Apple Mac mini purchase claimed to ship with Snow Leopard disc
An anonymous Mac mini buyer in Japan has claimed, with pictures, to have received with their purchase an install DVD of Snow Leopard, Apple's upcoming operating system release.
The pictures, sent to Engadget Japanese, have served further fuel speculation that Apple will release Snow Leopard this week, ahead of its announced September release. Numerous rumors and temporary Web site listings have pointed to an Aug. 28 launch.
The person claims to have received the Mac mini on Aug. 20. The purported disc is different than the retail disc previously shown, as is usually the case with pack-in install discs that often ship with hardware.
The tipster also sent screenshots of the disc's content when supposedly inserted into the Mac mini, including the software installer.
Rumors have surfaced that the current build of Snow Leopard, 10A432, is the Golden Master, meaning it is the final version before the product is released for duplication on optical media.
Even if Apple doesn't ship Snow Leopard this week, its release is likely imminent as numerous information and leaks continue to grow, signaling the operating system is ready for shipment.
Snow Leopard will cost $29 for the single user license and $49 for the five-license family pack. The new operating system will be available only for Mac computers with Intel processors. Also available are Mac OS X Server 10.6 Snow Leopard ($499) and two upgrade box sets: OS, iWork and iLife ($169) and the five-license family pack, iWork and iLife ($229).
The pictures, sent to Engadget Japanese, have served further fuel speculation that Apple will release Snow Leopard this week, ahead of its announced September release. Numerous rumors and temporary Web site listings have pointed to an Aug. 28 launch.
The person claims to have received the Mac mini on Aug. 20. The purported disc is different than the retail disc previously shown, as is usually the case with pack-in install discs that often ship with hardware.
The tipster also sent screenshots of the disc's content when supposedly inserted into the Mac mini, including the software installer.
Rumors have surfaced that the current build of Snow Leopard, 10A432, is the Golden Master, meaning it is the final version before the product is released for duplication on optical media.
Even if Apple doesn't ship Snow Leopard this week, its release is likely imminent as numerous information and leaks continue to grow, signaling the operating system is ready for shipment.
Snow Leopard will cost $29 for the single user license and $49 for the five-license family pack. The new operating system will be available only for Mac computers with Intel processors. Also available are Mac OS X Server 10.6 Snow Leopard ($499) and two upgrade box sets: OS, iWork and iLife ($169) and the five-license family pack, iWork and iLife ($229).
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Pappa!
The new operating system will be available only for Mac computers with Intel processors.
That will, unfortunately, dramatically slow down the adoption of Snow Leopard and any software designed to run only with SL.
Rumors have surfaced that the current build of Snow Leopard, 10A432, is the Golden Master, meaning it is the final version before the product is released for duplication on optical media.
Also rumors have surfaced that 10A432 is NOT the Gold Master but instead build 10A435 is, which according to these rumors is due for ADC on Monday. We'll see.
That will, unfortunately, dramatically slow down the adoption of Snow Leopard and any software designed to run only with SL.
You, sir, are utterly wrong. It's the cheapest OS X update to come along in, well, forever, and the Intel transition ended over three years ago. Yes, yes, we shed tears for everyone who bought top-of-the-line last-generation G5 towers that will continue to be plenty fast for years to come, but the era of PowerPC is over.
You, sir, are utterly wrong. It's the cheapest OS X update to come along in, well, forever, and the Intel transition ended over three years ago. Yes, yes, we shed tears for everyone who bought top-of-the-line last-generation G5 towers that will continue to be plenty fast for years to come, but the era of PowerPC is over.
You really think all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers will just throw them away to use Snow Leopard because it only costs $29?? LOL!
That will, unfortunately, dramatically slow down the adoption of Snow Leopard and any software designed to run only with SL.
Don't be stupid!. This was discussed zillion times. Many still don't get it.
Snow Leopard has significant changes under the hood, some of them 64-bit only. These include changes in the kernel and the Objective-C runtime which can not be done for the 32 bit versions because they will break backwards compatibility. The changes will have an impact on Mac Os for a decade to come. It would be an insane waste of time to do all that work for outdated platform.
Furthermore, to take advantage of the new features the software must be re-written. Who in their own mind will start development now targeting PowerPC 64? Nowadays, the most demanding software is Intel-only anyway. Having Snow Leopard and running old software does not bring any advantage! Leopard is fine for that!
