What does the G in G4 / G5 stand for? Its been annoying me for a while now. And while we're on the subject, the X in serve? I'm assuming the I in iLife has something to do with the internet // intergrated
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Basic apple related question - been bugging me for a few weeks
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robbieduncan
Moderator emeritus
G is for generation (i.e. PowerPC proessor generation). I don't think the X in XServe stands for anything? The i originally used in the iMac was for Internet.
jxyama
macrumors 68040
the "X" in Xserve might be tied to OS X. though that "X" is supposed to be ten...
i- is for internet, like the prev. poster said. apple's claim when the original iMac was introduced was that it was the most internet friendly computer. it has lost much of that meaning since, though. iPod, iLife... it's now become a part of apple's branding to designate things that are generally consumer products. (as opposed to "Power" line for prosumers.)
e- in eMac stands for education, as eMac was initially designed and offered only to educational institutions.
G stands for generation, as far as i know and previously mentioned. it's a bit off because it starts at G3, not G1. (i think there are chips that are supposed to be G1 and G2, but they aren't referred that way..?)
i- is for internet, like the prev. poster said. apple's claim when the original iMac was introduced was that it was the most internet friendly computer. it has lost much of that meaning since, though. iPod, iLife... it's now become a part of apple's branding to designate things that are generally consumer products. (as opposed to "Power" line for prosumers.)
e- in eMac stands for education, as eMac was initially designed and offered only to educational institutions.
G stands for generation, as far as i know and previously mentioned. it's a bit off because it starts at G3, not G1. (i think there are chips that are supposed to be G1 and G2, but they aren't referred that way..?)
Sun Baked
macrumors G5
Yes, the generation.
It was also a means (and reaction to) the naming mess that had preceded the new naming scheme for computers using the 601, 603, & 604 processors.
Apple sold the same machines to several retail channels using different names, to allow people to say they'll price match (which couldn't be done, since you were the only ones selling that machine) and got into a bit of trouble for price fixing. 😱
But the naming problem wasn't the only problem, they were also selling several processors at different speeds -- but some clueless consumer (a heck of a lot of them) thought the fastest clock crunched numbers fastest.
Wasn't true, a pro-604e at 200 MHz (or an even slower clocked dual) was faster than the consumer-603 at 225MHz -- which sold at the same time.
So Apple fixed both the names and the MHz at the same time, to help stupid consumers better choose the right product.
It was also a means (and reaction to) the naming mess that had preceded the new naming scheme for computers using the 601, 603, & 604 processors.
Apple sold the same machines to several retail channels using different names, to allow people to say they'll price match (which couldn't be done, since you were the only ones selling that machine) and got into a bit of trouble for price fixing. 😱
But the naming problem wasn't the only problem, they were also selling several processors at different speeds -- but some clueless consumer (a heck of a lot of them) thought the fastest clock crunched numbers fastest.
Wasn't true, a pro-604e at 200 MHz (or an even slower clocked dual) was faster than the consumer-603 at 225MHz -- which sold at the same time.
So Apple fixed both the names and the MHz at the same time, to help stupid consumers better choose the right product.
back in the day...
I think I remember reading (in the Macintosh Bible, perhaps???) about the early 68000 processors and the naming conventions at the time. There was the Mac, then the Fat Mac, then the Mac Plus. They all used 68000 processors. When they went to the 68030 for some of the faster (!) machines, they wanted a spiffy new name to highlight this new speed - so they decided to add an "x" at the end of their then current product names. The IIfx got its name that way, I think. They also had an AIO design called the Mac SE - which, by getting an '030, should have been called the SEx. They decided upon SE/30, which just seems like such a missed opportunity.
How 'bout an ad campaign for the Mac SEx?
What would your slogan be?
I think I remember reading (in the Macintosh Bible, perhaps???) about the early 68000 processors and the naming conventions at the time. There was the Mac, then the Fat Mac, then the Mac Plus. They all used 68000 processors. When they went to the 68030 for some of the faster (!) machines, they wanted a spiffy new name to highlight this new speed - so they decided to add an "x" at the end of their then current product names. The IIfx got its name that way, I think. They also had an AIO design called the Mac SE - which, by getting an '030, should have been called the SEx. They decided upon SE/30, which just seems like such a missed opportunity.
How 'bout an ad campaign for the Mac SEx?
What would your slogan be?
millar876
macrumors 6502a
macs with Power PC 601 and 602 processors were the first generation of Power PC processors therfor being PowerPC G1 processors (although not marketed as such). 603 & 604s were the second generation i.e. PowerPC G2, however the Gx names were only used in house until the G3 because of the previous posters comments (the thing about Mhz Myth/ difrences between 603 and 604s). So theres an answer 4 u.
The info came from an OLD issue of MacFormat, (pre g4) which also showed the roadmap up to G5, not just the voices in my head giving me the info.
The info came from an OLD issue of MacFormat, (pre g4) which also showed the roadmap up to G5, not just the voices in my head giving me the info.
combatcolin
macrumors 68020
Pants.
I was just about to reel off about the 602 and someone got there before me. 😉
Same thing with the 68000, the 68010 was never used (to my knowledge) in home machines, they skipped staight to the 020.
The 010 turned up in a LOT of arcade machines though.
I was just about to reel off about the 602 and someone got there before me. 😉
Same thing with the 68000, the 68010 was never used (to my knowledge) in home machines, they skipped staight to the 020.
The 010 turned up in a LOT of arcade machines though.
Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Some earlier WebTV-type boxes had the 602, but never a Mac. The "G1" 601 was, by the way, an IBM-developed processor. The "G" designation is simply Apple's way of creating continuity between different brands of CPUs and preventing naming confusion (we've had enough of that - *Performa series*, *Powerbooks*).
I say "I've got a Dual 533mhz G4" instead of "I've got a Dual 533 PPC 7410 "Nitro" "
I say "I've got a Dual 533mhz G4" instead of "I've got a Dual 533 PPC 7410 "Nitro" "