Briefly: MacPro and MacBook Pro updates, Adobe app
Apple has released a security update for its new Mac Pros. Meanwhile an unpacking and take-apart pictorial of the new professional desktops has been posted online. And Adobe is readying a major update to one of its Mac apps.
Security Update 2006-004 for Mac Pro
Apple this week released Security Update 2006-004 for its new Mac Pro (2.3MB) systems running Mac OS X v10.4.7 (build 8K1079), and systems running Mac OS X Server v10.4.7 (Universal).
Although the majority of the fixes released in last week's Security Update 2006-004 were built into Build 8K1079, two were left out because they were not fully tested in time for the manufacturing of the Mac Pro.
The latest update applies those two fixes, which pertain to maliciously-crafted TIFF images and a loophole in remote login that could allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service attack or determine whether an account exists.
ExpressCard Update 1.0
Earlier on Thursday, Apple released ExpressCard Update v1.0 (492KB), which resolves an issue that prevented MacBook Pro systems from sleeping when some cards are inserted in the ExpressCard/34 slot.
Mac Pro unpacking and take-apart photos
The guys over at PowerMAX have posted some unpacking and take-apart photos of the new Mac Pro.
Some notes of interest include: the return of the standard power plug to Apple's Pro desktop line, four independent internal power cords present, giant heat sinks atop the processor modules, and rumors that the video cards in Mac Pro systems are non-SLI compliant.
Some of the Mac Pro component suppliers are as follows: Sony (optical drives) Seagate (250GB internal hard disks) and Nanya (RAM modules).
Mac Pro RAM riser cards | Photo Credit: PowerMAX
Also, as clearly shown in the images, the Intel Xeon chips are not soldered to the motherboard and can be swapped.
Adobe Contribute 4 Due Soon
On a completely different subject, reliable sources indicated that Adobe is prepping the release of its next Mac application, a major update to its Web site management software, Adobe Contribute.
Due sometime in the next few weeks, Adobe Contribute 4 will remain a PowerPC native application. However, sources say a Universal version will be released around the same time as Creative Suite 3 in the first half of 2007.
Security Update 2006-004 for Mac Pro
Apple this week released Security Update 2006-004 for its new Mac Pro (2.3MB) systems running Mac OS X v10.4.7 (build 8K1079), and systems running Mac OS X Server v10.4.7 (Universal).
Although the majority of the fixes released in last week's Security Update 2006-004 were built into Build 8K1079, two were left out because they were not fully tested in time for the manufacturing of the Mac Pro.
The latest update applies those two fixes, which pertain to maliciously-crafted TIFF images and a loophole in remote login that could allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service attack or determine whether an account exists.
ExpressCard Update 1.0
Earlier on Thursday, Apple released ExpressCard Update v1.0 (492KB), which resolves an issue that prevented MacBook Pro systems from sleeping when some cards are inserted in the ExpressCard/34 slot.
Mac Pro unpacking and take-apart photos
The guys over at PowerMAX have posted some unpacking and take-apart photos of the new Mac Pro.
Some notes of interest include: the return of the standard power plug to Apple's Pro desktop line, four independent internal power cords present, giant heat sinks atop the processor modules, and rumors that the video cards in Mac Pro systems are non-SLI compliant.
Some of the Mac Pro component suppliers are as follows: Sony (optical drives) Seagate (250GB internal hard disks) and Nanya (RAM modules).
Mac Pro RAM riser cards | Photo Credit: PowerMAX
Also, as clearly shown in the images, the Intel Xeon chips are not soldered to the motherboard and can be swapped.
Adobe Contribute 4 Due Soon
On a completely different subject, reliable sources indicated that Adobe is prepping the release of its next Mac application, a major update to its Web site management software, Adobe Contribute.
Due sometime in the next few weeks, Adobe Contribute 4 will remain a PowerPC native application. However, sources say a Universal version will be released around the same time as Creative Suite 3 in the first half of 2007.
Comments
(Re Contribute: better Rosetta than not at all, and I doubt its users are speed-hungry anyway. Universal will come.)
Some notes of interest include: the return of the standard power plug to Apple's Pro desktop line
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
What was the non-standard power plug...? My 2003 G5 has a standard plug.
250MB Hard Drives? I think not. What would the reason for not soldering the Xeon Chips to the motherboard?
Not soldering? Tons of reasons...
A) Cheaper: your CPU dies, Apple replaces the CPU instead of the entire logic board and two CPUs. Or instead of desoldering an old CPU and resoldering a new one.
