Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Shipping in September: $29 for Leopard Users

[Plymouthbreezer]

If Snow Leopard was a significant upgrade and much different from Leopard itself, your argument would hold a lot more water. But it's not.
It's optimization and bug and interface fixes, much of which could or should be offered at some price for PowerPC users. Obviously this is my opinion and 75% of Mac users disagree with me since most are INTEL Mac owners.

The other thing that bugs me is that we all know Apple has internal PPC builds of Snow Leopard, not to mention probably builds for ARM chips as well in development. Otherwise, there would never have been a surprise INTEL Mac in the first place running Mac OS X.

Dude, relax.

Like others have said, investing $10,000 into a range of computer at once is probably a silly idea; it's always better to stagger new computers, that way, you'll be able to phase out older ones, replacing them with less money upfront.

Look at my sig, all PPC Macs aside from my MBP. Am I whining that SL isn't going to run on all of them? Hardly. It's best to use the OS that's most optimized for a specific machine. Tiger (10.4.11) is a stable and powerful OS, and one that I still find useful on a daily basic.

It will be nice to have SL on my primary unit, but chances are, you're not going to need the most up-to-date system on every computer you own.

 

[rjenovai]

delete

 

[johnmcboston]

Snow Leopard is Leopard FIXED and working BETTER while ditching 20% of the Mac installed base!

If you bought the last model iMac G5, Powerbook G4, or the last Powermac G5, I think you'd understand better. All 3 of those are significant investments and not very long ago.

This INTEL snobbyness here is kinda disconcerting considering my G5 can beat some of the early Intel models in many speed tests, yet is not supported by Snow Leopard.

Plus, the few interface element changes in Snow Leopard are ones that Leopard users in general have been clamoring for since day 1.

Finally, the Model T Ford is such a ridiculous comparison, there is not a need to comment further.

Well, you're just going to have to live with the world moving on. You have a PPC computer with software that runs on it. You were happy when you bought it, and are now just unhappy because you see something new you like and you want.

The line has to be drawn in the sand somewhere. They built a new OS designed for 64bit architecture. The PPC isn't 64 bits. It's that simple. The fact that they added some new features is secondary - and none of which are realy show stoppers. Leopard isn't broken - it still works fine, and still gets 'bug' fixes. You can continue to run leopard for many many many years with no problems.

 

[macuserx86]

Let's put this to bed and talk about other things:
Old hardware can't be supported forever
PPC is old hardware

Done, and done.

Now let's talk about the actual OS!
I'm really hoping that Adobe jumps on OpenCL and GCD right out of the gate, and gives us a proper CS5 (they owe it to us after the OS X CS4 is only 32 bit and the Windows CS4 is 64 )

 

[*LTD*]

Let's put this to bed and talk about other things:
Old hardware can't be supported forever
PPC is old hardware

Done, and done.

Now let's talk about the actual OS!
I'm really hoping that Adobe jumps on OpenCL and GCD right out of the gate, and gives us a proper CS5 (they owe it to us after the OS X CS4 is only 32 bit and the Windows CS4 is 64 )

Couldn't agree more.

As for Adobe, they've been dragging their feet for a while now. I think Apple is perfectly capable of coming out with their own equivalent to Adobe CS. They already have Aperture, which is quite the application, for instance.

 

[HyperZboy]

New and shiny what, though? That's the question. I'd go to an Intel desktop if Apple offered something to replace my PowerMac G4. But when you look at the gap between the mini and the Pro, there just isn't anything there.

Thank you, you just said a mouthful there that the fanboys don't get.

 

[HyperZboy]

WRONG! I've got G5s on AppleCare through the end of this year.

No, Apple shipped their first Intel in early 06, and they stopped selling G5s about the very end of 2006. Apple needs to take responsibility. They pretend they are world class, then deliver a Happy Meal.

Excellent point. In defense of PPC, larger caches are less necessary on PPC because of the 4 times larger register file than 32-bit Intel. The prefetch has more time to bring data not in the cache to the CPU.

