Apple May Lose Many Govt/University Sales

[jlblodgett]

Are you kidding me? Did you read the thread or just post this based on the title?

Quick Catch Up: When you can tell me when my state legislature will pass the budget legislation AND what cuts it will contain, I will tell you whether I can wait a month...

Unbelievable.

I haven't been in EVERY state college/university - but in the multiple I have been in, their fiscal budgets have always run July 1 - June 30.

If the money is already budgeted for the current fiscal year, unless the powers-the-be over your head decide to use that money for something else, you are probably safe until the next fiscal cycle begins.

 

[MoTo77]

While you may feel that you have clout by virtue of being a university, you in fact, do not. And Apple will not bat an eye if you choose to buy a Dell. They will refresh on their schedule and outside entities have no real impact on that timetable at this point.

I'm doubly glad that you further drove home that otherwise completely inconspicuous point! So much time had passed since you made it the last time that I was falling back into the fantasy that Steve was receiving real time telepathic updates to his brain implants directly from the MacRumors Forum.

Sigh.

 

[6-0 Prolene]

Tenure/tenure track faculty become eligible for updates every three years, except last year when tech purchases were frozen. (They are currently not frozen so we actually have about 2/3 of the faculty eligible for upgrades because of the skipped year.) Instructors typically get upgraded every four years. Staff vary based on their job. But once a faculty member is eligible, an upgrade is not automatic. They need to make a request. Many--if not most--will wait until someone recommends an upgrade before they make a request.

I assure you that my supervisor doesn't care one way or the other. In fact, he'll be happy to save the money if people don't put in their orders.

What percentage of those people--yourself included-- NEED a Core i7 to do your work? Is there some demonstrable deficiency in the C2D's ability to accomplish what's required of you or them?

You're putting a "I work for an institution" spin on the fact that you want a big update to the MBP, but really you're in the same boat as everyone else.

It's just funny how quickly the computers that we've been doing our jobs with day in and day out for years suddenly become woefully inadequate when there's talk of the next best thing on the horizon. Not to worry--I'm guilty of it too, and waiting for the MBP update before I buy.

The real institutional/government purchasers will see what's on the market now, determine if that hardware will get the job done over the expected life of the hardware, and buy what's available. In fact, if it's an institution that's really concerned about minimizing down time, it'll go for the 3-year-old, tried-and-true stuff before it buys up a bunch of early adopter machines with all their growing pains.

The Department of Defense, for example, is still using Windows XP--because it works.

Honestly, if I were buying for an institution, I'd be working on snagging a good deal on a bunch of C2Ds. Having worked at a campus computer store during the Powerbook 5300 debacle I can tell you the latest and greatest isn't the best mass purchase for an institution.

 

[MikeSantor]

This is getting a little ****ing ridiculous. How many threads do we need stating the same thing?!? Yes, we ALL know Apple is ALWAYS behind with the hardware technology that they use. Yes, we ALL know you pay a little more for the Apple tax. Since we are smart individuals we can put these 2 things that "we ALL know" together and come to the conclusion that you can buy a Non Apple product with better hardware specs at a cheaper cost. Apple is a software company. Get over it...


/end rant.

 

[MoTo77]

I haven't been in EVERY state college/university - but in the multiple I have been in, their fiscal budgets have always run July 1 - June 30.

If the money is already budgeted for the current fiscal year, unless the powers-the-be over your head decide to use that money for something else, you are probably safe until the next fiscal cycle begins.

Based on the legislative budget that comes out in the spring...

Under normal circumstances, you would be right. But when there is a serious shortfall, cuts sometimes happen instantly. Last year the state actually required the university system to give money back. When this is anticipated, the university freezes spending, travel and/or hiring. An announcement simply comes from the president's office and it is effective immediately. In this economy, we have seen it happen many times already.

 

[miles01110]

This is clearly a troll thread by now. Just stop responding and maybe he'll go back to his hole.

 

[MacDawg]

I'm doubly glad that you further drove home that otherwise completely inconspicuous point! So much time had passed since you made it the last time that I was falling back into the fantasy that Steve was receiving real time telepathic updates to his brain implants directly from the MacRumors Forum.

Sigh.

Let me try one last time then
I am being very calm, rational, reasonable and at least mildly interested

What is the point you are trying to make in this thread?
That the MBP needs a refresh? We know that
That your university can't make up its mind to buy now or wait? Ok
That Apple might lose a sale? Shrug

You have the floor OP, what is your point?


Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[jlblodgett]

This is getting a little ****ing ridiculous. How many threads do we need stating the same thing?!? Yes, we ALL know Apple is ALWAYS behind with the hardware technology that they use. Yes, we ALL know you pay a little more for the Apple tax. Since we are smart individuals we can put these 2 things that "we ALL know" together and come to the conclusion that you can buy a Non Apple product with better hardware specs at a cheaper cost. Apple is a software company. Get over it...


/end rant.

What is funny is that the machine that is ultimately released will certainly be an improvement on the current models - but not "top of the line" (Apple has never once released ANY product that was "top of the line") -- and the OP will still buy.

 

[6-0 Prolene]

Based on the legislative budget that comes out in the spring...

Under normal circumstances, you would be right. But when there is a serious shortfall, cuts sometimes happen instantly. Last year the state actually required the university system to give money back. When this is anticipated, the university freezes spending, travel and/or hiring. An announcement simply comes from the president's office and it is effective immediately. In this economy, we have seen it happen many times already.

If you're really on such a tight and unpredictable budget, why buy a bunch of machines that are new, more expensive than their counterparts, and as yet untested by anyone outside Apple?

The current MBP line is a pretty refined product, several generations in the making. It seems crazy NOT to buy it for your institution. I'm guessing since you didn't mention any specific use that 95% of them will just be running MS Office or iWork anyway.

 

[ayeying]

Let me try one last time then
I am being very calm, rational, reasonable and at least mildly interested

What is the point you are trying to make in this thread?
That the MBP needs a refresh? We know that
That your university can't make up its mind to buy now or wait? Ok
That Apple might lose a sale? Shrug

You have the floor OP, what is your point?


Woof, Woof - Dawg

+1

I've read pretty much all of the OP's replies here and I can't figure out which point the OP is trying to make. First you talk about how Apple's still using older (not even obsolete btw) technology, then you talk about how you're required to have a good graphics card in a university (we're working with low end ATi 43xx series cards here just fine) then its the state legislature...

 

[MoTo77]

What percentage of those people--yourself included-- NEED a Core i7 to do your work? Is there some demonstrable deficiency in the C2D's ability to accomplish what's required of you or them?

Not that it is any of your business, but personally, I create video versions of my lectures for online delivery because I travel outside the country regularly. I have a C2D machine now and it is barely adequate, but I would prefer a faster machine in order to get things done faster. Keynote takes forever to export to video on my machine.

None of that really matters. For the third? fourth? time: I can't see updating a C2D 2.x Ghz machine for another 2.x Ghz machine and neither can anyone else around here. THE POINT IS: If there was something better that a C2D available NOW, I would update, as would many others.

The Department of Defense, for example, is still using Windows XP--because it works.

So do we on our PCs.

 

[6-0 Prolene]

Not that it is any of your business, but personally, I create video versions of my lectures for online delivery because I travel outside the country regularly. I have a C2D machine now and it is barely adequate, but I would prefer a faster machine in order to get things done faster. Keynote takes forever to export to video on my machine.

None of that really matters. For the third? fourth? time: I can't see updating a C2D 2.x Ghz machine for another 2.x Ghz machine and neither can anyone else around here. THE POINT IS: If there was something better that a C2D available NOW, I would update, as would many others.

So do we on our PCs.

If a 2.x GHz Core 2 Duo is "barely adequate" for recording a simple video of a lecture (hardly needs to be HD), then something is wrong with your system.

I have a 2.4GHz MBP with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB/7200rpm hard drive and it seems to do well past "barely adequate" with HD video, large files in Aperture, and probably the most resource-intensive stuff I do, creating 3-D volume renderings of high-resolution CT scans.

What you're describing is pretty basic, light-duty work. It would seem that there's something sorely lacking in your system, be it RAM, hard drive speed/space, network speed, or some combination.

 

[ayeying]

I have a 2.4GHz MBP with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB/7200rpm hard drive and it seems to do well past "barely adequate" with HD video, large files in Aperture, and probably the most resource-intensive stuff I do, creating 3-D volume renderings of high-resolution CT scans.

A MacBook Air would be "barely adequate" for those tasks you described. Not a MacBook Pro.

 

[MacDawg]

THE POINT IS: If there was something better that a C2D available NOW, I would update, as would many others.

So your point is... if there was a better machine available you would update?

Seriously?

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Cam42]

Are you kidding me? Did you read the thread or just post this based on the title?

Quick Catch Up: When you can tell me when my state legislature will pass the budget legislation AND what cuts it will contain, I will tell you whether I can wait a month...

Unbelievable.

Sure, I skimmed through the thread, but you couldn't even acknowledge the second part of my post?

 

[anthorumor]

meh. Apple is far more than the specs underneath. However I just wished their computer prices reflected more on the hardware that they are using. The prices of the computers dont change since their introduction on launch day.