What was the non-standard power plug...? My 2003 G5 has a standard plug.
The later PowerMac G5s(05-06) had a non-standard plug(probably required by the massive water-cooling system).
I want a MacPro! The fact it's not soldered - not only an advantage for Apple, means we can actually update the processor in our machines!
In theory, Dempsey (the motherboard platform) will be supported through 2009. However, the fact is that a 1333 MHz FSB isn't gonna be that hot with 4 and 8 core chips in each socket. Upgrades might require boosting that FSB (overclocking)
In theory, Dempsey (the motherboard platform) will be supported through 2009. However, the fact is that a 1333 MHz FSB isn't gonna be that hot with 4 and 8 core chips in each socket. Upgrades might require boosting that FSB (overclocking)
I thought it may be less easy. Think upgrades will still require a new computer!
I'm just saying that if you double the cores and keep the bandwidth the same, you'll see less improvement than you would think.
It's very possible, all you need is the processor, a mobo firmware update, and OS level support (which we should be able to get).
I'm just saying that if you double the cores and keep the bandwidth the same, you'll see less improvement than you would think.
You may also need chip set updates for some new cpus
You are generally correct though in that that's something to consider. And you may want a new computer in 2008 anyways with PCIe2 and CSI.
In theory, Dempsey (the motherboard platform) will be supported through 2009. However, the fact is that a 1333 MHz FSB isn't gonna be that hot with 4 and 8 core chips in each socket. Upgrades might require boosting that FSB (overclocking)
It still allows some amount of scaling though. Relatively speaking, the G4s did very well even when the CPU clock was 10x the FSB, and the current 2.66GHz Woodcrest is about 4x assuming you split the bandwidth between the cores. A dual Clovertown at the same clock won't be in such dire circumstances and they'll have 4x more cache per core than the G4s did.
How does that work? Quad-primed 333 MHz, so 2.0 GHz is a 6x multiplier, 2.66 is an 8x multiplier. How does it get easier (go to a 4x multiplier) when you double the number of cores (from 1 to 2)
2.66GHz is 2x the 1.33GHz FSB. If you assume half of the bandwidth goes to each core, then 2.66GHz is 4x 0.667GHz.
Image from this Woodcrest review. 3.0 GHz Woodcrest is a x9 multiplier with a 333.4 MHz FSB. The bus speed is 1333 MHz because it's quad-primed.
2.66 GHz is x8 multiplier. That's room to grow: a Conroe is 266MHz bus w/ x10 multiplier in it's 2.66 GHz model, and a default (unlocked) x11 multiplier in the C2E.
Point is, there isn't oodles of bandwidth. There's enough, but double the cores (and make half of the core-to-core communication within the process over FSB) and you have issues potentially at high speeds.
Image from this Woodcrest review. 3.0 GHz Woodcrest is a x9 multiplier with a 333.4 MHz FSB. The bus speed is 1333 MHz because it's quad-primed.
2.66 GHz is x8 multiplier. That's room to grow: a Conroe is 266MHz bus w/ x10 multiplier in it's 2.66 GHz model, and a default (unlocked) x11 multiplier in the C2E.
Point is, there isn't oodles of bandwidth. There's enough, but double the cores (and make half of the core-to-core communication within the process over FSB) and you have issues potentially at high speeds.
I don't think this is the right thing to worry about. Most apps that can use the extra cores will be compute bound. The memory bandwidth is not always the bottleneck.
What would the reason for not soldering the Xeon Chips to the motherboard?
I don't recall ANY Intel CPU ever being soldered to the motherboard.
Was that done in the PPC world?
Steve
it's quad-primed.
That means data is being sent four times per clock over the same set of lines, a new set of data is sent at each rise and fall of a quadrature clock. The G4 didn't have that, it sent data over one time per clock, having 1/4th the FSB bandwidth per clock. As such, the multiplier alone (the kind that you used) doesn't tell everything. The multiplier I used was more indicative of the actual data bandwidth the CPU gets. The G4 got 1.3GBps max bandwidth, each core on a Woodrest system gets about 5 GBps FSB bandwidth.
That means data is being sent four times per clock over the same set of lines, a new set of data is sent at each rise and fall of a quadrature clock. The G4 didn't have that, it sent data over one time per clock, having 1/4th the FSB bandwidth per clock. As such, the multiplier alone (the kind that you used) doesn't tell everything. The multiplier I used was more indicative of the actual data bandwidth the CPU gets. The G4 got 1.3GBps max bandwidth, each core on a Woodrest system gets about 5 GBps FSB bandwidth.