Hey there--
If you are new to MacRumors, you may not know why people who are mac-faithful pour money into Apple Computer. Lately, I have heard a lot of uneducated comments about why an Apple user would be willing to use a computer that is 'twice as slow' as the leading competition, the Intel Pentium IV. So, everyone new to the Apple platform, or anyone who is even starting to get curious, should read this so they can better understand where most of us are coming from: (you old-time Mac users will probably be bored)
The Mac runs on a PowerPC architecture, and also uses a much shorter pipeline. The megahertz, as you have been taught, is the only thing important in determining the speed of a mchine, when really there are a lot of factors involved. How fast a chip 'spins' is not necessarily going to tell you how fast a computer can render images, acquire high amounts of fps, edit DV, or even hardware render. Not always chips, but their corresponding systems are what make up the speed of a system. Motorola (Apple's primary chip maker) has managed to produce a chip and architecture that often out-performs 'faster' (mHz-wise) Intel chips running at 'double' the speed. Thats why we use Apple. Their computers are faster.
Apple and Motorola arent the only ones who have noticed this, and capitalized on it. AMD and Intel have both produced chips that dont rely on mHz rating to sell computers. Intel, for example, has produced the itanium chip, which has a top speed of 800mHz, and blows the pants off of ANY chip available, on any system. (its 64 bit) They offer it in the IBM Intellistation Z, and sell if for over 15 grand.
Quality costs, and thats why Apple is more expensive. They dont have a 64 bit 'Z-like' chip, but thats what the G5 is promising.
Please dont take my word for it though. There is plenty of documentation on this subject at Apple.com, or just jump on the nearest G4 and see for yourself. Macs are not money-burning, slow toys. They are actualy sophisticated machines, well deserving your time and interest. They havent done well in the recent years, not because of poor quality, but poor marketing and the consumer's unwillingness to see beyond the mHz rating. Check it out, you might actually see WHY Apple consumers are so faithful.
So everyone, please. Before you make the same mistakes others have, do your homework before making uneducated posts. You will soon realize that many Mac users use PC and Unix systems as well (like myself) and try to give fair remarks on all systems. Intel makes a good chip, and so does AMD. But so does Apple and Motorola. Its time people started respecting Apple for the powerhouse systems they produce, coupled with their amazing sense of simplicity and style.
Respectfully-
[Edited by agreenster on 12-31-2001 at 09:43 AM]
If you are new to MacRumors, you may not know why people who are mac-faithful pour money into Apple Computer. Lately, I have heard a lot of uneducated comments about why an Apple user would be willing to use a computer that is 'twice as slow' as the leading competition, the Intel Pentium IV. So, everyone new to the Apple platform, or anyone who is even starting to get curious, should read this so they can better understand where most of us are coming from: (you old-time Mac users will probably be bored)
The Mac runs on a PowerPC architecture, and also uses a much shorter pipeline. The megahertz, as you have been taught, is the only thing important in determining the speed of a mchine, when really there are a lot of factors involved. How fast a chip 'spins' is not necessarily going to tell you how fast a computer can render images, acquire high amounts of fps, edit DV, or even hardware render. Not always chips, but their corresponding systems are what make up the speed of a system. Motorola (Apple's primary chip maker) has managed to produce a chip and architecture that often out-performs 'faster' (mHz-wise) Intel chips running at 'double' the speed. Thats why we use Apple. Their computers are faster.
Apple and Motorola arent the only ones who have noticed this, and capitalized on it. AMD and Intel have both produced chips that dont rely on mHz rating to sell computers. Intel, for example, has produced the itanium chip, which has a top speed of 800mHz, and blows the pants off of ANY chip available, on any system. (its 64 bit) They offer it in the IBM Intellistation Z, and sell if for over 15 grand.
Quality costs, and thats why Apple is more expensive. They dont have a 64 bit 'Z-like' chip, but thats what the G5 is promising.
Please dont take my word for it though. There is plenty of documentation on this subject at Apple.com, or just jump on the nearest G4 and see for yourself. Macs are not money-burning, slow toys. They are actualy sophisticated machines, well deserving your time and interest. They havent done well in the recent years, not because of poor quality, but poor marketing and the consumer's unwillingness to see beyond the mHz rating. Check it out, you might actually see WHY Apple consumers are so faithful.
So everyone, please. Before you make the same mistakes others have, do your homework before making uneducated posts. You will soon realize that many Mac users use PC and Unix systems as well (like myself) and try to give fair remarks on all systems. Intel makes a good chip, and so does AMD. But so does Apple and Motorola. Its time people started respecting Apple for the powerhouse systems they produce, coupled with their amazing sense of simplicity and style.
Respectfully-
[Edited by agreenster on 12-31-2001 at 09:43 AM]
