MBP Internal Arhitecture

[manapple]

Hi, I am a student of computer science, and for my last semester I have to deliver a seminar on any topic. Any topic (however, it must be detailed enough). Recently I got a MBP and wanted to talk to my class about the internal architecture of the MBP. Any ideas where I could get info, or what I should be talking about. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Heilage]

Hi, I am a student of computer science, and for my last semester I have to deliver a seminar on any topic. Any topic (however, it must be detailed enough). Recently I got a MBP and wanted to talk to my class about the internal architecture of the MBP. Any ideas where I could get info, or what I should be talking about. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

For complete teardowns and detailed looks at the internals, you can head over to iFixIt and check out their disassembly guides. If you're talking about spec sheets and more detailed information, you might have to check with Apple.

 

[old-wiz]

It would be interesting to see how deeply you want to go into the internal architecture. Are you going to try to explain how the Intel processor works? Or the wi-fi chips? You could do a whole book on just the processor.

 

[manapple]

It would be interesting to see how deeply you want to go into the internal architecture. Are you going to try to explain how the Intel processor works? Or the wi-fi chips? You could do a whole book on just the processor.

OKay, so here's the deal. I am new to the mac but people keep telling me how its so awesome as compared to windows, because of its supporting hardware, and architecture. So I want to explain this to a classroom full of 40 students 10 teachers at the masters level. Btw they have never used a mac. None of them! Its all windows back here. So again...any tips? my seminar should be detailed, but it will be only 30 minuets. thanks again.

 

[kuwisdelu]

OKay, so here's the deal. I am new to the mac but people keep telling me how its so awesome as compared to windows, because of its supporting hardware, and architecture. So I want to explain this to a classroom full of 40 students 10 teachers at the masters level. Btw they have never used a mac. None of them! Its all windows back here. So again...any tips? my seminar should be detailed, but it will be only 30 minuets. thanks again.

Internally, there's not going to be much difference in the actual components.

Design-wise, the unibody design is very nice for both structural stability and maintenance, but that doesn't have anything to do with the electronics.

The software-hardware integration is nice, but there's not much to say, since it's just the result of knowing exactly what hardware your OS will be running on and optimizing for it.

If you're in computer science, wouldn't it be more interesting to talk about some of the programming in OS X? Tell them about how cool GCD is or something.

 

[macducky]

CS Not CE!

If you're in computer science, wouldn't it be more interesting to talk about some of the programming in OS X? Tell them about how cool GCD is or something.

As a CS major myself, stay away from the CE side..
I agree with kuwisdelu! Focus on how OSX works on the same type of hardware but OSX is written to optimize a "select group" of hardware, it's unix/linux/NeXT linneage, and how apple is not hesitant to drop support for dated technology. (vice the "bloated" MS Win x)

"With consistency and purpose comes perfection!" (you can use my quote ;-)

A little apple history research will give you some good insight...

Good Luck!

 

[old-wiz]

OKay, so here's the deal. I am new to the mac but people keep telling me how its so awesome as compared to windows, because of its supporting hardware, and architecture. So I want to explain this to a classroom full of 40 students 10 teachers at the masters level. Btw they have never used a mac. None of them! Its all windows back here. So again...any tips? my seminar should be detailed, but it will be only 30 minuets. thanks again.

Underneath the hood, there is not a lot of difference between an Mac and a PC running Windows. Both use chips from Intel, RAM from the same companies, disk drives from companies such as Seagate, etc. Apple doesn't make hardware; they subcontract the designs to manufacturing companies.

 

[manapple]

For complete teardowns and detailed looks at the internals, you can head over to iFixIt and check out their disassembly guides. If you're talking about spec sheets and more detailed information, you might have to check with Apple.

Any idea if Apple will give me info(technical info) to talk about (in a way I am promoting the product to about 50 people, many who will be teachers in the future). Who can I contact?

thanks.

 

[manapple]

Internally, there's not going to be much difference in the actual components.

Design-wise, the unibody design is very nice for both structural stability and maintenance, but that doesn't have anything to do with the electronics.

The software-hardware integration is nice, but there's not much to say, since it's just the result of knowing exactly what hardware your OS will be running on and optimizing for it.

If you're in computer science, wouldn't it be more interesting to talk about some of the programming in OS X? Tell them about how cool GCD is or something.

I checked out...it makes more sense to talk about the OS X and GCD and stuff. I think thats what is really the difference between a MAC and windows. And I think its technical enough to make a tech presentation out of. Any idea where I can get detailed info from? I have noticed many books on this subject online, but are there any books that you would recommend that go into the OS X not from a programmers perspective, but rather to learn the details of the working of the operating system.

thanks.

 

[manapple]

As a CS major myself, stay away from the CE side..
I agree with kuwisdelu! Focus on how OSX works on the same type of hardware but OSX is written to optimize a "select group" of hardware, it's unix/linux/NeXT linneage, and how apple is not hesitant to drop support for dated technology. (vice the "bloated" MS Win x)

"With consistency and purpose comes perfection!" (you can use my quote ;-)

A little apple history research will give you some good insight...

Good Luck!

thanks for commenting. any idea where I could get detailed technical info from? not a programmers perspective, but to learn the OS (you know, how the threading works and the kernel and stuff). thanks.

 

[kuwisdelu]

I checked out...it makes more sense to talk about the OS X and GCD and stuff. I think thats what is really the difference between a MAC and windows. And I think its technical enough to make a tech presentation out of. Any idea where I can get detailed info from? I have noticed many books on this subject online, but are there any books that you would recommend that go into the OS X not from a programmers perspective, but rather to learn the details of the working of the operating system.

thanks.

thanks for commenting. any idea where I could get detailed technical info from? not a programmers perspective, but to learn the OS (you know, how the threading works and the kernel and stuff). thanks.

A great place to start, IMO, is here. John Siracusa's review goes into a great technical detail about all the cool new under-the-hood features in Snow Leopard, and should give you a good jumping-off point to a few areas you might like to focus on.

Beyond that, Apple's own documentation would be the most detailed you'd probably get. The kernel itself and stuff like multi-threading isn't much different from any other *nix system. It's everything on top of it and how Apple makes use of it and the frameworks it provides to developers that makes OS X so nice.

ETA: This would probably best be moved to Mac Programming.

 

[manapple]

A great place to start, IMO, is here. John Siracusa's review goes into a great technical detail about all the cool new under-the-hood features in Snow Leopard, and should give you a good jumping-off point to a few areas you might like to focus on.

Beyond that, Apple's own documentation would be the most detailed you'd probably get. The kernel itself and stuff like multi-threading isn't much different from any other *nix system. It's everything on top of it and how Apple makes use of it and the frameworks it provides to developers that makes OS X so nice.

ETA: This would probably best be moved to Mac Programming.

hmm..okay..thanks.