Thank you. I'm not the tech smartest geek in the world, but I knew I was onto something here. Thanks for proving me right against the onslaught of INTEL fanboys! LOL

 

[nuckinfutz]

Thank you. I'm not the tech smartest geek in the world, but I knew I was onto something here. Thanks for proving me right against the onslaught of INTEL fanboys! LOL

Intel rocks your socks! Boi

 

[*LTD*]

Thank you. I'm not the tech smartest geek in the world, but I knew I was onto something here. Thanks for proving me right against the onslaught of INTEL fanboys! LOL

Sell your PPC equipment. Use the proceeds to get an Intel-based Mac, or two, since you seem to have plenty of scratch for things like that. Problem solved.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Sell your PPC equipment. Use the proceeds to get an Intel-based Mac, or two, since you seem to have plenty of scratch for things like that. Problem solved.

Pretty much. There are two buyers of $3000 computers.

1. Consumers that want the fastest computer available.
2. Pros that want the most production.

#1 is going to hold on to the computer as long as possible
#2 is going to ride it out until the depreciation is maxed and then get rid of it

There's a reason why most companies lease for 36 months to won. After three years it's time for a new computer.

 

[Eidorian]

Pretty much. There are two buyers of $3000 computers.

1. Consumers that want the fastest computer available.
2. Pros that want the most production.

#1 is going to hold on to the computer as long as possible
#2 is going to ride it out until the depreciation is maxed and then get rid of it

There's a reason why most companies lease for 36 months to won. After three years it's time for a new computer.

In addition a professional more than likely earned back the price of the hardware with tasks complete on it.

At least that's what you'd hope.

 

[nuckinfutz]

In addition a professional more than likely earned back the price of the hardware with tasks complete on it.

At least that's what you'd hope.

Yes...I'm dreaming of a day when I can write off a portion of my hardware expenditures for taxes. I'm seriously thinking about creating a solo consultancy and placing all hardware orders through my business. Of course I'd work as well but only in a PT manner.

I think most business are on a 3 year refresh cycle for desktop/notebooks and 4-5 year on monitors.

That being said I don't think Hyperzboy is wrong. If you buy a top of the line computer you want that computer to be fully supported for 5 years. The extenuating circumstances of today thought make that a difficult proposition for Apple.

 

[Eidorian]

It's fun to write off things on your taxes when you're self employed. Now if I only got more jobs to really make it matter much more.

 

[Hugh]

Toast

This is of no real significance in my opinion. Although I supposes there are plenty who still watch movies on their computer. I want to watch Blu Ray on my big screen HD TV and current HD content for the Apple TV looks pretty amazing. Be even better if they take it up to 1080p.

However, it would be nice to be able to burn HD video to a blu ray disc on your Mac.

You can burn video to a BlueRay disk. Just use Toast 9 (Or is it X I will have to check for a link for you)

Hugh

 

[Amdahl]

That being said I don't think Hyperzboy is wrong. If you buy a top of the line computer you want that computer to be fully supported for 5 years. The extenuating circumstances of today thought make that a difficult proposition for Apple.

I assume you refer to Apple's low bank balance.. Only $25 billion. That's only enough to develop the Airbus A380, and maybe a couple of new cars. Ya, I can see why they need to drop PPC from SL even though PPC code existed in earlier builds. 'Savings.'

I just wish fanboys could admit it: Apple screws customers. And the customers defend it.

 

[Infrared]

about the opencl which help applications to fully work with dual core, I am wondering if Adobe will release a Photoshop CS4 update after Snow Leopard releases.

Zero chance.

 

[nuckinfutz]

I assume you refer to Apple's low bank balance.. Only $25 billion. That's only enough to develop the Airbus A380, and maybe a couple of new cars. Ya, I can see why they need to drop PPC from SL even though PPC code existed in earlier builds. 'Savings.'

I just wish fanboys could admit it: Apple screws customers. And the customers defend it.

Yes but the rich don't stay rich making foolish decisions. A man cannot serve to Masters. Apple had some decision to make.

#1 Move forward into 64-bit land with a dual headed framework monster named Cocoa and Carbon or make the tough decision and kill one of them.

