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JoeG4

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
2,827
493
Seriously man, Adium doesn't support PPC anymore, Firefox isn't distributed with PPC anymore even though there are 3rd party re-compiles that do, even friggin' Pixelmator doesn't come in PPC form.

WTF developers?! Are you really so impatient you can't wait an extra 5 minutes for the PPC version to compile? Testing my foot! This is getting ridiculous.
 

JoeG4

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
2,827
493
I'll double check that, but the last time I downloaded Adium I got an X'd app that said it wouldn't run on my machine.
Adobe Air is funnier - IIRC you can 'check for updates' and grab a version that.. obviously won't work. hehe.

Edit: Woot! Adium worked on my G5 this time. Yay <3
 

Paulywauly

macrumors 6502a
Sep 26, 2009
766
0
Durham, UK
Theres a link somewhere on the Adium site which shows the percentage of Adium users running various OS's, if you can find it you'll see something like 95% of ADIUM users are running 64bit Intel Macs. I do feel your pain its defiantly a pain in the rear for us PowerPC users, but we cant expect developers to maintain old architecture forever its just not realistic
 

Cabbit

macrumors 68020
Jan 30, 2006
2,128
1
Scotland
Not worth investing the time to debug PPC issues when everyone is running or will be running x86-64 Mac's.

Its not just selecting PPC from a drop down menu, if that were the case then every application would also be 64bit.
 

ri0ku

macrumors 6502a
Mar 11, 2009
952
0
whats the point in supporting old stuff... your screwed when it comes to Lion then if you end up upgrading to it.

If theres 3rd party tools to do it why dont you use those 3rd party tools then?

Supporting ancient hardware is totally pointless
 

Stella

macrumors G3
Apr 21, 2003
8,837
6,334
Canada
Seriously man, Adium doesn't support PPC anymore, Firefox isn't distributed with PPC anymore even though there are 3rd party re-compiles that do, even friggin' Pixelmator doesn't come in PPC form.

WTF developers?! Are you really so impatient you can't wait an extra 5 minutes for the PPC version to compile? Testing my foot! This is getting ridiculous.

Too much time required to support the tiny minority of users still on PPC machines. Its not laziness, its priorities. Its also cost - whether that be some ones time or $$$.
 

Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
Welcome to the world of apple with force obsolete. Apple drops support of old computers or force kills them by refusing to have the latest OS work on them and then pushes all new software to ONLY work on the latest OS even if not all the hooks are need for it.
 

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,242
3,987
Florida, U.S.A.
Welcome to the world of apple with force obsolete. Apple drops support of old computers or force kills them by refusing to have the latest OS work on them and then pushes all new software to ONLY work on the latest OS even if not all the hooks are need for it.

So you believe that Apple (or any other company) should slow down their progress just because a minority doesn't want to keep up?
It could be compared to banning video game consoles because it causes seizures to a minority of users.

People with PPC Macs have been given plenty of time to upgrade.
Insanely enough, there's still people running DOS applications in Windows who are complaining for network problems with their apps. What do they expect??? It has been obsolete for several years now.

So, why don't you put a little effort to move on with the rest of the class, instead of making us drag behind with you?
 

kainjow

Moderator emeritus
Jun 15, 2000
7,958
7
It'll get worse once devs move to Xcode 4 which no longer includes the ability to build PPC at all.
 

zioxide

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2006
5,737
3,726
Because the last time apple made a PPC computer was the beginning of 2006?

Seriously, if you still have PPC, don't whine about not being able to get the upgrades. Your **** is at least 5+ years old. Don't expect to be able to run the latest and greatest software.

Welcome to the world of apple with force obsolete. Apple drops support of old computers or force kills them by refusing to have the latest OS work on them and then pushes all new software to ONLY work on the latest OS even if not all the hooks are need for it.

This is how technology moves forward. You can't keep supporting legacy products: it costs too much money, takes away resources from new things, and can prohibit innovation.

It's not like Apple has a built-in kill switch that disables their old machines. Whatever software you have running on there will continue to function fine. You just can't install the latest and greatest software.