 

[MoTo77]

Let me try one last time then
I am being very calm, rational, reasonable and at least mildly interested

What is the point you are trying to make in this thread?
1. That the MBP needs a refresh? We know that
2. That your university can't make up its mind to buy now or wait? Ok
3. That Apple might lose many sales? Shrug

You have the floor OP, what is your point?

It is 3 because of 1. 2 has been decided (wait) in 95% of cases. If you are not interested, there seem to be several thousand other threads available...

 

[MacDawg]

there seem to be several thousand other threads available...

Exactly the real point

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[MoTo77]

So your point is... if there was a better machine available you would update?

Seriously?

NOW. But perhaps not later due to circumstances beyond my control.

Are you seriously unable comprehend the difference?.

I promise that I won't be offended if you decide to move on to a more interesting thread.

 

[vant]

As someone who is fairly involved in IT in a educational institution, I can assure you that IT departments could care less about refreshes. Universities just buy what they need based on what is available. In fact, one of the directors prefers to buy computers after they've been on the market for a while to make sure there are no issues beyond internal testing. Purchasing the 27" iMacs would have been disaster for example.

I can hardly imagine the OP's superiors to be concerned about a possible CPU/GPU bump in their laptops (my institution only buys iMacs and Mac Pros as far as I know).

I'm not sure what the OP is trying to achieve here, if he is really concerned he should try contacting Apple via his institution if it is that urgent, not some rumor forum.

 

[MoTo77]

Sure, I skimmed through the thread, but you couldn't even acknowledge the second part of my post?

The Dell thing? No offense, but I thought you were kidding with that.

Actually, if the OSX86 project had SL running reliably on it, I might.

 

[dukebound85]

Actually, if the OSX86 project had SL running reliably on it, I might.

They do

However, as a university purchase, this is very unwise

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I bet there is a bundle of money to be made if some company offered legitimate enterprise level support for OSX86 installations.

 

[MoTo77]

As someone who is fairly involved in IT in a educational institution, I can assure you that IT departments could care less about refreshes. Universities just buy what they need based on what is available. In fact, one of the directors prefers to buy computers after they've been on the market for a while to make sure there are no issues beyond internal testing. Purchasing the 27" iMacs would have been disaster for example.

I can hardly imagine the OP's superiors to be concerned about a possible CPU/GPU bump in their laptops (my institution only buys iMacs and Mac Pros as far as I know).

First, I don't have any tech superiors. I am a faculty member that--in addition to being a faculty member--serves on an IT oversight committee. You can think of this committee--roughly--as being the board of directors for the IT department. It's not exactly that, but you must have something similar at your university.

Second, keep in mind, I am talking about LAPTOPS which do not go into labs. They are faculty/staff machines. Here, and at every other place that I have worked, all of the faculty and some staff members have final say over their computers (within budgetary constraints).

If he is really concerned he should try contacting Apple via his institution if it is that urgent, not some rumor forum.

LOL... Somehow I don't think that would work.

They do

However, as a university purchase, this is very unwise

Agree... but it would be for me personally, not for the average user.

If a 2.x GHz Core 2 Duo is "barely adequate" for recording a simple video of a lecture (hardly needs to be HD), then something is wrong with your system.

I have a 2.4GHz MBP with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB/7200rpm hard drive and it seems to do well past "barely adequate" with HD video, large files in Aperture, and probably the most resource-intensive stuff I do, creating 3-D volume renderings of high-resolution CT scans.

What you're describing is pretty basic, light-duty work. It would seem that there's something sorely lacking in your system, be it RAM, hard drive speed/space, network speed, or some combination.

My RAM is maxed out at 3GB and I have a 250GB 7200RPM internal drive which was upgraded from the original about a year ago. None of this is done over a network--except, of course, delivery of the final product.

It's not as light duty as you think. Have you tried exporting Keynote to video? My Keynote presentations are vastly more complex than average. I use video in many formats within the slides. I'm not sure whether Keynote is coded inefficiently or not, but it takes forever to export a Keynote presentation to a .mov file. You might want to try exporting a 35 slide presentation that is loaded with graphics and video and then we can talk.

 

[macjunk(ie)]

That kind of thinking is just deluded

Apple isn't going to have their timelines pushed by a university or an organization's buying decisions

Woof, Woof - Dawg

you think so....?
Well..I was kinda hoping that if more customers hop on the boat...Apple would
expedite the introduction of the new MBPs...IMO...any company would do so...
but knowing Apple...well...sigh!

In one way though...for people who don't need an immediate upgrade...this delay might be a good sign that Apple is working hard to take the MBPs to the 'next level'..!!! I sure hope this is the case....