laptop pretty soon.
Originally posted by ChappySinclair
I have been reading these forums and am pretty confused. I was hemming and hawing between buying a 14" iBook or a 15" Powerbook both with Superdrive. I was waiting until the WWDC to see if there would be updates on either line up.
Now is it worth it to buy either one of these? Is there a PC laptop that compares to either of these? It seems like a lot of people are saying that this makes the Mac the same as a PC -- is this true?
I am a Mac fan -- I love the way OS works, but I don't want something I buy to be obsolete with no tech support within the next few years.
Reading these forums is like Jekyll and Hyde. Some people think it's great while others are predicting doom much worse than Y2K. While I love my G4 tower, I am not a technophile like some of you so please explain pros and cons of buying now vs. waiting or even buying a PC laptop.
Thanks!
No tech support? What in the blue hell are you talking about?
Originally posted by markoh
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
Originally posted by kwsanders
Are you talking about just the physical processors or the entire machine?
I have no idea if the development system is a Power Mac with an Intel inside or some ugly black Dell-like box. The only known facts about these development systems are the price and the CPU. I guess we'll have pictures in a couple of weeks when
they start actually shipping these.
And this transition will happen much more quickly than that one did. PC users are used to their machines being valueless in three years, but it'll be a new experience to most of today's Mac users.
Look at the bright side: In a few years you'll be able to get a G5 at a thrift store for $10. It'll run old software just fine.
Originally posted by Hudson1
Thirdly, they stated that their developer tools are designed so that applications will compile for both PPC and x86. That suggests that applications made three years from now are likely to run as well as ever on PPC architecture.
What about the software a person currently owns? Will current users of software get a free upgrade to the dual platform versions? This could be software developer's wet dream. Make people buy a version to upgrade to current hardware.
Originally posted by bostongeek
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
You have to return it to Apple? How crazy is that? And if you don't return it I guess they put a lien on your house and sue the hell out of you.
Originally posted by bostongeek
Heh, but you don't have to return the 1.8GHz G5 PowerMac, whereas the developers have to return the transition machines to Apple. So, any inference you make on price is pretty baseless.
Thanks for pointing that out! I didn't know, and was making a hell of alot of inferences in my head, lol.
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
It's definitely the end of an era.
Originally posted by bucci
I was thinking about buying a Powerbook in a few weeks, but not now. I'd like to think that there will be "fat binaries" for all my programs in the future, but frankly I doubt it. There seems little reason for developers to spend much time optimizing their code for the PPC platform when x86 is the future [for Apple].
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
It's definitely the end of an era.
I feel ya. I'd get read of it asap too. I think Jobs is a smart guy and all, but he came out of this looking like one thing, a liar.
Originally posted by bucci
I was thinking about buying a Powerbook in a few weeks, but not now. I'd like to think that there will be "fat binaries" for all my programs in the future, but frankly I doubt it. There seems little reason for developers to spend much time optimizing their code for the PPC platform when x86 is the future [for Apple].
When I bought my PowerMac G5, I saw it as an investment that'll last me at least 4 years. Now with the PPC being Apple's red headed step child, I really see no need in keeping it. Thus, off to eBay it goes before it depreciates any more... My old iBook will hold me over for another year and change.
If you really need a Mac, buy one now. If you're looking for a speed upgrade, you're better off holding out.
It's definitely the end of an era.
remember, most os x programs are cocoa which just need to be compiled for both at the same time..it really doesnt seem like hard work to me
Originally posted by cj171
remember, most os x programs are cocoa which just need to be compiled for both at the same time..it really doesnt seem like hard work to me
What about software that uses Altivec? The MMX programming model is a little different than Altivec. The Mathmatica example kinda tells me that they had no Altivec optumization.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to own the 1st generation of Intel Macs. I'd rather let Apple get the bugs out.
Originally posted by markoh
If the currently offered development system is any indication,
you might be wrong. 3.6GHz P4 for $1K, whereas 1.8GHz Power Mac is $1.5K.
Can you say INCENTIVE?
My guess is that Apple is selling those things at or below cost to get people on board. No price inferences possible from that.
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