Will Jaguar cost us?
I was quite sure that Apple wouldn't charge for Jaguar, but now that it's been announced a few things make me think Apple is going to charge for it:
1. Jobs keeps calling it "Jaguar", rather than "10.2". It seems like he's avoiding the number issue, either because Apple hasn't decided yet, or because he wants people to focus on the new features and not the PRICE.
2. It's not going to be out until September. What's that...a full year after 10.1? That's a long time between free updates, and is more typical of updates that Apple has charged for in the past.
3. The feature set. Jaguar is more than a bug fix, it's loaded with features that are new to OS X, and to any Mac OS (it doesn't simply bring OS X up to feature parity with OS 9). Some things should have been in OS X from the beginning, like Quartz Extreme, but it's hard to argue that features like inkwell, sherlock 3, rendevouz, and iChat all should have been in OS X from the beginning.
Thus it seems that Apple is going to charge for this update. The question is, how much? What did Apple charge for the update from OS 8.6 to OS 9.0? $99? If so, then I suspect Jaguar is going to cost $99-$129.
Not that I'm complaining, I think a case can be made that this update of OS X will be worth the upgrade price. It's a big leap over 10.1, and it's a SURE THING that Jaguar will render all discussion about performance moot.
[ 05-06-2002: Message edited by: Junkyard Dawg ]</p>
1. Jobs keeps calling it "Jaguar", rather than "10.2". It seems like he's avoiding the number issue, either because Apple hasn't decided yet, or because he wants people to focus on the new features and not the PRICE.
2. It's not going to be out until September. What's that...a full year after 10.1? That's a long time between free updates, and is more typical of updates that Apple has charged for in the past.
3. The feature set. Jaguar is more than a bug fix, it's loaded with features that are new to OS X, and to any Mac OS (it doesn't simply bring OS X up to feature parity with OS 9). Some things should have been in OS X from the beginning, like Quartz Extreme, but it's hard to argue that features like inkwell, sherlock 3, rendevouz, and iChat all should have been in OS X from the beginning.
Thus it seems that Apple is going to charge for this update. The question is, how much? What did Apple charge for the update from OS 8.6 to OS 9.0? $99? If so, then I suspect Jaguar is going to cost $99-$129.
Not that I'm complaining, I think a case can be made that this update of OS X will be worth the upgrade price. It's a big leap over 10.1, and it's a SURE THING that Jaguar will render all discussion about performance moot.
[ 05-06-2002: Message edited by: Junkyard Dawg ]</p>
Comments
Not only that, but many of us who bought their G4s within the last year have to go out and buy new video cards.
I think Quartz Extreme should be a free update for sure. It's some bad-ass technology, but all it does is bring OS X's GUI up to speed with OS 9's. That's something Apple owes us.
But does Apple REALLY owe us enhancements like Sherlock 3, Rendevouz, Inkwell, and iChat? Hard to say. I personally think this update should be free, but I don't believe Apple would agree, and I can see their point.
<strong>Good lord-if Apple charges us $100 after having us pay $129 for an OS that really wasn't ready for primetime I will be pissed! You guys must be rich or something, because charging us more than $20 for what amounts to what 10.1 SHOULD have been would be ludicrous. Is Apple owned by Microsoft all of a sudden?
Not only that, but many of us who bought their G4s within the last year have to go out and buy new video cards.</strong><hr></blockquote>
You're right that Apple shouldn't have charged us $129 for 10.0, but seriously this is a big update.
what I don't know
49-69 seems like the best choice they could make. at that pricepoint they'll be getting significant revenue and won't piss everyone off.
99 bucks is going to piss people off and isn't neccessary
<hr></blockquote>
I hope you're right, Applenut. That would be a fair upgrade price.
Has Apple ever charged this amount for a previous upgrade?
I'm pissed that Quartz Extreme will not be supported on my iBook. But I only use it for Word, E-mail and web, so I will survive. Looks like I will really have to replace my Rev.A iMac though. PowerMac with Studio Display here I come!
Escher
<strong>Apple will bring down the MSRP of OS X to $99 and that will be Jaguar's sale price. This is entirely reasonably considering people that upgraded to Windows 2000 Professional had to pay $199 just for Windows XP Professional "Upgrade."</strong><hr></blockquote>
please don't justify apple's possible actions by comparing them with what Microsoft does or did.
1.) it's extremely lame
2.) it means shit
It would be nice of Apple to give the people who got the Public Beta a discount as an award for 'The long slog' and as a mark that the OS has finally sort of 'finished'.
it will more than likely be called 10.2, remember Apple has got OSX as a brand and doing a 10.5 so soon means that we would be at 11.0 by the end of next year and have just 'pissed away' all that brand ID.
IMHO I think it could be called MacOS TEN (X) version 2. That way Apple can keep the OSX thing forever and just up the version numbers.
<strong>
please don't justify apple's possible actions by comparing them with what Microsoft does or did.
1.) it's extremely lame
2.) it means shit</strong><hr></blockquote>
Such is business. Sorry for that. Don't forget that this is what Apple has charge users for significant upgrades since OS 8. So you have both a comparative measure within Apple and within the industry.
To be honest, even though Apple's been sleazy lately in making people pay for what, up until 10.1, has been beta software, I still have to kind of agree that it's fair that Apple is charging. Everyone wants things cheaper for everything Apple, but really Apple's one of two computer company's who's not selling in the habbit of their souls to cheap customers and actually made a profit during the recession. Plus, even w/o the Aqua Extreme, Jaguar'll still probably be speedier--since it can't take 8 months to make a brushy but less buggy interface for AIM alone--from other system enhancements. Maybe it won't take me 10 minutes to scroll through my MP3 folder this time around;
Anyway, not that it makes a difference because it looks to be beautiful regardless, I think it's still just gonna be 10.2--I think their using the name Jaguar to make it seem larger w/o having to sacrifice .2-.4, and so they can more easily have their way with our credit cards ;D.
<strong>
please don't justify apple's possible actions by comparing them with what Microsoft does or did.
1.) it's extremely lame
2.) it means shit</strong><hr></blockquote>
Haha, nice
This is a fact of life now with Apple. Yearly updates will be paid for. R&D expenses are going up. They have to be paid for. I'm not thrilled at the prospect, but neither am I pissed about it.
If you are a student, get the student ADC membership for $99. You get the updates for free (plus other good stuff). If you aren't a student, take a class and get the student ADC subscription. Either you pay for the update or don't update (or you Rip, Mix, and Burn your own copy).
Maybe Apple should look at charging a yearly subscription fee and send all the updates for no extra charge.
I wish Apple was a monopoly and could give away free updates. Of course you would have to pay for MP3 encoding and DVD playback like you do with XP.