Official: Mac OS X Snow Leopard doesn't support PowerPC Macs
Documentation included with copies of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard distributed during Apple's developer conference this week confirm that the next-generation operating system does not presently support Macs with PowerPC processors.
LogicielMac.com has published a screen capture of the PDF-based requirements document included on the Snow Leopard disc that provides a rundown of the system's requirements.
The documentation states that in order to install Snow Leopard, developers must have a Mac computer with "an Intel processor" and at least 512MB of RAM, though additional memory is recommended for development purposes.
The findings confirm an AppleInsider report from last September, which cited people familiar with the ongoing development of Leopard as saying that Mac OS X 10.6 would in all likelihood exclude support for PowerPC processors.
According to the Snow Leopard documentation, the new system will also require an Apple-supplied video card, 9GB of hard disk space, and either an internal, external or shared DVD drive.
LogicielMac.com has published a screen capture of the PDF-based requirements document included on the Snow Leopard disc that provides a rundown of the system's requirements.
The documentation states that in order to install Snow Leopard, developers must have a Mac computer with "an Intel processor" and at least 512MB of RAM, though additional memory is recommended for development purposes.
The findings confirm an AppleInsider report from last September, which cited people familiar with the ongoing development of Leopard as saying that Mac OS X 10.6 would in all likelihood exclude support for PowerPC processors.
According to the Snow Leopard documentation, the new system will also require an Apple-supplied video card, 9GB of hard disk space, and either an internal, external or shared DVD drive.
Comments
Now watch as all the complaints from G5 users stream in.
I agree with the move, however.
- Display connected to an Apple-supplied video card
Connected with the missing "Mac" on the OS X banners, does this open the way for other PC manufacturers to offer OS X on their machines?
Is it possible that this particular build of 10.6 isn't fully compatible with PowerPC Macs, and that official support will be added in future builds?
In the past, requirements like this have not varied much from the developer builds to the release. All the evidence points to the end of PowerPC support w/ 10.6.
K
Is it possible that this particular build of 10.6 isn't fully compatible with PowerPC Macs, and that official support will be added in future builds?
Yes! Its absolutely possible. This "It's Official" stuff is pure crap. It will only be official when Apple announces that Snow Leopard is Intel only. Right now a developers preview first release working on Intel only is not good enough evidence in my mind.
You're reading too much into that I think. Its basically saying that it only has drivers for Apple hardware, so that third party GFX card you installed in your Mac Pro won't work.
I'm not sure how relevant it is to this speculation, but the iPhone SDK is Intel only.
Is it possible that this particular build of 10.6 isn't fully compatible with PowerPC Macs, and that official support will be added in future builds?
It's possible but unlikely. Apple rarely builds more support in over a development cycle than is initially available, even when they've promised to do so. They usually just end up narrowing the scope as release nears and cut the features entirely. By the time Snow Leopard is released in a year, it will be even less relevant than it is right now.
For get the Intel v. PPC question. The only Apple-specific requirement is:
- Display connected to an Apple-supplied video card
Connected with the missing "Mac" on the OS X banners, does this open the way for other PC manufacturers to offer OS X on their machines?
You're reading too much into that I think. Its basically saying that it only has drivers for Apple hardware, so that third party GFX card you installed in your Mac Pro won't work.
Wow! Its official.
Now watch as all the complaints from G5 users stream in.
I agree with the move, however.
Yeah, well.
After they acquired PA Semi I was hoping the PowerPC would stay in, or even end this unfortunate Intel alliance!
Developer Previews *USUALLY* run on a subset of the final supported hardware. It's a *PREVIEW*. The fact that PPC isn't mentioned means nothing about what the final shipping product may or may not support.
'Official' may get the clicks, but you really biffed it. It's speculation, nothing more. Jeez.
I See no valid reason why they would remove PPC support only to add it later on. As of right now, we have an official specification list from Apple that states "Intel only." We don't have to wait for JObs to say it on stage before it becomes canon.
Wrong. The early Rhapsody builds, the Dev Previews handed out at WWDC, required certain *models* of Macs to run on. This is normal. They haven't *removed* PPC support, it's that, to minimize their testing at this point in time, they haven't *done* PPC support. They simply turned it off. Checkbox in Xcode.
Yes! Its absolutely possible. This "It's Official" stuff is pure crap. It will only be official when Apple announces that Snow Leopard is Intel only. Right now a developers preview first release working on Intel only is not good enough evidence in my mind.
I See no valid reason why they would remove PPC support only to add it later on. As of right now, we have an official specification list from Apple that states "Intel only." We don't have to wait for JObs to say it on stage before it becomes canon.
If you don't want it then I don't see an issue with sticking with Leopard.
The problem is that many people feel their current system is now not worth using even though Apple continues to supply updates to the OS. If they want to have a "me first" attitude then you have to pony up the money for being an early adopter and not bitch about getting less tested HW and SW.
Yeah, well.
After they acquired PA Semi I was hoping the PowerPC would stay in, or even end this unfortunate Intel alliance!
There is nothing unfortunate about the move to Intel.
I See no valid reason why they would remove PPC support only to add it later on. As of right now, we have an official specification list from Apple that states "Intel only." We don't have to wait for JObs to say it on stage before it becomes canon.
We only have an specification list for the Developer Preview though, not Snow Leopard itself. I personally won't believe it until its listed on the Apple Snow Leopard page that its Intel only, anything up to then is speculation only. Apple could well have their reasons for limiting the DP to Intel only right now after all, we don't know their internal process.
Wrong. The early Rhapsody builds, the Dev Previews handed out at WWDC, required certain *models* of Macs to run on. This is normal. They haven't *removed* PPC support, it's that, to minimize their testing at this point in time, they haven't *done* PPC support. They simply turned it off. Checkbox in Xcode.
Your story does show precedence, but I hope you are wrong this time.
Though it's hard to argue with a psychic who is replying to your posts before you even make them. What's up with timestamps AI?
So the integrated graphics card in my MacBook? Will I be able to run 10.6?
It'll work fine as it's "supplied" by Apple when you purchased you MB.
Seems a little blatantly hardware sales-driven, on one hand, but a ways down the line on the other, thankfully.