Almost doubling the effort to develop and support 64-bit PowerPC version of Snow Leopard to target single digit percent of the installed base is insane! If you consider that max 5 percent of the G5 owners will upgrade you will end up with less than a percent of the macs. It would be cheeper for Apple to give away a free intel machine to every G5 owner who has real reasons to upgrade. But that does not make business sense, right?
Snow Leopard will mature a year from now. Where will all those G5s be then?
Edit:
Oh, one more thing! The compiler used to compile Snow Leopard and the default one in Snow Leopard developer tools does not support 64 bit Power PC. How would you solve this:
A. Start "improving" the new compiler to support PowerPC 64 and delay Snow Leopard by a couple of years.
B. Use old compiler and slow down the new software on the new hardware.
C. Forget the PowerPC 64 and skate where the puck is going to be.
You really think all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers will just throw them away to use Snow Leopard because it only costs $29?? LOL!
But what percentage of Macs do they represent? Fairly small, I'd wager.
You really think all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers will just throw them away to use Snow Leopard because it only costs $29?? LOL!
And all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers present what percentage of the installed base of OS X users? I would say the very most 10%. Thus the decision to make SL Intel-only will have reduced the potential number of upgraders by 10%.
You really think all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers will just throw them away to use Snow Leopard because it only costs $29?? LOL!
Not because it's $29, but because they are getting into the point at which they can replace the machines for tax purposes, and most are no longer covered by their warranties.
The company I work for has a publishing arm, and they're about to replace all of their Apple hardware because the G5's are all out of warranty, have zero book value to the business, and they can get tax breaks by buying this year. When they do purchase, all the machines will likely be running SL.
Companies don't like having lots of old unsupported hardware around - of the machines we have at least 80% of the G5's have started to have major hardware issues the last few months, most of it we've gotten around, but the time has come to move on.
You really think all those design and audio/visual shops using PPC computers will just throw them away to use Snow Leopard because it only costs $29?? LOL!
Of course they won't. But they're also not exactly the majority of Apple's audience. This isn't the late 90s, when the only people who would lower themselves to use a Mac were professional graphic artists or photographers.
Like any other company or professional organization, they'll stick with their current well-functioning hardware until it goes kaput, and then they'll buy something new. In the meantime, that's not going to hinder Snow Leopard's adoption. Every Mac sold for the last 3 years has an Intel processor. That's a large base.
but it very likely could be a case of 10.5.7 being installed on that mini and he'd have to use his install disc to upgrade immediately... which is sorta unlike apple.
That will, unfortunately, dramatically slow down the adoption of Snow Leopard and any software designed to run only with SL.
Another ridiculous post from yet another cheap bazztaad.
Ugly gray disks.
Oh give me a break. Those are the same color as the restore disks for Tiger and Leopard. That's not the final packaging for the retail version of Snow Leopard. It's just the restore disks for the Mac Mini in question.
Not because it's $29, but because they are getting into the point at which they can replace the machines for tax purposes, and most are no longer covered by their warranties.
The company I work for has a publishing arm, and they're about to replace all of their Apple hardware because the G5's are all out of warranty, have zero book value to the business, and they can get tax breaks by buying this year. When they do purchase, all the machines will likely be running SL.
Companies don't like having lots of old unsupported hardware around - of the machines we have at least 80% of the G5's have started to have major hardware issues the last few months, most of it we've gotten around, but the time has come to move on.
Your company's approach is smart!
On a side note, This is one of the ways MS trips up trying to satisfy all the 'legacy' crap hardware/software produced in the past. I applaud Apple for doing this.
I have 2 original Apple intel's (laptop & iMac) with no signs of slowing down going into their 4th year. Thats pretty good value. I almost wish they would break so I can justify getting the new iMac and an MBA!
Another ridiculous post from yet another cheap bazztaad.
Why would you say that when obviously statistically he's correct.
Your company's approach is smart!
On a side note, This is one of the ways MS trips up trying to satisfy all the 'legacy' crap hardware/software produced in the past. I applaud Apple for doing this.
I have 2 original Apple intel's (laptop & iMac) with no signs of slowing down going into their 4th year. Thats pretty good value. I almost wish they would break so I can justify getting the new iMac and an MBA!
Think of the money, time, resources Apple saved on not supporting (ie, writing complex software) for old hardware!
Resources that Apple can direct to creating new superior hardware/software/products.
Superior hardware and superior software that I will be pleased to buy in the future and for less money.
It is very narrow and short sighted to complain about not supporting the old macs. One needs to take a 'big picture' view of Apple's approach. Or better yet, resign one's self to the fact that Apple's PHD's know a little more than we do....I have and it is a lot easier, not complaining all the time.