The average useful lifespan of a computer if you want to continue to use the latest and greatest stuff is around 3 years. If you have something older than that and want to use all the new stuff, BUY A NEW COMPUTER!

This is why, unlike many other companies, Apple continues to be innovative. How can MS do that when at least half of the clowns using windows are still running XP, which is over TEN years old. TEN YEARS. That's insane. Remember what other technology looked like TEN years ago?

Mac_OS_9_screenshot_2.png
Yes, the last version of OS9 was released in 2001...

nokia_8260-02-332x400.jpg
That was the most advanced cell phone...

So people running XP are running technology from the same period as those two products. This makes me extremely glad that Apple does innovate and advance their products the way they do.
 

fireshot91

macrumors 601
Jul 31, 2008
4,721
1
Northern VA
Remember what other technology looked like TEN years ago?

Mac_OS_9_screenshot_2.png
Yes, the last version of OS9 was released in 2001...

Based on that, their (Microsoft's) GUI/OS was a HELL of a lot better than Apples. It still looks modern. Yes, OS9 looks ancient. Probably because it is, in computer time-frames. But on that same viewpoint, Microsoft did a completely revolutionary job designing XP, that it is still being used today. And one could argue that it is still competing with the latest version of OSX....barely, but still.
 

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
PPC is dead. Lion won't even have Rosetta as an optional install anymore. Even though I do think it's rather poor that Apple have dropped Rosetta so early, PPC computers are dead in the PC world. Time to move on.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,419
43,307
No offense but its no laziness but the fact that its been so long since apple sold a PPC based Mac. Its just not really in their thought process.
 

Detrius

macrumors 68000
Sep 10, 2008
1,623
19
Apex, NC
PPC is dead. Lion won't even have Rosetta as an optional install anymore. Even though I do think it's rather poor that Apple have dropped Rosetta so early, PPC computers are dead in the PC world. Time to move on.

This is an important point. It means if you're still running PowerPC-only apps, you'll be screwed if you get a new computer after Lion comes out.


Back to the original question, though, it's not remotely as simple as just selecting a checkbox. If you want to support PowerPC, you can't use any of the new functionality introduced in 10.6. Or, if you do, you have to write a nearly equivalent version that will run on PowerPC. Additionally, with Xcode 4, not only can you not build for PowerPC, but you also can't build for 10.5.

If you're still running a PowerPC machine, it's time to upgrade--before Lion comes out. Firefox 4 doesn't support PowerPC. Adobe Flash 10.2 doesn't support PowerPC. Chrome doesn't support PowerPC. Snow Leopard doesn't install Rosetta by default, and Lion won't even run your PowerPC apps. If you want to run new stuff, you need a new machine.
 

zioxide

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2006
5,737
3,726
Based on that, their (Microsoft's) GUI/OS was a HELL of a lot better than Apples. It still looks modern. Yes, OS9 looks ancient. Probably because it is, in computer time-frames.

It is definitely ancient. OS9 was a mature product when XP came out, but it was still in widespread use (and it was only 2 years old). XP does look better, but the majority of the code in XP is from the same era as that OS9 pic. Remember OS X beta did also come out around the same time. I'd say that looked about as good as XP.

But on that same viewpoint, Microsoft did a completely revolutionary job designing XP, that it is still being used today. And one could argue that it is still competing with the latest version of OSX....barely, but still.

I don't think you can say it was revolutionary just because it's still being used today. MS took 7 years to come out with Vista, and then **** the bed with that one, so their next release that people are actually starting to really adopt is Windows 7, 10 years newer than XP. In those 10 years, Apple has had SIX releases of OS X. While people were still using XP around the release of Vista, OS X Leopard was out. Compare the tech behind XP and Leopard. Leopard is leaps and bounds ahead, obviously, because it was 6-7 years newer.

Long story short, my point is technology moves REALLY fast now. Anything more than around 3 years old, in computer technology, is ancient. If you except the latest and greatest software, don't have ancient hardware.
 

ratsg

macrumors 6502
Dec 6, 2010
382
29
Really? Steve said that it was just that easy, using Xcode.