#2 Move away from legacy PPC support so that they can focus on optimizing for more modern Intel/ARM plaforms.

Trying to manage two frameworks and two ISA is a recipe for disaster and the ramifications of this disaster is buggy software. Engineering time is most definitely finite. Leopard and Leopard Server struggled with bugs and stability. I don't expect that will be a problem moving forward with Snow Leopard and beyond.

What's better than 25 billion? 50 billion

 

[str1f3]

I like the price but I'm disappointed. Things I wanted:

-multitouch dictionary/api for a lot more gestures
-marble (if you look at Snow Leopard more and more it slowly transforming into marble)
-ZFS
-64bit iTunes

I'll take it for the price but I had hoped for more. I'll always be happy though with a faster OS.

 

[Infrared]

There is a need to comment further, since it seems you're stuck in a time machine of some kind and the forward/back lever is broken.

[...]

Powermac G5

Release Date:
June 24, 2003

Welcome to 2009.

The Mac Pro wasn't announced until August 7, 2006.
The PowerMac G5 was current until at least that date.
Release dates are not relevant.

Apple made a big hoo-ha about 64-bit computing when
the G5 machines first sprouted.

But those machines will never get to see a 64-bit kernel.
Slight irony there, I think.

 

[*LTD*]

The Mac Pro wasn't announced until August 7, 2006.
The PowerMac G5 was current until at least that date.
Release dates are not relevant.

Apple made a big hoo-ha about 64-bit computing when
the G5 machines first sprouted.

But those machines will never get to see a 64-bit kernel.
Slight irony there, I think.

Makes no difference. Someone wil always be late to the game, in just before a major switch. PowerPCs don't need to see any further support. They run Leopard, Apple will continue to update Leopard, and that's it.

Time for everyone to move to Intel instead of whining. People have had since early 2006 to do so. And if you bought a PowerPC Mac just before the Intel switch, that's just tough. **** happens.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

What's better than 25 billion? 50 billion

That depends, so you care more about Apple Inc or the customers?

 

[jmpage2]

I still don't understand all the crying about blu ray support. Sorry, its NOT as popular as people think it is. Really.

Its also too expensive for a disk. Blu ray is a niche product but some people refuse to believe that just because THEY use blu ray.


That would be the equivilent of me getting upset about the lack of expresscard slot on the new mbp. Yes I will miss it but not a lot of people use the thing. Most people don't even know what it is.

DVD players and especially DVD burners were niche products too. At some point niche products go main stream.

Let me help you to understand. Apple prides themselves on being a technology leader and yet they have failed to adopt or embrace the most sophisticated optical disc technology ever made available to consumers, even though this technology is going mainstream in WinTel computers.

Apple initially complained (in the famous "bag of hurt" comment) that the licensing for Blu was too expensive.

Now that's no longer an issue, so obviously the issue is that they would rather sell downloads on iTunes than put Blu in their boxes.

For a company that prides itself on being THE gold standard for photo/video editing it is laughable that Apple has zero products or software that support Blu-Ray.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Optical technology, as sophiscated as they seem, pale in comparison to HDD drives for storage and NAND technology for speed.

They do provide a nice linear path for slower witted people who much have the "bigger better deal" CD--->DVD---> HD optical

Computers have become less about science and more about slapping components into a case familar to the washed masses.

 

[toke lahti]

Really like the new price points!!!
Hope they bring out a max box set for $69 in september (for leopard users)
fingers crossed!

Yeah,
where's Family Mac Box Set Upgrade (from Leopard)?

 

[AidenShaw]

Optical technology, as sophiscated as they seem, pale in comparison to HDD drives for storage and NAND technology for speed.

They do provide a nice linear path for slower witted people who much have the "bigger better deal" CD--->DVD---> HD opticals

But we "nitwits" are watching 40 Mbps 1080p content with 96 KHz/24-bit lossless 7.1 sound - while you geniuses are looking at 4 Mbps heavily compressed 720p, or upscaled "VGA-quality 640x480" DVDs.