Not worth investing the time to debug PPC issues when everyone is running or will be running x86-64 Mac's.

Its not just selecting PPC from a drop down menu, if that were the case then every application would also be 64bit.
 

whooleytoo

macrumors 604
Aug 2, 2002
6,607
716
Cork, Ireland.
It's a pity.. I do have a G5 at home which I use as a media-server, and occasionally use for development (& mail, browsing)..

It obviously can't be supported forever, but it's a pity seeing support now drying up, when it's still a perfectly usable machine. I reckon it'll go for years yet - a great testament to Apple's build quality!

I wouldn't be surprised if a large part of the reason that devs aren't making PPC versions isn't that there's too much time/work involved in making a PPC version - for many apps it is little more than changing one setting - but the difficulty and cost in getting PPC machines to test on. It probably costs developers more to test & support a PPC version, than it does to develop it.
 

fireshot91

macrumors 601
Jul 31, 2008
4,721
1
Northern VA
I still use a G5 as my primary Mac, although I am typing this on my MBP.

Mainly, my use of the computer is just for a bunch of movies (At least 2TB worth), music, and internet browsing. Therefore, I just really need a desktop, not a laptop. I don't really care if it's PPC or Intel, as long as it's not slow, and thus far, the G5 hasn't shown it's age.

I can't put all my music on my MBP since it only has a 160gb hard drive. So...basically all my apps still work for PPC that I'm using. Office works, iChat works, Safari works, Firefox works, iTunes works. One program I really wish was PPC supported- Chrome browser. But, I'm not missing it that much. I'm perfectly content with Firefox.


As long as this G5 works, I'll continue to use it. I actually use it more than my Macbook Pro. My MBP probably gets used twice a week? While my G5 gets used everyday.
 

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,242
3,987
Florida, U.S.A.
I still use a G5 as my primary Mac, although I am typing this on my MBP.

Mainly, my use of the computer is just for a bunch of movies (At least 2TB worth), music, and internet browsing. Therefore, I just really need a desktop, not a laptop. I don't really care if it's PPC or Intel, as long as it's not slow, and thus far, the G5 hasn't shown it's age.

I can't put all my music on my MBP since it only has a 160gb hard drive. So...basically all my apps still work for PPC that I'm using. Office works, iChat works, Safari works, Firefox works, iTunes works. One program I really wish was PPC supported- Chrome browser. But, I'm not missing it that much. I'm perfectly content with Firefox.


As long as this G5 works, I'll continue to use it. I actually use it more than my Macbook Pro. My MBP probably gets used twice a week? While my G5 gets used everyday.

I have a MBP (2007) and upgraded it's HD to 500GB. It's very easy to do it yourself, if you have the patience and skills. I don't foresee replacing it any time soon, unless I start loosing functionality.

Squeeze as much life out of your G5, or use it as a server. You could connect an external monitor and keyboard and mouse to your MBP as I do.
Since I got the iPad, my MBP is working more like a desktop than a notebook.
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
Why can't cheap ass users upgrade their machines to Intel?

:D

Because Apple made some stellar hardware back in the day that still survives today! I don't use it much anymore but my 2004 PowerBook is still a dream when typing stuff up or browsing the net.

But yeah. Upgrade folks! It's wonderful over here.
 

chown33

Moderator
Staff member
Aug 9, 2009
10,706
8,346
A sea of green
... even friggin' Pixelmator doesn't come in PPC form.

Pixelmator's creators decided it will only be sold on the Mac App Store. In order to be accepted into the Mac App Store, there can't be any PPC code in the application.

Basically, the restriction is "No deprecated APIs". PPC is deprecated (intentional understatement).
 

JoeG4

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 11, 2002
2,827
493
That's nice, so Apple is enforcing obsolescence by banning PPC hybrid apps from their store. Classy.

Guys, the majority of computers I see in my day to day encounters are 5 years old or more! WTH? lol.
 
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